21. To Sheffield

I went up to Sheffield last Thursday with my dad, and again this weekend with the whole family. I viewed my accommodation for next year, which has a wet room I can fit into with my wheelchair, and push-button doors already installed. A student is already living there who uses a wheelchair so they've already made changes for her. She will be there next year. I think I'll need to go up before term starts to advise where to make changes, put in grab-rails etc, but the general set up looks good. The university thankfully has a wealth of push-buttons and automatic doors dotted around site. Love is an open door indeed.

I also met the lady in charge of disability support, who, amongst other things, will help in giving my lecturers a nudge to make sure lectures are accessible. Perhaps now would also be a good time to point out to some lecturers that filling the slide with vast quoted paragraphs, in a tiny font, without key information highlighted, is no one's idea of a good PowerPoint presentation, and frankly sloppy lesson planning. I've also applied for Disabled Students' Allowance, where I'll be assessed for what extra help they could give. I'm eligible for a grant for things like equipment, transport etc. I can get a grant to lower the cost of having larger accommodation on account of disability, to the cost of an average ensuite. This will still be over double the price of the accommodation I paid for in my first year (the bare minimum).

That Thursday, I didn't really tell anyone I was coming, just met one friend for lunch. Of course, an incredulous friend recognised me. ("I thought I saw someone wearing ridiculous amounts of yellow."). There went my ninja day. This bank holiday weekend, we went up as a family, and I organised the days so that I got to see my old housemates, friends from the Christian Union, friends from my church, and the housemates I'd managed to live with for a week this year. This wasn't particularly tiring, just amazing to see everyone, and satisfying to see a plan working. It was great to get to see third years before they graduated.

At my church in Sheffield, people prayed for healing for me. I believe God can heal in many different ways, but before they started, I told them I didn't want prayer to be miraculously healed, but for the wisdom and knowledge to know that God is already healing me. I feel like God is already using my story as a way to point to him, and I'd like to finish the story the hard way, however God wills it. I want to be healed, but I know this is already happening in me. Living through the process enables God to show his glory in my life over a longer time, and gives me time to build relationships, and for my character to grow. I know God cares about my spiritual walk much more than my ability to physically walk.

I'm gonna post the link to my giving site again, as it's just 4 weeks away now. Dad, Joanna and I are raising money for a water and sanitation project in Uganda by doing a 20 mile walk. I won't be completing the full 20 (boo) but will count how many steps I can do!

How To Walk A Very Long Way

I've put my dissertation planning on hold at the moment as I've been writing a practice essay. It's a poetry comparison question I've invented for myself based on George Herbert's 'The Windows' and Philip Larkin's 'High Windows'. I am looking at how both use window metaphors in drastically different ways to draw comparisons with the effects of religion on society. I've also written a tongue twister for my speech therapist, based on my feelings about my bedroom door before I could open it. I say 'based' because  

I had to make it melodramatic in order to get all the twisting sounds in. It's called 'Doorway', don't take it too seriously! You can tell from all this I love the significance of boundaries. Windows are places of meditation, as you are cloistered in a structure, whilst a door provides passage out of a structure. I'll leave you to think about the significance of windows and doors yourself.

Speaking of windows, I also made the visit back to neuro-intensive care. One of my nurses was one of the first people we saw. (The one who said I should come back with dyed hair. Hate to disappoint.) Another nurse came round the corner quickly and asked if I remembered him. I got his name right, and he looked bashful. Gratifying all round. I left a card, and was able to say I'm coming back to Sheffield in September. I finally saw the view out of the windows everyone kept banging on about. It is a really good panorama of Sheffield, but, to be honest, I've seen it before.

Here I Am.