Dibles

First. It was extremely rutted under the water.

Yip. You've got me smiling now (albeit with a heavy heart) as I know how Barry always reacted when seeing these pics.

Here are a few of my favourites. Magenta boa pic was taken at 94.7. Other two pics are from Groenies Hub rides.

Latest update from Kevin. Apologies for not giving an update on Barry Mccallum yesterday, but, well, Conor and I decided we needed a breather from it all, and took the day off. I have just spoken to the doc, and they decided to put off the operation as Barry's platelet count was not high enough. The colostomy bag is not an urgent matter, but they would like to get it in some time next week. I told the doctor a rather sad joke about Barry being full of ****, which went down better than I told it. Gallows humour is coming through, which it eventually had to. Barry is doing well, otherwise. He is stable and his renal function is coping as well as can be expected. He is looking cleaner, which, again, is a first for Barry. He is still being fed via a tube, and they are keeping him on ventilation. They are looking to liberate him from those tubes as soon as they can. I find myself repeating things from the day before and the day before that, which is good. Stable and resting are two very important words. Now to get that bag attached so we can get some of the **** out him. Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

Latest update from Kevin. The fluidity and uncertainty of the position of Barry Mccallum will keep us on our toes for the months to come. Yesterday morning he was okay. He was in theatre to change his dressings. Last night was, according to the doc, rough-ish, but they are prepared for it. As always, infection is the enemy. He was looking better this morning. He will go in for surgery again on Thursday to have his colostomy bag attached. He will also have debridement then, which means they will remove any damaged tissue they find. After that, we will see if we can get him off the ventilator and the feeding tube and other machines that go ping. I'm about to go ping myself. I think I'll have a beer with some mates shortly. I also think I am going to head to Cape Town this weekend to ride bikes and have some wine and spend some time with my wife. I'm not escaping Barry. I'm just going to re-set and remember and rejuvenate a little. Every day is a fight, for Barry, his family and his medical team. We are all part of it. Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

Posted by Kevin on FB. A week ago today Barry Mccallum was admitted to the Glynnwood. It still does not feel real. I saw him briefly, as he was wheeled past him from the theatre, where he had had his wounds dressed. It was the most heartbreaking thing I have seen. Helpless as he was rolled past, the doctor pumping a bag to help him breathe. Hope and fear and shock. But it was a good day. Barry is strong and fighting. I had a long talk with Dr Liam Brannigan, the head of the ICU. I used to drink with his cousins, the Meredith boys. I had a few drinks with Liam more than once. Liam explained what is happening now and the way forward. He runs an "aggressive" unit, that is always looking at the next step, the treatment that is to come. That is why they are perhaps the best ICU in SA. The plan is to put a colostomy bag on Barry this week, because his buttocks are badly burnt and any fecal matter would infect those wounds. The feeding and ventilation tubes will remain for now, but they...wait, that should "we", this is our fight as much as their's... would like to have those tubes out as soon as they can. Breandan McCallum flies back tonight. Conor Mccallum is staying for another week. The boys have made me immensely proud to be their uncle. They have become men. B will play in a big semifinal at the Allianz Park on Saturday. His dad will be proud of his boy. Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

This is from Barry's son - posted by Kevin last night. An update from Conor Mccallum: He is stable and has been stable since last night. They are keeping him under almost complete sedation at minimum sedation. He has another op tomorrow for cleaning and Re-Dressing. He goes in at 7h30. The nurse that is with her seems to feel confident with his condition. She said Mary was there at 10h00 until about 10h30. She is very nice and she is taking good care of him! Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

