RIP Kev
- Thread starter DirtySteve
- Start date
As was I.
It didn't help that the last helicopter to go down in the North Sea, sometime around 2013,left from his rig and on the evening he was due off. Our tv programme was interrupted with the announcement. Even though he had already told me he had to stay on an extra week and he had phoned me that day to confirm that, I still thought what if. Thankfully Kevin saw the announcement and called to say he was safe. As I mentioned earlier, and although I would never have changed a thing about him, being married Kevin was not a position for the faint-hearted.
Sargeant Preston
Ambassador of The Ninth Chord
Just a thought. Did Kevin ever post a photo of himself in the TTR Mug Shots thread?
SIx String Chef
Ambassador of Taste
Oh, man... that's some really sad news!... Rest In Power, Kev. Och aye!I just got word that our brother Kev had a second heart attack that he didn't recover from and he passed away on July 30th.
Kev was my very first forum friend, I've known him since 2010 when I met him on the Marshall Forum. ...very sad.RIP my brother.
mcblink
Ambassador of Riffs & Spliffs
I do believe MF (here also) has gone through a couple if not few updates/upgrades/sever migrations, etc, since back then. Much of the media was lost and/or broken. So even if he had, it may be doubtful that it could be recovered at this point.
mcblink
Ambassador of Riffs & Spliffs
What if someone could walk Elaine through how to go about posting a good picture of him here for us?
I would be happy to help. Even if the easiest way might be to email me a photo and I can get it posted. Or get it to Wav once he’s back so he can put up the tribute. Just let me know.
mcblink
Ambassador of Riffs & Spliffs
That's an even better idea, makes it easy on Elaine (if she wants, of course)
Well, that was a difficult read, even if some of his trademark humour did shine through in parts. Kevin had a habit of downplaying things and his version doesn't even come close in conveying the reality of that situation. I even come across a post of his here where he apologises for not being around due to having "a wee hiccup at work"
If you don't mind I would like to offer you my perspective of his "wee hiccup"
I received a phone call around lunchtime from the HR dept of the company Kevin worked for. The girl on the other end informed me that they had been contacted by the rig and told that he had had a fall from height, was badly injured and was being airlifted to a hospital in Aberdeen and that that was all the information she had so far. My world turned upside down. I got in the car and made my way up. I phoned our son who was in Ireland with work. He couldn't get a direct flight to Aberdeen so had to fly to Glasgow then make the same drive I did.
When I arrived at the hospital 3 hours later they were still working on him and wouldn't let me see him. Finally a doctor came out to speak to me and I asked to see Kevin. He said it wasn't a good idea and I almost collapsed. I asked what was happening and he explained that Kevin had multiple fractures over his entire body as well as internal organ and possible brain damage. He went on to say that they were trying to stabilise him and that if they could get him stable then they were going put him into a medically induced coma. When I asked why he explained it was for 2 reasons, to protect his brain after the head trauma and to stop his system being overwhelmed by the sheer amount of damage to his body and shutting down. He then went on to say, and I'll never forget his words as long as I live "but Mrs F, I have to warn you, this has a high potential for being, and I would say likely, a terminal event" (why do they speak like that?).
At that point I demanded to see him and what it walked into will stay with me for the rest of my life. At first I thought they had made a mistake, he was unrecognisable as my husband until I saw the small shamrock tattoo at the top of his arm. He was still semi conscious and in obvious agony. I pleaded with them to give him something for the pain and they explained that they already had given him as much as they safely could but were concerned about his respiratory system and that's why they were putting him in a coma. I had to stand off to the side helplessly while they worked on him. Then all hell broke loose, alarms were going off and I was ushered out the room as the crash team ran in. His heart had stopped. This happened twice.
I was finally allowed to be at his bedside and they brought me a chair but he was unconscious by then. I was there for 30 hours when they told me they were going to administer the drugs that would put him into the coma. I kissed him lightly on the cheek and told him I would see him when he wakes up.
I returned the next day and sat at his bedside speaking to him and willing him to fight. I don't know if he could hear me. I couldn't even hold his hand as both his wrists were broken and even though he was in a coma I couldn't be sure I wouldn't hurt him.
