Met with the founder of PW today – a very interesting and inspirational man. I really like the way he thinks – keep it simple! We had a very interesting discussion about occupational medicine and giving people hope. He talked about the grief that he cops for the work that he does which is staggering b/c from what I can see it makes sense. It isn’t a cure, it is just plain and simple hard work. Anyway, it was a fascinating hour and was great to meet some of the other people at PW.

Another amazing session – I got there to see Mike as exhausted as i have ever seen him – truly, after the ironman in Port Mac he looked stuffed but I happily handed over Ash and told him he had had his time …. now it was my turn! but no-way could I do that today ….. as we loaded him in to the car he had a couple of quotable quotes: “that is the hardest training session I have ever done” …. now to any of you who have trained with Mike that is a seriously big call – but I believe him there was not even an ounce of energy left (please note; my use of ounce, not gram!!!). He was so exhausted we couldn’t even manage a 5pm dinner – straight home to bed.

Next thing out of his mouth was “Well, I have done what I promised myself I wouldn’t do – absolutely smashed myself on the first 2 days!”. Poor thing, I almost feel bad dragging him to legoland all day today! Most of the others here are really young or a lot older without family here so when they get a rest day they actually get to rest but due to being sick when we arrived we haven’t really done much fun stuff with Ash so really want to do that today.

I have got some video of him doing some of the exercises at PW and we will have a bash at getting them uploaded later today. It is amazing how hard they are prepared to work these guys and the enthusiasm they put in to their work – it is so refreshing to be around a truly positive attitude. I think they are enjoying Mike … well, they are certainly enjoying hurting him! I have been taking Ash off to the park or for a swim (or today – to the Disney shop) while Mike is doing his sessions as I figure that she has had enough time sitting around hospitals and gyms in the last 9 months to cure her for life! It is really nice to be able to do that with her knowing that Mike doesn’t need any extra encouragement to work hard. I get a full run-down of the session but can’t wait to actually see one all the way thru. Already seeing some results with Mike’s shoulders in agony but certainly much more relaxed than they were when we left. This in turn has his fingers and hands much less tightly bound which he is enjoying (when he stops whincing in pain from the hard work on his shoulders!). Also on the results front, Mike felt the carpet as he sat on it today for the first time in 9 months. He still has no proper feeling but says he can differentiate the feel of the carpet to his chair on his butt and the back of one leg. Still nothing in his arms or hands but pretty cool that he is getting some return of sensation – something that at 9 months post injury is supposedly in that bucket called “impossible”.

Speaking of hard work – Ash has been hard at work writing letters to her friends but so far we have not managed to get to a UPS while they were open – we will try again today. It has been very cute – she is struggling to understand how long we will be away for and why her friends can’t just pop over for a play … but mummy they can just come on the plane! She has spent hours on her letters, choosing stickers for each friend that ”they will love because it is their favourite”. We might even find some postcards at Legoland – I am hoping there are some cool lego displays, not just rides, we shall see.

Also today we pick up the keys to the condo that we move in to on Easter Sunday – can’t wait. The hotel has been fantastic but my goodness, by the time you throw a hoist, a manual, an electric and a power-chair in to the room there isn’t much space for us. Once there we can set up the computer for Mike to use so he can do his own post of the sessions that he is doing.
Thursday also promises to be a busy day – first up we are going to try to get these chairs sorted once and for all and then we have booked Mike in to see the acupuncture guy at PW, so that will be a really interesting hour before he starts his next smash fest!