Im hoping to return to pt (physical therapy) after evaluation with Daniel, a therapist who I’m not too familiar with, I’ve had one appointment with him. It was a good appointment, he seemed very knowledgeable and has a good reputation. I would have had to wait even longer to get an appointment with Tina.
*back story* I’ve been working with Tina for over ten years. (On and off: that’s how living with a TBI (traumatic brain injury) has been for me. Pt evalua, goals set, obtain goals/gain abilities, discacharged from pt, and repeat.)
So, I’m expecting the appointment to start by Daniel asking about my life and how I’m living to see what physical abilities I need to make living with a TBI “easier”.
I’ll give him a brief history and inform him that hubby and I are trying to get pregnant, so I’ll need to prepare to care for a baby. And I want to be able to get on the floor with them and play during tummy time.
Interesting Nina fact: I didn’t crawl. I didn’t have time for that. A to Z has always been my style.
I actually had a pt (Nella, she was my first outpatient pt.) She lead the team that got me on my feet for the first time after my brain injury. I started walking BACKWARDS with Nella. Yes, backward. I couldn’t figure out how to put one foot in front of the other! She helped my brain and affected left side (injury to right brain stem) connect and strengthen.
I started working with Tina when Nella became a floating therapist (in other words a substitute.) Where was I?
Oh yea, Nella said something about babies who don’t crawl have some type of issue. So we’ll be sure not to bypass tummy time.
Back to current life and what I need now.
I need help with sit to stand with no hands. This one may be more mental then physical. Or maybe it’s 50/50. I’ll update with a professional opinion.
I need to figure out how to get functional with my walking. There are multiple goals in this one.
Left knee is weak, and it hyper extends. Insert a knee cage it stops it from hyper extending and protects from damage that would lead me to a knee replacement. Yea, I had some therapist tell me if I keep walking how I walk. I’ll need to get my knee replaced. With an attitude like I was able to snap out of it 🙄.
I’m thinking I need to switch my walker, or maybe I need to use different walkers for different tasks?
I want/need to be able to carry/move stuff. I currently use a standard walker, I have all 3.
I want/’need walking to be less of a production.
If I’m just being a bum and hanging out being a coach potato, I need to be able to jump up and run to the bathroom and or the kitchen for snacks in my slippers/Crocs, I didn’t have my ankle fused to only walk in lace-up shoes.
For example, if I’m off, I’m not putting on sneakers, but I don’t want that to mean I’m emobole.
Oh, my kid bro, DJ 24 is getting married January ’25. I’m not bringing my wheelchair, and I’m wearing heels, and we’re partying. I’m not saying high heels, but dress shoes. This will be a formal event.
Dom and I got married in Timberlands, yes I walked down the aisle in tan Timbs. I took that walk 4 months after I had my ankle fused! I was trying to make it as easy/safe as possible.
4 years ago I took Dom as my date to my occupational therapist (Carlos, I saw him when I was in my 20s, that man helped me gain independence and negative being single. He no longer wotks at
CelebrationHospital.) wedding, it was his first wedding. This was before I had my ankle fused, so I wore sneakers with my AFO (ankle/foot orthosis). At that time, I was actually starting to have issues with the way it was fitting. Even tho I was having footwear issues, I was able to walk/”dance” and mingle all night.
I need to have a night like that. Well, maybe not just like that. That night, there was a lot of alcohol. Only Lord knows how I was able to keep it together after all those horsemen (Four Horsemen = Jack, Jim, Johnnie, and Jose). I had multiple. I was challenged…..
My husband and I were looking for the bar, and he started telling me how his boys used to challenge each other to drink four horsemen without throwing up. I took it as a challenge “let me show you how a woman handles those bitch ass horsemen” was what i told Dom where he asked “what will it be for the lady” when we found the bar. I didn’t throw up till the next morning. First hangover.
And no it wasn’t my first time drinking. I been getting “tore up” since freshman year of high school. I just don’t get hung over.
Back to my evual, which is tomorrow…….
Goals recap=
Prepare for a baby, work on balance, strength core, get independent with a gym and home routine, floor mobility, become functional with my walking (knee, walker, shoes) prepare for DJs wedding and a night of dancing (I need help with isolating my hips).
Pray he’ll see the potential in me, and I can get on someone’s book soon.
Leaving my appointment with Daniel. He saw potential!
He checked my strength to get a baseline of where we’re starting at………. right leg is strong AF, left leg has room for improvement, left hip needs attention.
After the strength test he evaluated how I’m walking, I started with the standard walker. He timed my walk from the red line to the blue line 37 seconds blue line back to red 31 seconds with the standard. Then I tried the rollator. We didn’t count red to blue, there were multiple stops and Daniel had to hold my left hand, to help me keep a grip on the walker. Blue to red was 30 or 31 seconds.
I definitely have potential with the rollator to leave my wheelchair, the rollator will probably be my ticket to mobility.
I didn’t have enough time to go over my footwear or the wedding. All I had to tell him was I want to ditch my wheelchair and I could see excitement on his face, like this is why he does what he does.
I did tell him about my blog….so I didn’t have to waste any therapy time having him read the details of my goals.
I’ll be back on Friday, I’m not sure who I’ll be seeing.
I will be bringing my knee cage and my rollator……I’ll probably need a new one. Mine isn’t very stable/sturdy. I need the walkers’ breaks to be strong so I can safely turn and have a seat.