Home sweet home, well kind of anyway!

With a bit of a gentle push (metaphorical push) from Jenna this Sunday we decided to venture a little further afield and head back home, well to my mum and dads that is, as the other alternative was to go and sit in my car park space and look up at my second floor flat! Decided against that option, I do get a little sad at the prospect of never visiting my little flat ever again mind : ( ....as the decision [to go home] was a little last minute, it meant mum and dad had to fashion an impromptu ramp, which, with the help of terry our next door neighbour, did the trick just fine.

It was a little strange being on familiar ground with my new vantage point, for instance, my first port of call has always been the fridge but sadly the top shelf is now a little out of reach, I know where my mum will be keeping all the good stuff in future! The sofa also needed some minor amendments, with the cushions off one being layered on top of the sofa I was getting on to try and make it a little closer to my wheelchair height, it was fine getting on, but after I'd sunk into it, it was a little more uphill getting back off! but with a little team effort we managed it! There was also the main highlight, home cooked roast beef and Yorkshire puddings, don't get me wrong, I've not been living exclusively on hospital food there has been the odd meal out now and again! But proper home cooked food has been a rarity so was a real treat, thanks Bren! ...and thanks Jen for pushing the idea too!

....other than that there's been a few good evenings on the ward, we've managed to pinch a card table from the day room and 'shithead' has become the game of choice (it is a real game not just something we've made up! Google it if you don't believe me, although thinking about it be careful doing that!) It makes for some good banter and is actually pretty good therapy for the old dexterity and grip for some of us! We had a friday night recently of shithead, takeaway pizza and cracked a few cans open too! Not too bad as hospitals go really!

 

.....I've also got myself a new wheelchair, no longer am I riding around in my lovely camp pink one, it's a much more staid black one, boring really! ...but thankfully I actually seem to fit into this model a little better and feel a little less like I'm sitting on it and more like I'm sitting in it which makes a huge difference when I'm pushing myself around, its much easier and faster, and I can even do some wheelies too! 

 

We had a mass expedition to Tesco last week for our wheelchair skills class and I was made up that i managed to push myself all the way there as I could barely push 10metres when i was outside in the old wheels as pavements are pretty tricky! The security guards looked a bit dubious when 8 of us in wheelchairs rocked up, as if it was some elaborate shoplifting scam they weren't yet privy to. Sadly it wasn't and I had to pay! it was another world in which it was a little weird from my new eye line.

 

Cartoon donated by Tony Husband

 

 Also, I was called 'buddy' twice whilst there which for some reason I find very patronising! I know people don't mean it but it feels like they're one step away from ruffling my hair and patting me on the head!! The other common irritant is when old people give you a 'ah poor you smile', again i know it's from a nice place but it is bloody annoying!

 

I also had the pleasure of meeting Jenna's friends, friends auntie at the weekend, practically blood! ...she came and introduced herself and was lovely, it turns out she's a coach for the wheelchair rugby team that trains here so I went down and watched them training on Saturday, it was very impressive indeed. Chatted to a few of the other coaches who'd played for GB in the past and they were keen for me to have a go, so I may well be popping in soon. It's pretty violent though so I'm hoping these screws in my neck are nice and tight and they go easy on me. The other good thing was meeting a few people with similar level injuries to me and seeing how far on they were and what they were capable of in terms of fitness, strength and movement, it certainly gives me something to work towards, in fact the final drill they did was 30 minutes solid pushing flat out, I was tired just watching!

 

That's about me!
Off to watch the musical fireworks in Southport tomorrow night so praying this incessant rain holds off for a few hours or it will turn out to be fairly miserable! Oh and big thanks to sue for the tickets!

Ta. Mark x

....oh and finally, you may have noticed a tab spring up on the blog 'lands end to John o'groats' my friend Tom Jones (sadly not the famous one (sorry Tom!)) is organising this cycling challenge and is keen for any extra participants/help etc.... So please check it out!

And whilst I'm doing and finally's the party next weekend is sold out and the efforts of all involved particularly Hannah and Jayne has been quite remarkable so a massive thank you, it promises to be a great night! X