My view has changed again! 

I guess you are wondering what is happening? 

Well not a lot really.  I’m still in hospital and today is 5 weeks on from my doctors appointment that resulted in me being admitted. 
Progress has been slow and steady. It feels like it is iceberg slow or is it glacier? I’m not sure, but it is happening, slowly that is. 

I’ve managed to hang on to my sense of humour despite causing someone rather a lot of paperwork a few weekends back when I took a fall on the ward. I had just done my 3rd walk on the Sunday. Physio is off your own back at the weekend and I got back to my bed needing the bathroom, so sat into the wheelchair rather than straight onto the bed. It was the transfer from the wheelchair to the bed that was the problem. It didn’t happen but I only established that when all my strength failed half way through and the transfer is an uphill transfer (the need if higher than the wheelchair, even on its lowest setting). I managed to scrape my back on the bed and wheelchair going down to the floor and landed rather hard on my butt to say the least. Extra painkillers were needed because the pain war interfering with my breathing, x-rays ordered and an afternoon spent worrying about a possible fractured vertebra which thankfully a CT scan ruled out. But it did file in a bulging disk at T10.

I have been waiting for a bed in rehab for most of my time on the ward (12 days, ICU was a 19 day stay) but on Tuesday I finally got a bed on the ward (12B). The inpatient rehab ward had its own gym and set up to get people back to where they were before being admitted into hospital.  You would think that’s just physio for me, but a whole load more had been included such as pain consultants, a social worker (to see what services can help out with hospital appointments, outpatient day physio etc), an occupational therapist, and other staff I have yet to see (I should be able to get my orthopaedic inner soles adjusted etc).

In rehab, we all eat in the dining room, in theory.  It is possible to eat in your room, but it’s not the preferred option. My room is now on the ground floor rather than the 8th floor and I no longer have a view of the mountains, the sunrise or the sunsets (which I only saw briefly). Instead I have a view of the rehab courtyard which is set up with various physio obstacles for walking practice. It’s reasonably large and there’s no access to anyone other than patients from the dining room or the gym. This morning I had a King Parrot knocking at my window trying to gnaw at the window with its beak. 

Meals are still the hospital food by the same catering but we now get metal cutlery which means I can eat the orange I get with my meal! Previously it was plastic cutlery only. 

Currently I can more or less get around in the wheelchair, and walk short distances with my crutches. I can’t do steps easily (need supervision), can’t balance or stand still, but I’m slowly getting stronger.  There’s a noticeable difference in strength between my two legs and my right is prone to giving up on me rather more often than it was previously. But I’m making progress and I’m allowed day release at the weekends…  

An early morning photo of my view, 

And one of the better sunsets we have had. 


We had a few days were we had numerous rainbows. The water has been much appreciated. This one was probably the best and longest lasting. 

A few cards have arrived… 

And a friend brought in some flowers 

I’ll add a photo of my courtyard view in the next update. 

So that’s my update.