Life After Injury, Charity Triathlon

Four great things have happened to me so far this year . .

1. My Permanent Residency application went through on 2nd Feb - now all I have to do is wait.
2. I no longer have to go to physiotherapy at Caulfield (I miss Rod!)
3. I turned 32.
4. I completed the distances requires for a triathlon - 5km walk / 20 km cycle / 500 metre swim.

So it's game on... Now all I need is your help - the support and cash kind of help.

On Saturday 1st May 2010 - so far, 10 participants will be completing an indoor triathlon in aid of Spinal Cord Injuries Australia. A not for profit charity organisation who help people with spinal cord injuries, they work to prevent, care and cure.

The idea behind the Triathlon is "Life After Injury"
A "sprint" triathlon is broken into 3 parts:

• 5 km run / walk


• 20 km cycle and


• 500 metre swim.

This triathlon is gym and pool based and therefore, in a controlled environment.
The idea is to beat your personal best.

To sponsor this event please go to: http://www.lifeafterinjury.com.au/

I will be substituting the 5km run for a 5km walk - however, the fact that I feel I could even complete this triathlon, is testament enough to my recovery.

Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre (MSAC) are hosting the event and the usual $20 casual entrance fee will go to the charity. Rod has volunteered to help with the organisation on the day and it is open to everyone to participate. Thanks to Gerard (aka Kiwi) for the flyer design - I owe him a warm pint when I am back in London.

The website has a payment online option with a secure payment gateway. GoFundraise.com.au are the company that put the site together (for free - thankyou!) and use the most secure payment technology.

So please, don't be shy - put those Great British Pounds, Euro, Swiss Francs, Dirhams and not forgetting the great Aussie Dollar to good use. You will have the option to print out a tax receipt through the website. Geez you can even follow us on the day : www.twitter.com/lifeafterinjury

Thanks in advance - this should keep us all on the straight and narrow for a while!

2010 - Numerology and My Horoscope Prediction

Ten is a higher octave of the number one and signifies an end of an important cycle in which a change in circumstances will soon be forthcoming.

It carries with it much esoteric significance which is evidenced by the fact that it takes ten lunar months to bring a baby from conception into the world, there are ten sepiroth in many versions of the Kaballah, the most common number system used today is based on the number ten, and most currencies in use today have been decimalised.

People generally have ten fingers on which to count, leading to an easy adoption of ten as the base of our intuitive number system. This belief is also central to Chinese Numerology.

MY PREDICTION:
Early in the year it may feel like a very bumpy ride - but if you buckle up and stay on board you'll find you've made a lot of progress by year's end.

Rach'll Fix It For You - And You - And You - And You - And Bah Bah Bah . . .

Well as Christmas is fast approaching I thought some of you might like an update on my progress.

Over the last few weeks I have been noting down my achievements as I made them. Here is a list:

Standing up while taking a shower
Standing while brushing my teeth / applying make up -
king a meal in the kitchen
Walking to the car without my walking stick
50 metre swim
Walking around the office without walking stick
Carrying 2 loads of washing out to the communal washing area
Taking rubbish out to the bins
200 metre swim (25 metres freestyle)
Forgetting my walking stick and leaving it in the office
Walking over to the shop near the office without my walking stick
450 metre swim
06.10.09 - One full day without walking stick
440 metre walk in 6 minutes unaided
Walk around business park unaided
Carrying my laptop bag around and up stairs
600 metre swim
800 metre swim (200 metres freestyle)

And yesterday at physio - 555 metre walk in 6 minutes unaided.

I saw all my doctors a few weeks ago and I have been given the all clear to get back to life and up the cardio. I think wrestling and Rugby are out of the equation - but swimming and stationary cycling are in.

I am still seeing Rod at physio but it is more sporadic now. I still have laborious and boring exercises to do to strengthen muscle groups but I can do so much more now - no more excuses!

I am attending a focus group through the social services department in a couple of weeks to air ideas on how better to support people with spinal cord injuries when they have left hospital. And whether or not a mentor or support person who has been through the same thing could be beneficial. I would feel a bit of cheat mentoring someone with a more severe injury as it is all becoming a distant memory now and it's only my slightly flat footed walk and poor cardio ability that reminds me these days. Saying that, maybe even them reading my blog might help someone. So I'll keep you posted.

I have big plans for next year...but let's wait for next year to arrive first. . .

I went to Hamilton at the weekend and more specifically the Dunkeld Races - Here's a lovely pic of us lovely girls on a lovely hot day. Chris, Gib, Nat, Marie, Mia and Rach

5 days AFO FREE!!

I can't quite believe it myself as my AFO's were supposed to be the last thing (if ever!) to stay and remind me of the last few months.

It started gradually - taking my first steps...oh melodramatic Milney. It didn’t happen like that at all.

The bloody expensive carbon fibre AFO’s started to rub and leave marks on my feet. These marks would not go away and the pain just intensified. I showed Rod. He was concerned as these pressure spots could easily break the skin and then I would be in trouble. So he suggested walking around my “..house and immediate environment with caution..” without AFO’s but in shoes.
Of course this just gave me the confidence to push it a little further. I went 2 straight days without them. I couldn’t walk far but managed breakfast and dinner dates with friends and generally, as long as I didn’t have to walk too far – I was fine!

I am now at least 5 days AFO free.

With a giant leap forward – you can’t help but totter a little bit backwards. It’s fatiguing. I’ve needed my sleep this week (10+ hours) but WOW.

The AFO’s really tighten up my calf muscles which in turn fight against the improvement of the dorsie flexion. Going calf naked has helped my muscles loosen up a little and so I have noticed an increase in the range I can dorsie flex.

I am back to my full time job, I am well rested and taking good care of myself. I didn’t mind as the season officially changed as I also had a spring in my step!

New Walking Stick

Okay so it's not as exciting as a new car or even a new pair of shoes - although I will probably spend quite some time with my new stick over the next few weeks.

So I needed a nice one.

I think it makes me look interesting. Maybe someone who works in "The Arts". A Playwright. An Art Critic.....Maybe just a girl with a walking stick

Sad News...

I know you all know about the Jeannie Little that caused a stir at The Alfred Hospital and while she was also my roomie at Hotel Caulfield. Real name Christine Mitchell.

The same Christine Mitchell that had a neck brace, a full back brace and hid her wine in the stroller trolley. The feisty Christine Mitchell that refused to stay in the hospital and got her stuff together and went to catch the bus home, the same Christine Mitchell who told the nurses what to do and not the other way round.

The same Christine Mitchell that died in her sleep on Saturday morning around 6am.

I was on my way to see her that day when her husband Gary called me to let me know. He is heart broken.

She couldn't take the pain anymore and Gary tells me she passed away peacefully.

RIP CHRIS

X

Doing The Lambeth Walk - OI!!