Sunday, August 30, 2009

A weekend in Canberra.

Sunday 30th August.
All up and about by 8am, friends were coming for breakfast so all hands were on deck working in the kitchen.
Stuart managed well in the bathroom and was able to attend to his personal care without a commode chair. He put the shower on hold until he got back to RNS. The gel cushion that sits on top of the regular toilet seat did the job. He found it quite comfortable and suitable for weekend use. He rolled up/down the ramp again today, nicer when it is dry but rather chilly on a winters morning in Canberra.






Chandani and the girls had breakfast ready when our guests arrived and once again it was just beaut to have the family together and spending time with friends. Jess and Amy left at 10 to head back to Newcastle and Woolongong.
Stuart was able to show us his standing/ balancing skills in the corner of the deck before flying back to Sydney and RNS at 2pm. Iain enjoyed standing next to Stuart and having to look up at him!!!





Stu here, my trip to and from the airport was the hardest part of my weekend. I caught the train to Central station where I to change platforms to catch the airport link train. When I got to below the platform to change lines I found the lift wast out of order, this is the only way to get up onto the platform in a wheelchair. I was not impressed. The only way I could get up there was to catch the city circle train from a platform that had a lift working, took me back around through the stops I'd already been on through to Circular Quay and then back to Central. I was then on the right platform to catch the the airport train. Adding another 20 minutes onto my trip. I got to the airport just in time to check in.
On the way home I was going to catch the train back, but when I asked if they had fixed the elevator on the platform at Central I was told no. So I was going to get off at Wynyard which is on the same line for the trip home to the hospital from Central. But there was track work on line from Central around to Wynyard... their suggestion was to go out to Wolli Creak and change over to another suburban line and then back to Central. It would have taken about an hour or more just to get there. I was very disappointed with City Rail. If I didn't know to ask about the lift etc I would have been stuck in Central on the platform unable to get down to other line. I got my money back and just caught a cab to Central and then trained it to the Hospital. The plane trips from Sydney to Canberra and back were faultless which was made me feel a lot better after my eventful train rides. And it was nice to spend some time with the girls and also stay with Peter and Chandani....love that curry.

Saturday 29th August
Our Jess was 21 today and we all meet up in Canberra to celebrate. Maggie, Iain and I drove up from Wagga Wagga. Jessica and Amy caught the bus down together from Sydney and Stuart flew.

We arrived to a very wet Canberra just in time to collect Stuart from the airport. We had some fun trying to get the wheelchair into the Golf. Iain almost became one with the chair as we drove to Duffy, a very close encounter....should of had the camera out.


We had a late lunch with the Prammers. The house that Peter built(after the Canberra bush fires) was brilliant for Stuart in his chair. With a ramp as well as stairs to access the upstairs living areas. A little unpleasant if raining, but Stuart was able to to time his runs pretty well and keep dry.

The gang then got into their party clothes and we headed off to the Mawson Club for Amy Mill's 21st.




I did my nursing training with Barb and the girls were born on the 29/08/1988...all those years ago. It was a great night, just fantastic to have the troops all together, enjoying themselves and catching up. It was the first time we had been out where everyone was able to have a drink, so we got a lift to the party and then a maxi cab home. Stuart was able to get in the front, chair in the boot and we just piled in. The Mosman pit team would would get the points though when it comes to getting the chair into a car and then back together. Guess we were hampered by the rain and the dark!!!



Mosman pit team.

Tristan and Meaghan in action.
Photos taken on Tuesday 25th August





Friday, August 28, 2009

Walking frame man.

First go using new AFOs in the parallel bars.
(AFO'S are a type of ankle support that help keep my ankles in a better position to enable me to walk).






This is the first time I've managed to walk free of the parallel bars, I'm able to blance for a few seconds too, when I lean back onto my heals the AFO's help me to lock my knees. It was a bloody g...



