Category Archives: Events

A message.

Events

Hey superstar!

Here’s the first deal – you are allowed one day per month in bed for the entire day. Any more than that and my jealousy would be unbearable. Here’s the second deal – if you have all day laying in bed – do you think that maybe you could let me know you are finally free for me to give you a call?? J

You are going through difficult transition two. Coming home into what you had before yet will never access in that way again. Every day is going to be a day of courage. You are going to have to take the courage pill and get out there and deal with whatever happens. You will drive again and your confidence in the chair can only get better. Turn your head off when you have to. You used to turn that head off every time you competed, took calculated risk in a paddle, on your bike, on your skis. Your confidence was shaken but you will have to package the uncertainty away and turn off the switch now and then like you used to. You are doing great !

My week ahead.

Events

Gym with Adam Jones,and dinner at Frank and Elizabeth’s have been among my return to Chiswick highlights.

I’m in that ‘prisoner in my own home’ phase at the moment, to a degree – not able to go out on my own, no car I can drive, not enough wheelchair confidence to just leave the house.
I spent the WHOLE day yesterday in bed. Ok, so I did bed based exercises, but I feel a bit of a loser for not getting out.
Tomorrow I go with my buddy, Martin, for a driving assessment in Surrey – a private track and a selection of hand controlled cars.
Will help get that straight in my head .. Will I be a ‘danger on the roads’ or not?
Gym Tuesday, wed and thurs, including boxing! Wheelchair pad and glove work… Look out all bad ass midgets out there, I’m coming after you.
I even go to work on Wednesday evening,for the first time – an optometrist training event – run by me. It should go ok.
Poker and book club night on thurs .. Neither of which I’ve done before. I think I was too much of a loose cannon to ever be invited before, my Tourette’s tendencies probably putting people off?
Friday, and off up north for the weekend by train to a party in the country.
Christ, what was that about being a prisoner in my home?

Nice to Chamonix Dave. Go on Facebook and put in : Nice to Chamonix Dave is walking all night for me, and this is just the start. Thanks Dave, I’m lying here in a warm bed, and you’re out there in the middle of an Alpine winter, for me. Thank you so much. Dave. Go on Facebook and put in : Nice to Chamonix Dave is walking all night for me, and this is just the start. Thanks Dave, I’m lying here in a warm bed, and you’re out there in the middle of an Alpine winter, for me. Thank you so much.

Events

Paolo.

Events

header_bot.jpgWhilst in Portugal I saw Paolo, my buddy who has run the local water sports centre for 18 years.

For 15 of those he has seen my canoeing endlessly around the lake. I’d always stop for a chat with him.

He  told me he’d been fired, but didn’t know why.

He’d heard of my accident in the summer, bursting into tears. Dani said.

He found it hard seeing me last week, I could tell.  He said ‘but you can still canoe , right ?’

I explained that without use of abdominals and back muscles, it wasn’t so straightforward ..

Mid conversation it again got too much for him, and he turned and walked away, shaking his head.

Today

Events

Christ, that Trike is hard work. 

Grass is like wading through quicksand. 
Hills up bloody hard, down and so easy to tip out the front. 
At 20kg it’s no Superlight dream machine, but as a way of getting fit and strong  whilst doing something, it’ll do. 
After yesterday my neck is horribly stiff, so only an hour on it today, and that was enough. 
My leg and back spasms are increasingly plaguing me, especially at night. 
The distasteful part is that they squeeze my bladder, making me ‘leak’. I have to sleep on an absorbent pad just in case. 
The not knowing if I have, or if I’m going to is mentally unpleasant. 
I hope this can be sorted out, I really do.