17 February 2005
I woke up around the same time this morning. I didn't have to go to the centre this morning so there was no need to rush. I did my exercise bike and some calf stretches first and then had a leisurely breakfast.
Rosemary came in the morning to help me with my exercises. First thing she asked me to do was to show her the exercise Neil got me to practice the other day for hip flexion - stepping on the box Tim made for me (when I first got home from the hospital, I was trying to do some exercises described in the Carr & Sheppard book - one of them involve stepping on the box with my left foot. I tried the stairs but the step was too high for me so Tim made up a box for me which is a lot lower than our staircase. I soon didn't need it anymore and have put it away until now) with my left foot in front of the mirror - this is to correct the compensatory pattern I have developed in walking up the stairs - sticking out my left leg like a dog pee on a tree.
I also mentioned to Rosemary that I was trying to do situps the other day but I couldn't do it and had to ask Tim to help me hold down my feet and Tim thinks it's because the muscles on my left trunk are not working so my right side was doing all the work. Rosemary thought about the exercises for the trunk and got on the floor started experimenting. She came up with a couple of suggestions. The first one is lying on my back (almost like when I'm doing situps) and my left arm reaches forward for my knee. The other one is lying on my side with my left hand reaches sideway to touch the floor. After doing these exercises for a while, I was a bit worried that I wouldn't be able to get up from the floor. Rosemary said she'll try to be like Gavin - push me very hard. She made me walk up and down the stairs many times as well! To finish off, she got me to do the reaching exercises - she points with a stick and I reach for it. Today, a beatiful green butterfly has replaced the mouse with pink ears.
I went to MECRS in the afternoon for my hydro and physio sessions. Fiona was not in the pool today. A new physio, Kerri, was there. She let me do my exercises by myself since I know them so well now - at one stage, she came over to see what I was doing and I had to explain to her that I'm actually doing the exercise on the next page but I haven't bothered to turn the page. She smiled and turned the page for me. These days, when I'm in hydro I try to exercise on my left arm's range of movement as well. For example, when lying on my back (with float), I try to do the shoulder abduction exercise and try to bring my left arm right above my head - a bit like when doing the back stroke except my arm stays in the water. I was at my usual corner and working hard until Kerri came to tell me it's time to get out of the pool. I guess I was concentrating on my exercises and had no idea that everyone else has gone!
I had a quick shower and rushed to my physio session. Fiona was in her office so I went into the physio gym and sat down on a physio couch. Fiona didn't seem to see me and I didn't feel polite to walk up to her office and interrupt whatever she's doing. I wanted to do some walking practice but there is an old lady hogging the walking rails. I think she is a new patient because I haven't seen her before. I think she might have had some sort of neurosurgery as well. The back of her head is all shaved. I'm not sure what she's doing at the walking rails because she's not really practising anything. I didn't want to be rude to her so I set the mirror up next to the wall and started practising walking between the wall and the rails. A few minutes later, another physio came to take the lady with shaved head away so I could have the walk rails all to myself.
Fiona finally came out of her office and was happy to see that I have set myself up. She asked me if I was tired after hydro. When I told her that I didn't feel tired, she put me on the treadmill and this time she made me do 10 minutes. I told her that physio and hydro sessions usually don't tire me out, I found looking after Lillian a lot more tiring. She said she knows because her daughter, Charlotte, is about 2 now and is going through the terrible 2s period by throwing tentrums a lot these days. I hate to think Lillian throwing tentrums.
After the treadmill, Fiona asked me what problems I have with my arm and my hand. I told her that I'm still having problem putting my arm behind my back like fastening the bras. She told me to sit on a physio couch and checked my shoulder. While she was manipulating my arm, I felt a sharp pain in the shoulder so I told her where it hurts. My shoulder is still a bit tight I think. Suddenly, I felt dizzy like I was going to black out and my ears were buzzing. I was really scared - I had similar symptoms before the operation except this time I didn't have the headache. I told Fiona that I felt a bit unwell and she noticed that I looked really pale so she told me to lie down for a bit. I was fine in a few seconds. I'm not sure what caused it but it could be due to the pain in my shoulder.
Tim came home earlier than expected. When I told Tim about what has happened and that I was worried, he just said ' you'll be allright'. I told him that's what he said last time. He thinks I worry too much. I commented on how early he got home today - I thought he'd come home the normal time - around 6.30 pm or 7 pm. He told me that he has to go and pick up Lillian from childcare. He's forgotten that Lillian is at my parents' place today! I sent him back to his office so I could use the computer for a while and finish my blog for today.
