Took off the Ventilator

To everybody,
Thank you for daily praying and giving us words of encouragement.
Because of everybody’s support, Hajime is recovering day by day.

Today, Hajime gave his total effort with tears streaming down his cheek again.
In the morning, it was decided to take off the Ventilator and starting at 9:30am, we took him off. But because of the tracheostomy, his coughing wouldn’t stop and he coughed for over 40 minutes. It looked like he was having a tough time and for a moment we were restless, but after that he was able to relax and his coughing had stopped. From now on he needs to have the Ventilator on at night.
When we’re going home, there’s going to be a home check to see if there is space to have and attach the Ventilator. It’s something that protects life,
so it’s a very important process.

Afterwards, in the afternoon he practiced standing and sitting on a chair.
Hajime is still in pain from the surgery and he cried uncontrollably.
But because he had lost his voice, he can’t let out any loud sounds to let us know.
He was rolling out large tears and letting out his inaudible cry.
I couldn’t help but to cry because it hurt me so to watch my poor child.

But he went through with it.
I thought, “That’s Hajime.”
My tears are coming out even now as I am recalling.

We try many things daily, but he is really giving all his effort.
Because he wants to go home as soon as possible…..

Hajime presently doesn’t like the word, “gambare”.
(It’s a word of encouragement that has meanings such as
“give it your best, try hard, hang in there”.)

But, “Gambare~~!”


Translated by Christine Shirota (American English)