Chemistry

Have you ever wondered the chemistry of how you sit, walk, or even wiggle a toe. That is my current dilema. My therapist asked me to bend my knee and do a hamstring curl. Hmmm. I had to think of what you would do to do a hamstring curl. I kept telling my leg what to do, but I think that it had earplugs in because it didn't move. My legs are starting to move now, but to actually remember how to do things is the challenge. I racked my brain to try to think of something that would work and then it hit me swinging on a swing. Perfect right, it was hilarous to watch. Here I am lying on my side swinging on an imaginary swing. The first time my therapist saw this and almost fell on the floor laughing. Now that I am starting to walk it is a whole new set of issues. Now when I take a step I mumble heel to toe, heel to toe. