Rehab Round 2, Day 7; No Going Back

Occupational Therapy:

In Occupational Therapy, we worked on getting dressed with the reacher and sock assistant. I was able to get a shower in, and we practiced sliding on the shower bench to get in, leaning back far enough to not break my restrictions. I will most likely be using a shower bench when I get home.

Physical Therapy:

In Physical Therapy, we practiced walking with the regular walker again. I walked 100 feet the first time, and 75 feet the second time. We practiced getting in and out of bed, including a higher bed, and practiced getting in and out of a car. We also practiced walking with the walker on a mat for a different type of surface and practiced going up on a board to simulate crossing over a threshold.

Other:

Today I enjoyed coloring in a coloring book, and continued to work with family on the plans for me to come home. This week is flying by, and there are still a few things to do before I hopefully get to head home!

I’ve discovered I actually like Sour Patch kids. My taste buds have changed over the last couple of months, to an extent.

Songs to Focus on:

From my mom….

Other songs to focus on…

Scripture to Focus on:

From my mom….

Other Scripture to focus on…

Movie Lines….

These movie lines have been standing out to me. After something like this, a person is never the same. And why should we be? Trauma changes you but it can make you stronger.

There is no going back. There is no returning to normal, only moving forward and finding a new normal. For events such as the accident I was in are not meant to send us back to who we were before. They are meant to change us, to help us grow and become stronger. It’s up to us to decide whether we will allow the trauma to change us for the better or worse.

You can’t be the same after something like this. Sure, you can return to a sense of normalcy, but it will never be the same. And it shouldn’t be.

Feb 9

Rehab Round 2, Day 6; 90′ repeat

Occupational Therapy:

Today in Occupational Therapy, we worked on putting socks on with a sock helper. It’s a special device that assists with putting on socks when you can’t bend down.

We also play Solitaire, with me standing for part of the time. My legs were pretty stiff with it being first thing in the morning, so I wasn’t able to stand long. In the afternoon, we played a game of Suduko, with the game propped up and weights on my wrist so I had to practice reaching while building my muscles.

Physical Therapy:

Today in Physical Therapy, we practiced walking with a non- platform Walker. I was able to walk 86 feet the first trip, then 90. We also practiced navigating the wheelchair through an obstacle course.

In the afternoon, I walked 90 feet, then we played a balancing game in which I stood with my feet apart and bounced a beach ball back to someone. My walker stayed in front of me and the wheelchair behind me on case i lost my balance, and the PT person stayed by my side. After a round of that, I put my feet together, and then for the 3rd round, we placed a foam board under my feet. This made it harder to balance and I had to grab the walker a few times to keep from falling. We finished the session with another 90 foot walk in which I tried to pick up the pace to see if I could go faster.

Other:

This morning, I was able to use the reacher to dress myself, all except socks and shoes. In between therapy sessions, I was able to work on this blog, practice wheeling myself around the room, and chat with Ben on what is needed for my return home.

Today i also enjoyed a visit from one of the harp players. The music they play is always so calm and peaceful, and I enjoy it a lot when they can come.

The reacher… a great tool for when you can’t bend down.

Songs to Focus on:

From my mom…

Other songs to focus on…

Bible Verses To Focus On

From my mom…

Other Scripture to focus on…

Feb 8

Rehab Round 2, Day 5… 47′, 42′, 75′

Occupational Therapy:

Today in occupational therapy worked on me getting dressed with the reacher. If you are not familiar with a reacher, it’s a special tool that allows people to do things for themselves when they otherwise couldn’t. I have a lot of restrictions with my total hip replacement, among them not being able to bend down for anything, so the reacher comes in really handy with picking things up and helping me to get dressed.

We played a card game with me standing up to practice my balance and strengthen my fingers. We also played a game in which I handed a bean bag from one hand to another through a loop, and then tossed it into a crate. We played a board game with dice, where you put numbers down based on the dice rolled, and we played Jenna.

