22 December 2005

First diary entry for almost one month. I have been very busy lately. Have returned to work on 28 November 2005. I’m currently on this graduated return to work program and is expected to work 4 hours a day, one day per week. The plan is to increase to two days a week from week three. However, I managed to get my doctor to tell the OT that two days a week is a bit much for me. Ruth, my physio at Epworth while Gavin is on leave, also told the OT that I’m currently doing some intensive gym work three times a week and working two days would make me too tired at this stage.

A few updates. Someone from the Stroke Foundation came to visit me about sensory retraining. They are currently doing a research on sensory retraining and I put my name done a while ago. Sandy, the OT, who is working on the research, contacted me and told me that they only want volunteers who had stroke at this stage. She came out to see me anyway just to tell me how the new technique they’re using works. Normally, the participant would have 8 weeks of training using this new method. When she tested me, she said my sensory deficit is too mild anyway and even if I had a stroke, they wouldn’t include me in the study. Sandy said a big part of the study is on proprioception (knowing where your limbs are in space) and I don’t seem to have any impairment in that area. One interesting I found is that the new method emphasise on ‘comparison’. I told her Rosemary used to take a box of goodies and got me to guess what they were. This was suggested by the OT at MECRS. Sandy said it’s actually better if I prepare the items in the box myself so I know what to expect. More importantly, she said the to start with, I should try to feel the difference – such as different textures of fabrics, different sizes of coins, different surfaces.

Another news is that I had my last personal training session with Mary yesterday. She has decided to leave personal training for a while and is finishing up tomorrow. In a way, I was happy that she is leaving because I only have one session left (after yesterday) and it makes it easier for me not to continue. I think she knows that I will not continue – when you go to the gym every day, you really don’t need a personal trainer. I think it was a good way to start anyway. I don’t think six months ago I would go to the gym on my own because of fear and intimidation. I don’t feel so intimidated now except when the gym staff stands there and stare at me or come up to me and ask if I need any help. I had this gym staff come up to me when I was doing the lats pull down. She asked me if I noticed that my right side (back muscle) was so much bulkier than the left side and seemed to be doing a lot more work. I told her I had left side hemiplegia and is still undergoing rehab. She didn’t know what hemiplegia was so I had to explain to her. I think the gym staff there are generally nice and some are probably curious what happened to me since I’m there all the time and I’m always limping.