Monthly Archives: December 2013

Last day.

We leave today. 


They’ll all ski this am then Stu takes us to Boston at 1 ish. 
All sad to be leaving, especially  me. 

We stay in an airport  hotel tonight, to be up at 5am tomorrow. Then, hopefully, an ‘uneventful’ flight home, if you know what I mean. 

This has been the most ‘successful’ big Dawkins family holiday ever. 

We all wanted, indeed needed, this to work, and thanks to everyone’s patience, flexibility, and generosity… it did.

🙂
X

Thank you.

Well despite the medical team’s misgivings ( not to mention my own ), I’ve tried and I’d say succeeded at sit ski. 

So I’m not an expert yet, but the thing is that I know now that I will be in due course. 
That’s not arrogance (before someone says it) but it is confidence, and it’s the first glimmer of confidence I’ve had about my future since I woke up enough from my coma to realise what a mess I was in. 
I can’t thank, firstly Alwyn, enough, for believing in me and making it actually all happen, and secondly, in no particular order ( because there are so many ), Pam ( Alwyn’s good friend here, who runs the kids ‘hopefuls’ ski race school ) for suggesting Vermont Adaptive ski school, Dani for always pushing me, my family for their limitless support , my instructors Aaron and Loranlyn for being so bloody nice to me ( and doing it in their free time as volunteers !) and my countless friends for telling me again and again that they knew I’d crack it. 
Without all of those, I’d not even have left the appartment, and not tried it, and gone home never knowing how a few hours can change a man’s whole perspective on the world. 
Last night back here at the appartment I felt I was able to be the real me, in the things I said, joking about stuff like I used to be, and I thought I’d never be again. 
Alwyn didn’t notice, but on the chair lift yesterday I couldn’t hold back the tears of joy that steamed up my goggles, being finally ABLE to do something. 
The boundaries now seem a lot further away, and I know my life will get progressively better. 
Thank you all so much for helping. 
Russ

Awwwhhh, what can I say? !

Russ,
Another fantastic day.
Remarkable progress from yesterday. Much faster, great turns, no falls.
I’ve been teaching skiing for years, I haven’t seen anyone improve so quickly. Yesterday you were moving at the same speed or slower than the average skier. Today you overtook nearly everyone and it was as much as I could do to keep up or get ahead to video you.
At this rate there is no doubt you’ll be skiing independently. Once you regain the strength and control in your right side, you’ll be lifting yourself onto the chairlifts and setting the pace, as you used too!
So proud of you Russ, it really is a humbling experience to see how quickly you are adapting to your new circumstances. The instructor team today were so impressed, you could see they were having as much fun as you and I.
Well done bro, this whole trip couldn’t have gone any better.
Love,
Alwyn

Thanks darling. :)

First off…. Merry Christmas you lovely being.  Secondly, I’ve just seen your ski video. You look amazing, I cannot believe that 6.5 months from where we were in toulon that you are already surpassing your docs expectations (not ours, we knew you would be doing wonderful things) and are fucking skiing! And better than me! You are officially my hero. We are all very teary here, unbelievably proud of your strength and determination.  Enjoy the snow and the vin chaud. Can’t wait to see you in the NY and hear all about it. Love you tonnes. S x

From my big Bruvver :)

Russ,
Today was fantastic! As usual, you exceeded everyone’s expectations (including your own).
To see your transformation from wheelchair to sit-ski was something of a miracle. It’s the first time since your accident I have seen signs of “the old Russ” emerge. You were literally grinning from cheek to cheek (as was I) as you rapidly and confidently made your way down the slope; what a blast!
Skiing has been such a huge part of our family’s life, it’s wonderful to see it will continue for all of us. Riding up the chair lift with you today, at times I actually forgot about the calamity you’ve suffered and instead, all I could think about was how great it was to be on the mountain with my brother.
You said in the car on the way back, today was the first time you felt any level of independence and a sense of real happiness since the accident. It’s wonderful to hear you talk positively about the future and for the first time, things you can do versus no longer do.
I know your medical team back at SM advised you it was at least 6 months too early for you to go skiing; well guess what, you are 6 months ahead of everyone else!
You can and will ski with Lily and Amber again, as well as all your mates, just you wait and see.
Thanks for making this the best family Christmas ever, I can’t wait to ski with you again tomorrow.
Love,
Alwyn.

A message from my school buddy. :)

Hiya buddie,

Thank you for sending me this, you are a natural mate…..as you usually are. Just think how much enjoyment you brought to all seeing you try and achieve, and when you stop and think about it how proud you made yourself feel too.

Remember from our scary rides down Pontypool slope, it’s not how you get down it’s being brave enough to launch yourself off the top and enjoy the ride down, whilst avoiding the tree at the bottom or going arse over tit like Mike Jenkins after lifting off on a jump that ever existed…ha ha.

Every day at a time and you will be OK.

As an aside, am purring my way through the book about Pontypool RFC and am loving the contributions from your Dad……….and as Eddie Mogford would possibly say ” f..king get yourself back up that mountain ya poof”

Big love big man
X