Jimmy's Updates...

Starting at Loughborough Uni

J'arrive!! It's been a hectic summer but I've made it to Loughborough (just!) and only one day late! Yup, I hadn't quite enjoyed the hospital experience to the full so I booked myself in for another weeks stay, this time with a rare viral infection that attacks the lining of the heart - pericarditus (except I cannot spell it, Dr. Swan please correct.). It turned out that the reason I've kept getting ill over the summer was nothing to do with the paraplegia, but was related to the stabbing heart pains that were getting increasingly worse, and which the doc had originally told me were just stress related. Bah, doctors, what do they know! Anyway, by the time I was wheeled from my house in Bracknell into the back of an awaiting ambulance and carted off to Heatherwood Hospital the pain (on a scale grading from relaxing on a Mediterranean Beach on a summers afternoon enjoying the gentle breeze, to waking up in hospital after hitting the ground at approaching terminal velocity and breaking most of the bones in you your body) was nearing the latter.

Upon reaching hospital it took a mere 5 attempts to get a canualr (again, Dr. Swan please correct spelling) into one of my veins as (call me soft) but I was going into shock with the pain. It was amazing how a bunch of nurses poking needles around deep inside my arms and hands focused my mind away from the other problems. Once they'd got one in the relief was immediate as they injected me with a syringe of morphine and I felt the warm numbness flow through my body once again. It was like an old friend. It'd been a long time. I felt like a heroin junky coming off the wagon as I lay back and enjoyed the hit. I was given a warm sugary glass of I know not what and told to drink it as my blood sugar was down, and then wheeled off in a narcotic and happy haze for a series of scans and blood tests.

The six days I spent as a guest at Heatherwood passed in a drug fuelled haze that all seemed to merge into one long blur. Another weeks worth of memory lost for good. All I know is that by the time I was released I'd missed the first day of university but felt an awful lot better.

The day I'd missed of uni was a Fri and only consisted of a few briefings and a little admin so I spent the weekend frantically packing up, sorting out my IT equipment with my bro and getting myself and belongings up to The Midlands with the help of my ever patient Mother. Upon arrival I found the room bigger than I remembered from the visit, probably as the hippy occupying it before me had had it shrouded in drapes and all the curtains closed lest a single ray of daylight should enter. It came with a generously sized on suit and all told it was just what was required.

That was last Sunday and the time since has whizzed by. Being 'freshers week' I've been entertained by the 19 year olds going wild; discovering the pleasures of a multitude of sins that living with their parents has prevented them from indulging in. Oddly, it is as though all the bars on campus will close in a fortnight and they must drink as much alcohol as they can before then. I try and gently mention that they should pace themselves but it is lost, as it was on me 10 years ago, somewhere in the bottom of another 'snakebite'. Oh to be young!

To accompany the observations above I must add what a well rounded bunch of individuals I've had the pleasure of falling amongst. The current entry requirements to be accepted onto my course are a whacking AAA (it's taken some fast talking to skirt around my grades whenever the subject has come up). Therefore my fellow students are all conscientious and bright, but not only that, due to the nature of the course they all have an interest in, and play, numerous sports and are generally sociable. It really is a great environment to be in, I am very fortunate.

There are a couple of other mature students on the course who seem really nice and friendly. I've struck up a friendship with one who, for the last 15 years, has been involved in 'body combat'. This is a no rules, all disciplines form of martial art. On sky TV they call it 'the cage' as competitors are put in one to compete. He has the obligatory skin head and crooked nose but, as is often the case, is softly spoken and a lovely chap. Anyway, that's me sorted when we go into town, no trouble for this callsign.!

Last week was really just getting a feel for the place, getting settled in and sorting out our options and timetables. The hard work starts in earnest tomorrow. Nervous I certainly am, but excited at the same time.

I also pick up my racing chair this week from a local chap who is building it, and then it's all guns blazing for the London Marathon in April.

Now I'm settled in my doors are always open to visitors. If you fancy re-living the old days then drop by and I'll take you up the union and let the 19 year olds loose on you.!

Jimmy.