We’re a very expensive group; we break a lot of rules. It’s unheard of to combine opera with a rock theme, my dear.

Freddie Mercury

By chance, I started to watch Bohemian Rhapsody last night, far too late. But I kept watching it until the end, more than two hours later. It’s the 2018, absolutely amazing biographical musical drama about the life of the Indian descendant, Zanzibar born Farrokh Bulsara who changed his name to Freddie Mercury and became one of the most iconic music performers ever.

I always wondered why my father’s eyes filled up with tears, especially in his later days, when he was watching the Pope on TV. Last night it was happening to me. Watching this movie about Freddie. For no obvious reason other than that I found some aspects of Freddie’s life deeply moving. Some of his views so outrageously true.

He was out of this world and he expressed that in the songs he performed with Queen. Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? Under Pressure. Radio Ga Ga. Killer Queen. We are the champions. Anywhere the wind blows. We will rock you. Love of my life. A kind of magic.

The original version of the real Freddie’s incredible live performance at the 1985  Live Aid in London’s Wembley Stadium has more than 100 million views.

The first week back in An Saol was brilliant for Pádraig. Two therapists had just come back from a short 1-2 week internship working with experienced neuro therapists in Burgau. It’s all still fresh in their minds and because some of An Saol’s other regulars were away on a break, they decided to practice some of the things they had learned with Pádraig.

They used Pádraig’s plaster of paris bespoke splints to stand him up against a wall and between two supporting therapy tables and blocks. Just like what is done in Burgau.

The therapists and trainers stood Pádraig up in the standing frame.

And we tried out an entirely new device, the Hasomed functional electrical stimulation (FES) device, controlling the famous MotoMed, stimulating Pádraig’s muscles and supporting as well as encouraging functional movements.

Everything has its price. The question is: is it worth it?

The straight, clear, unambiguous answer is: it depends.

Queen was definitely worth it.

So is Rehabilitation.

Spending relative modest amounts of money responsibly on training therapists, widening our horizons, accessing state-of-the-art equipment, pushing boundaries, – all in order to make life and living with a severe brain injury possible, to make our aspiration for true inclusion, participation and social justice a reality – is certainly worth any penny or cent we’re spending.

Have you every heard a rehabilitation centre echoing Freddie Mercury’s (slightly adaptive) statement:

We’re a very expensive group; we break a lot of rules. It’s unheard of to combine a severe brain injury with living a meaningful and happy life, my dear.

I haven’t. Ever. – Yet, these were the words of one of the world’s most famous, ground-breaking, mould-breaking, astoundingly successful artists.

Maybe it’s time to say it. To say it loud. And to say it proud. My Dear.

Don’t stop me know. I want to break free.