Aussie Ken

Hi everyybody, well it hasn't happened yet but i know it's not too far away that i will be walking unassisted. whilst doing my daily stands i have been doing some other exersises to get more flexability in my knee, various balance exercises etc. It's been so frustrating being stuck in this wheelchair, especially after being so active all my life. Some really great news is that my heart echo test i had the other week once again was clear and that no new blockages have occured, the blood test were also good and my diabetes is well under control. The foot drop is stiil causing me concern as when i'm walking i'm getting great heal strike most of the time but then suddenly it kicks in and i can't get the heal strike. Last week week i had my brother in law visiting from New Zealand and it's given me more incentive to get mobile again and return to New Zealand and visit my mother in law and all of my wifes family.

I'm glad you went with Ray to see what happens and the amount of mischieve Ray gets up to when he attends, your mind will be at peice when he goes to the next camp and how well he is looked after. Chhers Ken

Hi Sue Sorry to hear that the outing was so disappointing, maybe it's time for the organisers have a good think when planning these outings what access the venue has and is it wheelchair friendly. I have found that the majorty of people don't realise how hard it is for people in wheelchairs. I love going to watch my children play soccer but have found only 1 ground has wheelchair friendly toilets and other facilities and most of the large shopping malls don't have many disalbled facilities. I hate sitting outside shops because there is no access. Ken

As my foot drop and balance is getting better i feel i'm almost at the point of no return. It is now mind over matter before i take of solo and start walking unassisted. during the past week my wife has been just walking behind me with a reassuring hand resting on me hip. Turning she may place both hands just in case i topple backwards. Whilst doing me daily stand, i use a slooping board under my affected foot for 20 minutes, then 10 minutes with the foot flat on the floor wth the good foot elevated and affected knee slightly bent. i then do other exercises like steppin forward then backwards moving my affected leg back first putting the weight on the affected side first. then just swinging the affected leg to and fro. I have felt the muscles releasing themselves in the right leg and i have even been able to touch my toes by stooping down with knees bent. i know once i can gain my independance and be able to walk around my confidence and self doubt will improve. My visit to the rehab doctor has been put back serveral weeks so it gives me a bit of time so that i can ditch the wheelchair and walk into the clinic. I see the cardio doctor on Friday for an echo and hope that it will be all clear again. have a good week and remember to keep smiling. :big_grin:

Were have the last 3 years gone. i finally got more feeling back into my right hand side and more strenght my walking is getting better and looking forward to walking independantly, i don't think it will be long before i take off, because the other day i was doing laps in the hall way when my wife let go of me and i just kept on walking till she said wait on i'm not ready. i reckon if she hadn't said anything i would have made the 20 feet no worries. So its more mind over matter at the moment. Well with easter upon us this weekend will be very quite as the kids are away at a scout camp so just my wife and myself to do what we want, we have a 4 day break, then the school holidays start for 2 weeks. So have a great easter everybody.

Well done, i'm so close to walking buy myself unassisted it's not funny. this will give me inspiration to achieve my goal. :Clap-Hands: :Clap-Hands: :Clap-Hands:

Welcome from across the ditch, have fun Cheers Aussie Ken :Clap-Hands:

Hi there Been off air for a week or so because during an electrical storm our modem got cooked. Luckly we had pulled the electrical plug out of the wall sockets to protect the PC from surges, but as the telephone connection didn't have a surge filter the modem got zapped. So we have been waiting for our service provider to send us a new one. (thank god it was under warranty). so we are going to see the people at the electronics store and buy a suitable filter. Tomorrow we say goodbye to a great mate, unfortunately he lost his fight against lung cancer, at 64 thats too young to die. He was a great family man, grandfather, loved working in his community. Mike was our Lions Club Santa and loved being driven through the Cambridge Park and Werrington (Sydney) area every Christmas eve were us Lions would hand out lollies to the local kids. He will be missed. So i must get walking again so i can join in the fun and see the look on the kids faces as Santa calls out their names. now to have a good read of the blogs and see whats been happening.

So glad to hear the boy is home once again. ggive him my best. ken

I did bowl before i got married, then i moved house and got busy doing other things. On reflection i should have taken it up again instead of trying to be young again and keeping up with the kids. but it is somethink i can aim fore as i won't be playing soccer again.

What a crazy few weeks, first the washing machine decided to give up the ghost and we had to replace it, but at least it didn't owe us anything after 20 years of faultless service, then after the lack of rain for so long the tiled roof started to leak and we had to call in the emergency services to do some urgent repairs foretunately there was no internal damage. We were able to call in a tiler to repoint the roof ridge caps so after the heavy rain during the past few days we no longer leak. :Clap-Hands: Then last weekend my nephew in-law was in port with the New Zealand navy and he had weekend shore leave so we showd him around the Penrith area and took him out for tea to the Bowling club where my daughter is doing her trainee ship. My walking is having it's ups and downs, somedays i can walk without any problems then the next i'm all over the place. but i refuse to give in, there must be a reason to all this and why i survived. my new physio has added some new exercises to strenghen my leg muscles and balance.

