Its a rainy day in London. Hope all you Reading Festival types aren’t soaked.
My throat just has a plaster on it now, so Think my voice is the same as before. I get switched to a different room in the hospital on Tuesday, and can wear my own boxers and shirt from here on, as there are no wires sticking into me.
The thing that makes me stand up in the photo is called a Tilt Table and stimulates my body to the natural effects of gravity, as its deprived of it when I’m lying down. So it’s supposed to help my legs and internal organs get into their correct place.
I’m sleeping loads better, have a sit down shower on the commode as part of a ‘routine’ daily now too. I can wash everything except my back, feet and bum. The occupational therapist gets the bonus by having the pleasure of doing the latter.
I can talk on the phone pretty well, have much better use of my arms than I did too. 2 weeks ago I could barely hold my iPhone, def not a book, was very likely to drop a drink whilst placing it back on my trolley too. In the crash I severely damaged my right side, breaking all my ribs, so drastically lost all power on my right side. The left was a lot better but , after weeks in a coma etc, far weaker than before the crash. The arms are now both stronger, and the right is catching up with the left, I’m relieved to say. I’m still bloody thin compared to my former self but give me a few months and something resembling my old self, at least from the waist up, should re emerge.
Dani’s had people in to look at modifying our house majorly to help me slot easily back in, which will help me loads. I know my brother, Stuart, and my mate Andrew are both checking out the car situation too which looks fairly straightforward..?
Once at Stoke Mandeville rehab is the focus, both trying to get my legs to fire up a bit but also accepting and learning about life in a wheelchair. I’ll be released from there from time to time to get me used to home life, and obv I can’t wait for that! I do miss my house and normal surroundings.
I’m pretty sure I’ll be out in the chair along the river later, breathing some non hospital aircon air, instead savouring london’s multiple odours. Last time out I smelt petrol, chips and cannabis. London!
So on the whole things are pretty good and definitely going in the right direction. The doctors have offered my counselling and psychological therapy. I declined, as I’m not a pussy. If I think negative thoughts I quickly think about something better. That’s not ‘bottling it up’ its just a common sense strategy, right? Anyway it’s worked so far!
Amazed by how many people are reading this blog, a lot of whom I barely know, or don’t know at all. I’d like to thank every one of you for taking an interest. What happened to me could happen to any of you, so I suppose it’s an insight into my new world. Lets hope you all just read about it and don’t ever find yourself in my situation.
Love, Russ
