"Dook in the Hydro pool."

I can not put into words how amazing Hydrotherapy at Crosshouse are, I have had the most challenging year physically having lost the majority of my walking and now use a wheelchair practically full time. When I was referred for hydro this time (unfortunately I’m a regular user!), I was a bit battered and bruised both physically and mentally and did not hold much faith in seeing any progress this time. How wrong was I!?

Twice a week Carol would come and collect me from the waiting room and help me get to the pool. The first week I was too scared to let the comfort blanket of the wheelchair go, too scared to try my walker, scared I could not do the walk from changing room to poolside. Scared I would not be able to get down the steps. I had worried from the minute I heard I was going back to hydro about how I would actually get in the pool. Not a problem, Carol had it all arranged, took all the worry away and explained the hoist and what would happen. That first session was such hard work and I could see how much I had lost physically from the last time I had attended. Fast forward to week 6 and I’m now able to shuffle in with my walker myself, get down the steps (in my own fashion) and I can have the weights (armbands) on my legs to work me harder, something I could not do or dream of at the first session.

Being in the pool with Joyce (also amazing!) has been priceless for me. I feel a bit more patched up physically and mentally, ready to fight another day which was something I struggled to believe in when I first attended. Life has changed a good bit for me this year but I just wanted to say a big thanks to Joyce and Carol and because of their friendliness, calmness, understanding, empathy, and teaching I have a stronger battle armour on than I did before. High 5’s all round.

Thank you.