Leslie at Rehab

Leslie at Rehab
Enough with the brace! Here's mah Kitteh!

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Whew

Just finished therapy for the day. Walked with crutches, sat down on and got up from a sofa; used crutches to hop onto a 2" block twice, then a 4" block twice; and then worked on range of motion on the knee. Worked up quite a sweat, now icing the knee and then to work.

Friday, March 16, 2012

Jumping around on Friday

Hi all, it has been a busy week as crutches are introduced into therapy. When I get released and move home I will need to be able to navigate steps, which requires crutches. So this week I have been learning/practicing how to get around on crutches. I am a long way from confident or adept on them but I haven't had a yip moment the past two days. For those wondering, a yip moment is when you involuntarily yip as you momentarily lose balance, startle yourself and regain your balance with the help of those around you. I have gained a deep appreciation for gait belts during this week, they have kept me upright more than once.

The past two days have introduced jumping up onto blocks while using parallel bars. We started with two inches and progressed quickly to 4" and 6". Today was an 8" block and I would just like to say that that is a big jump one-legged. I am certain that once my left leg is a bit less swollen and more flexible this jumping will likely be a bit easier. Nor will I be spending part of my attention on how to keep it out of the way. We did try actual four inch steps early on, and I was very thankful for the multiple helpers as they kept me from pitching forward when my foot didn't quite clear a step on the down.

As my therapists work to increase my standing time we have been doing many things. One of the more enjoyable is playing the board game Sequence. I have also heated a "meal" in the microwave, "eaten" it and cleaned up afterwards. I have also folded laundry, done item retrieval in the kitchen area and some other items all designed to increase my single leg stamina. Who knows, perhaps when this is over I'll be able to hop buildings with the right leg.

Well, that's it for now, hope everyone has had a good week.

Monday, March 12, 2012

Kitty visits and other things

Happy coincidence, we came to visit Leslie at the same time as the famous Guy (her familiar, companion and cat) I had never met him before, what a great personality!  Although he is trying to make a break for it, between sniffing around the room and seeing Mama for the first time in 2 months, leaping up on the funny crank up bed, and generally charming all who he encounters, we did discover the door here doesn't actually latch, so all you late night visitors to Leslie, take note.  Well, Guy has an ingrown toenail and is going to the vet tomorrow.  More on Leslie now.  She is out of the immobilizing brace and sporting quite the gnarly, bodacious scar thanks to those three surgeries (full disclosure - it was there all along, but we could not see it before), but moving, a little walking, solo trips to the john (now *that's* freedom)...  

She enjoyed an excellent weekend with her gaming friends and in the knowledge that her house was enjoying a work party under the firm if reticent guidance of brother Keith - I hear I'm mistaken, and he was downright loquacious!  But, we have also discovered the first need for the money that you all have so generously donated (looking at about $4700 so far!), besides transportation for Leslie, transportation for goods and materials to her house to get it ready for her to move back into is all being handled by Keith's (overtaxed) truck, it needs some work, so that's the first chunk, looks like about $1500 will get it back on all four wheels...

So, we switched widgets and are looking for donation testers, if you've been thinking you would but haven't until now, now is the time to see if the switch we made worked.  You shouldn't notice any difference, but your donation goes directly to Leslie, I am no longer the middleman (and just in time, that ticket to Barbados was looking pretty good...)

Anyway, it's a long post. keep the love and attention coming.

Penelope

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Sunday and Sleep

Took a day off from therapy and did some client work, some house cleaning, and some sleeping. Looking forward to Guy coming to visit tomorrow evening for a couple of hours.