Alex will walk again

December 2006 i could only move my head, March last year i had to be washed laying down, June last year i had to be strapped into my chair.. now i can self propel in a manual wheel chair and stand using only a knee block, what will come in the future… who knows, but i wont give up.

This is one of the sponsorship cards that have been printed up for the 11th Oct, thank you Sarah, Linda and Gina. To my uncle Clarie thank you for all the support, and everything you’ve done to help the walk.

Finally my hand bike has turned up, its very different from the static FES bike.. at first i was afraid of the drive way.. then (with a little encouragement from my bro Ross) i was free wheeling down Jaggard way (a steep hill) South bank will be next….(I’ve cut my head open and smashed my front teeth out down there before, so might need more practice before i attempt it) besides the extreme free wheeling, i am going to take the bike to a local reservoir Bewl Water, i will ride up and down the dam first (its straight and about a mile long) once i have practiced that, i am going to attempt a sponsored ride around the whole thing - approx 18 miles.

even with all the support and people i have around me, it is really hard to stay positive, although my body is broken, my mind is as it was before my accident, having to rely on others each day for the simplest things, i know that there is progress (even the smallest thing each day or week) but you can not stop your mind.. the one thing that stays - even tho i never saw myself in this chair.. i will not die in the chair - i need to walk again - i will walk again..

 Thank you

While in America i had an MRI, and since my injury i’ve had the scans, these are to keep track of the cyst within my neck, this is the most recent MRI showing the cyst to be aprox 15mm.. it can get bigger, solidify or sometimes smaller. Unfortunatly since my accident it has increased in size by about 2mm’s.

The Mind Clinic is another type of physio, there is a small video on the link which is really worth watching.. unlike other places that suggest a “miracle” cure. The Mind Clinic will tell you that “you will walk again” but it’s you that needs to put the work in, very hard work but with good results. Unlike other places i know someone who attends here, and she has had some really good improvements already. Again everything costs money, and as you’d expect this place is not cheap… but if i was to work along side Claire Lomas not only could we spurr each other on, we would get 4hrs for the price of 2hrs and at £125 per hr thats quite a substantial saving, and results in more physio and a quicker recovery for both of us.  

the hardest thing that i have had to do in life, is what i’m doing right now.. i believe what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. i have flat lined but here i am, i will walk again.. i will put the work in, unfortunatly i just need your money. I have muscles that i shouldn’t have control of, they are very weak at the moment, but if a muscle is there you can work on it and make it stronger.. i have just finished a physio session, i have to wait now until saturday, at this rate i am improving but slowly.. there is only a limited amount that i can do myself.

In January i had this test done it shows sensation and motor function throughout my body, i have recently had another test done.. i didn’t feel that there had been much improvement - apart from increased strength, but found that there had been a steady progress - as there is still progression it gives me more motivation to push forward.

i have had my RTI 300 FES bike since June last year (supplied by Holland America line), for six months i only had the leg bike, using the bike 3-4 times a week built the muscle mass in my legs up really well, i then got the upper part (supplied by Regain) the arm cycle will build up the muscles i can use - making me more independant, unfortunatly the bike recently broke.. it was out of action for 2 months, the muscle wastage in just that short time was massive. i have been using it again now its fixed, i have built my leg muscles up to a function level (muscle mass, but light enough for transfers) my arms i am now doing double (triple were i can) sessions each day, i need to maintain a “functional” level of muscle mass (for when i do walk again) and build up muscle and stamina  for now. (at the moment i get worn out with one transfer..) this bike has proven to be a “god send” for me and has helped maintain hope and my sanity, since coming home last year. It proves how important physio is - “you can just give up and get on with what life you have” but due to the improvement i have made so far… with all the set backs (they didn’t bring me back so many times in the ICU for the sake of it!) i will not give up!