I honestly don’t know where the first 3 months of the year have gone!

Much of the festive season was spent down south with family and friends enjoying a slightly slower pace of life and catching up on rest after another big year.

I’m not sure if I have mentioned it previously, however my ever dedicated family had been working tirelessly, in the lead up to Christmas, to complete renovations that ensure the entire house is now wheelchair friendly. Including an inclinator for the outdoor staircase, a large double bedroom with accessible ensuite and increased living area so greater manoeuvrability is possible. (more…)

Normally, the turn of the year promotes a period of pondering and reflection. For me, although I rarely gauge its approach, I guess the 1st of November will always resonate for a number of reasons.

Not only as the single day my physical life changed more than any other, but as the day my psyche and perception of the world altered almost as much.

In my humble opinion, anyone who has been flattened by life or circumstance and therefore crippled emotionally, psychologically and/or materially and has managed to recover, especially through endurance and persistence, will always have a poignant reference point – when things were a whole lot worse. For me, any day to day disgust with a situation I find myself in, due to my injury, is normally quickly quelled with a rapid recollection of my ‘Ground Zero’ if you like, ‘no movement/sensation from my neck down’. (more…)

Over the last couple of weeks, I have spent numerous hours researching developments in spinal cord injury globally, understanding the focus of clinical trials and liaising with physicians, researchers and hospitals to try gauge how far modern medicine has come to date. As you can imagine, there is a serious jungle of information out there. Everything from stem cell treatments in India, to hand function trials in Florida.

I guess for anyone in my position or for individuals facing challenges everywhere, we have a particular motivation to stay informed and abreast of breakthroughs and options. (more…)

My BIG day of walking!!!!!!

Over the weekend, a question popped into my head. How far could I possibly walk on crutches in one day??

A quick call to Dad late Sunday and my agenda for Monday was set. Kicking off at 9:40 am, with Papillion (my occasional nickname for Dad) by my side, I walked 100m steadily and relatively comfortably in 17 minutes and 58 seconds, then sat down. Therein, my simple strategy was established. I would walk 20 minutes (in theory accomplishing 100m) then rest for 20 minutes. (more…)

Similar to daily life, one must continue to set new and inventive challenges to continue personal development and maintain enthusiasm. Trying to walk with one crutch when you have yet to master walking with two may seem a little counter-intuitive however, for me, it has proved to be quite a valuable exercise. Specifically, because it intensifies the weakness in my overall balance and therefore identifies where I rely most heavily on crutches. Even though I have spent almost 4 years breaking down my walking pattern, working tirelessly on quality versus quantity and focusing on strengthening or regenerating the weakest muscles in my body, slightly changing the focal point in a session has continuously added value and provided ammunition for further improvement. That said, during my first attempt, I felt incredibly unstable and vulnerable. As with most physical challenges, the psychological side plays a huge part. Next time you’re walking down the street, for instance, try focusing on exaggerating your hip shifting whilst walking. It will definitely challenge you mentally more than physically. (more…)

The long weekend in Sydney proved to be about as sport obsessed as humanly possible with the Aussie Rules Grand Final, the National Rugby League Grand Final, World Cup 20/20 Cricket and Ryder Cup Golf all on show. Not to mention Australia versus New Zealand in the netball. Something for almost everyone!!!!

Apart from the above, Sarah and I also managed to see Cirque du Soleil, spend a couple of hours at the driving range (mental note: Must Find A Way To Manufacturer A Swing Of Some Description Out Of This Crazy Body of Mine) and pick up my brand-new, handmade orthotic walking shoes. One can only describe them as Back to the Future meets Velcro Air Jordans. (more…)

I guess it would not hurt to share my current program to give you a feel of how I spend my rehabilitation time, especially because a new eight-week program has just been finalised. I would, however, point out that the content is particularly slim this period, compared to recent months and years, specifically to allow for greater time liaising with researchers, doctors and spinal-cord specialists. In addition, subtly saving some specific energy to encourage effort into a couple of other interesting endeavours. (more…)

My Little Friend, Sarah’s birthday fell which prompted a long celebratory lunch on the Northern Beaches of Sydney and a night away. Impeccable timing I am sure you would agree after her recent holiday back to Europe…

Amazing to think back over the last 3 birthdays together to see where we have come from both physically and geographically. Although it may not seem too significant to most, just being able to spend a relatively spontaneous weekend away together is a small achievement for us. Not to mention, thoroughly enjoyable. Some would argue, a just reward for such long periods of hard work. (more…)

Major decisions in ones life are often the most time inefficient. Knowing this all too well, I tried to enjoy my weekend without entertaining the idea of surgery, except for a few fleeting moments.

The beginning of the week proved another convenient distraction and, following another random Internet search by my ever-supportive mother, I pushed my way through an ivy laden gate down a makeshift ramp and into one of the most eclectic and quirky workshops I have visited to date. Sitting behind the desk, with surely decades of paperwork surrounding him, was Paul Galy, a Hungarian orthotic shoemaker, who insists he has made over 39,000 pairs in his lifetime. (more…)