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For the first time Claire has written an account of what happened and her journey so far.

Copyright Claire Lomas Walk Campaign 2008. All rights reserved. Produced by web-for-friends.co.uk .

September 2008 Update 
 
As I have been useless at updating my diary I have left a lot to write about!
 
It is hard to know where to start when there is a lot to say. I shall start by thanking everyone for the continued support I have had. The fundraising events have been put on the website, and the calendar was a huge success raising a lot of money and made it possible for me to spend all of January at Project Walk in California. My physio, Kate Van Doorn, even spent a week over there with us and observed. I am lucky to have Kate to work with at home. She comes twice a week, and I have Suzi once a week, the NHS physio, who is also exceptionally good.
 
Lucinda Green did a clinic in aid of my fund and raised £3000. I know Lucinda does not have a spare minute and the fact that she gave up 2 days during a time when she does lots of clinics in the miserable february weather, shows what a special person she is, and what a great friend she is to me.
 
Another friend who has been very supportive is Cat Kerruish and her family. They kindly held a cowboys and cowgirls fancy dress day at Mr Kerruish's Ash primary school, raising £500. The photos on the website show the children and they look so cute!
 
In April, Lottie Prentice did a xc clinic at her home in Gloucestershire. I met Lottie at Burghley in 2006 when we were both having our first attempt,and I know that she definitely had enough on in April, with her Law exams coming up, I was relieved she passed else I would have felt bad that she was doing a clinic for me instead of revising. She did a great job and raised £400.
 
Rachel Levinson, from Windsor put on a spring show raising £250. Again I was really touched by this as I did not know Rachel, and she just wanted to help. I hope to meet her soon, maybe it will be the walk party if I keep progressing well!
 
Selena, mentioned in my diary a few times previously has done the most fantastic job running two very successful evenings at Merrist Wood. The first one was with Tim Stockdale in October last year, she managed to sell all the tickets, and do a raffle. Then she took on the challenge of running another one in April, this time with William Fox-Pitt and Tina Cook. I went to this one and it was a thoroughly enjoyable evening, Selena sold over 500 tickets, organised another raffle and the evening could not have been run better. It was on the monday after Belton horse trials, both Tina and William had been competing there and not only were willing to do this Masterclass evening but did not charge a penny. It raised around £12000. I am sure it is the last thing they felt like doing on that Monday, but they did a grand job and everyone enjoyed it. I still can not believe how kind everyone has been to raise funds for me to have all the equipment and physio I need. This makes me even more determined to get walking.
 
Stuart and Anna Buntine, who run a number of events, including Osberton did a collection on the gate this year raising £1000. Thanks to everyone who donated and to the Buntine's.
 
Then in June we had the Champagne and Canapes evening with an auction. People donated and bid for lots so generously and raised £14000. I never expected it to raise that much, thanks to everyone involved in the evening. The two sopranos and the string quartet made it a special evening, and we were lucky to have them there. This was the point I decided I could afford to start attending a clinic in London, which I shall tell you about later.
 
As well as the fundraising events I have had some kind donations, and I am grateful to everyone who has helped in anyway.
 
I must also mention Hannah Westropp, she really has been amazing! It is Han who set up this website and seems to get involved in many of the fundraising events, at the moment she has 5000 Equestrian diaries printed and ready to sell in aid of my fund and Saddle Up for Spinal Research. I don't know what I would do without her, she is obviously determined to get me walking!
 
Rehab
 
I have continued working hard with my physios and did a month at project walk, and showed noticeable improvements. I have bought an expensive exercise bike, it can be done passively or actively and has 20 gears. It tells me when I am doing the work and I can gradually go up the gears. It is a great bit of equipment to have. Also we now have the treadmill and hoist up in the garage. I am so lucky to have all the equipment I need.
 
I was reading an article on the internet about someone who had also been at Sheffield Northern General with a spinal injury and was told he would never walk.( www.myscirecovery.com ) He was now taking steps on crutches after spending the last 2 years attending a clinic in London. ( www.mindinstructor.com )
I spoke to Guy and he was full of praise for the clinic in London and really thought I should try it. I went for a session in March and was impressed but it is expensive and although I have had a lot of money raised, I do not want to run out as the recovery from spinal cord injury takes time. That is when we decided to have the auction and the money raised from that would pay for some weekly sessions with Hratch.
Since July I have been attending weekly, as well as working with Kate twice a week at home. They are very different in some ways and similar in others, and work well together.

Hratch shouts at me and really pushes me, I have spent up to 4 hours in there being called names (lazy cow is his favourite!). He knows I shall walk again providing I work hard, and that means around 6 hours a day. He thinks I am doing really well and I have had to add a couple of extra sessions a month so he can push me on with the walking. I have managed to take steps with a walker, the harness was on but just to catch me if I fall, and he helps still a little at the moment, but I can take steps. Each time I walk the better I get, but it doesn't get any easier as he makes things harder. He says once I can do it on my own, which hopefully will not be too long then I can go on tv!!

Guy is a real inspiration to me, when I feel low I look at his website and it shows how well he is doing and it encourages me to keep working hard. There are very few that do get walking again, I can see why..... it is seriously hard work and expensive. I have a great team to work with, amazing support and the fact that I hate chairs so so much gives me the drive to work hard. I have positive days and other days I struggle as the progress with SCI is slow, it is when I look back I can see the improvements. Hratch and Kate say I am improving quickly though!  
 
Hratch works with the mind too, he believes that this is a big influence on recovery. I completely agree, when I am feeling a bit low I can not pedal the bike very well, but when in a positive frame of mind I am so much better and can go for longer on a gear higher. The mind is very powerful!
 
One thing I found very difficult at the time was how my relationship was affected, he was very different with me and it was making me feel rejected and I was losing my confidence. I was concerned I would struggle to find someone else, but when I spoke to Guy he said it really would not be a problem. But whether it would be or not it was not a reason to stay in the relationship I was in so I had to finish it. After that I started to make more improvements and it was the best thing I did since my accident. I felt much happier. Another turning point was after a good night out at a charity fashion show, with Leicester Tiger players in just their pants!! Lissa, Anna, Lucy and I went and had a great night, the most fun I had since May 6th 2007. Again, I started to get my confidence back and be my usual self.
 
Then only a few days later I filled out a profile on a dating website, thanks to Lissa. I put that I could not walk at the mo but was working hard and will get there. Not really wanting anyone yet as it was quite soon after an accident like this, but I was just interested to see if anyone bothered! I got a few messages and Helen got me to pay £20 so I could read them!  I got chatting to one guy and we seemed to get on well so a night out in Oxford in May was organised and Anna, Helen and I had a great night out, and met Dan in a bar there. Since then we have been together and I am lucky to have met such a special person, plus he was a bargain at £20!!  I really did not expect this at all....shows you never know what is around the corner!
 
Another fun evening was at the Matt Hampson Hog roast fundraiser in June. We had a really good group, and I was chucked on the bucking bull and managed to stay on but it was a bit slow! I returned home covered in mud and two flat tyres! (I blame Henry for this one!!) A good night though. Matt is another very inspiring guy who was injured playing rugby.  www.matthampson.co.uk
 
From now on I shall update more often with my progress!!