It’s Nollaig na mhan” in Ireland today, little Christmas, or women’s Christmas – in most other western countries it’s also know as the Epiphany, or the day of the Three Holy Kings. Back home, many years ago, I dressed up with two of my friends as the Three Kings, and we went from house to house, singing and collecting money for a charity project. We always got some extra pocket money for doing this which invariably we spent in the local chipper. It was always a very special night for many different reasons.

Someone gave Pádraig an extra hour of physiotherapy a week for Christmas – a very useful and extremely generous present at the same time. You will have seen a picture of Pádraig and myself standing beside each other.

Well, this is what we’re going to be practicing during that additional hour. Not standing as we do already every day, but standing with a slight twist. For example swaying back and forth, as well as left and right; or lifting the heel and the toes up; lifting the foot and the leg up; holding the head and the upper body.

After today’s session, I felt like as if I needed a physio myself! But honestly? It’s brilliant and just brings home and reminds me of what Pádraig can do, what he can achieve, what he wants to achieve, of how far, literally, he can go with the right kind of support.

It is really hard work. I’m sweating when we are doing it and I’m tired when we are finished. But I would’t want to have it any other way. Because any other way it wouldn’t be worth it. And he is – as is anyone else in his position.

I wonder, is there something like ‘physios without borders’ we could engage?