Physical Therapy #2 - One Week Later

Friday Feb. 10th -

One week ago since this all started with a trip to the ER with hives.

Had my second trip to Physical Therapy today. I went without a cane. It made Jes a little nervous, but I felt confident in my hip's abilities when I woke up this morning. :)

I made great improvements overnight. (yipee!!!)

Brad didn't let me down. He worked me hard.

15 minutes on the Rowing/Stepper, on level 5! Ouch.

We reviewed all my exercises that I had been doing faithfully and he was extremely pleased with my progress. He said he felt like I had a 50% improvement in just two days!

He started me on a sliding board to do squats. Both legs together = no problem. Left leg (while they held my right leg up) = no problem. Right leg alone? Yikes. For the first rep. of 15. On the second it clicked. I could do it!!

He got out some clips for me to maneuver with my hands... and though it was tough at first... the pathway blazed right then and there! I could do it without much thought towards the end.

Then Brad pulled out my little friends from before: the metal pegs, washers and grommets with their little peg board. At first it was hard. My fingers did not want to keep gripping. He wanted me to put together 10 of them (1 peg, a washer, a grommet and then another washer). The first 5 took me about a minute a piece. All of a sudden I felt almost a instant tingle in  my mind... and there it was! I could do it super fast without any real thought! TEARS!

We worked on another 5-6 exercises, mostly to strengthen my shoulder. (still a lot of weakness there and in my hip) He also had me walk high step marching across the room, then backwards back again. Backwards was hard... but only at first :) .

Next, we side stepped across the room. Stepping left first, then pulling my right leg to me was not so hard... but switching to coming back with the right leg first took a great amount of mental power. It was h.a.r.d. When almost back to start on my second rep acrossed it just clicked! It was so pleasing to hear Brad say that this is his favorite part of helping with brain healing... to see the brain all of sudden "get it!" It was a awesome!

Last but not least, he wanted me to grapevine across the floor (stepping across in front of each leg walking sideways) What a let down inside. It was not there. I could not do it, no matter how hard I thought about it. And by the time I quit trying I had sparkles behind my eyes and felt dizzy and sick. That was the end of my therapy for today.

I was limb shaky as we left and I kinda wished I had listened to Jestin and brought my cane, but I just held his arm and smiled as I thought of the progress that has been made in DAYS... not months!! :)

I have tried to write multiple times, and I must hold the pencil or pen with both hands to guide my handwritting, but I can write. It is dark and clear, and painstakingly slow, but I can do it! :) Practice makes perfect! Or as Brad teaches me: Perfect PRACTICE makes perfect. *GRIN*
HUGE improvements!!!!!!!!! I have not used my cane today. (I limp somethin' fierce, but can manage without my cane here at home) And I helped my Mom-in-law fold clothes this afternoon - ok sorta... she did most of it... but I did do some! *grin* I have rested most of the day today. Tomorrow I will continue with my exercises and rest... and I have a secret hope to be able to walk into church on Sunday without a visible limp. :) As well as attend all my college classes next week! We shall see...