Physical Therapy

Today in Physical Therapy, we practiced walking with the walker. I was able to walk 47 feet, and then 42 feet before needing to take a break. We then tried a walker without a platform. I was able to walk 75 feet all together, with several breaks.

We also practiced rolling out of bed with the log roll, and wheelchair mobility. I am able to operate the wheelchair fairly well with my arms.

Other:

If all goes well, I may be going home soon! It’s been a long road with a long road to go, but it would be nice to get back home.

Our pets will be very glad when I’m home. Chewbaca is really having a hard time without me there. Ben sent me a picture of him being all sad and clingy.

Songs to Focus On:

From my mom…

One of the churches we used to go did a skit with this song years ago…

We also did another skit…

Bible Verses To Focus On:

From my mom….

Other Scripture to focus on…

Feb 7

Rehab Round 2, Day 4… a Day of Rest

A Day of Rest

Today was a day off from physical and occupational therapy. Other than practicing what I’ve been learning, it was a day to rest and relax. I was able to get some reading in, and relax for most of the day. I also got some much needed extra sleep in too.

Songs to Focus on…

From my mom …

Other songs…

Bible Verses To Focus On…

From my mom…

Other verses to focus on…

Feb 6

Rehab Round 2, Day 3…110′

Occupational Therapy

Today in Occupational Therapy, we completed several different activities to help build my fine motor skills. We played a form of Chinese Checkers with blocks, completed an activity where you had to match pegs on a pegboard to pegs in a picture, and folded laundry. We also did the shower ring activity, where I move rings from one side of a looped pole to another, and practiced using the reacher to move beanbags and then pull up a pair of scrubs. We did everything without my braces on today.

The reacher looks like this…

Physical Therapy

Today in physical therapy, we practiced walking with the walker. We walked 25 feet the first time and 30 feet the second time, for 55 feet total.

We also practiced doing the log roll from the mat. During the second round of PT, I walked 30 feet and then 25 feet for another 55 feet. In all, I walked a total of 110 feet today.

Other:

Growing up, my parents always taught us “I can’t” is not part of our vocabulary. We could say something was hard, challenging, frustrating, difficult, etc. , but we were never allowed to say ” I can’t. “

I come from a family where my sister has a learning “disability,” I was born with a dislocated left hip, and some of our cousins have “disabilities” as well. We never really called them “disabilities”, they are different abilities. We are not disabled, we are able to do things differently than a “normal” person.

This attitude has really helped me a lot during this time. It’s weird being in a wheelchair, and I am still not able to move my quad muscle very well. Earlier, I set my left leg of the wheelchair leg rest to change positions. At first, I couldn’t lift it high enough to get it back on the leg rest without asking for help. I kept trying and eventually got it! It isn’t easy, it hurts, and it’s frustrating, but it felt so good once I had my leg back on the leg rest!

(Ignore the white flakes. This is what happens when every limb has a cast or brace for nearly two months…. my skin is just peeling off everywhere. I’m thankful for lotions from Bath Boutique Treats to help heal my skin! )
https://m.facebook.com/BathBoutiqueTreats

I’ve also been exhausted today, and slept every chance I got. It’s a lot of work for my body to do what it is doing right now!

I also got to order food from a supplemental menu. I still wasn’t able to eat much but it was nice to have something different.

Bible Verses To Focus On

From my mom…..

Genesis 1:1

Other verses I’m focusing on:

Songs to Focus On:

Feb 5

Rehab Round 2, Day 2…. 45′

Occupational Therapy:

Today in occupational therapy we practiced getting dressed. It is so nice to actually be able to stand up and put pants on. We did several assessments to look at my hand strength and assess my fine motor skills. We did a cognitive assessment and also worked on moving ball’s from one peg to another. The balls are hung on the pegs by rings, The goal is to slide them off one peg and up onto another one. We did this without my braces on to see how it would go. We also did a clothes pin activity, in which I moved clothes pins from one bar and put them on another. This was again done without braces. Overall I did pretty well but my left hand is definitely weaker than the right.

