Leaps and Bounds
I have now been back at the gym with Patrick for three weeks and have just started at the Epworth Hospital rehabilitation facility. Between these two I am getting 12 hours of activity a week. There are a few hours of other things such as massage, hand therapy and Feldenkrais physiotherapy that I’m performing each week that is making it very busy. Monica has also started back at work giving me my first taste of real responsibility with the family again. Ashley and I set off for kindergarten three mornings a week with me in the motorised wheelchair and Ashley riding on the back on one of those scooters that you see attached to the back of a pram. Our good friends Michelle and Cam bought this and helped us fit to the back of the wheelchair. It is terrific.
After my experience at Project Walk it has been great to get in the gym and start to keep track of my own progress in terms of strength and range of movement. Even after three weeks my strength is improving in leaps and bounds. I am working specific muscles in each session to get them to improve and I have noticed massive changes already. We are really working hard on the muscles that help stabilise you when you stand up and the ones you use to walk. With hand therapy involved also I am learning how to counteract the increasing strength so that my hands do not curl up. This condition is truly very cruel in that work I do to improve my mobility and strength makes my hands worse unless I counteract the work with stretching in the opposite direction. It truly is quite interesting if you ignore that it is happening to me!
We are heading to Sydney this weekend for my first attempt at travelling to our families’ homes in this condition. I’m really looking forward to it in particular seeing some of the people who have supported me and us throughout my recovery so far. And I would be lying if I did not say that I was looking forward to eating Chinese food at one of my favourite restaurants where Monica’s parents live!
That will do for now, I will keep it short and sweet. Keep making the most of what you’ve got!
Cheers,
Mike.
July 16th, 2009 on 10:28 pm
That’s exciting about your trip to Sydney and I bet I can guess where you are going for Chinese….glad you are back at the gym Mike and thanks for the update. Best wishes, Marcia
July 21st, 2009 on 10:14 pm
Mon / Mike,
Great to speak to you last week.
There are few people in life that have your positive attitudes to what life brings. You are both amazing. Truly inspirational people!
Mon – I hope your return to work has been ok and that your getting through the afternoon without needing a little kip!
Love to you both
Al
July 22nd, 2009 on 3:55 am
Great to hear you’re keeping up spirits and that you’ve settled in to the next new routine.
I’ve just been reminded about a couple of old books you may find inspirational. Although they’re not exactly related to your situation, the stories of these two men overcoming seemingly insurmountable odds and rewriting the rule books should sit quite happily with you. They are: “Reach for the Sky” by Paul Brickhill and “Victory in My Hands” by Harold Russell. Enjoy … that is, if you have the time to read with your busy schedules.