Day 31

January 31st. Last day of the month already! Just another day today, nothing too special. Was going to go on the bike again this morning but had an hour nap outside instead. It's been a big week and it finally caught up with me. After my gym session it was off home with my OTs Kate and Alice, who share my therapy now. There wasn't much to look at because the unit is fully accessible. Back to Hampstead for lunch then as my physio was at 2:30pm instead today I pushed around a bit aimlessly until I saw Patricia, so I did another row of knitting! Patricia said I've done 10 rows now! In physio I had a push in the rugby chair again and then did a few stretches lying on my belly then ended with a bit of a shoulder massage as I've had a little trouble with it lately.

Tonight I went home for a few hours again and heard word I never thought I'd hear out of Luke's mouth... 'want to watch Twilight?'...! So we watched Twilight and ordered Dominos for the first time in 4 and a bit months, I missed my lava cakes they're amazing, definitely make up for the pizza being so bad!

Day 30

January 30th. I was up early again to go on the FES bike and this time rode 3.78 miles! Then it was off to gym for a part-workout, I did heavier 'heavy' weights today, I remember it was 30kg for the push outs and pull backs, and I did the lat pull downs as well. In my normal OT timeslot I had a combined session with physio - bed mobility (physio) and dressing (OT). Which essentially means I rolled and moved my legs and flailed around on a plinth until I got a pair of pants on! Didn't help I got handed the wrong leg of the pants so by the time I had them half on I couldn't be bothered changing it! Met up with Luke for lunch and then had the first meeting with a carer agency, the first step towards eventual overnight leave.

Once the meeting was over it was time for physio circuit. I went and got in the standing frame again! I lasted about half an hour standing, and managed to play a game of Wii bowling against Megan while I was up. I lost by a mile... she did have a slight advantage being all able-bodied though!

In bed early tonight, my brain was too busy ticking over last night to get much sleep! And just so you know I was wearing shorts in the standing frame! Megan referenced Hamish and Andy wisdom in saying it looks like I'm doing 'pants-off Friday' but as my socks clearly show it's only Thursday!

Day 29

January 29th. Finally a day of therapies, went on the FES bike this morning and rode 3.66 miles. Then i did a full gym workout and went into the manual chair in OT. Physio was good again, we worked on transfers. There's so much to think about at once, lock elbows, curve shoulders, head down, lean right forward, stick bottom out, push with the legs... I usually forget either the head or the legs! 

After the therapies were all over I got to go home again and enjoy a few hours with Luke just relaxing. And I completed the whole day with a mullet! I didn't get anyone to put my hair up again this morning so I had the effect of last night hanging out the bottom! 

Day 28

January 28th. Another big day! I headed in to the Royal Adelaide Hospital this morning for a bone scan on my legs. A week ago I was having a bit of pain on my left thigh (opposite leg to the broken femur!) so the docs sent me just to check that there wasn't any bone growing that shouldn't be. I went in for the first scan at 11am-ish but had to wait 2 hours for the second lot of delayed scans. I had a lovely volunteer come in with me, and Luke came in to have lunch with me. We went back for the next round of scans which all went smoothly. It was a long day out, we didn't get back til just after 3pm, and Luke came back with us.

I wanted to feel like I actually did something today seeing as I missed all my therapies, so I went to physio at 3:30pm because on Tuesday and Thursday they hold 'circuit' or an open time slot where you can do a bit of extra physio work. I started off with a few stretches after Megan got me on the plinth (bed thing) and then I did a few rolls and sitting up/lying down. Then all of a sudden Megan brought a big contraption over... I know what that is... it's the standing frame! Luke was hanging around Hampstead waiting for me to finish but I gave him a quick call because this was another first he could see! By the time he walked in, there I was... standing! I was surprised at how well my blood pressure held up/that I didn't get dizzy or faint, especially seeing as I didn't have my abdominal binder on which usually helps. I got to give Luke a hug standing up for the first time in 4 and a bit months which was amazing, even though there was part of the frame between us! It felt so good standing up... I'd forgotten how tall I was!! (The frame adds an inch or two though!)

Day 27

January 27th. Short post but packed with good news! Public holiday today (unfortunately) means no therapies. It did mean I got to have lunch with my parents, grandparents and Kylie and Kale. It was a belated celebration for mum, hence the cake! After lunch Mum and Dad helped me sort out my room and I played around with my legs a bit. I was in the electric wheelchair so taking the foot plates out to the side my legs dangle and I can move them... turns out I can move my left one heaps! My right leg I can kick out from the knee with relative ease til it's almost straight, and now I can do the same thing with my left leg! It's not as strong and can't last as long as the right but it still does it!

It must be the day for my left side today, you'll never guess what's moving now... MY LEFT THUMB!! I was talking to Patricia, and she asked about my left little finger. Just to check, I tried my other fingers and got to my thumb and it flickered! I made Patricia watch intently that it was only my thumb not my wrist making it move, and sure enough it was moving! I even double checked when I was on the phone to my parents letting them know and I apologise again for swearing (!) because it moved even more! It's only a tiny bit but who knows what it has started!

Day 26

January 26th. Happy Australia Day! Today in Pinnaroo, as happens every year, there was the breakfast and Citizen of the Year ceremony. It was extra special this year because my mum was awarded Citizen of the Year! It's been a long time coming,  Mum has done so much for the community including ambulance, the netball club, the primary school, and so much more! Unfortunately only one of us 3 girls could get there,  Joanna is still in France and obviously I'm not quite up to it yet but Kylie was able to be there representing us, and Mum got the biggest shock seeing her there!

As planned Mum and Dad came to Adelaide once the excitement was over to watch the women's basketball today, and Kylie too. My cousin Laura plays for the Lighting and was amazing in organising us to sit courtside to watch the game. Laura has come in to see me a few times and has pampered me by doing my nails each time! It was a good game, unfortunately they lost by a couple points but it was close.

I went out in the manual chair which felt good but was tiring, same with Luke going with just his walking stick, so we came back to Hampstead and had a big rest.

Check back tomorrow for the photos!

Day 25

January 25th. Just a little recap of today's events, this morning my cousins Felicity, Tristen and their mum Raelene came around to visit me! They came over from Victoria for their grandpa's birthday, I'm glad they came by! It was great to catch up. At lunch I went around to see Luke and we decided to head to Marion for something different... Not doing that again any time soon! I never realised just how uneven the floors are. We didn't last long before we came back home. Tonight we have just been relaxing, watching a bit of a movie, and then spending the last hour, potentially an hour and a half, waiting for a taxi back to Hampstead! Really looking forward to watching my cousin Laura play basketball for Adelaide Lightning tomorrow with Luke,  my parents and my sister.