After going one of those periods i've emerged from the gloom and ready and rearing to go. At a function just before christmas a friend mention that she had some Mason's apprearing on her family tree, well after getting home and going through some of the family records it appears that we may well be related, so over the next few weeks i will be talking and emailing my brothers and sisters to fill in a few of the missing peices. it just a pioty that i didn't get more info from my mum and dad before the passed away. At least i now have plenty of time to do the research necessary. As i approach my third anniversary my determination is still to walk independantly i my do it by mid March. My drop foot is easing and i'm getting the foot closer to the ground and the balance is improving. On Tuesday night i went top my childrens school presentation where my son got 2 firsts in form (metal technology and Geography) my daoughter received to sports awards. have a good week and stay warm as the weather reports for the us look dreadful.

Since being home i have plenty of time to think and reflect on my life, before the stroke i was very active being the main breadwinner for the family, taking time to give myself me time such as going to the Gym, working within the community as i have been in the the Lions organisation for 26 years, fundraising for my childrens scout group so they could go to jamboree, and the list goes on. But post stroke i spend a lot of my time just sitting and watch the world go by. because of mobility problems i can't get outside and enjoy the sunshine, garden, general household jobs etc. But i haven't given up hope of one day returning to my favourite passions. i know that somedays i go to bed of a night and wishing that this is the last time, but then when i wake i think to my self that there is a lot of people worst of and that i must get over this setback and prove the medicos wrong. I have read the links about Walkaide, and botox but the seam to be only tempory. One good thing is that my foot is getting closer to the ground and i'm getting better heel strike and more flexablity in my foot. Balance has been a major problem but i will overcome it and its getting better. i have managed to walk shore distances without assistance but too far, i know that it's more mind over matter. so never give up hope.

Fantastic news Sue, it won't be long before Ray is back to his normal cheeky self so hooray for Ray :You-Rock: :Clap-Hands: :beer:

Great news Sue, like one great man said "one small step etc" Ray will get to the point when he can come home, its also great to see that you have been able to have some Sue time. cheers Ken

Well i received a great doctors report this week, i had my 3 monthly health check up and the BP is spot on, weight ideal, and drop foot is almost down (about an 1'' to go). i've started doing squts to help build up muscle strenght and more balance work, hopefully either tomorrow or early next week i will try to walk up the driveway using the cane. it's a good flat surface so there won't be any hurdles. Tomorrow is Australia day, nothing planned just relax and do my home physio etc. :chat: The best thing this week is that more of my memory is returning. I was at a Lions dinner on Tuesday night and a friend who is involved with the Girl Guide movement was enquiring about fundraising activites that i was involed with the scouts, so i was able to share ideas on how to raise fund for her group. it was a good memory jogger.

So glad that Ray is on the improve, does the pyhsio put him on a tilt table, i'm sure that once he regains leg strenght he will be up and away, we are all thinking of both of you.

I really miss not being able to go to the gym, as my gym is at the top of a long fight of stairs, but i will one day climb those stairs again, do a few miles on the bike, beat my old times and distances on the Rower and cross trainer then get stuck into the weights. it may be only a dream at the moment but i will do it as i don't want to go through the next 20-30 years in a wheelchair.

At long last my walking is still improving as the weather has become unbearably hot here in Sydney i haven't been using the AFO as much as i should but at least i'm not ripping the toe nails off like i use too, so at least my gait is getting better and slowy i'm getting better heal strike. It's funny, i feel the muscles are untangling themselves and loosing their tightness and stiffness as well. The other great thing is that my balance is getting better, i'm not leaning to the left as much. so hopefully i can get over this drop foot problem. Then i can overcome this fear of falling and breaking bones. Today my daughter starts her first job as a trainee at a local bowling club learning chef work, bar work, admin, gaming, and reception. she hopes to become a chef eventually.

Fingers crossed that the doctors will be able to do the operation and get Ray back on his feet. we are all thinking of you and Ray, stay strong

Hi Sue Sorry to hear about Ray, please give him our best wishes. It is my greatest fear hence i still rely on the wheelchair. i can walk ok when Kathy is walking behind me but shuffle along byself. We hope he gets better soon.

Well the heat has arrived, today we expect to hit over 100deg so the ceiling fans will get a workout today. Unfortunatuately i didn't reach my goal of walking independantly by new years day but it's only a minor setback. the good news is that i'm getting better and more consistant heel strike on my affected side. this drop foot is really getting me down but it is almost down. I see the physio and doctor next week so i will talk to them. Some really good news is that my daughter was successful with her job application so she is tickled pink. Well time to find somewhere cool for the rest of the day as at is only 10.30 am and it's about 90deg

Just a quick one to wish everybody a happy new year, although i didn't quite make my goal of walking indipendantly by the close of 2006, i haven't given up, i will do it soon. i can shuffle around but i just have to beleave in myself that i won't fall over. so have a great NEW YEAR everybody.

Glad you had a great day Sue, we had an extremely quite day with no visitors, no arguments, good food and plenty of peace and quite.

Best wishes Sue and Ray have a great christmas