Archive for August 29th, 2008
The 23rd was a very long day. It was sad saying goodbye and I must admit to being a little teary. Casey, Andy and Lucy came in even though it was their day off. Lucy and Johnny came to the airport with us and although we had checked prior to leaving, we discovered our plane had been delayed due to its late arrival from Hong Kong. We sat in the departure lounge for nearly two hours before boarding the plane. Once aboard and strapped in, the pilot informed us we would be at least another hour on the tarmac before getting clearance. The previous day Hong Kong airport had been shut because of a typhoon resulting in a backlog of flights. An hour and a half later we took off and arrived in Hong Kong to find the aircraft had to queue for a landing bay…another hour and a half! We arrived at the hotel sometime after 10pm to find, joy of joys, that there were no disabled rooms available. However, they promised to move us to one the following day; a promise that never eventuated (so I made do with a wash down and the hairdressers).
The following day we explored Honk Kong and thanks to Ken’s excellent hand drawn map we found all that wanted (including the mural and garden at the Shangri-La). That night we dined at an excellent cafe on the Peak and had the bonus of watching the sunset and the night lights of Hong Kong. Kowloon was on the agenda the next day and it was very different from Hong Kong Island.
The flight home was packed…not a spare seat to be had. Consequently, sleep was impossible – everytime I closed my eyes someone walked past, moved their seat back or forward or turned on their monitor. We arrived in Melbourne a little before 6am and had to wait until midday for our flight out. Needless to say it was two very tired travellers who took the sunshine back to Hobart with them. Although there is still snow on the mountain, the spring flowers poking their heads out to greet the light…in another few weeks the garden will be beautiful.
This week Jessica has been unwell so it has been a very quiet few days. Monday the work will begin (gym, physio etc).
Later…
August 29th, 2008
Well, it is hard to believe that we leave tomorrow. Everyone has been fantastic and I feel the journey was well worth it. The doctors visited this morning and still believe that my improvements will be slow and steady. It was sort of sad saying ‘thank you and good bye’. They still want me to return in six months providing I see improvements.
This afternoon, Andy gave me a physical therapy examination. It was quite funny; I asked him how any times a week I should have acupuncture and his response was ‘five times a week for three months and then one month off’. I laughed…at $60 AUD a treatment, I would be very poor; particularly given that I also have to attend physiotherapy, gym and continue with cranio-sacral therapy…and I have good private health insurance.
I bought a Chinese muscle stimulating machine that I will use daily. I will also buy leg weights for walking around the house and climb our stairs. I can probably simulate the standing machine by standing on part of the stairs with my heels off the stairs so that my feet are dorsi-flexed(not sure about hanging on to the bannisters for half an hour though!). I figure that I do physio and acupuncture once a week, gym twice a week and one session CST…that should keep me poor! Besides I still have mothering, house keeping, cooking and gardening responsibilities!
Our last night here is a little anticlimatic. We shared in Kade’s birthday celebrations and continued packing…fun, fun, fun!
August 29th, 2008
P.T. was good today. Andy had me on my side moving my legs from a straight to a flexed position. He was using quite strong opposition to that flex but I managed to overcome it. Although I still use my frame to walk, I can actually walk normally with my left leg (in that I place my heel on the floor and roll to my toes). I still find it difficult to lift my right leg but manage, while seated, to lift it a centimetre or so up off the floor. I think two of the excruciatingly hard movements are my limit. My right hand continues to improve; I can clench and extend it 10 times in a row. I also can move my little finger away from the other fingers. My weakest finger is my middle one; it is the first to fatigue and the one I find hardest to straighten. I tried to do some work using my triceps muscles only to find they are almost non existent…that will give my something new to work on when I return. My abdominal muscles need some work too, although my core stability is quite good.
August 29th, 2008
Today, I had my last lumbar puncture and stem cell infusion. I do not know whether I am getting used to them but today’s procedure went very smoothly. I have been very lucky with no side effects bar very slight headaches. The day was kind of messy because the stem cells were late arriving and it was 3.30 pm when I came out of the lumbar puncture room…and that meant that it was 9.30 before I could get up. I really did not feel like staying in bed today but suffered in silence (watching a couple of movies).
August 29th, 2008
