My fight to get fit

After my discharge from rehab I continued to receive physio from the community rehab team which included both home visits and me visiting the gym at Colman Rehab centre, at the same time I joined the university Gym and swimming pool. Getting my strength back was vital not only for me but for my family too, I have seven grandchildren and I want to have fun with them i.e. Play on the floor, play on the trampoline, swim with them plus by then I knew that I would be carrying the Olympic torch in July of 2012.

Thanks to my rehab team and Karen for the work they did getting me prepared for carrying the Olympic torch and for all the work they did with me, but, after a year I was discharged and I was on my own this is when I began to lose interest in exercising and became very bored with the UEA gym I would make all kinds of excuses to myself not to go even swimming became an effort but I have my daughter Louise to thank for pushing me, I believe I started to lose interest because my gym programme never changed  and the people who use the UEA are mainly students doing their own thing and not interested in communicating with anyone as was the staff, but, I must take some responsibility for my own negative attitude at the time.

As stated on previous page I suffer with chronic pain in the back when on my feet I was walking with two sticks or four wheeled walker and my posture was very poor i.e. I walked with a stoop and Zomby style. Acupuncture hadn’t worked to relieve the pain which was knocking my will to get on my feet nor would I go on the floor as I was too weak to drag myself back into my chair, this too depressed me as my grandchildren would often take my hand and ask me to play with them.

During this time my wife Jeannie and children would be nagging me to go to a chiropractor which I flatly refused to do as I have read that it’s linked to stroke then one day Louise told me that she is seeing a Sports Injury Physiotherapist and he has being successfully working with a Stroke Survivor for two years she also told me that he would be interested in assessing me to see if he could help, again I refused, don’t ask me why, then I realised that I was beginning to like being “disabled” and the attention of being so, crazy I know but this is where I was at that moment so I had to give in and do something about it and stop being an pitiful invalid which I am not.

My first assessment at the Phoenix Gym in Norwich Mark examined me and told me that he believed that my back pain was a symptom from the wastage of my calf, pelvic and bum muscles his remedy is to “wake them up” for the first two sessions Mark would massage my thigh right into the groin and my it was painful really painful but Mark told me that it has to be done otherwise it won’t work, he then introduce me to the gym and concentrated on specific exercises that would wake the muscles up, I could feel the benefit of the treatment almost straight away, I began to walk a bit straighter, but the pain is still there, my strength improved and within two weeks I gained enough confidence to play with my grandchildren on the floor and found that I had enough strength to drag myself onto my easy chair.

The following pictures and videos are of my progress its sometimes very hard, painful and fatiguing but I must carry on for mine and my family’s sake. 

2011 Specialist neuro rehab unit at Colman hospital. in this photo I was barley able to stand never mind move but I worked hard to reach my goals.
2011 Marching on the spot, I could only do this between the bars or with the aid of a walker, you can see my power chair in the back ground.
2011 An every day activity, however, when you have global weakness and can barley lift your legs up each step then take your weight on your stronger leg to pull yourself up using the rails to help, then you have to get down again i had to go down backwards and still do, you have to think "Good foot to Heaven Bad Foot to Hell" Think about it?
2012 progression to walking with sticks, there are mirrors at each end of the bars to encourage you to stand up straight and watch your self walking. it took a while do get the confidence to do this as was always watching my feet.
2012 Olympictorch training

PHOENIX GYM, OAK ST, NORWICH

http://www.phoenixgymnorwich.co.uk/

2014 Cardio exercise
2014 working on my core strength and cardio
2014 Before going to this gym I was scared to get on the floor just in case I couldn't get back up again, I have to lower myself to the floor from a chair and still need a chair or bench to drag myself into a seated position then to a standing position so to fall out side would be quite dangerous for me, my personal trainer and I have set a goal that is to get to a standing position without aid after that I will work towards being able to jump.

Dennis Parker 14.05.2014 13:59

This sounds like a wonderful place. If it worked for you then I think that it will work for me.

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www.contoursexpress.com.sg/

DennisParker 07.05.2014 08:50

After looking into a number of the articles on your website, I honestly like your way of blogging. I added it to my bookmark website list and will be checking b

Eddie Pleban 07.05.2014 09:56

Thanks Dennis.

Peter Corfield 30.03.2014 16:13

You are very brave. I admire you I wish I had your determination Keep it up. have you seen my books on kindle? I know Norwich I lived in Fincham near D market

Eddie Pleban 30.03.2014 16:37

Hi Peter, thanks for the kind word, I am off to Oz tomorrow so I will look your book up on my return.

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Latest comments

29.01 | 10:30

Very inspiring

27.01 | 07:33

I can see a rapid improvement as I scroll through these Eddie.
Well done you
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