I think I have phantom healing ... those times when my brain thinks that maybe there is some improvement.
Like yesterday - standing on a hot patio in bare feet. My right foot could sure feel the heat - but is that heat I feel in the left foot? Yes? No? Maybe? I think yes! Or not. Objective testing later in the evening showed that no, there was no real change. (It's kinda cool being able to jab a pin in your leg and not feel it, but also kind of worrisome.)
Like in physio on Friday when my ankle turned doing squats on a bosu ball. Did I catch myself because I knew my ankle was starting to go (I wasn't looking at it)? or did I catch myself because of a general falling sensation. Judging by my foot getting caught under the kitchen chair this weekend, I'm thinking I still have no proprioception.
But I am definately starting to get my energy back, and that's very cool. Energy means the ability to do more - both out in the world and in physio. I know from experience that more energy means more effort means more improvement - that exponential spiral of positive change. YAHOO !! Finally. It took almost 10 weeks to start to feel human again. That made for good physio homework yesterday at the gym. As an aside, I gotta tell you ... hobbling into the gym on two canes gets you TONS of sympathy .. people move out of the way, give you lots of space, and offer to get you stuff. It also gets you very weird looks and the odd "shouuld you be here" comment. (Yes, some woman actually asked me that. She was older, and definately concerned, so I didn't whack her with my cane, but I was tempted ... instead I just smiled and told her I was there on doctor's orders).
Back to homework in the gym ... I was very pleased with myself. 13 minutes on a recline bike where I only jammed my heel into the bike twice (see, not paying attention means my right leg does strange things, including my foot twisting inwards when it's not supposed to). I also upped the treadmill challenge - this thing will NOT beat me. Cranked the speed to a whopping 2.2, aimed for longer strides and did a full kilometer (0.6 miles) in 16 minutes. (well, 16:47, but I'm counting that as 16). I'm not sure how I avoided falling off the treadmill, and I made a beeline for a chair when I was done, but I did it. I also accepted a friend's invitation to try out a swim in her pool. I recommend private pool swimming - stairs to get in and out and no slippery decks.
No changes in nerve healing that I can objectively determine, but I was able to do all the triathlon sports yesterday. Not well, not with swagger and not with speed, but I'm a far cry from eight weeks ago when I couldn't walk.
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