rehabilitation

James’ News & Progress – 3 April 2009

A couple of weeks back, thinking it would buy me some time, I promised my grandmother, Cle, that if she was victorious during one of her mid-week bridge games, I would allow myself to be lured back to the table. I should have known better as last Sunday she turned up at the house with a pack of cards and a big grin on her face exclaiming that she had cleaned up that week at the Hunters Hill Bridge Club winning two out of three appearances and was ready for a long-awaited rematch. The afternoon progressed, heavily assisted for me by a new wooden cardholder designed and made by Dad (with my occupational therapist in mind of course!) which allowed me to manoeuvre the cards in and out of the board with growing success. Although the play was very slow as I tried to manipulate the cards, for the bridge aficionados, we did manage a successful six no trumps bid in the second hand, which was a nice way to enter the world of cards again. (more…)

James’ News & Progress – 13 March 2009

On the medical front, we have had a very positive week with two encouraging trips to Royal North Shore resulting in another reduction in daily medications. James is now pretty much drug-free, apart from anti-spasm drugs which are very common for spinal cord injury patients and a constant frustration when working in the gym, trying to sleep or working with therapists. There are mixed opinions on the pros and cons of spasticity, as although spasms build muscle tone and activate movement, they can give a spinal cord trauma victim false hope given their involuntary nature. (more…)