I know it doesn't sound like anything, but yesterday I felt my sock. For me and physio guy it was jump up and down, dance around, big deal status.
When I first got to the rehab unit two weeks ago, one of the first things physio guy did was a sensory test on my right leg. He rubbed a rough towel, a kleenex and a pillowcase up and down my calf/shin while I had my eyes closed to see if I could determine which one he was using. While I was able to figure it out, it wasn't by texture, it was by degree of pins and needles shooting up my leg. During yesterday's session he left me sitting on the physio table while he went to get something. While I was sitting there, bored, I happened to move my right leg and I thought "wow, that plastic is cold". HOLD ON !! Did that thought just go through my brain? Plastic? Did I feel plastic? Quick!! Test !! I grabbed my sock and rubbed it up and down my calf. ... I felt sock!. Double check against the good leg, same feeling.
Houston, we have sensory progress. She can feel the texture of her sock.
I Have All the Toys
This week saw a shoot up in the intensity of walking in physio, and oh, shockingly, an exponential increase in my walking ability (oh, no correlation there). I should clarify that - I'm very, very far from walking without assistance because I still don't know where my right leg is, aside from "attached at the hip". Ability is relative and according to those who know stuff, I'm doing well considering it's only been three weeks.
That being said, there's been a lot of practicing in the halls with my walker, and practicing in physio with canes ... I'm stubborn, and dedicated, and I really, really, really want to walk again, so every couple of hours I'm up doing something on my feet. I do have to be careful because I'm at that phase where I'm most likely to fall ... confident enough to do things without full focus but newbie enough to make that one wrong move. Kaboom, crack head open, 20 pages of paperwork. I must continue to be careful. But, in order to be able to practice this weekend, physio guy took a risk - he gave me new toys. I now have a wheelchair, a "rollator" (see picture) and two canes. They all have green stickers.
New Roommate
I have a new roommate. No more Mrs. Doubtfire (and I will dedicate a post to her ... there is so much to say). I had quietly asked for a new room a couple of days ago. No need to make a big fuss, just a quiet "when one comes available ... " to the nurse in charge.
Yesterday there was an unexpected discharge (in a hospital, that could mean a lot of things), but score one for me. Beds don't stay empty for more than a nanosecond, and Rehab was getting huge pressure from another unit to fill the bed ... gotta send you our person NOW !! Talk about bullying ... wow, those cardiac, surgical, neuro etc. units, all think they're so special, and walk all over rehab. Gotta move, gotta move, gotta move. My nurse lets me know I'm moving sometime in the next few hours and I'm packed in a matter of five minutes (which was fine this time because I was the one doing the packing), Because of the almighty rush, I get punted out to the lobby while they clean my part of the suite and move the new person in. Eventually the discharged person leaves, staff clean the room, and I move in.
My new roommate is wonderful. I don't have to share anything, I can be noisy or quiet, and I will have the world of peace. My new roommate is the best kind of roommate.
A private room.
Congrats on the sock!!!!
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