How exciting is this....tis just terrific, almost unbelievable. Looking forward to seeing Stuart tomorrow in Canberra. The Humans all together for a night.
Cheers Janet

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Grand Slam Wii

Routine start to my day and then off to physio at 11. Had a great time playing grand slam tennis on the Wii, in my chair of course. I beat Jane (physio), yippee. My cousin Emma found me in the gym and I was able to stand and show her just how tall I am. She was most impressed.
I wandered up to the top of the carpark after lunch for another photography session. Got some great shots of the planes and the construction site. Interesting to zoom in on the workmen, sort of candid shots. Will dump some on the blog when get some more internet time.
The afternoon physio session started with another game of tennis, this time against Alex (physio), I won this game as well. The Wii is great for my core strength. I then transferred to the plinth for some stretching and even managed a few plinth to plinth transfers. Finished off shooting some hoops with Chris a new patient.
As you can see another productive day at the office.

Stu

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Hump'day-you roll up to Wednesday and roll to the weekend

Shower and then the usual start to my day. Off to physio at 11, I started with an ergo session. Was able to peddle for 15 minutes all Stuart power, no machine assistance. Then moved onto the plinth and did some gravity free stuff with the springs and managed to do a cycling action with my sleepy right leg. I finished off with a few minutes weight bearing on the parallel bars. I was ready for lunch by the end.
Spent sometime after lunch up on the top floor of the carpark taking photos of the construction site behind the RNS Private. Am really having some fun this zoom lens.
Went back to physio for the arvo session and had a good workout on the weights machine working my upper body.
Caught up with Catherine after physio and got my paperwork for the RTA sorted. May head back there tomorrow.
Stu

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

New smile

Stuart was ready to rock and roll at 10 when I arrived. The day started with a surprise visit from Sue and Luke, so we did a quick dash around to physio to show them how tall Stuart was/is when he stands. Am sure he has grown since I last put his mark on the wall in the pantry (he was 187cm or nearly 6'2")




His legs were still tired from Monday's effort so he moved to the plinth to do some stretching and also show me that he could crawl...have to crawl before you walk!!!





We then had a 12 o'clock meeting with Susan, the OT who has been appointed by life time care and support and Alanna his OT at RNS. It was a get to know you and informal chat to look at any house modifications and aids that Stuart may need to live at home now and in the future. His needs will no doubt change as he continues to gain strength and progress with his rehab.

Stuart had the paperwork from Catherine (social worker) to take to the RTA to get his parking permit. So off to Nth Sydney we went, new territory for Stuart, but where I had been last night. The RTA office was a bit further from the station in the chair than it looked on the map, plus it was all up hill. We managed, but I did have to help just a little. Bit of a wasted effort though as the paperwork was not quite complete so he will have to return with the right name and provider number another day. Such is life. It was a lot easier getting back to Greenwood Plaza and the station..yes all down hill. We found the food court and had a very late lunch before catching a cab over to the Dentist in Mosman. Stuart did very well and managed to negotiate a couple tricky stairs and get into a normal taxi for the trip across.
I managed to get the before photo in the sun out the front.
An hour later, what a great job. He looks like a new man. He is not showing the tooth much in the after photo with the dental team though. Will have to wait until the weekend to get another shot.





Stuart and I rolled and walked around to Keston Ave to pick-up the camera and zoom lens that Stuart is going to take photos of planes and stuff from the top of the hospital carpark. Will keep him occupied and out of mischief. He then surprised himself and was able to pull himself up into a wheelchair accessible bus without using the ramp. We caught the bus down to Mosman Wharf and had a beer watching the ferries come in. Tristan's flat overlooks the wharf. We had a most enjoyable Thai meal on Military Rd and then went back to Mary and Sid's in Mosman for a coffee and a chat. They could not get over how much better Stuart looked, some colour in his face, increased leg movement and how much easier he got up the front steps since the last visit(which was back on the 1st of August) We put him in a cab back to RNS at about 9.30pm and I think he was tucked in bed by 10...would shower tomorrow.

Parallel squats-sideways!!!

