30 May 2006
Finaaly, here is another blog. I feel so bad that I haven't updated this for a while. I have been extremely busy attending 5 gym ssessions, 7 classes and 3 physio sessions a week plus the part time work. I could hardly find any time to type up the blog...
I have many more landmatk achievements since my last update. The most significant one is probably I'm able to hold myself up in the pilates plank position. It's similar to the starting position of doing proper pushups - staying on the toes rather than on the knees. I have been going to pilates classes for a while now and it's always annoying when the instructor starts the class in a standing position and do a roll down and walk the hands out in front and get in the plank position. Because of my ankle instability, I always find it difficult to do this and would finish in a 4 point kneeing position rather than a plank position. Last week, I though maybe I should ask Gavin if he could give me some exercises to do so I can get in the plank position eventually. When I asked him about it, he didn't seem to understand what the plank position was so I told him it's like the starting position in the proper pushups. He said there's a trick to that and he showed me how I could do it even with my unstable ankle. I need to start with the 4 point kneeling position and then put my heels together and push up with my arms. To my surprise, I was able to push up with my arms and stay in that position. It's probably not quite the same as what I need to do in pilates but it's pretty close to doing proper pushups. I found that my shoulders are so much stronger and I can bear a lot more weight than before. I found that these days when I do pushups, I'm definitely putting more pressure on the arms and shoulders even though I still do them in 4 point kneeing. One of my short term goal is to be able to do proper pushups.
Another major breakthrough is that I'm now able to pick up a bottle from a shelf behind me. This is something I've been wanting to do for a long time and it can be quite a useful function in the shower. For example, reaching behind and above to grab that shampoo bottle without having to turn around. I didn't know I could do this because I haven't tried for a long time. When Prema was sick last week and had to cancel our appointment, I suddenly had an extra 1.5 hours (ok, I should have updated the blog as well) so I thought maybe I'd try that. I was amazed that I can do it without too much trouble and very excited by this new achievement. I think my shoulders are getting so much stronger - thanks to BodyPump classes. I think that's the best thing I've stumbled across in my rehab. Ok, maybe having Gavin as my physio is the best and BodyPump the next best thing in my rehab.
I think I was probably a bit harsh on my orthopaedics, Martin Richardson. I remember asking him a while back about what to do to have a full recovery of my shoulder and he told me I needed strength training. I was a bit skeptical and thought maybe he just wanted to brush off my questions. When I asked Gavin about what to do in the gym for my shoulder, he told me I could do whatever I like. I then found out about BodyPump a few months ago and having been attending the classes ever since. I think going to the classes is good because it forces me to do a lot of exercises that I wouldn't do otherwise and in a class situation is a bit hard to quit when I get too tired. The only thing I don't like in BodyPump is Alex. I know it's been a while now since I had the trouble with him. I actually tried to be nice to him by going upto him after the class and have a chat a few weeks ago. He wasn't particularly sympathetic of my situation and asked me if I still see Gavin and if I knew what percentage of recovery I would get. I told him it all ldepends how how hard I work and no one rehab specialist or physio will tell me the answer because nobody really knows. He said he's still worried about me. He thinks because I have one weak side so the stronger side will do all the work and if I just practice poor technique repetitively, I'm reinforcing bad habits. I tod him that's ok because for a start, Gavin didn't seem to think it's a problem and secondly, in many rehab journals, bilateral training is encourgaed since the strong side can teach the affected side.
I actually think he is just not a nice person. Sometimes I wonder if his background is accounting or finace because he is really a dickhead. He is the only one person who knows my condition and what I have been trying to do and not sympathetic about it. I see him at the gym sometimes and he's not particularly friendly. Most of the gym staff who know of my condition are quite sympatheic and I feel somewhat respect my efforts in trying to do as much as possible. I know i sound like a whinger but I just need to get this off my chest again. I know he'll be taking the BodyStep class I've been attending this Friday because Tracy, the usual instuctor for this class, will be away. I went up to him after the BodyPump class and just check if it's ok if I go to BodyStep but leaving early. I told him I've been having this inversion problems for a while and if the inversion gets bad, I might just leave early. His reply was sort of like I shouldn't take up the space if I'm going to have a problem because someone else should have my space. That's probably right, some able bodied student should have my place because his class is not for someone who has a disability. All I can say is fxxk him. I'll attend if I feel like going and leave when I feel I've had enough. I'm somehow worried that if I attend and if he can pick more fault, I might need Gavin to bail me out again. I don't want to miss a class because of him because I don't want to give him the pleasure of being able to intimidate me. I really don't understand how can some people be so nasty. Most people who know what I have been through really admire my courage for trying (so they say) but he is the most unsympathetic person I've met. Given that he is the business manager of the sports centre, I thought he should feel honored that they are able to help a disabled person to get her life back rather than kicking the underdog.
