Yes, I am on the way to freedom. No, I can't yet walk BUT, just about one hour ago, I wheeled to my car, got the trunk open, collapsed the wheelchair, got it inside the trunk, got it out again, got it into the backseat, got it out again (giving me options), got into the driver's seat, got back out and into my chair and wheeled back into the building - all by myself. I can now get out! So if you hear any news story about a white-haired lady in Oregon who will not stop driving around, it's me. I have had lots of outings to hospitals for surgeries and infusions and doctor appointments since mid-January but now I can go where I want as long as there are no stairs - not doing so well on stairs yet.
My life with physical therapy continues and I am most grateful for my therapist, Maureen. She is wonderful (but also quickly caught on that I would prefer to do more than less, am impatient to walk NOW, want to be independent as quickly as possible. She insisted that I have someone go with me for my practice session to make it to the car - she looked at me and knew I was planning on doing it by myself. She was right and I was good - Dan and Wesley accompanied me.) So, with her instructions I can now walk about 300 feet with a walker before I need to rest. My bad knee still cannot bear my full weight but I am working towards it.
The big event this week (well, prior to getting to the car) was getting back into the pool. I am a water baby; I love swimming/playing in the water and have really missed it. Last Wednesday Maureen met me in the pool and showed me exercises I can do to stretch my knee.
Three surprising things happened - two were great, one not so. Let's go with great first. The first? I was able to quickly swim 1/4 of a mile in freestyle laps. I was amazed. I haven't swum in 3 months and, in the past, an absence of that length would mean I would struggle to get 8-10 lengths done. Wednesday I plowed through all 23 lengths. My legs weren't much help but my arms - the arms that have been wheeling me around in my manual wheelchair for 3 months - they are BUFF. I didn't realize how buff they were until I roared through the swimming. It was incredible. I don't think I have ever called any part of my body buff but my arms certainly qualify. Buffness as part of my life - who knew?
The second great thing almost made me cry. After I finished the swim to loosen up my knees Maureen had me get in 4 feet of water and walk. Yes, I walked. I walked completely normally. My toes and heels operated as they should, my two legs worked together. I could stride across the pool. There was some pain - but not much. I couldn't believe it; I could walk. I did it for 5 glorious minutes, back and forth. Then Maureen had me walk backwards - much much harder. Then sideways and then with little jumps. It felt so normal to have everything work. God bless the buoyancy of water.
The not so good - boy, does my knee affect swimming. Forget the breast stroke. When I tried I could hear the pity in the voice of the lifeguard who has watched me swim for more than a year. I can't get my right knee to bend as it should. It goes part way than jerks to a stop. It was a shock to see how little movement I have in that knee. However, Maureen insists I can get a lot of it back if I just keep working on it. She showed me several additional exercises. I intend to swim everyday.
So my life remains restricted but I am working on dropping barriers - even those pesky stairs. I will do it.
My life with physical therapy continues and I am most grateful for my therapist, Maureen. She is wonderful (but also quickly caught on that I would prefer to do more than less, am impatient to walk NOW, want to be independent as quickly as possible. She insisted that I have someone go with me for my practice session to make it to the car - she looked at me and knew I was planning on doing it by myself. She was right and I was good - Dan and Wesley accompanied me.) So, with her instructions I can now walk about 300 feet with a walker before I need to rest. My bad knee still cannot bear my full weight but I am working towards it.
The big event this week (well, prior to getting to the car) was getting back into the pool. I am a water baby; I love swimming/playing in the water and have really missed it. Last Wednesday Maureen met me in the pool and showed me exercises I can do to stretch my knee.
Three surprising things happened - two were great, one not so. Let's go with great first. The first? I was able to quickly swim 1/4 of a mile in freestyle laps. I was amazed. I haven't swum in 3 months and, in the past, an absence of that length would mean I would struggle to get 8-10 lengths done. Wednesday I plowed through all 23 lengths. My legs weren't much help but my arms - the arms that have been wheeling me around in my manual wheelchair for 3 months - they are BUFF. I didn't realize how buff they were until I roared through the swimming. It was incredible. I don't think I have ever called any part of my body buff but my arms certainly qualify. Buffness as part of my life - who knew?
The second great thing almost made me cry. After I finished the swim to loosen up my knees Maureen had me get in 4 feet of water and walk. Yes, I walked. I walked completely normally. My toes and heels operated as they should, my two legs worked together. I could stride across the pool. There was some pain - but not much. I couldn't believe it; I could walk. I did it for 5 glorious minutes, back and forth. Then Maureen had me walk backwards - much much harder. Then sideways and then with little jumps. It felt so normal to have everything work. God bless the buoyancy of water.
The not so good - boy, does my knee affect swimming. Forget the breast stroke. When I tried I could hear the pity in the voice of the lifeguard who has watched me swim for more than a year. I can't get my right knee to bend as it should. It goes part way than jerks to a stop. It was a shock to see how little movement I have in that knee. However, Maureen insists I can get a lot of it back if I just keep working on it. She showed me several additional exercises. I intend to swim everyday.
So my life remains restricted but I am working on dropping barriers - even those pesky stairs. I will do it.
