Re: PT update
AZMAINIAC (AZMAINIAC(AT)prodigy.net)
Thu, 07 Jan 1999 21:05:45 -0800
CarriR wrote:
>
> Hi All.
>
> Today I went to PT. Starting to feel the motivation return. Like my
> progress, it is slow, but there. I sadly began to realize how my 2
> week vacation from PT has hurt me. I couldn't believe that my arm
> strength had diminished so much that I could barely make it up a 25
> ft. incline leading to PT office. I was in denial the first time,
> telling myself I still must be tired from getting only 3 hrs sleep 2
> nights before.
>
> Explanation to follow, but WARNING - to truly understand, you must
> have a true likeing to animals.
>
> I am a real animal lover and "found" a neighbor kitty outside at
> 11:00 pm when I went to cover my plants (cold weather on it's way).
> This orange tabby has come to visit me before and I thought he
> belonged to someone and would make his way home before it got much
> colder. In FL we hardly ever have freezes, but that night it dipped
> into the mid 20's.
> I returned outside at 1:00 am before going to bed only to find the
> tabby running to my porch and meowing the entire way - like "please
> save me!" in kittly talk. Now I have a siamese male cat who is very
> possessive of me and his territory. This posed the first problem to
> letting my cold tabby friend inside, but I felt I could not leave him
> out because I had visualizations of finding him dead on my porch the
> next day. So I ventured to let him in until I could figure out what
> to do. I only have a 1BR/BA apartment and Apollo - my siamese -
> enjoys his space. I tried putting the tabby in the bathroom for the
> night with food, litter box, and a nice warm bed. He ate the food and
> as soon as I fell asleep I woke up to him meowing to be let out.
> Apollo was sitting at the bathroom door - waiting to pounce on his
> unwelcomed guest.
> 3:00am and I'm calling the vet to find out any ideas. None except
> put him outside with his "new bed." As soon as I opened the door,
> tabby went running out and didn't even look back to say thanks. I was
> so exhausted & knowing I had to be at work the next day, I proceeded
> to clean up after Apollo - he let me know just what he thought about
> our guest.
> 4:00am I crawl into bed. So maybe I can blame the tabby and cold
> weather (not to mention the fool who left his cat outside) on my poor
> performance today. Or maybe it's just all my fault.
>
> Has anyone ever had difficulties with employers? For example, I am
> still fumed at my boss' boss who came to visit yesterday. Maybe it's
> ignorance or a genuine way to try to help, but she told me, "I think
> you should be using your walker all day at work." I wanted to jump
> out of my skin (or at least my wheelchair) and scream at her. But
> using composure I simply replied, "I don't think it would be safe for
> me or the children." I work at an agency that provides daycare and
> parenting classes for children and their parents. The children range
> in age from 2 months to 4 years. We typically have about 15 infants
> and children on any given day, but may have more also. I told her I
> use my walker at home to get around, which seemed to satisfy her
> belief that I need to be walking alot.
>
> I tried to let this comment go, but I can't seem to quit thinking
> about it. Am I getting lazy? Or am I beginning to accept the chair
> as part of my "normal" life? Could I make it at work for even 2 hours
> on my walker, not even comprehending 8? Hell, this woman hasn't even
> seen me walk with my walker at work (or anywhere for that matter) - I
> do use it to go into certain rooms that are not WC accessible. What
> does she know? I found myself questioning her and myself, so again I
> asked my PT. I thought I had asked her before, but wanted to double
> check - my memory seems to be as faulty as my legs sometimes. PT said
> no way - not ready yet.
>
> Sorry to ramble, I guess I needed to blow off some steam. Thanks...
>
> Be Well,
> Carri
>
Carri,
If you miss PT for a short time, it is amazing how much of a setback
there is. However, once you get going, it will give you more incentive
to strive harder to get back where you were. Sometimes it takes the
"Drill Sargent" that was mentioned by someone.(I can't find the email it
was stated in).
When I was hospitalized years ago, the PT came and exercised my legs 5
days a week when I was paralyzed to prevent atrophy. i will never forget
the day when she had my leg lifted, moved it back and my reflex tried
too stop her.
The PT was born in Germany and went to school there. The books on her
bookcase were written in German.
To this day, I believe she was a relative of Hitler. She would not take
"NO" for an answer. I would not have been able to walk out of the
hospital with Canadian crutches if "Hitler" had not been the PT.
John