I stood yesterday, unaided, for the first time since August 31st.
Let’s face it, not terribly elegant and I felt like a sack of potatoes but I got out of the chair by myself. Lazaruscrosevup and stumbled out into a new life. Elias was pretty happy. I got an extra chocolate espresso. The weights went up as the daily effort to increase upper body strength continues.
A little at a time. After the surgeon approved weight bearing as tolerated on my right leg and “toe taps” (10%) on my uninjured left leg I no longer need the Hoyer Lift and I use a board to transfer from bed to chair.
Loren thought I did a pretty good job with minimal assistance. She is in green denoting she is a transporter but she only has to push me now, no more holding my leg. Whichever therapy school she gets into will be lucky to have her.
It’s absurd how hard I struggle with exercises that in my former life would have seemed no problem at all. It’s my new stage in recovery. I push as hard as I can adding pounds and feeling my muscles ache when I am back in bed. Yesterday Sonny and his Mom were in Physical Therapy and she said he was having a crappy day. I saw a challenge as the young adult with dreads and flashing black eyes glared at me. His father is black and his mother is white and I imagine before his stroke he stood like a Colossus astride two cultures in our terribly divided society, tall and lanky and strong and proud.
Hey Sonny I said. He glared. I heard you are having a crappy day. He acknowledged me so I told him about my agony going to the doctor to get good news. We compared notes how hard everything is. Then I dropped my bombshell. “Eddy loves me more than you,” I said confidently. Hell no he said. Eddy came back and suddenly Sonny was all smiles and cooperation as I sat there and pressed and bent my legs.
Another successful day in rehab. Back to my room to contemplate the idea I might go to the bathroom by myself pretty soon.
Weirdly enough I’ve heard nothing from the insurance but I’m thinking I get to stay here a while longer as now I can stand and move along in my therapy. Here’s hoping...Thanks as always for all good wishes.
