Day 18

January 18th. Well didn't I get spoilt today! After a movie night with Luke last night I had a big sleep in this morning! This afternoon Luke and I headed to Tea Tree Plaza just to get out for the day. We had a late lunch at 42nd Street Cafe, and then started looking around the shops. We've been talking about me getting my hair cut and maybe coloured for a few weeks now, and today Luke just said, 'let's find a hair dresser'. I was a bit apprehensive thinking about the fact I'm in this big electric wheelchair... who is going to want to do my hair? We couldn't see any hairdressers for a few minutes so I went up to the concierge and asked. Yep there's 6! So I picked the one that sounded cool, C Salon. Found it, rolled up to the counter and asked, 'would you guys cut and colour my hair?', to which I got an enthusiastic Yep and was shown straight through! I was helped mainly by 3 amazing people, firstly Santino, who coloured and washed my hair (and even smiled for a photo!), along with Tavar who helped me pick the colour, and lastly Salma, who cut and blow dried my hair. Santino was great and really put me at ease because inside I was still freaking out about how the whole hair-washing-thing would work! But it turns out they get people in wheelchairs all the time, and they have a movable basin that's just held in place by another person while your hair gets washed! I have no idea if this is something all hairdressers have or only some, but it helped me along to stop thinking that I'm the only woman (or man!) that is in a wheelchair who wants to have their hair done! Santino even took an interest when Luke mentioned to me to get a photo for the blog, and asked how to get to it, so I hope you're reading this Santino! All round the staff were great, and apart from talking about the accident and our injuries for a bit, I almost didn't feel like I was in a wheelchair for most of those two hours, because the wheelchair didn't make anything different to any other hair appointment. 

To finish off our little outing, we were sitting outside waiting for the taxi when luke pulled out one more surprise for me. A little purple Michael Hill box. And in that box was a gorgeous pair of emerald earrings! Today Luke spent the day treating me like a princess and truly helping me feel that, despite the fact that I am in a wheelchair (be it permanent or by some chance temporary) I am still beautiful. I am still the same person I was before. And I am truly blessed to have the man that I do!