Saturday 27 July 2013

Roller coaster

Hi all once again thanks for all the birthday wishes and the fundraising that has been going on I would not be here without the support of everyone back home. I love telling people how I'm here with the help of my community and friends and it makes me very proud

Its been a bit of a roller coaster the last few weeks. finished the loco-mat and was on the parallel bars with the right leg splinted. But my doctor was trying to manage my expectations so he had a hard chat with me detailing that walking around the house or to the car to work and from work to the car is the best i can hope for. so as you can Imagine I was fairly down for a few days

As time went by and I thought about it! he said it himself he can only say what he thinks may happen and he's been wrong before. there is still so little known about spinal injures and every injury is different .
So in my head I just said fuckum I'm doing this! I'm going to get more than that and I'm going to get further than that even if it fuckin kills me ill know when I'm done, I will not be the same as before I know that! but I'm not stopping until I know I have done all that I can. even when I go home I will not stop, part of my rehab for me physical and mentally will be making surfboards this will be using all the effected areas standing moving using my hands and core. I have no doubt the boards maybe shit in the beginning but that's not the point.

You have to remember that I'm effected from just bellow my nipples down which is my core and part of my triceps are week more on my right, my right hand is effected, my left hand and right hand are numb bellow the injury (nipples down) is also numb I feel but its not the same and never will be I can fell temperature a bit and pain but its in the distance.

What I'm trying to get out of Guttman? It's to activate the part of the brain that sends signals of movement to the effected areas by trying to move things, by walking on Zimmer a bit swimming a bit, moving around a plinth sitting on my ass and pushing up with legs and hands Twisting turning getting on my knees and balancing, standing with the right leg with left splinted and lots more! all of this sends signals from the brain through the spinal cord and we are hoping for the spinal cord to re-root the signals past the injured area by repetitively sending the signals... hopefully my spinal cord is not dyslexia too and I get the results:-)

The head consultant here was more positive when Maite and myself spoke to him he was saying the more I do the spasticity should lesson over time, the stronger I get and the more I move should reduce it,not totally but some what. he also said that the physiotherapist are the once that get this process going, I find them amassing! if i get an idea they will try it if I ask, they can't promise me anything but they also don't let you get discouraged. they use humer and radiate positivity through hard work by letting you discover what works and what is coming back. if they think you can do something they make you try if you fail they say " don't worry we can try again in a few weeks" the consultants listen to them they know there input is vital and know there importance and really know its a skill learned by experience

So in saying all that and the week Maite came,and me being stubborn I was off the parallel bars on the Zimmer frame
On the Friday being my birthday I walked 10 meters, on the Monday I walked 50 meters on the Tuesday another 50 on the Wednesday 50 again. the Thursday was 60 and on Friday 100 meters. Don't get me wrong it's not pretty and it's messy but I'm up. getting from the seat up I need help and during the walk there is a physiotherapist there in case I fall and get a head injury as well

In the pool now I can swim on my back with a hand paddle on my right hand and kicking from the hips, it's no about strength it's about movement sending them signals, 3 days out of the week I also walk in the pool parallel bars for 40 mins after the Zimmer frame so clocking up the meters, but I have to start thinking quality not quantity and the pool helps with this. One of my ideas was try to walk with a crutch in the pool holding the rail on my right and using the crutch on my left so ill do this every Friday this believe it or not is more to improve my core

originally I think the consultant made his assumption on the worst day on the parallel bars I had I think it was my second day ever and I was crap! I did not see him again down in the gym after that, but on Wednesday last his boss the head of the spinal unit taped on me on the shoulder when I was on the Zimmer doing my 50 meter sprint and gave me the thumbs up. The next day my consultant came down to see me.... Himmmmm? Maite listened to him talk with the physiotherapist and another consultant talking about other drug options in the future and it seemed like I'm still making progress. I'm going to work for the next 3 months before another drug trial it seems

I'm also in a documentary film about Guttman himself the man that founded this type of rehabilitation it's also ment to try and capture the human spirit it is a independent film directed by an English fella can't remember his name! I was interviewed for two hours and it got emotional when I was talking about family and friends and all the help and support I have been getting from home
They also followed me down around the gym for a day or so, also outside with the other Spanish patents smoking fags and drinking coffee. It's all being filmed in 3D so I'm like your man from Avatar

I have also posted a snip it of the Zimmer walk on Friday. remember this is thanks to everyone at home and hopefully there will be more improvement

Thanks ever so much for your support and kind words as always they help me greatly

"Talking about the battle in the past is easy it's fighting it that's hard"

Kind regards to all
Johnny AKA Chappie


http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BXUQffFwCMc&feature=plcp




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