Thursday 6th January

Hydrotherapy session 10.00am with a different ‘physioterrorist’ - Jackie. My third session proved to be a struggle but a real achievement as I completed all of my exercises. On paper they seem minute in comparison to the sets and reps gym bunnies put themselves through. But for me, they prove to exhaust for one day, then stun me in to inactivity the next.

My usual ten reps of ten were increased to two sets of six and so my exercises followed. They  included rotating to the left and right; bringing knee to the chest and slowly release, then my favourite, although the hardest, leg to the side and raise for two then down for two.

Coffee afterwards with my classmates is always enlightening and today I met Lena (64) who climbed steps today for the first time in two years after hip surgery and Tom (66) who has finally found the right fit after seven hip replacements dating back to 2000. My problems melt away when I hear such stories. Steven attends with his wife each week and today was his last session – he had fallen down three steps while out on a staff do and fractured his hip at 41 years old. He has spent three months getting from not walking at all to starting back at work next month. I hope that will be me - back teaching at the chalk face - one day soon!