She had renewed her determination the night before over the bottle of wine we shared and so perhaps, on balance (pun unintended), the wine didn't do her so much harm after all.
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Thursday, 30 September 2010
Moving quickly on...
Jo did really well with her walking today despite suffering from a slight hangover. We had both drunk too much wine last night, probably as a result of anxiety over the aborted conservatory project. This made Jo feel a little unsteady when standing but, once she was standing, she walked from the front door to the kitchen and thence into the front room at a cracking pace.
She had renewed her determination the night before over the bottle of wine we shared and so perhaps, on balance (pun unintended), the wine didn't do her so much harm after all.
She had renewed her determination the night before over the bottle of wine we shared and so perhaps, on balance (pun unintended), the wine didn't do her so much harm after all.
Monday, 27 September 2010
Making Movies
A short video this week, shot so Jo could see herself walking and thus demonstrate to her mind that she can walk. At this stage it is 90% about developing Jo's confidence in her ability to walk and 10% about developing the muscle tone that has atrophied during the past two years of enforced inactivity.
As you can see we only have the narrowest of hallways to practice in. Jo really needs the 3 metre run the addition of a conservatory on the back of the house would give her so please give anything you can using the donate button on the right to help this to happen.
Thursday, 23 September 2010
Strong forward motion
Another physiotherapy session today and Jo showed further improvement over Monday. She is now back to where she was before the week's hiatus while the insurance company shuffled papers.
Her stands are getting stronger and she was also able to perform a stand and swivel to get back into her chair after the session.
90% of her walking was assured and from where I stood, behind her, looked like you or I walking. About every fifth step Jo hesitated and had to make visible effort to step the left foot but overall she made very strong forward motion with minimal assistance from the physiotherapist.
Her stands are getting stronger and she was also able to perform a stand and swivel to get back into her chair after the session.
90% of her walking was assured and from where I stood, behind her, looked like you or I walking. About every fifth step Jo hesitated and had to make visible effort to step the left foot but overall she made very strong forward motion with minimal assistance from the physiotherapist.
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Monday, 20 September 2010
Regaining Lost Ground
After a week's hiatus, occasioned by someone at the insurance company being unable to open an email attachment, Jo's physiotherapy resumed today. We now have six weeks of twice-weekly sessions secured.
Jo has been experiencing neuralgic pain in her left knee and ankle for the last week, no doubt caused by the relative inactivity after two weeks of physiotherapy finally awaking Jo's left side.
Today's session bore that supposition out, with Jo more hesitant and unsure than the previous session. She rallied and finished the session with a good stand and swivel but it is frustrating to see her have to regain ground lost through no fault of her own.
I am still struggling to get the money to finish the conservatory, which will provide the necessary space for Jo's exercises. Planned funds have failed to materialise and the banks are not helping me get a new venture off the ground.. Funny how the banks caused this crisis and everyone else carries the can.
Jo has been experiencing neuralgic pain in her left knee and ankle for the last week, no doubt caused by the relative inactivity after two weeks of physiotherapy finally awaking Jo's left side.
Today's session bore that supposition out, with Jo more hesitant and unsure than the previous session. She rallied and finished the session with a good stand and swivel but it is frustrating to see her have to regain ground lost through no fault of her own.
I am still struggling to get the money to finish the conservatory, which will provide the necessary space for Jo's exercises. Planned funds have failed to materialise and the banks are not helping me get a new venture off the ground.. Funny how the banks caused this crisis and everyone else carries the can.
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Thursday, 9 September 2010
Picking up the pace
Jo had another physiotherapy session and she is really showing almost daily improvement, proving my thesis that sustained, intensive physiotherapy is key to any recovery.
She began by practising standing from a sitting position, pushing herself up from the chair rather than pulling herself up using the rotunda. We have been practising this on her stands when we can and it seems to be paying off. Jo was better than last week straight off and, by the end of several stands was getting quite good. Good enough that Jo herself could feel an improvement.
Then came walking the 18 yard stretch in the hallway. My role in this is to follow behind with the wheelchair, both to provide psychological assurance that she cannot fall to the ground but also to have a seat ready for when fatigue does overwhelm Jo. I reached down to unlock the wheels on the chair and by the time I looked up again Jo was halfway down the hallway, a good two yards away from me! She continued to walk at this relatively brisk pace around the corner and on to the kitchen. Meanwhile the only support the physiotherapist was providing was to ensure Jo's left hand was gripping the zimmer frame.