The latest update from Kevin. Not much to report today. Barry Mccallum is keeping on keeping on. He is preparing for theatre tomorrow where they will change his dressings. It has to be in theatre to be extra sterile. I have spent the day catching up on work put off because of last week. Then my wife took me for lunch. And now I am drinking gin, and preparing to do some more work. My phone does not stop, another crisis, another question, another update needed, a befuddled mother to placate and give explanations to. My head spins, my heart breaks. And this is just the start. There are many months to go. Barry cannot take too many visitors. He is asleep most of the time. He is in ICU. It is not a good place for visiting. Breandan flies out tomorrow night. There are documents to sort out and other things to organise. And through this, Barry keeps fighting. That is all we need to know today. I'm off to walk my dogs and let it go for an hour. Kevin

The latest FB update from Kevin. Seeing Barry Mccallum was hard today. He was sleeping, breathing well, his markers all good, but I miss his eyes and his moans and his bull**** about "I'm okay". He had a little wobble yesterday afternoon. Wobble is the best way to put it. He had a reaction to a transfusion. As the doc said, he took a hit to his kidneys, the ones that have just come off dialysis, and a membrane on his lungs. They worked on him yesterday afternoon. Another CBC old boy, Stephen Toich (spelling), part of the ICU, gave us details on what exactly happened. The summary is this: Barry came through, he and his doctors and sisters and drugs won this fight. He was sleeping today. He will be asleep for a while. I went to Grapes and listened to stories about the friend they called the "stunt man". My brother was a kid who never grew up. He lived a life and also treaded water. Tomorrow the treading of water starts again.

From his brother's FB. An update on Barry Mccallum Where to start? The good, and if I get a little long-winded, it is because I was given an crash course in medical charts, machines that go ping and the magic of the human body by Barry's doctor. Physically, he looks more swollen than on Monday, but that is because of the fluids that are being pumped into him. The work of his kidneys is being taken care of by the dialysis machine, but he is passing some urine and it is clearer than it was on Monday. His lungs are surprisingly strong, no ventilation needed. His blood count is improving and his other numbers are getting better. He has fake skin on his wounds. He is absorbing nutrition through a tube down his throat, which is frustrating him no end. He can't speak, and Christ knows Barry likes to talk. He can't drink, and is given water and ice to help his throat. The tubes will be removed from his throat in the next few days. The doctor was impressed with how he had progressed. He is going to have another operation tomorrow morning at 8am. It is another clean-up op, looking at the worst they did in the first op and finding stuff they may have missed. The thing with burns, like a bruise, is that the damage only becomes apparent a few days later. The bad? I spoke to Liam Brannigan, the head of ICU, this morning. The percentage of the coverage of burn wounds on the body correlates to mortality. Over 50 percent burn wounds is dangerous. Barry is over 50 percent. The fight is against infection and organ failure. Sepsis is the killer in burn trauma. Barry has had no infection thus far. Keeping it that way is not certain and it is likely there may be some infection. The bottom line is Barry's fight is not yet done. He is better today, but there is nothing certain. It is all down to his doctors, his body and fate. But today is a good day. Mark it, give it a tick. Tomorrow is another fight. Round number four. Visitors are still being kept to close family, but the ICU has been kind if they think he can handle it. I would rather we did not overwhelm him. Perhaps next week. Thanks to all who have helped. Too many of you. To those feeding Barry's dogs, I think there are four or five of you. They will be fat when he is well. To Grapes and the people there. Jesus, but your love is a tangible thing. I'll get to each of those who have helped when the time is right. Thank you Kev

http://benonicitytimes.co.za/286650/burn-victim-identified-barry-mccallum/

Latest update.

Latest update is that Barry will be going into surgery at 3pm today.

http://benonicitytimes.co.za/286584/badly-burnt-in-car-fire/

He'd been having car problems. Tweeted recently that his Corsa was smoking and that it was probably the fuel line. Wishing you a speedy recovery, B.

