The physiotherapist is here right now and she is doing straightening exercises with mum. She is counting to five while she flexes her hamstrings. It doesn't look painful or anything.
The therapist just got out a thing to measure the degree of straightness in her leg and it is two degrees which is negligible and great on the right leg. The left is actually less straight at seven degrees. She's saying that either people have trouble with flexation or they don't so it looks like mum's not going to have any trouble with this which is great.
The physiotherapist just said she's going to try to stand her up and walk her right now. Ahh! I'm a little nervous for her but the physio seems to think it's fine. She's gone now to look for the walker... She's back.
Now she's got her leg in a pulley that's hooked to a bar above the bed. Mum is to tug the pulley which bends her leg at the knee so she can practice bending. She says it's very sore and has just pressed the button for more meds. Her bend looks to be, oh, maybe 75 degrees.
"How does it feel, mum?"
"It hurts." [laughs] "But I want to bend it."
She's going for ten on the right side, smiling all the way, and while the physio is out of the room I sneak a measure with the measuring thing and it said 80 degrees. Not bad, not bad!
She's back now and measuring the bend herself and it's 69 degrees on the left leg and 80 on the right. Wow, I should be a physiotherapist with no training and such accurate bendy thing reading.
Okay, we're now at the moment of truth: her first walk. The physiotherapist is arranging the bed and all the clutter around it for the big event.
"Are you nervous?"
"No, I'm excited. I can use my arms on that so it's not that bad. It's really quite a good walker."
They strap the brace to her left leg, the one will less mobility, and lower the bed rail and the bed itself. Mom seems calm but I must admit my heart is beating faster...
She's asked to shimmy her bum to the edge but she can't really so the phsyio helps her swing her feet over the edge. No vomiting - an improvement from yesterday!
She pushes her bum forward and puts her feet on the step stool.
"Doesn't feel like there's a whole lot of strength in my legs," she says, laughing.
Still sitting on the bed, the physio asks mum to take a few deep breaths.
"So your goal is to use the bathroom, you say?"
"Yeah. I'd really like to be independent."
I was recruited to help with pushing the chair behind her as she walked.
She got up!! She held onto the walker and could support herself. She slid her feet across the floor and walked from her bed to the door of her room before getting tired and sitting back into the char. The chair, by the way, is one suited for toilet use so she was wheeled over and reached her goal! Yay!!!
The way back to the bed was kind of rough - she was very dizzy and tired out and just wanted to be back on her bed. But now she's there and glad.
"Thank you very much! I feel like I achieved a lot!" She said to the physio.
She's to try the exercises again this afternoon and the phsyio will back again tomorrow.
Great success!!!
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2 comments:
Dear Marilyn,
So glad to know your surgery went very well. I was very happy. specially after I read Jess's post about the physiotherapy. I couldnt belive you did walk form your bed to the door. It must be painful. Take it easy Marilyn. Today is only the third day!
I'm sure you'll give everyone a big surprise when you come back. Maybe we should have a teacher's race in our summer fair. You are the winner, right?
Take care.
Love
Jane
Hi again Marilyn,
Just one day since I checked the blog and so much seems to have happened! Congratulations on the first walk. Sounds like you're on the way to full recovery. We're rooting for you!
Love, Iro
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