#Ivebeenquitebusy!!!!
As we leave
2018 and go into winter and look back the weather last summer has been amazing,
up to 30 degrees! It was actually like being on holiday abroad. I am now contemplating moving somewhere hot??
Last winter really got me down as it was so long, wet, cold and muddy and just
this lift by seeing blue sky everyday has done wonders for my mood. Well for
most of June I have been boarded up in my house, as the builders still onsite.
To date its 30 weeks and I still haven’t finished, to be honest most of the
building work has been done, and the electrician, kitchen fitter, plumber and
plasters have pulled it all together. I can see light at the end of the tunnel
and I soon will have an accessible home on the ground floor. A bathroom I can
get in and shut the door when I need the loo, a lounge to relax in, a kitchen I
can safely cook in, reach the plug sockets and worktops and cupboards I can
reach, so I won’t drop things anymore, I
am so looking forward to this all being finished.
It’s quite busy here at home
most days there has been at least 4 builders on site, which at times has been a
bit difficult but it has gone really quick, I cannot wait till it’s all quiet
again. The finishing touches which include tiles to the wet room, flooring,
tiles to the kitchen and decorating will all be done when possible as totally
out of finances due to a problem with next door tree. But the little things
will come in time. At least I have no more steps and I can access the whole
downstairs of my house and garden. Due to the chaos this year I haven’t had
time to do my hanging baskets and flower tubs, which I normally really enjoy
doing, my dad did a couple of baskets for me to put up for some colour but it’s
not the same when you haven’t done them!!
My Alfie dog is still staying with Auntie Lou as the front door is
constantly open so it wouldn’t have been safe for him, but we all miss him so
much its weird without him being around.
So as most of you know I
have a new sponsor on my leg up for talent scheme Neurokinex, they are
specialists in neuro-rehabilitation and their aim is to improve the lives of
paralysed individuals. I attend once a week and have been seeing a great
improvement in my strength, straightness and physical health. We do amazing
exercises in the gym and the improvements I can see are amazing. I have been
asked by Neurokenix if I want to do a triathlon?? I have never done a triathlon
as an able bodied person let alone being less abled!! Well I have agreed and am
now busy training. I have roped in my special friends. I have to do 400m swim,
10k cycle and 2.5k run/push. So the lucky ladies are Vicky to swim, Louise to
cycle and Nicky to run!! What a day we will have. The event is in Windsor at
Dorney Lake, the venue looks amazing. The training is going well and we are all
looking forward to the event. You can sponsor me by going to
So much has been happening
lately I actually don’t really know where to start, as my life is just so busy
now. My routine is still the same so Mondays are Personal Training sessions and
Riding lessons. So the Gym with Seona continues to challenge me, we work on my
core and upper body strength. I really enjoy Monday mornings as we always have
a laugh during these sessions. I have decided that as my upper body has got to
be strong to carry my weight with my transfers I need to accept that I am
getting bigger up the top half, but what I will need to manage now is my core
and try and do more to help me get stronger in my back and core so the strength
and stability will help me in the saddle. Sometimes I have a sports massage
from Seona who is amazing at helping my shoulders to relax as I get so tense
and sometimes get pain in my shoulders which isn’t good as I need them to be in
tip top condition for all my transfers.
I work on a Tuesday and
Thursday for Wellspect health care, the most famtastic company!! Who make and
supply intermittent catheters and bowel irrigation systems… and when I say
famtastic that’s what I mean, it feels like a big family who cares for you and
wants to support you to achieve. Sometimes I have to pinch myself as I am so
happy working here with the most amazing team. As you know if you have read
most of the blogs I have worked in the NHS for 25 years and that was a very
different experience. I absolutely loved working in the team’s I’ve worked with
over the years and the friends I’ve made over the years are friends for life!!
Wednesdays are my Neurokinex
training sessions and we are now training for the triathlon I have agreed to do
to raise funds for the Neurokinex charitable trust. I keep pushing myself and
recently have spent time in the biodex which I have been able to be supported
to try and walk my legs and plant my feet. This machine is amazing and it makes
me feel so happy to be up right and being helped to take steps, it is so hard
to do but I love it. The relationship with Neurokinex and the leg up for talent
programme is working so well, I have been in the Gazzet which is a local paper,
I have done interviews for Neurokinex and case story’s for magazines etc.… one
of which was a paid job!! But the funds will go into the charity collection as
it was to advertise for the Neurokinex centre in Bristol.
