31/08/2026
Here’s a little progress report on my recovery journey…👟💖
👟 New shoes to celebrate my progress so far - from wheelchair to walking! 🚶🏼➡️
👟 New shoes to set me up for spring - Spring being the key word! Next 3 month goal of relearning how to spring and leap💐
👟 New shoes - your cue to do a happy dance when you see me to show understanding, empathy and support. Feel free to hold me accountable for my next set of goals 💖
10 months ago I did not realise exactly what an incomplete spinal cord injury was! I do now!!
All I remember while sitting in my wheelchair unable to walk is the health professionals all around me telling me it would be a long slow journey and to be patient with myself (not my strength! 😅 ) I was on walker by the time I left the Otara Spinal Unit (amazing place - great rehab gym, advice and guidance) and on crutches for short walks by mid January. This left me exhausted. Honestly, my walk without aids was a drunk waddle that left me needing a day sleep the following day. Lots of books, puzzles, exercises and visitors got me through till March.
Thanks to Active Plus and Rope Neuro who over the next three months got me from cutches to a walking stick! Lots of focus on getting me up off the floor, kneeling, squatting, standing in the shower, side stepping to catch myself, and all the other basic things I took for granted.
May to August I still had physio 1x a week concentrating a lot on balance and proprioception. I was lucky enough to get Esther Eves from Core Fitness to set up half hour weight training sessions for me (3x week for 3 months!) She was amazing! Keeping me motivated and getting me to the next phase of strength, trust in my body and stability.
I still have a weird sensations through my pelvis and entire lower half of my body and a ‘wobble’ in my right knee/hip/foot. This is the bit that makes me nervous as they say that most gains are done in the first year.
One of the strangest parts of my recovery has been trying to explain the sensations in my legs. It hasn’t simply been numbness — it has been more like my brain has had a distorted map of where my legs and feet are in space. At different times my feet, knees, sit bones and my back have felt like I’m on standing/leaning/sitting on a deflated balloon, my legs have felt heavy or like they’re floating away, and coming up from a squat can still have that weird “spring-loaded” rebound feeling. It’s as though the information getting from my legs to my brain is there, but the volume, timing and interpretation are still being recalibrated.
I believe in neuro plasticity so am certainly not giving up now but this year is going so fast and I don't want to moan too much…. I still can’t drive, jump, leap, dance or run. I am however still progressing and still hopeful of regaining my old life back 🤞🏼💪🏼💃🏼
I am very grateful for how far I have come, and will continue to be grateful for the gains I make. I am now concentrating on speed, agility and power!! Thanks to Ruby and Rorie for the football equipment that I can use at home such as an agility ladder, cones and hurdles! Working on trying to get clear messages through my spinal cord to help with my impaired proprioception and disrupted Gamma loop - (I had to look that up too ) I need lots of correct pressure and messages going spinal cord so Repeat, Repeat, Repeat!!!
Thanks to Active plus, RopeNeuro and CoreFitness the pressure/floating sensations have reduced, my movement feels more grounded and my legs are starting to feel like they belong to me again rather than operating on their own little neurological adventure! I have increased my work hours and love the idea of my new routine/goal/focus (starting tomorrow 😅 ) its a three month ‘SPRING’ goal 💐
So basically I look and act “normal” when you see me at work which I love but not being able to drive and hop around the rocks is a bit disheartening so please do that little happy dance if you see me for encouragement, and fingers crossed for bounding forwards 💃🏼 🚗 🏃🏼➡️ 💖🙏🏼 ~ Eva
