Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Physical Therapy with Z. *grin*

Today I had another Physical Therapy session with Z. I had one on Monday, and one again today. The only reason I didn't post about it on Monday was I still had camp stories running around in my brain. *grin*

Today we started with stairs WITHOUT the bands. Honestly, that felt odd. I'm so used to doing the exercises that I paused before the first step and looked at Z. He simply said, "You can do this." Sure enough, I DID IT. It took SEVERAL times of walking up and down the steps, but I eventually did it without needing Z.'s hand to keep me steady. *grin* We did a quick High Five and moved on to the next exercise. Posting.

Normally, I hate posting. But, well, today it was slightly different. Instead of doing my normal front, back, and side posts, I did my stand still pose on the board with one foot in front of another. Gosh that's hard, but I'm learning how to find the center of balance and stay in place. Initially I could only hold it for 3 seconds. By the end of Z. teaching me how to feel for the center of balance, I was able to hold it for 30 seconds. *grin* It was amazing to learn how to find the balance and then hold it. I can't recall ever physically finding the center of balance, so it meant a lot to me to achieve that. *grin*

After doing the one-foot-in-front-of-another post, he had me stand on the post with my feet next to each other. I had to find the center of balance on the board and stay there. The catch was that I had to find it on my own, he didn't get me started. That was also a challenge, but I did it. I believe that my high score was 30 seconds. *grin* He even tried to put his hand in front of my face to get me off-focus, but I had it. He laughed after that, and I was smiling ear-to-ear. Slowly but surely, I'm learning balance. *grin*

After that, we did toe taps. Z. is ALWAYS hard on me when it comes to toe taps. Basically, he took one of the steps I had been using for our stairs exercise, and I had to tap it with my foot, but it had to be CONTROLLED. He wanted me to alternate feet. I looked at him and told him he was mean. He laughed. *grin* I did three good ones, and on the fourth I had too much "leanage" as I call it, and so it didn't count. Everyone laughs when I say leanage. It's my own little language I'm creating. *giggle* Leanage is when I lean too far one way or the other to do a task. I wound up doing ten eventually, but Z. never lowers his standard for me and I like that. I always know I earn it with him. *grin*

Next he added a phone book on top of the step and told me to do it again. I just looked at him. He grinned. I jumped right in, and while it was difficult, I was able to do it. I told him that sometimes it's hard because I know what to do in my mind, but my body is learning how to do it and it's difficult sometimes. He understood, which helped.

After that, I asked him what was next, and he said I could sit and relax a minute and we would do the ball exercise. (To which Woody interjected and said my relaxation time was limited to about 4.5 seconds. I laughed.) I remembered what to do when he gave me the ball. I was to move it back and forth with my foot CONTROLLED, then in a circle with one foot, and then I had to switch feet. I concentrated really hard and did the best I've ever done on it. What Z. said next will stay with me the rest of my life. He said, "I wish all of our clients were as motivated as you." I quietly said "Thank You." He doesn't know how much that made me *grin* on the inside, and honestly I'm still smiling now. *grin* It was one of the nicest things anyone has said to me as an adult.

After that exercise he said we had time for one last exercise and said I could pick. I told him I wanted to do the REAL balance board. He said that was great. It's funny, every time I look at the balance board I think of my Grandpa Springer. He would have made me one of those in his shop if I'd wanted him to when he was alive and still working in his shop, and it would have probably been easy for him to make. *grin*

Anyway, the balance board is a challenge for me but I like it. He had me go back to front first with my feet and keep my balance. For me to find the center of balance initially is hard, but once it was there, I do well. Then he had me close my eyes. Ugh. I really didn't realize how much touch and sight are a part of our balance until I started working with Z. Anyway, I closed my eyes and it was HARD, but I did it. *grin* Then we did side to side, which is easier for me. He had me close my eyes on that one too, and while it was harder, I did pretty well. *grin*

When it was time to take the bands off, Woody asked me how long I have had my current shoes. I told him that I've had them since March! *grin* He announced to the room full of therapists that I previously went through shoes once every six weeks. Then he gave me a high ten! *grin*

I tell ya, this is really cool stuff. While the progress takes time, it's WORKING!!!
THANK YOU, GOD! *grin*

*grin*
LIFE.
IS.
AMAZING!!!

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