After about a week they said they were going to bring him round to assess him. It took a few hours for him to come round, he opened his eyes, blinked a couple of times then let out screams like I have never heard in my life. These agonising screams were coming from the man I had only seen with tears in his eyes once in our entire relationship. I asked a nurse what was wrong and she simply replied "pain". They immediately put him back into the coma. That's when they decided they were going to transfer him to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow for specialist care. I was assured that this would be safe as he would be travelling in a dedicated trauma transfer ambulance and escorted by a specialist crash team. I travelled back with our son in the car and he insisted we follow behind the ambulance. We had travelled as far as Stirling, which is about 20 minutes outside Glasgow, when the ambulance lit up, put on its sirens and accelerated away from us. My heart sank. When we arrived at the hospital they informed us that he was stable but that the ambulance crew weren't happy with his vital signs and had wanted to get there quicker.
Kevin remained in the coma for a further 10 days. This time when they brought him round was a different story. He opened his eyes and smiled when he saw me but couldn't speak. He was still in pain, I could see it in his eyes but he was smiling, we had him back.
They then began the process of trying to repair the damage. I won't go in to detail but the damage to him was extensive. Every major area of his body had broken bones, head, arms, chest pelvis and legs as well as internal organ damage. His left leg was so badly smashed they were considering a partial amputation. One of the surgeons who worked on him said he has seen victims of road traffic accidents that didn't have half the damage Kevin had and didn't survive. After multiple operations to basically pin and bolt him back together he started on a journey of excruciating physiotherapy. Kevin was adamant that he would walk out of the hospital and almost 5 months after being admitted that's exactly what he did, albeit very slowly, shakily and the help of walking sticks, to come home.
I know this is coming from a biased viewpoint, but I have never witnessed sheer courage and determination like his in my life. What he pulled through was a superhuman effort that stunned even the medical professionals.
But to Kevin, it was a "wee hiccup "
OP
DirtySteve
Ambassador of Hold My Beer
Wow! 
Kevin, being the person he was, used to deflect attention away from himself by jokingly saying he had "slept through the whole thing". It really annoyed him when people focused their sympathy on him. I held a similar view regarding Lee, our son. Lee hero worshipped his father and had to look after everything in the background, while I was attending the hospital while emotionally dealing with the same things.
It's common usage in our vernacular. In that context its used to minimise a request, kind of make it sound like your asking for less than you actually are. For example, "can you do me a wee favour " or "can you give me a wee hand with this chore".
With regard to Kevin and I sounding alike. The only thing our speech had in common was a Scottish accent. I'm more polished in my enunciation whereas Kevin sounded like a homeless Billy Connolly.
Jethro Rocker
Ambassador of Live & Loud Action
Sargeant Preston
Ambassador of The Ninth Chord
Guys, I'm going to be honest, I was initially quite wary about stepping foot in here. I half expected it to be a typical "guy" place and didn't know quite what I was letting myself in for. I've never had an interest in any form of social media, I had always assumed it to be full of toxicity and agendas. And I've just never had room in my life for that sort of thing. Thank you for proving me wrong. The level of respect and compassion I have been shown from you all took me by surprise and has been gratefully received. It may come as a surprise to some, but Kevin wasn't exactly a big fan of social media either, his phone only contained a link to this place and what looks like a redundant Facebook page with no activity on it so if he was coming here it was for a reason and I'm guessing that reason is you guys. The affection for Kevin on display here was lovely to see and just confirms what I already knew about him, he just had that affect on people.
I think now I have just about read all of his posts on here, some with tears, some with smiles and others with laughter and I would say the whole experience has been beneficial and very much appreciated.
It will take a very long time, if ever, to come to terms with the loss of my husband. The cruelty of losing him after the battle he fought to come back to us will be something I'll never get over but the small distraction provided by this place and you guys has been a blessing. Thank you from the bottom of me heart.
Right, I'm going to go and let you guys get on with it, I've taken up enough of your time, but if I could just ask one last "wee" favour ?
If possible, could Kevin's membership here be kept open ? I thought it might be nice to pop in sometime, maybe on a significant date or something and just say hi, and keep his name alive. Again, my best wishes and thanks to you all.
Take care and God bless, Elaine.
I think now I have just about read all of his posts on here, some with tears, some with smiles and others with laughter and I would say the whole experience has been beneficial and very much appreciated.
It will take a very long time, if ever, to come to terms with the loss of my husband. The cruelty of losing him after the battle he fought to come back to us will be something I'll never get over but the small distraction provided by this place and you guys has been a blessing. Thank you from the bottom of me heart.
Right, I'm going to go and let you guys get on with it, I've taken up enough of your time, but if I could just ask one last "wee" favour ?
If possible, could Kevin's membership here be kept open ? I thought it might be nice to pop in sometime, maybe on a significant date or something and just say hi, and keep his name alive. Again, my best wishes and thanks to you all.
Take care and God bless, Elaine.