Eugene, the possessive Romanian ( had from discharge date ) has mellowed somewhat - we even get a smile and laugh and the odd joke out of him !. He runs the ship on a tight rope, has only my needs at heart and is a blessing to have. Mario, the Portugese, new live in is also a star - needs constant guidance, but will be fine - again, in time he will be an asset to have as part of the team. Good Ol' Rameez my weekend double up is as always a pleasure, needing no encouragement to break the rules of whatever Alcatraz so firmly instilled in us during rehab !! Then there is my weekday ' fall guy ', Andreas, the mad Italian who is used as the scapegoat for everything from bad weather to broken glasses ! He too is an absolute pleasure to have, to be by my side when out and about 'terrorising'the pavements of London. It has taken me 11 months to realise that it is all about ones attitude that makes or breaks the situation you are presented with in life ! That choosing of the path to take when the road splits ! Left or right, hard or easy,........... It's ones own choice, and my choice is to leave the bad attitude behind and concentrate on a good positive attitude in going forward ! Life is as it is for the NOW - get on an deal with it !!
I'm off to Alcatraz again ! Yes this week I had a call from the prison director ( my consultant ) to say that a " cell " was available for me in September ! Another two weeks of intensive top up therapy. A
huge sence of encouragement for me as this will be my third time back since my release almost a year ago. Some inmates get one call back, some never, and very seldom do inmates even get a second re-call ! I have kind of never allowed myself to cut the ties with the consultant, and made sure that the Physio' and my GP give her constant feedback as to my condition and the improvements in my recovery process. I too email her on a two weekly basis filling her in on the various changes in my body status. It has got to a stage where I now email her with what I want to do with tweeking drug dosages, adjusting excersize regimes, diet changes etc etc, and I am of the belief that she respects the fact that I am trying to take responsibility of my condition, research all angles and when we speak, I am able to ' argue ' reasons of why ? Or why not ?. Beds in the Spinal unit are HARD to come by, remembering it took 5 months from the onset of my injury for one to become available for me. So I like to believe that given the fact that she continues to offer me top up therapy means she believes that my determination and hard work may just prove medical science can be overcome by sheer belief in re-conditioning the mind !! Thank you Angela Gall for the opportunity !!
It's not without its hardships though !, my morning wake up call starts with half an hours passive Physio excersizes, hoist to shower chair, SSS, then 40 minutes of FES - electrical shock therapy, hoisting back to bed, full body deep muscle massage, dressing, hoisting into wheelchair, and then fitting in an hour of standing, as well as Physio to upper limbs - usually done just before the double up leaves for the day. It was advised by my team at Stanmore to do this 3 times a week - more often if desired ! I decided, everyday would only increase the chances of a better, and quicker recovery, so from the day of discharge that's been the program. Granted, there have been times due to ill health or visitors or, or, or ...... That it has not happened, but on the whole, I stick with the program !!
Some of you might have seen the short video clips on FB of the Rex Bionic trial I was privileged enough to get onto. An exhilarating, scary experience of robotic walking. An amazingly foreign feeling of being able to walk aided by technology far beyond comprehension , where the ' skeleton ' overrides the mind and its signals, or should I say ' non signals ' amazing, amazing, amazing !!! And a big thank you to Neil, for his recommendation !!!
It is really difficult as a newly injured person to come terms of what ? And what cannot ? Be achieved with things to do in life now ! For example - travel - So I meet with my friend Sarah ( she was an Support, out reach consultant who accidentally called on me right at the beginning of my injury stage ). She was probably the most instrumental person in making my mind up wrt going forward with a positive attitude as apposed to giving in to this life changing " thing " that had happened to me. We became friends ! She herself is in a chair, having had an accident 22 years ago. So we meet up every couple of weeks for diner, a catch up and far too much PG !!
I had always vowed and declared that I would not associate myself with the world of disabled people, but rather surround myself with able bodied people. In hindsight , I have come to realise that, that was a defence mechanism of not wanting to accept my current lot in life and the situation I found myself in ! How wrong I've been ! I am what I am ( for now ), and how selfish could I have been ! Bottom line...... I have a functioning head, with what I believe a good brain, a right arm that works, semi use of my right leg and the rest of the body is trying to re-build itself ! In essence then, I had the gall to believe that I was the same as prior to my injury ! Not so.... For now ! I will rebuild, and I will improve......
Oh, I'm waffling now ! Back to Sarah. So we meet up, and she tells me about a ski resort in Sweden - completely adapted for the disabled ! YES .... Skiing ! As I understand it, set up by an Olympic skier who had a SCI , and run by a Charity called Back Up. She put me in touch with the right people, and I'm off skiing in January ! Never did it when I had legs and now doing it without legs !! Taboganing, snow boarding ( on my but ) etc etc - just going to do it !! Apparently it used to be means tested to get on to, but now it is about raising money to be donated to Back Up to be considered - on it and will hoefully do so ! Any suggestions welcome !!.....
