I've been to the new physical therapy happening 3 times so far this week. First time for intake and a little heat/tens unit action on my neck. 2nd time in the pool (shallow enough not to immerse my neck)...walking back and forth and backwards and forth and doing some stretching. 3rd time was today. I'm telling myself 2 appointments with someone isn't enough to form an opinion, but I'm feeling very torn. I like this place. They focus on pilates based physical therapy and water therapy. The physical therapist isn't trusting anything I tell her. If it isn't in writing from the doctor it isn't fact. I'm annoyed at the fact that I'm supposed to harass my doctor to put everything in writing that they've told me. I'm trying to keep in mind that she doesn't know me and thus doesn't know that I'm going to struggle not to do to much, not fight to not do anything. So some of it I've gotten in writing to close the discussion, some I'm still formulating. My doctors (I'm talking at least 3 different doctors independently here) are counseling patience and taking my time in building up strength and endurance and not overdo it. The physical therapist is saying not to bring my wheelchair into physical therapy and that I should just walk and that she's going to have me walking at least 4 blocks within weeks. Personally I like the latter, but seeing my recovery thus far and knowing that I've been in a wheelchair full time for 10 years am finding the prior to be more realistic.
Hmph.
Anyway, have any of you used a walker? Did you use a 3 wheel or 4 wheel model? What did you like? Why?
And if you haven't seen it (cuz it didn't publish for some reason) check out the posting form may 17.
'nite.
20050613
Where o where is Kriss...
I'm a little over a month out of surgery now. This week has probably been the roughest since I got out of the hospital. I can't seem to figure out how to manage the bowel issues that come with being on narcotics. I've tried laxatives/softeners (of various sorts and in various combinations). I've tried adding in more fiber on top of those. The only thing that works at all realistically is an enema, though a suppository has worked on a couple of occasions, but usually left me manually helping it along (ack). My primary gave me a script for Miralax today. We'll see how that goes.
I've also had a lot more pain this week. I guess just another point in the healing process. I had moved out to the more usual 6mg dilaudid every 4 hours instead of every 3 hours and was just miserable. I was seen at the pain clinic in SF this week, but there are a lot of hoops to jump through before they'll change anything, so I am waiting to get seen by one of their psychologists...so last night I switched back to every 3 hours and feel somewhat human today, other than the sleepus interuptus of taking medication every 3 hours. The other pain addition of this week is the onset of bursitis. Mainly in my hips, from not having used them for so long (about 10 years) and suddenly being using them in a somewhat normal manner.
It is interesting that my inability to walk was due to the cranial settling, not the MS. I swear, it is so bizarre, but I can walk like there was nothing ever wrong...other than on the endurance front of course. I would say that post surgery I am probably rid of about half of my symptoms. Not that it isn't leaving me with plenty of health crap to deal with, but it brings it back into a managable range, instead of a staring at the giant abyss of health falling apart. It is being terribly difficult to adjust to the non-movable neck though. It moves JUST enough to make me wonder if I'm doing something bad to it...which is a couple of degrees.
I HAVE to deal with the glasses this week though. Since I can't move my head I need to learn to use my peripheral vision and I have tiny little glasses that leave all of that in the fuzzy fuzzy land. Oh oh...and I am no 5'2" tall!!! That is almost 2 inches taller than I was before surgery! I guess my cranium had settled A LONG ways!
I've also had a lot more pain this week. I guess just another point in the healing process. I had moved out to the more usual 6mg dilaudid every 4 hours instead of every 3 hours and was just miserable. I was seen at the pain clinic in SF this week, but there are a lot of hoops to jump through before they'll change anything, so I am waiting to get seen by one of their psychologists...so last night I switched back to every 3 hours and feel somewhat human today, other than the sleepus interuptus of taking medication every 3 hours. The other pain addition of this week is the onset of bursitis. Mainly in my hips, from not having used them for so long (about 10 years) and suddenly being using them in a somewhat normal manner.
It is interesting that my inability to walk was due to the cranial settling, not the MS. I swear, it is so bizarre, but I can walk like there was nothing ever wrong...other than on the endurance front of course. I would say that post surgery I am probably rid of about half of my symptoms. Not that it isn't leaving me with plenty of health crap to deal with, but it brings it back into a managable range, instead of a staring at the giant abyss of health falling apart. It is being terribly difficult to adjust to the non-movable neck though. It moves JUST enough to make me wonder if I'm doing something bad to it...which is a couple of degrees.
I HAVE to deal with the glasses this week though. Since I can't move my head I need to learn to use my peripheral vision and I have tiny little glasses that leave all of that in the fuzzy fuzzy land. Oh oh...and I am no 5'2" tall!!! That is almost 2 inches taller than I was before surgery! I guess my cranium had settled A LONG ways!
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