I have many more landmatk achievements since my last update. The most significant one is probably I'm able to hold myself up in the pilates plank position. It's similar to the starting position of doing proper pushups - staying on the toes rather than on the knees. I have been going to pilates classes for a while now and it's always annoying when the instructor starts the class in a standing position and do a roll down and walk the hands out in front and get in the plank position. Because of my ankle instability, I always find it difficult to do this and would finish in a 4 point kneeing position rather than a plank position. Last week, I though maybe I should ask Gavin if he could give me some exercises to do so I can get in the plank position eventually. When I asked him about it, he didn't seem to understand what the plank position was so I told him it's like the starting position in the proper pushups. He said there's a trick to that and he showed me how I could do it even with my unstable ankle. I need to start with the 4 point kneeling position and then put my heels together and push up with my arms. To my surprise, I was able to push up with my arms and stay in that position. It's probably not quite the same as what I need to do in pilates but it's pretty close to doing proper pushups. I found that my shoulders are so much stronger and I can bear a lot more weight than before. I found that these days when I do pushups, I'm definitely putting more pressure on the arms and shoulders even though I still do them in 4 point kneeing. One of my short term goal is to be able to do proper pushups.
Another major breakthrough is that I'm now able to pick up a bottle from a shelf behind me. This is something I've been wanting to do for a long time and it can be quite a useful function in the shower. For example, reaching behind and above to grab that shampoo bottle without having to turn around. I didn't know I could do this because I haven't tried for a long time. When Prema was sick last week and had to cancel our appointment, I suddenly had an extra 1.5 hours (ok, I should have updated the blog as well) so I thought maybe I'd try that. I was amazed that I can do it without too much trouble and very excited by this new achievement. I think my shoulders are getting so much stronger - thanks to BodyPump classes. I think that's the best thing I've stumbled across in my rehab. Ok, maybe having Gavin as my physio is the best and BodyPump the next best thing in my rehab.
I think I was probably a bit harsh on my orthopaedics, Martin Richardson. I remember asking him a while back about what to do to have a full recovery of my shoulder and he told me I needed strength training. I was a bit skeptical and thought maybe he just wanted to brush off my questions. When I asked Gavin about what to do in the gym for my shoulder, he told me I could do whatever I like. I then found out about BodyPump a few months ago and having been attending the classes ever since. I think going to the classes is good because it forces me to do a lot of exercises that I wouldn't do otherwise and in a class situation is a bit hard to quit when I get too tired. The only thing I don't like in BodyPump is Alex. I know it's been a while now since I had the trouble with him. I actually tried to be nice to him by going upto him after the class and have a chat a few weeks ago. He wasn't particularly sympathetic of my situation and asked me if I still see Gavin and if I knew what percentage of recovery I would get. I told him it all ldepends how how hard I work and no one rehab specialist or physio will tell me the answer because nobody really knows. He said he's still worried about me. He thinks because I have one weak side so the stronger side will do all the work and if I just practice poor technique repetitively, I'm reinforcing bad habits. I tod him that's ok because for a start, Gavin didn't seem to think it's a problem and secondly, in many rehab journals, bilateral training is encourgaed since the strong side can teach the affected side.
I actually think he is just not a nice person. Sometimes I wonder if his background is accounting or finace because he is really a dickhead. He is the only one person who knows my condition and what I have been trying to do and not sympathetic about it. I see him at the gym sometimes and he's not particularly friendly. Most of the gym staff who know of my condition are quite sympatheic and I feel somewhat respect my efforts in trying to do as much as possible. I know i sound like a whinger but I just need to get this off my chest again. I know he'll be taking the BodyStep class I've been attending this Friday because Tracy, the usual instuctor for this class, will be away. I went up to him after the BodyPump class and just check if it's ok if I go to BodyStep but leaving early. I told him I've been having this inversion problems for a while and if the inversion gets bad, I might just leave early. His reply was sort of like I shouldn't take up the space if I'm going to have a problem because someone else should have my space. That's probably right, some able bodied student should have my place because his class is not for someone who has a disability. All I can say is fxxk him. I'll attend if I feel like going and leave when I feel I've had enough. I'm somehow worried that if I attend and if he can pick more fault, I might need Gavin to bail me out again. I don't want to miss a class because of him because I don't want to give him the pleasure of being able to intimidate me. I really don't understand how can some people be so nasty. Most people who know what I have been through really admire my courage for trying (so they say) but he is the most unsympathetic person I've met. Given that he is the business manager of the sports centre, I thought he should feel honored that they are able to help a disabled person to get her life back rather than kicking the underdog.
posted by Teresa Liu at 8:21 PM
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