I have been here at Jubilee House Therapy Centre since Saturday afternoon. Steve and Pauline had a great first week taking part in all the activities and getting to know the Centre Staff and the  other people who are at the centre. After a hand over from Pauline about Steves program for week two and a walk through of the care system in place for him with me Pauline reluctantly had to leave Steve and return home to Chorley.

The program which Steve has been given began again in ernest on Monday morning. I get up each morning at 05:30 and after getting myself ready I go in and wake Steve at 06:00.Between 06:00 and 07:30 I assist the nurse to get Steve ready for breakfast and his following activities, treatments etc. Steve has to undergo a rigourous dressing procedure which does take it out of him each time he has to have his pressure garments removed and placed back on which is twice a day.

Steve and I have breakfast and at 08:45 we join the rest of the group that Steve is with for the days activities. The programme includes out door activities eg walking, pool activities including hyro pool therapy, fitness room work and fitness work in the centres gym. There are a number of workshops which Steve attends to do with how to deal with certain aspects of his recovery and help in how to work on these aspects. The activities are designed to push Steve on with his recovery and they certainly do that. Steve loves to get stuck in and is feeling and seeing the benefits of his stay so far at jubilee House. He is walking better, becoming more supple and is definitely one of the group with his quick wit and banter. I am allowed to join Steve with all his activities and therapies and it has brought home to me the fact of the hill Steve is still having to climb on his journey to recovery, Over only the last few days because I am with him a good deal of the time ! I have once again seen different sides to Steve and the emotional and physical toll the last 10 months have taken and the hardships at times he is still very bravely dealing with. 

Steve being Steve he throws himself into everything with as much effort has he can muster. The Centre Staff and the other people using Jubilee house are amazed at his committment and enthusiasm to push himself on.

Today we have undertaken warm ups in the gym followed by a session in the fitness room. then we went out on a walk to Brougham Hall. In the afternoon Steve attended a workshop and finished the day wih an intense work out in the Hydrotherapy pool. All the activities are carried out with the medical Staff there with Steve. Each day is similiar in its intensity and believe me it is no holiday camp.

Everyone who attends the therapy centre for treatment is given a detailed program to follow which caters for their individual needs. The centre Staff are all excellent professional dedicated people and really do care for all the people who are at the Centre. Steve, Pauline and I have made some great friends up here and being amongst fire fighters their partners and families has been great for Steve. They are all special people who have shown kindness and interest in Steve for both his welfare and well being.

A new day dawns tomorrow. Which will see Steve and I along with our group doing aerobic warm ups at 08:45 followed by gym work where Steve will use the tread mill, and trampoline for both his fitness and balance. In the afternoon we are once again out doors and the days activities will conclude in the pool. Following the actvities I once again assist the nurse to get Steve ready for the evening meal. This does involve his pressure garments being taken off to allow Steve skin to be treated the garments are then replaced. This usually takes around an hour each time.

Steve obviously gets tired from all this activity and following our evening meal I usually help Steve with stretching exercise on his left arm for about an hour. I then help Steve where required with getting ready for bed and he usually goes to bed around 9pm. I then myself go to my room to get my head down to recharge the batteries ready for next day.

Gary.

Pauline and Steve have been at the Fire Services Therapy Centre for a week now. During the last week Steve has followed an intensive program of physiotherapy and exercise. He has been into the pool there and undergone Hydrotherapy treatment. Along the way Pauline has been his training partner and has helped him along with the Staff at the centre with all his exercises and therapies. Steve's days are long but he has the chance to rest and recover in the evenings. Pauline has told us that Steve as usual is putting his all into the various treatments he his having, but we would expect anything else would we.

 

Both Pauline and Steve have kept in contact with the family and kept us up to date with all that has been going on at Jubilee House. The staff at the Centre have been working on Steve's overall mobility and well being. The nursing staff have been looking after his skin graft and have been helping Pauline with the treatments which Steve's skin needs to have applied on a regular basis.

 

Both Pauline and Steve have so far really enjoyed the stay at Jubilee. Its certainly no holiday camp and the Staff expect Steve to apply himself fully in all aspects of his exercise program. Both of them have told us that the Centre Staff are absolutely fantastic. They both feel they have been treated really well and Steve has made many new friends not just with the Centre Staff but with the other fire fighters who are up at Jubilee House like him having treatment.

 

Pauline has asked me to pass on a big thank you to everyone who has donated to the Fire Fighters Charity. The facilities and staff at the Therapy Centre are second to none. All the donations that go to keeping the Therapy Centre available are well used and have been of great benefit to people who need care like our Steve.  

 

I will be joining Steve up at the Therapy Centre on the 25th April for one week and taking over from our Pauline as his carer/training partner. I am really looking forward to the week and I hope I can keep up with Steve when he's exercising. I'll up date the blog with information about how the big fella and me are doing up there.

 

Gary.

Steve has now gone up to the Therapy Centre at Jubilee House. Steve has been working very hard as you know over the last several weeks on his fitness prior to the stay at Jubilee House. He is now looking to put himself through some quality physical therapy with the Team at the Centre. Pauline is with him for welfare and emotional support.

 

We last saw Steve on Thursday evening. He was in good form and we had a great time with him and Pauline. I had a good one on one chat with Steve about how he was truly feeling about things at the moment. He told me he his still feeling on some days a little down about the situation he finds himself in but he his looking forward to the future regarding further work on his burns and his hands to make improvements in those areas. He is really working hard on his walking and improving his balance. He said he'll only meet Pauline at the alter when he can walk better than he is at the moment. Pauline obviously has Steve on his feet has much as possible!!!! It will not be long before Steve is striding up the aisle to make that date with Pauline.

 

I will be joining Steve up at jubilee for the second week of his stay there. I will keep you all informed of the work he is putting in there and how he is doing. Watching Steve recently working on his fitness I know I have my work cut out keeping up with the man.

 

Gary.

We have just spent a good evening with Steve and Pauline. Steve was a little tired due to spending most of the day at Wythenshawe Hospital. He had some intense physio on his left arm and elbow which is still being manipulated to extend further than it currently can. He has had new pressure bandages fitted which are helping with the skin grafts and he has been prescribed new types of gels and creams to ensure his skin his kept in the best of health.

 

He is working hard on his leg strength and balance before he goes to Jubilee house at the end of the month. He is still looking forward to this visit and he is hoping that he has a full and active time there.

 

Now he is home he has a carer who comes in each day and looks after his medical care and his personal welfare. The care team will be available to Steve has long has he needs them there. In the future he will reach a point where he is more able to take care of himself and at that point the care team will scale down their involvement with Steve.

 

We spoke to him tonight about the Trekking for Steve event now that Ian Brian and Steve are all safely home. Steve thinks they have done a great job and wants them to visit and talk to him about the trip. He did mention Frodos feet. I'm sure one of the walkers will be able to enlighten him on who's feet they were in the mobile phone picture sent from China!!

 

Steve recovery is going well. His left elbow is bothering him a little bit as he wants it to extend further and he wants that to happen quicker than it currently is. He may need another operation on the elbow in the near future. He will be seeing the orthopaedic surgeon in 5 weeks. It will be at this consultation that a decision is perhaps made as to whether or not an operation is required.

 

Gary.