At the beginning of the week I stated that I was going to check myself into a neurological rehabilitation centre to have some targeted physiotherapy to make me stronger and fitter so I might better fulfil my ambition. And that is to get back on my feet again.

I have only had 3 days of physiotherapy proper, because the first day was purely an assessment of my mobility and balance at this moment in time. However, I can already feel and see significant changes in my body, in my ability to sit without collapsing, and to transfer from my wheelchair to wherever else.

This is entirely thanks to my physiotherapist, Bev, who modestly tells me that her colleague, who will be treating me from Mondays to Wednesdays, starting next week, is even more brilliant than she is. I have been told I will be under the care of Sarah, who is senior physiotherapist at the Neurological Hospital in London. My care is geared not only to my condition (Multiple Sclerosis) but also to my particular set of problems. And the consequence is that I am noticing the changes wrought almost immediately.

It has always seemed to me mad that conventional, allopathic, medicine treats everything in isolation. Whereas alternative medicine sees the body holistically, as does my current physio. In this respect, allopathic medicine makes no sense at all. Undoubtedly there have been the most astonishing advances in medicine and the brilliance of some physicians at finding solutions to seemingly impossible health conundrums constantly astounds me. But why were the surgeons intent on giving me keyhole surgery to free my right shoulder which was frozen and fixed due to overuse? Bev has freed it in 3 one hour sessions by recognising that the shoulder problem was the inevitable result of a car accident that left my breastbone cleft from top to bottom and which rearranged my ribcage. A little mobilisation and hey presto! The shoulder is freer than it has been in years.

It is Sunday today, so no physiotherapy, but I have homework to do instead. My exercises are designed to make me sit deep into my seat bones; to stretch my flanks, to prevent any collapse down my left side and consequent tightening down the right; to lengthen through the shoulders and to release my neck. Bev took photos of me doing the exercises correctly and sent them to me so I have no excuses as to why I cannot get them right. 3 x per day. 10 repetitions. That will leave me craving a reviving glass of red!

All this has made me marvel at the human body. How perfectly designed we are. Electrics by Apple, bodywork by Rolls Royce. In my case, that accident 15 years ago, totally changed my physique. Because specific areas had been injured and altered in shape, muscles were damaged so others, never designed for the purpose, took over. Consequently, my body addressed the problem by adapting itself. And because the body is such an amazing machine, I still functioned normally, despite my muscles being severely compromised. Now I have to unlearn all the lessons my body taught itself. Teach myself better habits. Realign myself. Now the fun begins.