At around 2am I stopped at the garage to get something to eat on the way home. After some words, a group of youths attacked me and threw me headfirst into a car, breaking two vertebrae. I remember waking up with my friend Progress holding my head.

Kind of blurry. I spent most of this time in a morphine haze. I know I had an operation on my spine to fix up the two vertebrae that were broken, but I can't remember much.

Moved into the Rehabilitation Centre.

Wobbly day. They came fit a neck brace on me. They cannot move me without this brace to support my neck. Normally people pass out a few times first. I was very proud that I didn't. They also put on a really tight belt around my waist to stop my blood pressure from falling too much. This was all quite painful, but the wobbly bit came after lunch when I had an asthma attack and couldn't breathe and couldn't dash off to get my nebuliser. What can I say - I'm still here - wobbly!

They made adjustments to the brace, and put me in a wheelchair. I can stay in the wheelchair for about half an hour before having to lie down again. Today I saw a glimmer of hope - the doctor saw me move my toe. I am not really sure if I did, but he saw it! They also established that I am still in spinal shock, so this could all be temporary. Only time will tell.

I did arm strength exercises in the gym. The brace pushes down onto my pinched nerve in my left arm. It is very painful, but I know that it will get better. I can't believe that Rondebosch Prep donated R34 000 to help me. What generosity ! My friend, Karel, lent me an iPod so I can listen to music, and I got a remote for the TV. No satellite or MNet, bur it is something. Life is getting a bit better.

Disappointing day - they came to get me for physio, and my brace had been dropped and was bent. Have to stay in bed until the technician arrives on Tuesday! Lots of visitors to cheer me up, but I miss the exercise. I signed the first batch of Thank You letters to donors that we could identify and looked at the bank statement. People are just throwing money at me. I am amazed, and very grateful.

Another no-exercise day! I want to go back to working towards my independence. The pictures taken at Rondebosch Prep didn't come out, so we got some of the boys to dress up in their school uniform (on a Sunday AND in the holidays - shame) and pose with me for a picture.

Janelle (my girlfriend) brought me a Steers Burger for lunch. I don't have much appetite at the moment, but what I ate, went down well. Boredom is now definitely setting in. I just want to get up... maybe tomorrow.

They fixed my brace and I had a heavy workout in the gym. My pinched nerve is still sore, but is definitely improving.

Down day, feeling really depressed. You can't know, really know what it's like unless you have been through it. It is not possible to truly empathize with a person in this situation. The monotony of being here, same room, same faces, same food is getting a bit much. I feel so helpless. I can't do anything without someone helping me. I was always independent, but now I can't cough or sneeze. I want out!

Great Day! Dr Shrosbree came to wake me to tell me that he doesn't know who told me that I wouldn't walk again, and that it really wasn't true. He said that I am still in spinal shock, and that it is still early days. I think I'm back on track for a while!

Good day today. No physio, but they tried out a different wheelchair. It's just a wheelchair - I don't really like to think about it! Janelle, Lushhinka (her friend) and Janelle's mom, Loretta came and spent the day with me. They came to OT where I did hand strengthening exercises and after OT, we went to the Cafeteria for lunch. My first date since all this happened!

After lunch, we came back to my room and Janelle and I did the month end for the restaurant. I spent 8 hours in my chair and brace (abco)! (Refer gallery for picture).  My previous record was 1 hour - a great achievement.  After that I still managed to reply to my emails using a Laptop that was donated by T-Systems. It was good to get into bed really, really tired.

The night was really good. I hardly got any sleep because the night staff were telling me about all these patients that had had similar injuries and had walked out of here.

One nurse in particular, Liz, had been paralyzed for 6 months and had had no feelings in her legs. So she really knows what it feels like. It's great asking her questions.