Once a week or so I get to go to the Drake Center for water-based physical therapy. Those who have known me a long time know that I was on swim team for a long time when I was younger, and I am a water sign, and I do love the water, whether it is the ocean, lakes, pools etc. So water therapy is totally a good break from the norm.
It is a fair trek from the Middletown area down to the Drake Center, but only going once a week or so makes it manageable. It is a very nice pool, with a very nice view. It is clean, and has a lift which I use to get in the pool mostly for safety. Yes, as we know I can walk, but adding any slippery or other safety implications means that the stairs into the pool is not a good idea for me.
Once in the pool I can practice walking and balancing without the fear of seriously hurting myself if I fall, stretching muscles in the warm water, and build strength and balance with different forms of resistance. Me being a former competitive swimmer, the water is a bit warm for my liking, but I’m not doing anything crazy strenuous so it’s okay and I deal with the warmer water temperature.
Today I did the equivalent of the marching band box drill in the pool. This was harder than it sounded, as I had lots of balance checks, letting me know that once again, while I am making progress, I do have a lot of recovery to still do.
This week I’ve been taking a more regular afternoon nap, and sleeping hard. I try to limit my naps to about 2 hours, but that hasn’t happened this week. Maybe I am healing more, and I will make a progress leap soon. The nerve pain has been a bit more intense this week, and more tingles going on. I have to remember that recovery is rarely a straight line and there will be steps forward and steps back.
I am worried that May is upon us, and that my goal to go back in August might be in jeopardy. There are a lot of things that have to get done between now and August, and I am feeling the stress of there not being a ton of time. I have to get my chair for comfort, as the loaner chair for 8 hours is not ideal. I have to pass my hand controls endorsement and get my vehicle modified. It seems like a lot.
More Later…
Bratschetech Baroque 