One of the most exciting bits in the last month... MY WHEELCHAIR FINALLY ARRIVED!! After 3 months, my shiny new chair, made just for me, is here!! I'm so much more comfortable and sitting a lot better now. Best of all... It's blue!!
Day to day therapy had been going really well. I'm still working hard towards transferring, but I am getting closer! In physio that had been the main focus, practicing transferring from chair to bed and also into the car using a board! I've been continuing to go on the FES bike and I've been on the arm cycle a couple of times too, and we have had a couple sessions of hydrotherapy when it's fitted in. I've been getting stronger and stronger in gym, a couple weeks ago I managed 80kg on the press out machine!!! Admittedly I only did 3 sets of 1 rep but it's a new personal best!!
It was amazing to have the Easter and Anzac day long weekends to stay at home, I had 5 nights at home over Easter then it was only 2 nights back at Hampstead before having another 4 nights at home over the next long weekend! We went to the footy on Easter Sunday to see Crows play the Suns and just for something special, I wore my jeans for the first time since the accident! I felt so good, it was something I've been wanting to do for a while. It was a bit of fun that morning rolling around on my bed with the carers helping me to put them on, as they're a snug fit!
On the 4th of May I went with my sister, Kylie, to a charity boot camp session run by a personal trainer who has connections with Lorna Jane, and the proceeds were going to Wings For Life. I couldn't really participate in the group PT session but at the end, they decided to do a team challenge doing suicide runs down the length of the gym. They didn't have it planned but thought it up so that I was able to participate! That made me feel great! And even better, l won the door prize! A set of boxing gloves!
Back at the end of March I learnt to put my hair in a side pony tail. The spinal ward clerk, Gail, who encouraged me when I did it for the first time, gave me a hair tie she bought (one of the puffy kids hair ties) which she thought might be easier.. and it was!! A couple of weeks ago, using that hair tie I taught myself to tie my hair up behind my head like normal!! I discovered when I had tried to learn a while ago, I was trying to do it the way I used to. Instead, all I had to do wad switch which hand I started with the hair tie in, considering which hand had more movement, and it worked!!
On Mother's Day, Luke and I joined my family at my uncle's for afternoon tea. It was wonderful to spend some time with Mum and my sisters, as well as other family members. We always used to measure ourselves with our cousins when we were kids when it came to family gatherings at my uncle's, so I thought it was about time to update my height!! I'm now 135cm compared to 171cm eight months ago!!
Last week I had a big achievement, I made some pasta all by myself! It was a packet pasta, where all you have to do is add water milk and butter and stir in the stove, but I managed to open the milk, boil the kettle and do every bit all by my self! The other cooking I've done so fat had always been with some assistance, so it felt good knowing I had done it all by myself.
A little bit of bad news, we found out last week that a couple of blood clots have formed in my leg. After my legs being unusually swollen for the lay couple weeks I finally got sent for an ultrasound to check out if there was any. My left leg was clear bit just behind my right knee we found one. All it means is I'm back on blood thinners for now and I had to take it easy over the weekend, but it should clear up. Something good came out of having to rest on the weekend though... I started painting again! Luke got me a few supplies and I had a bit of fun. A lot of fun apparently, because a nurse even found a bit of paint in my hair yesterday!! I will add a photo of the painting tomorrow, as well as a couple more photos!
May 21st - sitting up on the bed doing my stretches!
May 4th - Kylie and I after the Wings For Life session!
The Summerton girls on Mother's Day 💜
