01 Jun Day 1: That Night

I take Jeff’s girlfriend to hospital so we can be there when the Ambulance arrives, Lauren has stayed at home as the police want to start some preliminary investigations. She’ll drive to the hospital once the police have left. 

Jeff arrives at hospital, we’re not allowed to see him, the paramedics and doctors are handing over all information that they know so that the A&E team can take care of him from here. Jeff’s girlfriend is calling his sister while I’m calling his mum, I have the horrible task of telling his mum that her son is in hospital, he’s tried to take his life and he’s currently unconscious. 

Now, what feels like the longest night of my life unfolds. Jeff is taken to the Intensive Care Unit, the whole family is here, Lauren is by my side and we’re all supporting each other. I’ve called my friend and he’s on his way too. Every person that loves Jeff is there at the hospital routing for him. Minutes turn into hours before we hear from anyone. 11:30pm the doctor in charge enters the family room, they’re keeping Jeff under sedation, his brain has been starved of oxygen and needs to recover. The daunting question is asked… “Is he going to be alright?” Now, the answer to this question can make us the happiest or the most upset with just one word; yes or no. “It’s unlikely that he will ever make a full recovery, brain damage is very likely with this kind of trauma” I will never forget what the Doctor told us tonight. 

We’re all allowed to see him, there’s at least 8 of us all pacing into his small ICU room. He’s unconscious, has machines all working around him to keep him alive, a machine breathing for him, a mass of medication being pumped into his veins, all to give Jeff the best chance of survival and recovery. 

No more news will be given to us tonight, nothing will change overnight so we’re all told to go and get some rest, they’ll call us if there is anything we should know.