A Journey of a 1000 miles starts with a single step

Significant dates in my recovery Journey

I was given a diary in Swindon hospital to note down events that I needed to remember.

The entries are quite sketchy to start with and quite hard to read. My right wrist was painful for 3-4 months so my writing was not the most legible, even worse than normal!

I have extracted significant milestones in my 'Journey of recovery' and dates that are worthy of note.

DateEntry
2003 
11 JanAccident.
11 JanAdmitted to Bangor Hospital.
21 JanTransferred to Swindon by ambulance.
 Little or no recollection until I leave hospital on 14th Feb.
11 FebGiven a diary to act as my 'memory' for appointments, etc.
14 FebDischarged from Great Western Hospital, Swindon.
19 FebA walk around the village with my sister and Sean her 2 year old son.
21 FebVisit from Mark of TruCare to discuss visits over the next few weeks.
22 FebLocal walk with some friends, one of whom slipped and broke his wrist!
25 FebFirst time since accident, cooked dinner for myself and Janet.
26 FebVisited a gym in Melksham with Mark of TruCare.
27 FebWalked to the gym myself. The walk there took 45min, the return 1hr 15min
27 FebFirst time since accident, made bread using a bread machine.
1 MarI had to get a new ATM number as I couldn't remember mine.
3 MarMy first outpatient appointment at RNHRD, Janet drove me there.
9 Mar Walked the route from the bus station to RNHRD with Janet
10 Mar1st independant outpatient appointment at RNHRD.
19 MarSawed some logs by hand to try to improve my right wrist.
21 MarOrthopedic surgeon appointment about my wrist.
25 MarI had a laptop dropped off from work to see how much I remembered.
31 MarRegular eye test for work, it was not as good as it had been.
15 AprFirst visit to work, afternoon only.
8 May Full day visiting work, these visit were so colleagues could see I was OK.
10 MayFirst successful ride of a bike, on Janet's more upright hybrid bike.
21 JunFirst long walk, did the Yorkshire 3 Peaks with a climbing friend, Graham
28 JulGot my Driving Licence back, so I could start my phased return to work.
31 JulPlayed squash, my wrist hurt, reaction speed and coordination problematic
13 SepPassed a medical check for diving
16 SepVisited Bangor Hospital to thank the staff there
23 SepBought dictaphone to use while driving to and from work
29 SepFirst full day at work, I had been doing 2 or 3 half days a week
8 Oct Comment in diary 'back to alternate half days and full days', so I must have tried consecutive full days before this.
1 Dec Attempted to work a week of full days but had to rest on Friday.
18 DecStarted going back to Body Balance to assist in my coordination, etc
2007After working 4 days a week for 2004-2006 resting on Wednesdays, get back to a full 5 day working week
9 AprStarted working 30 hour week over 5 days instead of 4 x 7.5 hour days
6 AugStarted working 5 x 7.5 hour days
8 Oct Completed 2 months of 5 x 7.5 hour weeks
8 OctNow working a normal week
2008A year of working 5 day weeks has been hard but there have been no real setbacks

Gym

I started visting a gym in Melksham quite early in my recovery to do the physio recommended exercises and use the treadmill and exercise bike to try to regain some level of fitness. It also felt as though I was actually doing something rather that just waiting for recovery to happen.

Wrist

My wrist did trouble me as the raduis had been fractured at the end and not treated while I was in hospital. Then because I was not using it it became very painful if I tried to weight it in any way. This was not due to the fracture, which had set while I was in hosptial although incorrectly, but due to the soft tissues seizing up. Exercise and using it i.e. physiotherapy was the solution to this.

Eye Test

I had a scheduled eye test for work and the results indicated that my eyesight had deteriorated a lot and I now required glasses.
When I explained the nature of the head injury I had suffered from, the optician suggested that my eyesight was still settling down and this would continue to improve over time and I should have a second eyetest after several months.

Yorkshire 3 Peaks

This was a challenge in more than just walking as I had to meet up with Graham in Derby as he was driving across from Cambridge and I would be taking the train from Bath.
The actual walk by comparison was more straight foward. Graham had done the 3 Peaks several times before so all I had to do was follow him. We completed the 25 miles in a reasonable time (10 hours, I think) considering that it was only 6 months since my accident.

Driving Licence

All people who suffer a head injury have their Driving Licence revoked for at least 6 months then you have to have a review with a DVLA approved doctor to regain the licence. I initially got my licence back as a 1 year licence, which was then renewed for a normal one.

Dictaphone

I found that during my drive to and from work ,25 miles each way, I would remember things which I had forgotten by the time I reached my destination so couldn't write them in my notebook. To solve this problem I bought a dictaphone that I could record memos in before transferring it to my notebook.

Body Balance

This is a class I attended at lunchtimes from work not only as a break from work but also to try to improve my coodination, balance and flexibiliy. It is a combination of Tai Chi, Yoga and Pilates, and did certainly help me in improving these areas of fitness