01 April 2006

One small step for man One huge step for Mankind

I suppose you could say I was like Neil Armstrong when he landed on the moon One small step for man one huge step for Mankind, but for me it was the other way around one huge step for me one small step for Mankind. I was quite tired after the session but it didn't bother me in the least I made another appointment for the following week and I couldn't wait.Things were going great from me that week, I carried on walking further and further and work was going great also I was free and on cloud nine what more could I want, a great new job, fantastic colleagues and a huge improvement in my disability.

The world was my oyster and I just wanted to grasp it with two hands and take it onMy next appointment came and I couldn't wait to get there, this time my Manager was coming with me so that they could experience first hand what it was like for me and to understand my condition better. We both went into the room and initially we all talked and my Physio explained how things where for me and how that I liked a challenge and that I wasn't afraid to ask for help if needed.

Then while we were still in the room I went through my usual treatment regime and things had improved a lot compared to last week, I wasn't as tight, then my favourite bit we all went into the gym and off I went to the bars and I couldn't believe how much easier it was to walk I was virtually running, anyway following a brief rest I asked if I could try getting up stairs and my manager looked a little worried but my physio went off and came back with a block the height of a normal step and placed it in front of me. I looked at it and thought how the heck I am supposed to step up on that when my leg is straight.

My Physio said " right then lets try this out step up with your good leg first" so I did "now bring up your straight leg" so I took the weight through my good leg and some through my arms and brought my leg up onto the step then smiled the biggest smile "There see wasn't that difficult was it" No it was easy and there I was standing on the block looking at myself in the mirror I remember my manager saying well done you ah I said that might have been the easy bit but how do I step down, "the same way you got up but rather than step of it forward go backwards" so I lifted my good leg and stepped backwards then brought my straight leg back and stepped down. "There you go how easy was that" that was good I replied "ok lets see if you can do another 5 I was on a mission as I imagined the block being a flight of stairs and I managed to do the whole 5 without any problems.

I turned to my manager when I had finished and said stairs here we come now "yes there's no stopping you now"I seemed to be getting stronger and stronger all the time and then I had a phone call from the hospital to say my new frame had finally arrived so I made the earliest appointment to go and try it out When I got to the hospital I when into the Physio department and there it was waiting for me and let me tell you it looked massive I remember thinking there's no way that's going to fit through the doors at home. My Physio said well there you go over too you so I walked up to it and then swapped over to the new one. I stood inside the frame for a while and then said do I move the opposite side of the frame when I step through so it would be left side of frame right leg and so on. I took a few steps then I had to work out how to turn so that I could walk into the gym. It took me a few minutes to work out how to turn and then I was on the straight run into the gym.

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