Tune-In-Tuesday: July 25, 2023

Wonders never cease - I'm actually updating this blog on a Tuesday!

I've technically had two physical therapy sessions since I last wrote a blog post, so I thought I'd write a little update. I had my initial PT appointment last Friday. It went way better than I expected - ha! I don't know what I was expecting really, but I left feeling a lot better about doing PT than I initially thought I'd feel about it. I was honest with my physical therapist and told her that I was not looking forward to this. She understood. But her vibe, the office vibe - all the vibes, put me at ease. I also like the fact that she works with neuro patients and knows how to deal with those issues as well as the physical body. I had already met her once before (probably about a year ago) as she does go once a week to my neurologist's office and evaluates patients there that my neurologist thinks would benefit from PT. Her name is Courtney. So, we met on Friday and did the initial evaluation and get-to-know-yous. When it came time to schedule some appointments, she was completely booked this week and is out of the office next week, so the earliest I could get my next appointment for was for August 8. However, she did say that if she had any cancellations, she would have her office call me. Well, yesterday morning, her office called and said that there had been a cancellation for today and asked if I wanted to come in. So, I went in this morning at 8:45am. It was SO good! I feel very encouraged and very "let's do this!". She had me doing several things and sent me home with two sheets of exercises. I'm so happy that I got in this week because now I have exercises to do while waiting for my next session. I found it funny that some of the exercises I actually already do in yoga. :) 

One thing that intrigued me was that she said that my hips needed strengthening. I'm not sure why that intrigued me. I guess I thought they were strong, but come to find out, they aren't. We will be working on them a lot. Another thing that intrigued me was that she didn't get mad that I walk "incorrectly" with my cane. Maybe that's because I was the one to say that I know I walk incorrectly with it. When walking with a cane, you are supposed to hold it in the hand that is opposite of the side that is giving you issues. I (like Dr. House on the television show House, M.D.) hold my cane in my left hand and my left side is the side that has issues. There is a reason that I do that - it's because it inadvertently helps to calm my leg down (most of the time). Courtney told me I might want to try using foam toe spacers (kind of like what is used when getting pedicures). They may give me enough sensory stimulation (my words) to help me be able to walk with less issue (kind of like how I can walk on soft sand with no problem). 

My personal goal for physical therapy is to leave stronger than I was when I first walked in. I want to be able to walk without a walker again. I don't even necessarily care if I have to walk with a cane; I just really want to be able to ditch the walker. On my initial evaluation on Friday, Courtney had me walk without anything while she timed me. Then she had me walk the same distance with the walker while she timed me again. It took me 21 seconds to walk without anything and only 9 seconds to walk with the walker. While I knew I was much slower walking without the walker, it was also an eye opener to know I was that much slower! She asked me today how confident I was when I walked with the walker, and I told her a 10 out of 10 (that's for the most part; there are times when I am less confident) and then she asked me how confident I was when I walked with the cane, and I said 6 out of 10. I hope in PT to build my confidence as I build my strength.

No matter what happens - whether I can walk walker-free and/or cane free again or whether I still have to use them, I know everything will be OK, because after all, God's Got This!