This is truly an advance, both in the speed and assurance with which Jo was walking and in the confidence with which she navigated the corner to the kitchen. Previously corners have caused her to lose her nerve but there was no hesitation this time. Jo repeated the feet in reverse, walking from the kitchen to the front door, walking at the same pace and navigating what was now a left-hand corner with calm assurance.
Thereafter Jo returned to her chair in the front room and performed a stand, step, swivel and sit with a similar speed and confidence.
If she keeps this up she will be walking by Xmas. My main concern now is finding the money to build a conservatory off Jo's downstairs bedroom to allow her to sit in the morning sun and to provide more space for her to practise walking. Earlier in the year I had the money but the extra time spent recovering from her head injuries has eaten into my reserves and, at this point in time I truly don't know where I'm going to find the money. Find it I must. Jo's recovery is proceeding so well I cannot let her down at this crucial stage.
She began by practising standing from a sitting position, pushing herself up from the chair rather than pulling herself up using the rotunda. We have been practising this on her stands when we can and it seems to be paying off. Jo was better than last week straight off and, by the end of several stands was getting quite good. Good enough that Jo herself could feel an improvement.
Then came walking the 18 yard stretch in the hallway. My role in this is to follow behind with the wheelchair, both to provide psychological assurance that she cannot fall to the ground but also to have a seat ready for when fatigue does overwhelm Jo. I reached down to unlock the wheels on the chair and by the time I looked up again Jo was halfway down the hallway, a good two yards away from me! She continued to walk at this relatively brisk pace around the corner and on to the kitchen. Meanwhile the only support the physiotherapist was providing was to ensure Jo's left hand was gripping the zimmer frame.
This is truly an advance, both in the speed and assurance with which Jo was walking and in the confidence with which she navigated the corner to the kitchen. Previously corners have caused her to lose her nerve but there was no hesitation this time. Jo repeated the feet in reverse, walking from the kitchen to the front door, walking at the same pace and navigating what was now a left-hand corner with calm assurance.
Thereafter Jo returned to her chair in the front room and performed a stand, step, swivel and sit with a similar speed and confidence.
If she keeps this up she will be walking by Xmas. My main concern now is finding the money to build a conservatory off Jo's downstairs bedroom to allow her to sit in the morning sun and to provide more space for her to practise walking. Earlier in the year I had the money but the extra time spent recovering from her head injuries has eaten into my reserves and, at this point in time I truly don't know where I'm going to find the money. Find it I must. Jo's recovery is proceeding so well I cannot let her down at this crucial stage.
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Tuesday, 7 September 2010
Learning to stand
Another physiotherapy session today and Jo continues to make progress walking, navigating a corner as part of an 18 yard "run". She really is walking well, receiving only psychological support from the physiotherapist just by virtue of her being there and the only physical support from the zimmer frame.
Jo seems to have forgotten how to stand though, a situation fostered by reliance on the rotunda for standing and which sees her trying to pull herself up via the zimmer frame where she should be pushing herself up as we all do.
A few practice sessions at standing and stepping to sit from standing with the zimmer frame saw some progress however. We shall see at her next session on Thursday how much of that learning has cemented itself.
Jo seems to have forgotten how to stand though, a situation fostered by reliance on the rotunda for standing and which sees her trying to pull herself up via the zimmer frame where she should be pushing herself up as we all do.
A few practice sessions at standing and stepping to sit from standing with the zimmer frame saw some progress however. We shall see at her next session on Thursday how much of that learning has cemented itself.
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Thursday, 2 September 2010
Getting better all the time
Jo had her first session with the private physiotherapist today. Her walking was very accomplished and saw her stepping and placing the left foot with aplomb.
It was standing that Jo had the most trouble with, something Jo was doing without concern before the fall. Now her fear of falling when standing kicks in as that was the point at which she fell.
It was standing that Jo had the most trouble with, something Jo was doing without concern before the fall. Now her fear of falling when standing kicks in as that was the point at which she fell.
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