Woody, Z, and Others

Today I had Physical Therapy again, and was surprised when a new therapist came out to get me. He told me his name, but I had never heard of it before, so I asked him if I could call him "Z", and he said that a lot of people call him that and it was fine.

He had his computer out, and it was clear that he had done his homework on my therapy, as he took the Therabands and started to put them on me. He started using fancy words as he was figuring out how to put them on me, and I grinned. It is tough to get them on just right, and only Woody has been able to do it completely right, on the first time. As he started, Cheerleadergal came into the gym and attempted to help. I had two adults trying to figure it out, and I was standing there while they did it. I kept saying, "Well, Woody puts this this way, and this this way..." I wasn't being pushy, just helping when it was time to help. Next thing I knew, WOODY was next to us! It took three of them to get the bands on me! I laughed a little as they worked together. Sure enough, Woody was the one that got it right! *grin*

Woody then started talking to "Z" about what I'm learning to do and what exercises he wanted me to do. He also had me walk with the walker to show "Z" my goal, and made a statement that he's made a couple times before when explaining my goal. He states, "With the walker, she finally felt what it's like to walk normally. She had never felt that before."

That's true. That is so very true. But (going back to my theory of life ALWAYS being about perspective) at the same time, that's not the part that excites ME the MOST.

The part that gets me pumped up the most is when they give me a task and I FINALLY do it. Today, that happened, for the first time. *grin*

Woody's "toe out" is a great goal. For me at the moment, that's a goal. I'm not worried about that at this point. (Don't tell Woody that though!) What I'm working on right now is BALANCE. That's my main focus. Yes, toes out is GREAT. But, honestly, for me to do it TOTALLY right, I don't have the balance yet. YET being the key word there...

So, they gave me an obstacle course. Now, I'll be honest, IT'S NOT MY FAVORITE THING TO DO. However, it's probably the best balance exercise I do. With Z. behind me, I was learning how to lean and balance and move. Gosh it's tough, but I tell ya what, by the end of our time today, I did it! *grin* I felt like I had really accomplished something, but played it cool. After all, I didn't want to be immature with people I don't know. (Just those closest to me see that side of me! *grin*)

Toe tapping is getting easier too. I am still working on smoothness, but it's coming along.

I find that Woody is the most honest with me, and I appreciate that. Z is honest too, but Woody will show me specifically what I look like when I walk so that I can improve. He encourages me, but only when I really earn it. I appreciate that. It's helping me be honest with myself as we move along in the process.

At the end, Z had me do a new exercise where I had to do toe taps onto an object that was slightly out of reach. While I didn't understand it at first, I understood it after we got in the flow of it. I was learning how to balance on one leg, with some support of the other foot. After some repetition, it was A LOT easier. *grin*

I'm beginning to see what Woody means about repetition and re-training the brain. While I'm still in the re-training stage, I see myself doing things that I couldn't do two weeks ago. Sure, I have a LONG way to go, but that's okay. Today I could do the obstacle course pretty well before I left, and was proud of that.

I have things to work on this weekend and Monday, and I'm okay with that. Every time I go there, I realize I want this more than I thought I did. At one point today, I had FOUR therapists in the room as they collaborated on what they should do to help me. I'm blessed. My own cheering section of therapists! *grin*

It's going to take time, BUT I AM GONNA DO THIS THING!

*grin*
LIFE.
IS.
AWESOME!!!