Rosemary came in the morning to help me with my exercises. First thing she asked me to do was to show her the exercise Neil got me to practice the other day for hip flexion - stepping on the box Tim made for me (when I first got home from the hospital, I was trying to do some exercises described in the Carr & Sheppard book - one of them involve stepping on the box with my left foot. I tried the stairs but the step was too high for me so Tim made up a box for me which is a lot lower than our staircase. I soon didn't need it anymore and have put it away until now) with my left foot in front of the mirror - this is to correct the compensatory pattern I have developed in walking up the stairs - sticking out my left leg like a dog pee on a tree.
I also mentioned to Rosemary that I was trying to do situps the other day but I couldn't do it and had to ask Tim to help me hold down my feet and Tim thinks it's because the muscles on my left trunk are not working so my right side was doing all the work. Rosemary thought about the exercises for the trunk and got on the floor started experimenting. She came up with a couple of suggestions. The first one is lying on my back (almost like when I'm doing situps) and my left arm reaches forward for my knee. The other one is lying on my side with my left hand reaches sideway to touch the floor. After doing these exercises for a while, I was a bit worried that I wouldn't be able to get up from the floor. Rosemary said she'll try to be like Gavin - push me very hard. She made me walk up and down the stairs many times as well! To finish off, she got me to do the reaching exercises - she points with a stick and I reach for it. Today, a beatiful green butterfly has replaced the mouse with pink ears.
I went to MECRS in the afternoon for my hydro and physio sessions. Fiona was not in the pool today. A new physio, Kerri, was there. She let me do my exercises by myself since I know them so well now - at one stage, she came over to see what I was doing and I had to explain to her that I'm actually doing the exercise on the next page but I haven't bothered to turn the page. She smiled and turned the page for me. These days, when I'm in hydro I try to exercise on my left arm's range of movement as well. For example, when lying on my back (with float), I try to do the shoulder abduction exercise and try to bring my left arm right above my head - a bit like when doing the back stroke except my arm stays in the water. I was at my usual corner and working hard until Kerri came to tell me it's time to get out of the pool. I guess I was concentrating on my exercises and had no idea that everyone else has gone!
I had a quick shower and rushed to my physio session. Fiona was in her office so I went into the physio gym and sat down on a physio couch. Fiona didn't seem to see me and I didn't feel polite to walk up to her office and interrupt whatever she's doing. I wanted to do some walking practice but there is an old lady hogging the walking rails. I think she is a new patient because I haven't seen her before. I think she might have had some sort of neurosurgery as well. The back of her head is all shaved. I'm not sure what she's doing at the walking rails because she's not really practising anything. I didn't want to be rude to her so I set the mirror up next to the wall and started practising walking between the wall and the rails. A few minutes later, another physio came to take the lady with shaved head away so I could have the walk rails all to myself.
Fiona finally came out of her office and was happy to see that I have set myself up. She asked me if I was tired after hydro. When I told her that I didn't feel tired, she put me on the treadmill and this time she made me do 10 minutes. I told her that physio and hydro sessions usually don't tire me out, I found looking after Lillian a lot more tiring. She said she knows because her daughter, Charlotte, is about 2 now and is going through the terrible 2s period by throwing tentrums a lot these days. I hate to think Lillian throwing tentrums.
After the treadmill, Fiona asked me what problems I have with my arm and my hand. I told her that I'm still having problem putting my arm behind my back like fastening the bras. She told me to sit on a physio couch and checked my shoulder. While she was manipulating my arm, I felt a sharp pain in the shoulder so I told her where it hurts. My shoulder is still a bit tight I think. Suddenly, I felt dizzy like I was going to black out and my ears were buzzing. I was really scared - I had similar symptoms before the operation except this time I didn't have the headache. I told Fiona that I felt a bit unwell and she noticed that I looked really pale so she told me to lie down for a bit. I was fine in a few seconds. I'm not sure what caused it but it could be due to the pain in my shoulder.
Tim came home earlier than expected. When I told Tim about what has happened and that I was worried, he just said ' you'll be allright'. I told him that's what he said last time. He thinks I worry too much. I commented on how early he got home today - I thought he'd come home the normal time - around 6.30 pm or 7 pm. He told me that he has to go and pick up Lillian from childcare. He's forgotten that Lillian is at my parents' place today! I sent him back to his office so I could use the computer for a while and finish my blog for today.
posted by Teresa Liu at 8:33 PM
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