Phil Thorn: Keeping the faith
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Photograph: Phil using his Braille Note.
If there's one thing that's certain in life, it's uncertainty. Phil Thorn is well acquainted with this truism. Three years ago, Phil went from being a healthy 39-year-old father of two who was running a business, to becoming deafblind through severe illness. And yet this incredible man remains unshakably positive. Here, Phil tells his story in his own words.
"Back in 2008 I was living with my amazing wife Julia and our two children in Queenstown, managing a camp and conference centre.
I loved my job and working with people. On 26 September 2008, I was suddenly struck down with Bacterial Meningitis. I slipped into a coma and thankfully my wife got me into an ambulance quickly, which helped to save my life.
In hospital my life teetered in the balance for three weeks. When I finally came out of the coma, my world had changed. I was now deaf and blind, and I also had very loud Tinnitus in my head, which sounded like a jet plane. While I was in the coma I came down with pneumonia and had a number of strokes, which
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left me paralysed down the left side of my body, and in both legs from the waist down.
Photograph: The Thorn family: Harrison, Phil, Brooke, Julia and their pet dog.
I was moved to a rehabilitation centre where my wife communicated with me using foam letters which I felt with my hands. This is a very slow way to communicate, but I soon learnt the frightening truth about my permanent disabilities. It was rather challenging to be in a dark, noisy yet-silent world, with no use of my body from the waist down. The world had changed for me, and for the people I loved most, who I could now only hug.
My amazing rehabilitation team started working to help me rebuild my world. A speech therapist discovered deafblind signing and taught me, which helped to speed up communication. While in rehab, I was given the chance to learn braille through the Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind and I jumped at it, as I realised it would help me create a future. It also gave me something to do as I had many hours of loneliness and darkness.
After completing the course, I was given the opportunity to learn how to use a deafblind communicator, which is a portable communication device
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with all sorts of functionality based around braille. I use it every day for things like emailing friends and family. And now, for writing this story.
A year after my illness, I had an operation to install a Cochlear implant. This has helped to reduce the loud Tinnitus and also to restore some hearing. Currently I am not picking up speech, but I am working hard on it.
I attend the gym daily with the belief that I am going to walk again in the not-too-distant future. This year I have also begun studying health psychology through distance learning. In my spare time I enjoy doing sandstone sculpting.
Life is challenging, and it is still hard to interact with my kids at times, but I celebrate that my life has been given back to me and I have many dreams. I want to make the world a better, brighter place.
I acknowledge all of those who have helped, encouraged and supported me along the way, especially my family for sticking beside me through this 'crazy-amazing' journey, as I call it. There is still a long way to go, but I am determined not to let it hold me back. So watch this space!
Thank you for taking the time to read my story. Keep believing in your dreams, even on the hard days, because they can come true if you only believe."
Check out Phil's blog: http://phillywonka.blogspot.com
Photograph: Phil at the gym