Monday 24th August.
I had a rather bumpy flight up from Wagga Wagga and arrived in time to go have my lunch,a cheese toastie (home made bread from 1 Kauri Pl)which I shared with Stuart. He could not wait to get around to physio to show me what he could do on the parallel bars.He sent the first 10 minutes warming up on the leg spinner. Then with Jane's assistance and the AFO on his ankles and the brace on his right leg he was able to stand.







He then managed to do some squats with the brace off-10 in total. It is hard work, the right leg fatigues very quickly and then goes in to spasm mode. He had to finish off with some stretching.

Another video in the spiderman series !!!


Catching up with x-room mates Graham and Olive after physio.


It was a pretty ordinary afternoon so we had a coffee indoors and I was lucky enough to get a ride home with Sergio. We did the childrens pick-up run, daycare and dance. It was nice to see another part of the city nearby and find places that Stuart can easily access in his chair and on the train nearby in the future.

Sunday, August 23, 2009

What a weekend!

Saturday 22rd August
Bledesloe Cup.
I had no plans for my day on Saturday. I spent most of the morning reading a magazine down in the canteen, I then headed up to the carpark to watch the construction of the new building. When I got back to the ward Kiwi Allison, a nurse at the hospital rang and offered me a ticket to the Bledesloe Cub. Though there was one condition, I had to be able to get myself to the game and back. Lucky for me I went to the football at ANZ with my Uncle Rodney the weekend before so it was rather easy to get there. Everyone knows the results from that game, I nearly jumped out of my seat in the last 10 minutes there was some good rugby played. If you were watching I was the one in the yellow. Thanks again Alison and Simmo for the ticket. It was around midnight by the time I got back to the ward, I slept well that night.





Sunday 23rd August
A day in Manly
Dave was heading up to see me on Sunday, we didn't have much planned apart from doing something out of the hospital. He arrived at around lunch and we decided to jump in his car and head to manly. Neither of us knew which way to go so it was a follow the signs drive, turned out it was such a nice day in Sydney that everyone wanted to go to Manly so it was rather slow drive. Once we were there we managed to find a park in a multistory carpark and headed to walk up the beach path.



Found a nice restaurant and had a feed of some bloody good fish, followed by some more cruzing up and down The Corso. I found out that I can get the wheelchair to step out sideways on some wet tiles near a water fountain, it was a bit of fun whilst rolling along. We left around 5ish, which was when everyone else decided to leave too, and we now know how slow the Spit bridge can be in peak traffic.

Stu

Productive Day

Friday 21st August.
Early start again for a 10am meeting with Stuart's case worker. All going to plan until the girls let us know that he needed to be ready at 9.30....so it was skip the shower, do his teeth and get dressed asap. Debbie had been appointed by life time care and support to manage Stuart's ongoing rehabilitation, the transition between hospital Moorong and home. Looking at our options and all the things we may need in the future. Alex-physio, Alanna-OT and Catherine-social worker (all members of the spinal rehab team on 7D)were present as well. The team on 7D have been very supportive and looking at the best ways to keep Stuart progressing, but also trying to get him closer to home, family and friends while waiting for his turn at Moorong Rehab centre. It was a great meeting and we both came away came away feeling like we had some direction and someone to help make it all happen.
Stuart then took Tristan and to the STAIRS to show us his skills. They looked very steep from the top.



Dave, Alanna and the OT crowd were ready to have another go. He did really well, although it was made a little more difficult today by his legs which had decided to spasm. Stuart had not had a chance this morning to stretch before our meeting and was now paying the price.



The three of us then headed to The Forum for lunch before I caught the train to the airport and home. He was going to head back to 7d and do some stretching in the gym.

Iain, Maggie and I went to the Kooringal Hotel for tea.....Maggie's first beer in a pub with Mum and Dad. She turned 18 on Monday.

Friday, August 21, 2009

Thursdays Photos

Thursday 20th August

Chair to Floor




Floor to Chair.






Visit from Tom.


Trying different seats on the shower chair.




Triston and Janet checking their blood pressure



Stand-up chair in the bathroom.



Gloria's again!