I was invited to join Kathy in her OT therapy today so I arrived a little earlier than normal. At 12:15 I found Kathy in "lunch group" which is normally three to four people who all eat lunch together and practice using utensils and eating independently (therapy starts at 1:00pm). Today lunch group was "lunch Kathy" since she was the only one who showed up. It dawned on me that even though people are in therapy they still have the choice to show up or not show up.
After lunch we were off the the rehab gym. The first goal was to teach me some of the stretches that Kathy does in therapy so that we can do them together over the weekend and when back in the room. I practiced the stretches on Kathy's legs with the therapist keeping a close eye. Kathy's overall range of motion is drastically changed from prior to GBS. She is very tight and it is fairly easy to feel her points of resistance. However, I have been doing stretching with her since she first came off the ventilator and her overall flexibility has already increased from where it was a week and half ago. After we reviewed the stretching regimen, Kathy was given some homework, three interesting tasks for the weekend. 1. Place a rolled up towel behind her back in line with the spine and practice rotating the shoulder blades back and forth around the towel. 2. place change on the table along with a small container and move all of the change from the table into the container. 3. Tear up paper towels. These things all seem simple to me, but they are really difficult for Kathy.
After homework Kathy still had a full OT session. Seated on the end of the mat she was asked to hold a ball and shift the ball from her right side to her left side touching the mat next to her on each rotation. After this it was a modified side plank where she was asked to lean over to her side and rest on her elbow, these looked difficult for her. Last was to sit up straight on the end of the mat and place pillow cases back onto two pillows. The second pillow was heavier than the first. This process really made Kathy tired and she needed quite a few breaks. The therapist paid very close attention to how tired Kathy looked and encouraged regular breaks.
After therapy Kathy received a new wheel chair that had a lower back and no adjustability of the seated angle. This chair requires Kathy to use her own core muscles to sit up straight. She also was instructed to wheel herself out of the gym under her own power. This was really cool to see.
After OT was nap time for a hour or so, then dinner. Kathy and I ate dinner together then took a walk outside around the Kessler campus. The weather and temperature was gorgeous and it was great to get outside for an extended amount of time. Kathy wrapped up the day with a shower, then to bed around 8:30pm.
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Kathy, I am so proud of you. I think of you everyday and the progress you are making. I read what Ross posts daily and when I first had my situation happen to me, it is an alone feeling because of course, who do you know who this has happened to. The doctors say its this freak thing that happens, but why. I have nerve damage in my right ear. There is no comparison to what you have gone through and I could not imagine my whole body. I do know this wholeheartedly.....if anyone could conquer this, it is you.
ReplyDeleteI do remember the first time crying in physical therapy because the simple things like picking up the change on the table, in which I rememeber doing that exact excercise, is such an everyday task and how is it so difficult to do. I know how depressing and frustrating this is for you. It will be something that you will have to figure how to live with this for the rest of your life. And you know what, it freaking SUCKS. I do know this.... I have faith and know that at the end of this road you will conquer and kick its ass. You will be a stronger person and know that you will get through anything. xoxoxo Much Love Always- Randi