yeah Tuesday

Last night my 3 1/2 year old neice, Ashley, called. She wanted to know where Twix's picture was on the blog, she saw Vander and Snickers, but no Twix. So here she is, in her favorite place, under the chair I am sitting in. She does that to get away from Vander, and also to protect me. Today I realized how lucky I am. While at therapy, an old patient dropped by. He had his stroke over 2 years ago. He is now on Disability and has very limited use of his arm. He is driving and he just accomplished being able to walk a mile. He has to get botox injections every 3 months, something about the muscle tone in his wrist. He is somewhat bitter towards the medical field about his condition. A lady who is in therapy at the same time as me was very down today. She apparently had her stroke over 2 months ago, and can now just lift a paper cup ½ full of water to her lips, and she often spills. She was an artist-sketches and watercolors-previously. When I walked in without my cane, she was very jealous of my rapid improvements. They are trying to start a stroke victims support group.

I did my weight lifting in OT. Then for the last 20 minutes I did the “driving test”. It is one of those mazes that you tilt left/right, forwards/backwards while trying to manipulate the ball from point a to point b without letting it fall into one of the 13 holes. They told me that I had to get to 13 before they would recommend that I drive. I tried for a few minutes and was only getting to 10 or 11, so my therapist walked off. The second she did I got to 13, I started screaming!! So she came back, and I was 10 or 11 again, she walked off and I got to 13 again, I screamed again. So the other patient’s husband came over and stood behind me and as I got to 12, my therapist walked up just as it was rolling into 13. I ended up getting to 13 four times. My OT said we were going for a drive next week. She and the other OT said that they would ride with my anywhere.

Later I ran into the other OT. She said that after I left, the therapists all got together to try the machine. No one got to 13, the highest person got to 11. And they are all normal!!

Matt let me drive home from work today. I don’t know who was more nervous, me or him. But I felt completely comfortable and ready to drive myself anywhere locally. I am just waiting on the O.K. from my doctor.

In PT they kept bragging on my speed and gait. I am really excited. I hope to graduate soon!!