This morning I went to pick up Tracy (Karen’s cousin) from Newcastle Airport. She is staying at our house for a few days. We went straight to the hospital from the airport and were there just before 10am.

The lights were all out in Karen’s room, and if we peeked through the glass, we could just about pick out a fast asleep kp. We entered and kp woke up and said “hi” to Tracey and I.

She took a while to wake up, but was pleased to see her cousin (first time since the accident). Shortly after we arrived and kp was a bit more alert, one of the nurses came in and had us all in stitches.

Apparently, at tablet-giving out time (about 8am), three of them had come in to Karen’s room and talked out loud for about 5 minutes about whether they should wake her up or not. She didn’t stir. They ummed and arred all the arguments before deciding to leave her at which point they tiptoed out the room.

We were laughing at the fact they had spent so long talking out loud and finished by tiptoeing out of the room

Tracey and Karen caught up with all the news and then I took kp for a bath while Tracey had a cup of raspberry tea in the cafe downstairs.

Bath over, we joined Tracy downstairs for lunch. Sandwiches, Tea and Crisps.

We then went back to the room for kp to get some rest from being on her bum. After 30 minutes, it was physio time, the physios kindly agreed to letting Tracy in on the physio session.

Karen had done some SUPERB stands this morning (and over the weekend), when we transferred from the wheelchair to the bed, and I said “if you can do a stand like that for Paul, I think he will be well impressed”.

She did, and he was. So much so he left touching her completely and she was standing completely on her own, albeit much (if not all) of her weight was being carried on her right leg.

She probably stood for 10 seconds without any contact with anyone. I was impressed as was Tracy.

Before the physio session starter proper, kp wanted some to know what the next goals were from the main man. He passed the question back to kp, and asked her what she wanted to achieve next ? kp wanted to go home, but not at the expense of being able to walk normally.

Main Main :- What do you mean by normally ?
kp :- Well, to be able to walk to the kitchen to make a cup of tea, go to the loo etc…When do you think I will be at that stage ?

Being typically and rightly cautious about answering the question directly, he basically said that he couldn’t answer the question for sure, but he would estimate she could walk anywhere between 6 weeks and 3 months.

We got the impression that he would be surprised if she wasn’t walking by Xmas which of course means that she should be home for Xmas Nothing is set in stone, we understand that only too well, but its something else to aim for. kp was pleased at the news. He also stressed that she should understand that really she isn’t properly standing at the moment.

Standing to a turner or holding someone’s shoulder isn’t the same as standing on your own. So we first have to crack that, before even considering walking.

After her transfer to the bench, much of today’s work was done in the lying position.

She did lots of work on her left leg movement and strength which is her big stumbling block to walking/standing properly.

The main mas was WELL impressed with some of her stamina and her strength towards the end of the exercises. At one point, he asked her to push her left leg back and against him back into the wall. The poor chap nearly had a lung collapse.

Main Man :- I won’t be asking you to do that again

She seems to have the strength, but the tricky bit for her is locking the knee and she continually has to be told to lock her knee. It’s as if she thinks its locked, when it isn’t.

At one point, she was raising her left leg (see photo above), holding it, lowering it. Some of the heights she was raising it too were amazing. At one point, Tracy and I looked at each other and went “Ooooooooooooo” as if to say, how did she do that.

She did very well.

The weekend home definately did kp well, and her strength (with all the transfers) seems to have improved !

I was very proud of her.

After physio, we went outside in the lovely sunshine and waiting for Marie, Michelle and Glenn to arrived. We had a coffee with them at Quenellies and then Tracy and I headed home. Poor Tracy has been up since 4.15am in order to get her flight from Southampton.