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Thursday, January 7, 2010

Back to PT

Well I stared back at the UW for PT this week. I really like my PT, Whitney, she is great, and she has a ton of experience with SCI. But for the most part PT seems like a waste of time. Because of the new year, that means new insurance available to use on PT, so I'm going. Trying to be as active as I possibly can be. But often the advice I'm given just isn't realistic.

For example, I always pick Anthony up with my right arm, and they are recommending I start using my left arm as my right is obviously stronger. I do not feel comfortable picking up a 22 lb baby with my left arm; however I completely understand the recommendation, but I think the safety of the baby supercedes that recommendation. I am not going to risk dropping A so that my left arm can get stronger. Thanks for the idea though.

Of course we also discussed my use (or lack thereof) of prescription meds. I am currently on no prescriptions and I'd like to keep it that way. Most people with similar injuries are on several - for pain, spasticity, etc. My legs are highly spastic, which basically means they do what they want when they want. I can't control them right now and it is super annoying. If I kick you I'm sorry - I swear it wasn't on purpose...;) In fact when I met with Dr. Reyes right before Christmas she said "it's really hard to do a physical exam when your legs are so spastic." To which I replied I was not interested in any medication. Jared later mentioned that next time I go in I should "let that doctor know that it's really hard to walk when I'm in a wheelchair" (I edited out the explitives there...). It's amazing to me how I am just expected to accept the fact that I'll be in a wheelchair for the rest of my life and not hope* for anything more. So my conversation with Whitney ended in her telling me that in fact it really is better if I can go all natural and not be on any meds - really? Why didn't I think of that?

Though it may not sound like it from the last paragraph I am grateful for all of the fantastic doctors, therapists and trainers that I am working with. I feel like I am getting the best care available right now - it's just every once in awhile there are funny moments that arise.

Next week I'll start working with my PT with my new RGOs - I'll have to post pics later because those are certainly quite a sight to see! Talk about a lot of frustration and hard work....

*Hope: Not in the sense of optimistic outlook or wishful thinking without any foundation, but in the sense of confident expectation based on solid certainty.

2 comments:

The Ames Family said...

Any work is a good thing. Too bad you don't have bad hearing and could tune them out! LOL! Just think how shocked they'll be when you walk in there someday!!

e said...

you should call your doc on it when she says something insensitive. she probably didn't mean it like that and didn't even realize it. if you call her on it, she won't do it again.