PT Update

Well, another day, more changes.

I was expecting just another routine PT session, except going longer on the treadmill. Wrong.

I DID go longer on the treadmill (30 minutes). I also went a bit faster (1MPH) and, as it turns out, during the last 3 sessions the treadmill has been at a 2 degree incline. But that wasn't enough. They also threw a couple of new things at me.

First, you may recall I mentioned some new balancing exercises where I stand with my feet in certain positions and let go of my walker for 30 seconds. Well, I still do that, but now I stand on pillows. Once that looks good, I'll be standing on a trampoline!

Also as I've mentioned before, we've been talking about starting on working with a quad cane. That's those canes with four feet at the bottom. We may still do that, but Scott has his eye on pretty much skipping that and getting me to a straight cane!

For those of you not watching my Physical Therapy Progress Log, I am up to using 10 pound ankle weights (that's 10 pounds on each leg) when I do my platform leg exercises. Apparently this is not enough. Starting Wednesday, I will be using a new machine. It's the one Annie has me trying out in the picture above. Once I get used to it, we'll be jacking up the weight and reps some more, so watch for that new column being added to the PT Log.

Well, I guess that's it for today. If it's not, it should be!

Little Gains, But Good Ones

There haven't been a lot of big gains lately and no more are really expected for a while. However, there have been a few small ones that are really pretty cool.

As mentioned in a previous post, I can now get in the van. But now I don't need to use the walker to get into it. I can just step, turn, and sit. All I need is to hold onto the van during the transition for a little help with balance.

I am about to make the move away from the hospital bed! The past couple of nights I've been sleeping on a regular bed and that's been going pretty well. So some time this weekend we will probably rearrange things a bit, completing the move to "the big boy bed."

Next, as some of you saw, I had to use a 'sliding board' to heft myself from place to place. Well, I don't use it for anything any longer. I can just stand and step to what I need to move to. Like getting into the van, I still need to hold onto something for a little help with balance, but that's it.

Probably the biggest improvement is that I don't use my wheelchair in the house. At all. Ever. I now use my walker exclusively at home. Pretty soon we'll start trying to use it elsewhere as well, working towards getting out of the wheelchair altogether. Pretty soon, they're going to start working on teaching me how to use a cane of some sort instead of the walker.

I still have a long way to go. I'd like to take a regular shower. I want to drive my X. It'd be nice to be able to find caches myself. I'd REALLY like to walk without assistance or supervision. I could probably go on listing stuff all day, but there's really little point in that. It will all come in time. For now, I'll take all the small victories I can get!

Back on Track

After the previously reported setback, I had to take some time to let things settle down. My right achilles and the stuff that wraps around the heel is still very tender and is slowing me down in some ways, but things overall are coming along anyway.

As you can tell from my therapy log, my leg weights are now up to 10lbs (per leg) and I am racking up more time on the treadmill (Time on the treadmill is more important than speed. Speed will come on its own later.) and on the Total Gym.

Also, my step-ups have gotten easier and I've graduated from seated ankle rocking exercises to doing them while standing. That's a little hairy. I stand with both feet on a rocker board and rock back and forth on my ankles while trying to not fall on my...self.

I've also been given the OK to use my walker in the house without someone right next to me although I still have to have someone near. The objective here is to use my wheelchair as little as I can stand when in a semi-controlled environment. This will help with leg strengthening, swelling reduction, balance, nerve regeneration, and more.

I don't see any more huge leaps of progress like we were doing early on, but these little steps are just fine by me!