Last week was a week of two leaps and three bounds. Leap number one was getting a battery-operated toothbrush, which means my teeth feel cleaner and my mouth feels fresher again. This had been a problem since I came into the hospital. Leap number two was buying an electric shaver. This is something I have never used before in my life, but brilliantly overcomes the obstacles of shaving with the wrong hand. Although I don't feel it's as efficient as a wet shave, it's certainly a major improvement over wearing permanent heavy stubble. Bounding around The first bound came midweek when Fiona unearthed a walking pole for me. Whilst looking like Little Bo Peep, it helps with balance and straightening my weak left leg. The second bound came out of the blue on Friday morning when Fiona was confident enough to let me climb the few stairs in the gym.  | | Mike climbs the stairs in the gym |
This was a great surprise to me and very exhilarating, particularly when I also managed to come down them too. As this major leap forward happened in my morning physio session, I had to do an encore on Friday afternoon so Barbara could see me climb the stairs too. Earlier in the week, I had decided that we would need a stairlift at home, and had asked Barbara to research them for me. This bound meant that I shouldn't actually need to buy a stairlift now. My third major bound came when I was taken to the workout gym where I walked, with the pole, the length of a badminton court. Once I had completed one length, I had to execute a turn and go back to where I started. Positive steps All the above leaps and bounds have had a major impact, making me much more positive about my future prospects for recovery. Of course, I am still tied to the hospital regime (and the hospital food!). Walking, and doing it PROPERLY, is a very complex skill, but I am absolutely determined that I will master it. My weekend included a shopping trip to Cribbs Causeway for essentials. This included new shoes for Barbara, which were absolutely vital, and a bedside lamp for me. On Sunday, we made it to the County Ground for the Gloucestershire and Middlesex one-day match, which was abandoned as a draw due to the torrential rain. Although the cricket was disappointing, it was really good to renew some old acquaintances and to soak up the atmosphere. During the coming week I intend to work hard on my stepping and standing, in the hope that my balance approaches something like normality. This would be fantastic progression from the wibbly-wobbly man I am presently. If I can make progress on that, I hope that I will be able to report on the prospect of actually going back home permanently. | 