Fridays tend to be an admin
day as I have so much work to do trying to sort out finishing bits and pieces
on the house, there is always hospital appointments to attend and follow ups to
go to. I recently have had 2x epily manoeuvres for the dizziness I have been
suffering ever since my accident, but after 2 sessions the dizziness has gone!!
It’s so strange how they treat it, the doctor was amazing and I am now having
vestibular rehabilitation to help keep it under control and stop it from
happening again.
As well as all the normal
week activities I am up and down to the yard with my daughter Stella who looks
after her loan horse spot. Stella absolutely adores Spot and has been enjoying
riding her and spending time with her friend Mia with her pony Pip. It’s been a
lovely 6 week summer holiday and I actually don’t want it to end, for one of
the first times I am not wishing school term to start. Stella will be going
into yr 11 so it will be her final year, she is going to try and get a job so
she can earn some money to help her save and buy things for herself and spot.
Maybe that will mean I won’t have to keep handing out money to her for trips to
town with her friends and lunches out and cinema visits.
Stella was lucky enough to
have a surprise photo shoot for her Birthday; Stella had always wanted some
professional photos taken with her horse so she was over the moon to receive
this gift. On the day the weather was dry and Stella was excited. We had to get
to the stables so Stella could get Spot ready and looking her best. The
pictures they had taken were amazing, so natural and relaxed. We now have the
difficult choice of choosing a couple to have blown up! I would defiantly
recommend Nick Church Photography if you’re looking for a professional photographer
for any occasion.
Now the house is finally
coming together I have had to have a small operation which I‘ve been putting
off, carpal tunnel release, I have suffered with complications for a long time
now and the pain and numbness I get in my hands and arm is quite debilitating. (I will write an individual blog about being
a para post op as it may help others who are in the same situation) I am glad
that I’ve actually had the surgery as I’ve had extreme pain for about 5 years
and it had become unbearable. I have to accept I need to rest and go backwards
to go forward. I have been advised not to drive for 2 weeks, not to overdo the
amount of transfers and don’t put too much pressure on my hand/wrist. To be
honest I can’t really put much pressure on it anyway as it hurts!
I am missing my time away
from the horses and the yard as we were doing really well. I recently had taken
Flynn to the RDA indoor school, I arranged this with Gill who runs the RDA and
we booked the indoor school. They have a hoist there so we were able to borrow
a friends small lorry 3.5t that Beth could drive and take Flynn in. I was able
to take our para team helpers as Flynn has never been here before we didn’t
know what he would be like with the hoist as it’s very different from the one
we have at home. Jo had agreed to ride Flynn to warm him up, Jo has never
ridden Flynn before, and when she realised my saddle had no stirrups I don’t
think she was that keen!! Hahhaha.
Well to be honest Flynn was
so well behaved with the new environment and hoist, he stood like an absolute
rock while Jo mounted him with the hoist, she warmed him up for 10mins and then
was hoisted off. Then it was my turn, as I said Flynn behaved impeccably it was
a proud moment as he was so chilled and relaxed which really helped me. I
mounted with their hoist and once on board, we just walked round the school,
did some change of rein and lots of halt walk transitions, things are still
wobbly but I am gaining more confidence. We are riding independently now and
the side walkers are there for support. The RDA instructors are quite good at
pushing me and challenging me to achieve more.
I said I want to trot Flynn,
this would be the first time I have trotted Flynn and only the second time ever
to trot. The best way we have found to practice this at the moment is to only
hold the saddle strap and loosely the reins and let the leaders control Flynn
and for me to concentrate just pulling up and looking up. Flynn has a really
bouncy trot compared to Robbie I rode last time, we only trotted on the
straight and I loved it and made sure I
got another long side in before Gill says that’s enough as she can tell when I
start to get tired, as my hands go all daft and start moving more and dropping.
I don’t really notice but my instructor Beth notices as well.
Since my operation what with
the recovery and holiday it actually 6 weeks since I’ve been in the saddle. I
am really missing being around the horses and riding Flynn but I know that I am
not up to it at the moment, my hand is still feeling a bit of pain and I know I
have to heal properly before so I don’t undo the good work of having the carpal
tunnel surgery. I have written a separate blog about my surgery and situation
with coping post operatively. Time fly’s so quickly but this year 2018 has been
a year of sorting lots out at home, getting back involved in the working
community and keeping healthy.
