We are now a couple of days in to Mike’s last week at Project Walk. Pat and I are “learning” to be his trainers and for me it is very interesting to finally get some time up at Project Walk to really see what they are doing and how much Mike has improved. Also good to have a fresh face here in Pat, who has not seen Mike since we left. I think we are both in awe of what they have managed to do for Mike’s shoulders! There is still not reaching for the stars but he can scratch his head (although, I am not sure if that is extra shoulder rotation or extra neck stretch!) and has a bit of muscle back on his upper arms.

On our last weekend here in San Diego we took mum up to Sea World for Ash to see Shamu one last time. We got Mike and mum in the water with the dolphins which was fantastic. I had it all booked and locked in only to find out that the water is about 16 degrees — only a little below the 36 degrees Mike needs for hydro! Oh well, we decided to give it a try and in good news for his continuing triathlon career we managed to get him in to the wetsuit in only about 10 mins. Unfortunately, the same streamlined approach cannot be said to have worked for getting him out ….. about 45 mins later he was ready!! and then it took him about 4 hours to warm up again. That said, I think he loved it, even though he couldn’t feel the dolphin it would still have been amazing to be in the water with it. He said he hated being on the sling and they were originally warning us that the dolphins don’t really like the sling and may not come near him (information that would have been nice PRIOR to paying for it!!). Anyway, the dolphin loved him and kept coming over to bop his toes with its nose. Great to do something very different.

That was it for the weekend as Mike spent Sunday recovering and getting ready for the week ahead. The usual protocol for train the trainer is that Mike has his normal 3 hrs of training each morning which Pat and I watch, ask questions, assist with a bit and then in the afternoon there are 2 hours allocated to teaching us what to do, why and how. Mike coped really well on Monday with this and used a couple of glasses of red to help him have  a good sleep but I think yesterday nearly killed him. He had a huge three hours in the morning, then we had a “wheel guy” come out and show us some power-assisted wheels, which are now Mike’s new love; and then a TV crew turned up so the 2 hours that Mike should have just been moving around a bit and getting some extra stretching turned in to a massive smash-fest for the cameras. I think they worked out he couldn’t swear much in front of the camera so they put him on all the machines he hates!

It was amazing to see him walk on the sticks – not very practicle in that he has to be strapped in to the sticks by someone, helped up on to them and then needs someone walking directly behind to catch when he loses balances but still, very proud of the hard work that has gone in to it. I think I was most surprised but how much concentration it takes him. We were joking yesterday that his goal of walking Ash to school for her first day will require a VERY early start, a couple of helpers and possibly to hold her back a year!! just jokes!

Lots  to do to get ready for the long  days up at Project Walk so better sign off. We look forward to seeing everyone when we get home. The shopping has not been great and i found out that the M&M’s shop that I wanted to go to is about a half day drive away so that is a bit tragic! Look after yourselves and see you in a week or so. I will try to add some photos with Mike – a bit tricky as we are trying to do a bit of sight-seeing with mum and Pat as well as the long days at Project Walk so not a lot of computer time.