My family own a blade sharpening business overseas. I bought a set of Zwilling Henckels knives when I visited them and they told me not to use the rod type knife sharpener. They recommended this one and it works well on my knives: http://www.yuppiechef.com/wusthof-knife-sharpeners.htm?id=4454&name=Wusthof-2-Stage-Knife-Sharpener&ref=search

Cape Town cyclist in ICU after attack. http://www.iol.co.za/news/crime-courts/cape-town-cyclist-in-icu-after-attack-1972459/

Kevin McCallum says that CTCT has set up a fund to raise money for the fire fighting. He also mentioned that the pro race will go ahead. https://twitter.com/KevinMcCallum/

Thanks Spoke101. Please keep us updated.

Thanks Eraser. I don't know the cyclist at all and am just trying to help as I can't help search in person.

ROAG: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=10152230487777854&id=356854647853 Brett Fourie, a local PMB cyclist, has gone missing in the Mondi Forest in Hilton. His car was found at the entrance of Mondi. He was last seen at 9am this morning. Anyone who is interested in joining the search party can meet at Crossways at 6am tomorrow (Monday) morning. Please help find our fellow cyclist and friend. mike bradley @mikesmaverick · 1h Local PmB cyclist missing since 0900 in Hilton forest. Looking for cyclists to assist in search to resume romorrow at 6:00am from Crossways.

There was another bike-jacking this afternoon. Four attackers with knives. Kirkness field in Pierre Van Ryneveld. They recovered the bicycles in Irene near the train station. Three days ago there was a bike-jacking at Cornwall Hill koppie near the old water reservoir. Two mountain bikers attacked. Info is from Twitter.

I took my bike to South Bay Cycles for a service last week. I'm very happy with the work they did and the customer service was great. Their prices are good too. They have some drool-worthy Cube bikes on display. Very nicely specced bikes. Wishing them all the best for the future.

"Monty" already has some friends at Groenies. I can't find the original article but from what I recall it was published about 4 years ago: http://www.rekord.co.za/story.aspx?lan=Afr&sid=33743 Someone I know has seen them in the reserve during a hike...think it was Thug.

Mr Price presents new sports show ‘Heroes TV’ Heroes TV - a dynamic monthly sports magazine show providing brief event coverage as well as profiles of African sporting heroes and unique under-exposed sporting disciplines - debuts on MNET Supersport on December 9.. The action packed 26 minute show is sure to get the adrenalin pumping as leading cinematographers capture radical footage. They’ll also provide rare insights into the lives of many of Africa’s sporting icons who are filled with passion and emotion in their quest to be the best. In the inaugural show, Heroes TV gets up close and personal with Burry Stander, former world u23 mountain bike champion, as well as South African surfing phenomenon Jordy Smith and his historic Mr Price Pro Ballito victory. The show then heads into the heart of Cape Town’s Mitchell’s Plain for a soccer development program with a difference. “The series will literally be a type of Transworld of Africa,” said Invisible Cactus Entertainment Director Richard Edy. “Most of the non main stream sporting codes such as free diving, skimboarding and free climbing are rich in heritage and culture as well as entertaining and are certainly worthy of exposure.” The Mr Price brand is inextricably linked with iconic sporting events, athletes, teams and clubs throughout South Africa and, as the show’s presenting sponsor, the company is excited about its involvement in the series. “We wanted to entertain the public by providing a fun-filled, action-packed show highlighting the achievements of a diversity of great athletes,” said Graham Daniel the Sports Marketing Manager for Mr Price. “Frequently an athlete’s personal story is lost in the reporting style of an event show, so we decided to take a closer look into what makes the athletes tick, giving the viewer the inside track on their success.” The Heroes TV crew recently caught up with Olympian Burry Stander from Port Shepstone (KZN) capturing a day in the life of the professional mountain biker whose monumental achievements both locally and abroad have garnered the 24-year-old a legion of two wheel fans. “It’s not everyday a film crew comes to you, so it was a great way for me to showcase what I do and, more importantly, how I go about doing it,” said Stander who is aiming for gold at the 2012 Olympics in London. Heroes TV pilot will feature on MNET Supersport Channel 1 on December 9 at 6pm with multiple repeats throughout December. Show one for the 2011 series of Heroes TV goes on air in April 2011.