14 September 2005
I went to my usual physio session at Epworth this morning. I have not been feeling energetic all this week. I don’t understand why that’s the case because I had personal training on Monday and Tuesday so I should actually feel better. I hope it’s not because I have been trying to help Tim to put together some information for the software company for the due deligence. It’s not very hard work, just tedious. I’m starting to worry if I’ll be able handle going back to work. The thought of going back to work stresses me out a bit but my insurance company has becoming quite pushy as the date gets closer – another pain in the neck to deal with. In the past, the insurance company requires me to fill out a claim form everry three months but now they want me to do one every month. It’s not hard to fill out the form but it also requires a doctor report stating that I’m still unable to work. It’s just a pain the butt to have to go to see my doctor about it every month. They even contacted someone at the ATO to discuss about my return to work program and requested that I get in contact with this person. I think a lot of energy has been wasted on thinking and worrying about this.
When I went in the physio treatment room, Gavin was treating another patient. I haven’t seen this person before so he must be a new patient. He is in a pretty bad state. I think most of them are when they first came here, especially those TAC patients. I set up a mirror for my walking practice. When I was practising, I couldn’t help laughing because there’s this physio student with this new patient and he kept asking this patient if he remembered his name. The student’s name is Dan and the patient’s name is Nick. I heard Dan telling Nick that his name is Dan and he wanted Nick to repeat it 10 times. He then ask Nick again what his name was and Nick had forgotten already. I guess it wouldn’t be funny for Nick but it just the way Dan was trying so hard I thought it was funny. I don’t think by repeating it 10 times would help Nick to remember. He needs to pay attention to remember it. Tim bought me a book a while back about memory – ‘Thank you brain for what you remember, whatever you forget is my fault’. It’s a pretty interesting book and it explains that we tend to forget things when we are not paying attention. When I was doing my dorsiflexion exercises against the wall, I noticed that Nick is in a wheelchair with high back – like those ones I had when I was first admitted to MECRS. I also noticed there was something sticking out from the top of his pants, something looks like the edge of a nappy. I think he must be incontinent. I have been through all that last year as well. I often forget how bad I was before until I see someone in that situation which reminds me of what I was like before. I don’t think I had problem remembering names though.
Gavin wanted me to practice taking big steps when I’m walking. I told him last time that I had problem stepping over a metre wide drain on a farm in Canberra. He set up some sticks and a box for me to practice last week. Today, he asked me to practice without the actual obstacles on the floor. When I was practising, Gary, the patient who had spinal injury, commented that I couldn’t do that when I first got there. There were a lot of things I couldn’t do when I first got there. I actually didn’t feel very comfortable when he was just looking at me practising but I guess he’s just trying to be nice. It’s a bit like when Tim and I were training for ballroom dancing, you probaly wouldn’t believe all the things other dance couples tell you. I know I wouldn’t never tell people if they danced terribly. Gary carried on for a while until Gavin came over. Gary told Gavin that my step is definitely a metre. He said he is a builder so he knows about these things. Gavin told him he didn’t think it’s a metre. The two ended up having a bet. Gavin put stickers on the soles of my runners and put red ink on them so I would leave marks on the floor as I step. I was a bit embarrassed because a few people gathered to see what was happening. Gavin measured the marks on the floor and told us it’s 75 cm, not a metre. He turned around and told Gary that if he told me it’s ok to step over the drain because I can definitely step over a metre, I would have got my foot wet. I didn’t notice where this person came from but he said to Gary ‘ the only thing that’s a metre is your mouth!’. I couldn’t stop laughing because I think I agreed with him.
When I went in the physio treatment room, Gavin was treating another patient. I haven’t seen this person before so he must be a new patient. He is in a pretty bad state. I think most of them are when they first came here, especially those TAC patients. I set up a mirror for my walking practice. When I was practising, I couldn’t help laughing because there’s this physio student with this new patient and he kept asking this patient if he remembered his name. The student’s name is Dan and the patient’s name is Nick. I heard Dan telling Nick that his name is Dan and he wanted Nick to repeat it 10 times. He then ask Nick again what his name was and Nick had forgotten already. I guess it wouldn’t be funny for Nick but it just the way Dan was trying so hard I thought it was funny. I don’t think by repeating it 10 times would help Nick to remember. He needs to pay attention to remember it. Tim bought me a book a while back about memory – ‘Thank you brain for what you remember, whatever you forget is my fault’. It’s a pretty interesting book and it explains that we tend to forget things when we are not paying attention. When I was doing my dorsiflexion exercises against the wall, I noticed that Nick is in a wheelchair with high back – like those ones I had when I was first admitted to MECRS. I also noticed there was something sticking out from the top of his pants, something looks like the edge of a nappy. I think he must be incontinent. I have been through all that last year as well. I often forget how bad I was before until I see someone in that situation which reminds me of what I was like before. I don’t think I had problem remembering names though.
Gavin wanted me to practice taking big steps when I’m walking. I told him last time that I had problem stepping over a metre wide drain on a farm in Canberra. He set up some sticks and a box for me to practice last week. Today, he asked me to practice without the actual obstacles on the floor. When I was practising, Gary, the patient who had spinal injury, commented that I couldn’t do that when I first got there. There were a lot of things I couldn’t do when I first got there. I actually didn’t feel very comfortable when he was just looking at me practising but I guess he’s just trying to be nice. It’s a bit like when Tim and I were training for ballroom dancing, you probaly wouldn’t believe all the things other dance couples tell you. I know I wouldn’t never tell people if they danced terribly. Gary carried on for a while until Gavin came over. Gary told Gavin that my step is definitely a metre. He said he is a builder so he knows about these things. Gavin told him he didn’t think it’s a metre. The two ended up having a bet. Gavin put stickers on the soles of my runners and put red ink on them so I would leave marks on the floor as I step. I was a bit embarrassed because a few people gathered to see what was happening. Gavin measured the marks on the floor and told us it’s 75 cm, not a metre. He turned around and told Gary that if he told me it’s ok to step over the drain because I can definitely step over a metre, I would have got my foot wet. I didn’t notice where this person came from but he said to Gary ‘ the only thing that’s a metre is your mouth!’. I couldn’t stop laughing because I think I agreed with him.
posted by Teresa Liu at 9:18 PM
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