Pádraig had an early start with a double session of physio starting at 8am. We made it, and so did the two therapists who were going to work with him for the best part of an hour and a half.

What they often do when they have a bit more time (double session:) is to get Pádraig on to the tilt table. That’s what they did today. They also told us that they are trying to stand Pádraig up three times a week, which is really great because it’s great for a whole wide range of things, not least his blood circulation.

To make it easier for Pádraig to hold his head, one of the therapists positioned himself in front of Pádraig, at eye level (the therapist had to stand up on a chair for that:), and then put Pádraig’s arms stretched out on his shoulders. I had never thought of it that way but it did take off some of the weight and pull on his shoulders and neck – which allowed him to keep his head straight for quite some time, without any help or support, which was really brilliant.

He just had a few minutes of rest after all this before the speech therapist came in, just to check what kind of food Pádraig could eat and whether it was ok for him to drink. So she took a spoon and gave Pádraig some water. And to all of our surprise he was able to handle it, no probs.

Well, there is another first.

In addition to the two-meals-a-day, we’ll start giving him some water to drink, a bit every day – who know’s where that will get us to! Isn’t it great?

Water, water, water,…. what does that make me think of…?

Today’s German Music Tip
Rolf Zuckowski, Nikolaus und Weihnachtsmann – a song we sang driving for hours on end around Christmas…
What’s hot
Drink
What’s cold
Water
The German word/phrase/verse of the day

Ich kenne die Weise, ich kenne den Text,
Ich kenn auch die Herren Verfasser;
Ich weiß, sie tranken heimlich Wein
Und predigten öffentlich Wasser.

Ein neues Lied, ein besseres Lied,
O Freunde, will ich euch dichten!
Wir wollen hier auf Erden schon
Das Himmelreich errichten.

(Heinrich Heine)