I’m on my way ......

 Well I said in my last post that I was looking forward to starting my rehabilitation at home and I can confirm that it has definitely started. 🙂  It commenced in the best possible way with a thorough and comprehensive handover from the Roehampton team to the Teeside team ( all social distance and safeguarding measures followed of course) After the months of care and effort invested in me by everyone at Queen Mary’s it was amazing to see the two teams sharing information and discussing my ongoing care. I really can’t thank everyone enough. From then on in it has just been a constant round of firsts. My first night back in my own bed ( okay with a   Specialist mattress but it’s a start). My first shower in our newly adapted Wet room. My first ride in the lift we have had installed in the house ( you can see in the video I’m not convinced 😕 but I’m getting there..) and my first meal at home 😋 But crucially, I also experienced my firsts that start to build on my skills ga...

 Going Home🙂 This week it finally happened! After nearly fifteen months of hospitalisation I got to go home.... An emotional experience as I left everyone behind in Roehampton, was loaded into the back of an Ambulance and whisked northward to be delivered to the comfort and safety of my own home 🏠  Not quite the triumphant march off the unit I had envisaged or the bold stroll through my own front door I had been dreaming about,  but exactly what you saw in the video. Me being transferred from one team of caring and dedicated people to another, my family🙂 The unfortunate truth is that my wounds continue to cause issues and I am going to require daily dressing and treatment along with long periods of resting on my sides in order to get them in a good enough condition to be able to put the skills I’ve learnt in Roehampton to their full use. The good thing is that I can now do that at home. Now home. You would think that would have been a huge relief wouldn’t you ( heaven ...

 This may have been my last full week on the unit but it’s been crammed with memorable firsts! We’re trying to utilise the time as best we possibly can before I go home next week 🙂 so the team are challenging me to try as many things that will help me in my day to day outside of a hospital environment. A huge step for me was being able to for a walk in the garden. My first time walking outside in nearly 15 months! While it was lovely to get some fresh air , it was also to give me the opportunity to walk on different surfaces and even a slope. It was surprising how different it felt and how much difference even the slightest gradient made. We continued to work on balance and coordination by practicing throwing and catching with another patient on the unit. He kindly allowed me to share this with you.🙂 And we also spent time in the kitchen where I made myself something to eat.I managed to prepare and butter myself some toast and the following day even made myself a cheese and onion...

 I don’t know where this week has gone! The workload and activity is intensifying as we move into the last two weeks before finally going home🙂 We continue to build on strength and balance in the gym but there has also been a lot of focus on my personal care. I appreciate that discussing your toilet needs isn’t normally classed as everyday conversation material however, after having my catheter removed after 15 months, one of my biggest challenges has been trying to regain bladder control ( not uncommon in ladies of a certain age, I know 😕). Along with the physical discomfort there is also the sheer embarrassment and inconvenience of it all but the staff here, as always, have been wonderful. We have also practiced my showering techniques. My wounds continue to be painful and my Shower legs feel different everyday but my balance and confidence is getting there. Talking of balance, I have to admit,  grudgingly, that the shortening of my legs has made a difference and over the ...

 After what felt like a period of massive progress, this week proved to be not only challenging but hugely frustrating. It started well enough with us continuing to focus on exercise, strength and balance while raising myself from seated to standing unaided. However on Tuesday evening the team informed me that they were taking another inch off my prosthetic legs to help with getting up from sitting and to lower my centre of gravity for balance. Now this is going to sound odd to some I suppose but all I could think was “ I don’t want to be 5ft 5...I’m 5ft 6!” ( and yes, I realise without prosthetics I’m considerably shorter). I didn’t say a great deal at the time but the more I thought about it the more upsetting it became. I am 5ft 6. It’s what I am and is part of who I am. I talked it through with David and yes, I understood it was for my own benefit. Yes, I know it might only be for a short while. And yes I realise it will make it easier for him to see if he’s stood behind me at ...