My week started with a maiden journey in our newly acquired Puffinmobile (wheelchair friendly van) and a trip over to the Eastern Suburbs to a friend who was having a sit down dinner party for 30 people – yes 30 people. Given the size of the sandstone steps at the front of the property, four random gents were summoned to carry me “Cleopatra style” down into the house and straight to the dinner table. Lucky I was in my manual wheelchair! The hostess did a truly magnificent job – I have never seen anyone serve this number of people a gourmet meal with such ease. As it was quite a late finish the rest of weekend was relatively routine with gym in the mornings and chilled time at home in the afternoons and evenings.

It is only a couple of weeks until I will be leaving Moorong and returning home therefore much of this week has been spent organising and finalising arrangements for living at home. Firstly I have been involved in personally interviewing a number of potential carers who will perform all the daily nursing duties including bathing, potentially laundry and cleaning, cooking and taxiing me to and from therapies.

Secondly we have been finalising exercise equipment for the house including a physio bed and standing frame. This therapy equipment will be used to complement all other external rehabilitation in the short term whilst we review and decide on longer term options.

Most importantly the house modifications are drawing to an end with the painting hopefully starting next week and the lift installation to follow in subsequent weeks. The first meal I have at the family dining table upstairs will be truly memorable after such a long absence and rumours of a lift opening party have already begun.

I cannot end this week without mentioning the passing of a true legend. Michael Jackson has been a real inspiration to me throughout my childhood – mostly on the dance floor. Fortunately my brother Martin proudly holds the entire Michael Jackson collection on vinyl which he has been playing non stop all week. These will come in very handy when the time comes to teach my children to move.