Physical Therapy

Today in physical therapy, we practiced walking more with the Walker. I was able to walk 20′ ,took a break, and then walked 25′! We also practiced wheelchair mobility and practiced using a log roll to get out of bed. I did well with all of it today.

Other:

All of the hard work I’m doing definitely makes me tired. I slept a little bit this afternoon and evening and will hopefully have another good night sleep tonight. It’s amazing how much work it is when your body hasn’t been able to walk in a while.

We also got a major snowstorm today. It was peaceful at times watching the snow fall, but also reminded me of the accident. I hope one day I can watch the snow fall again without being reminded of that day.

Bible Verses for Today:

From my mom…

Other verses to focus on…

Songs

From my mom…

Other songs to focus on…

Feb 4

Rehab Round 2, Day 1…. Fifteen Steps Forward

Occupational Therapy:

Today in occupational therapy, I went through the assessments to see more of where I’m at. I also got to take a shower using the shower bench. Previously, It was either bed baths For the shower wheelchair. It felt so good to be able to stand with the Sara Stedy, and then sit on a bench for a near regular shower.

Physical therapy:

Today in physical therapy, We practiced standing up with the Sara Stedy and a walker. I’m using a platform walker to help support my left wrist, So it’s a walker with a special platform to hold your arm. My physical therapist also added special bands to my wheelchair to make it easier to steer and drive. I can now use both of my hands and a foot to operate the wheelchair! This is a long way from operating it with 1 heel and 3 fingers.

My new ride, with bands to help me grip.

We also practiced getting into and out of bed. It’s a little tricky with my hip being like it is, but the therapist showed me some strategies to help.

We ended the day in physical therapy by standing up to the Walker again and trying to see if I could take steps. In physical therapy, they always have someone following close behind with the wheelchair so that you can sit back down if you need to.

I stood up to the Walker and began positioning my legs then took a step forward. I did it again, and again, and again Before I needed to sit down. I was able to take 5 steps!

We took a break and went at it again. The goal was to take at least a couple more steps than what I took previously. I made it to 8, and then the therapist ask if I thought I could go to 10. I was still feeling fairly steady, so I gave it a shot. I was able to take the last 2 steps to make it to 10 steps, or 15 steps total for the day!

Other:

Today has been a day of getting back into a routine. I was able to get some more reading in, and received another amazing care package and some great cards. Thank you again everyone for all of your thoughts, prayers, Amazing notes and cards, Care packages, and all of the other wonderful things people have been doing to show their support. It means more than you know. All of it is so very greatly appreciated.

Bible Verses:

From my mom….

Other verses I am focusing:

Songs to focus on:

From my mom….

Other songs to focus on:

Jan 12

Therapy Day 12… January 12, 2021

Occupational Therapy

Today we worked on doing the ring activity where I move rings back and forth on a loop to work my finger and arm muscles. I also folded laundry.

Physical Therapy:

Today we worked on slideboard transfers. We raised the height of the mat and I was still able to slide board on and off up to about 21.5 inches. We also began doing measurements to get stuff ready for me to come home.

Other

Today we worked on getting ready for me to go home. Ben took measurements at home to get things ready for me to come home. We worked with the case manager to get things ready for me to come home. Ben also remodeled a little to get my wheelchair to fit. Ben’s brother Jed and his two sons were able to come and help. They did a great job!

Door into living room eeds to be 30 plus inches…. too small

Looking into the kitchen, not wide enough

Bathroom….. tight turns for a wheelchair

Tub could maybe work with a shower bench if we can get the chair in, but far from ideal

Entrance to the house…. wheelchair will fit!!

Our nephew helping to make the door wider. Thank you!

Wesley supervising while everyone else does the work. Thank you to our nephews and Ben’s brother for getting this done!!!

Songs:

From my mom:

Another song to focus on:

Bible Verses:

From my mom…

Another Verse to focus on:

Nov 28

30 Things I am Thankful For:

Most years, I’ve posted 30 things I am thankful for in November, one each day for the month on Social Media. This year, I didn’t get a chance to do this, but I still want to share what I am thankful for, so I am doing it as one big post.