Jesus, I wouldn’t have thought that possible. 

Until today. 

I hated every minute of it. 

‘ Things’ don’t happen like they used to, and I’ll learn that over the coming years.

I missed my first two appts whilst sat there, and almost loss the will to live too. 

I was greatly cheered up by the arrival of my new buddy, Amber, who made me laugh and put my ablutions issues into context. 

I chose to skip badminton and table tennis to talk to her…  To be frank badminton, with its rallies of a maximum of 2 shots, is a bit of a waste of time…

I went to the gym later instead and wore myself out on the arm slide machine. The other ‘inmates’ think I’m a little odd trying so hard, but that’s my thing..

My awesome brother, Stu, turned up for his weekly visit at about 4. 

He drives HOURS every week to chat to me, and I love him with all my heart for it. 

We spent an hour watching YouTube videos of ‘adaptive skiing’, that I’ll try in 3 weeks time. I’m told it’s going to be very hard, and I’ll get frustrated. 

I know it’ll be a nightmare to start with, but hopefully I’ll get somewhere eventually. A big thank you to Luke here who’s done it and talked us through the rollercoaster of emotions that I’m sure to experience soon. 

Basically it’ll  be like learning to walk again, with wooden legs.

On skis. 

I talked to my daughters on the phone next. 

Amber’s enthusiasm for life is quite breathtaking, and she’s 9 going on 29 in so many ways. She’s such a joy to just listen to.  

Lily is 12 and pretty ‘cool’ these days. She laughs such a lot, as does Amber. 

Is there anything better than the sound and sight of laughing, happy children that you love? 

I think not. 

They both often tell me that they love me. 

(That’s even better than the laughing). 

They are the main reason I’m glad I didn’t die. 

Not long back from curry house. Taken by Rick, Q, Rob and Phil. 

Great lads. Lifted me into van, up steps, you name it.

Usual irreverent conversation, a bit spinal injury orientated, but you know, given 5 1/2 months ago I was in a coma and probably going to die and I’m now in a chair, it’s not surprising it’s a topic that’s mentioned. 

 I’ve come a long way since then. 

I lost 45 pounds in weight very quickly, but am now slowly putting it back on. 

I’m told I look like me again. 

My facial scars are getting smaller. 

My arms are getting bigger and definitely a lot stronger. 

My voice is louder, and no longer squeaky. 

My balance is improving slowly, very slowly but my confidence is growing. 

Thank you all for helping me get this far. 

Love my mates and  my family. 

xxx

And it was bloody cold!

Here goes again…

At 9.30 am on Saturday I was picked up by Dan and Terry and whisked to Cardiff..

In the other cars were Adam, Voj, Chris and a whole lot of Chris’s mates, all part of the Farewell Chris Tour. 

After 12 years of working at the Hogarth, he’s finally going back to Oz. 

God knows how, but he managed, along the way, to pull and eventually marry ( in May ) the luscious Linda. 

She sees something in him invisible to the rest of us..;)

I’ve seen him naked and it’s not that either. 

I’ve cycled, drunk, and skied ( he’s boarded ) with Chris over the years, and he’s a cracking boy. 

He’s pretty good at cycling, but got his ass kicked by the older guy on snow.. 🙂

I’ll post his stag weekend Daffyd ‘ the only gay on a snowboard’ a bit later on!

Unfortunately Oz have beaten Wales on the last 8 occasions… Leaving Chris in a position of strength at these annual autumn internationals, and this year saw him grinning from ear to ear yet again. 

The Git. 

His and Linda’s wedding this year was a cracker, typically ending with male semi nudity… And full nudity by Adam. 

The Millenium Stadium is bloody brilliant for wheelchairs, and a lot better than Twickenham. They’ve got purpose built platforms, with TV screens too for the Wheelies, and really, really helpful stewards, who can’t do enough for you. 

We met at Ground Zero on Westgate St before the game, where the staff were brilliant. Nothing was too much trouble, shipping me up and down in the freight lift regularly, to the bog. 

In the ground, to my massive surprise and pleasure, I met up with ( because they came and found me ) my brother Stu, his boys Sam ( sporting well dodgy Swansea Uni haircut, tea cosy hat and GINGER beard? – surely the girls in Swansea don’t know LIKE that ?) and Ben, my cousin Delmie with his son Ross, and my Uncle Mike. They stayed and had a few beers with me at one of the Stadium bars til 8, after which we said goodbye, wheeled back to the car and headed for London again. 

Every previous visit for one of these autumn games has ended in a carnage of beers and teenage behaviour, always staying overnight in Cardiff. 

Maybe it was time I finally grew up?  This has kind of forced my hand ( for now at least ).

Dan slept most of the way back, hilariously, in a sleeping bag on the back seat. As he had a party to go to, I reckon it was a smart move, leaving Terry to do the driving, which he did like a pro. 

I didn’t realise you could drive at over a 100 all the way without getting pulled over, but it seems you can? Obviously driving someone  else’s car is the best licence saving strategy..

I’d like to thank everyone that made my day easy for me. 

I was pretty nervous about what seemed like an enormous day out ( certainly my most adventurous in 6 months ), but as it turned out I had nothing to fear. 

And I swear the girls in Cardiff are better looking than the ones in Twickenham. 

Russ

PS great to see Emily today, my lovely God daughter. 

PPS  I remeasured my lung capacity today, using my own device, the same one I’ve used for years. 

I got FOUR litres! That actually looks like what I FEEL I’ve got. 

I’m really pleased about that, not least because I’ll try adaptive skiing in 3 weeks time in Vermont USA and with less lung than that, I’d probably die!