Maka's rehab journey week 12 (Mikael Harris)
24 March 2022
Twelve weeks on from Maka’s injury we have seen and heard how Maka’s mindset, strength and determination has helped with his rehabilitation. Unfortunately, Maka has spent the last four weeks at Burwood Spinal Unit alone as Karyn and Levi returned home due to changes to the hospital's Covid 19 visiting rules. This enabled Maka to focus solely on his rehab and spend time with other patients at the hospital learning skills with them.
Maka has experienced many new opportunities like shooting, mountain biking, driving a car and he has further developed his wheelchair skills; being able to manoeuvre through gravel, go up and down kerbs and even up and down an escalator at the mall. He commented that backing onto the top of an escalator is quite scary.
The day Maka went shooting he was not feeling the best but still went out and gave it a go and ended up really enjoying the day out.
The mountain bike was Maka’s highlight as he got to try manual and electric assist three wheeled mountain bikes. After Makas first go the instructor told him that he thinks he should wear a helmet. Maka was told to start on a low setting, but he went straight to the fastest setting on the assist, giving him the dirt bike like experience and adrenaline that he loves. This put a big smile on his face! He also had a great workout from the hand pedal bike.
Maka has learnt how to drive a car with hand controls and has now passed his driving assessment with flying colours. His experience driving diggers and other machinery helped with the hand controls and the instructor told him that they wished everyone picked it up this fast. This was really cool as he got to get out and experience real life activities and realised he can have more independence.
Maka has experienced ups and downs throughout this journey especially with his health. His body has had to fight infections, maintain blood pressure and he has had to learn new ways to take care of himself personally.
At the end of this month, Maka is being discharged and he will begin to experience life at home which we are sure will create new challenges. Most of the required house modifications are still some time away. All of his family are looking forward to having him home.
Thank you again to everyone who has helped support us through this time.
We are so grateful and appreciative.
Maka, Karyn and Levi
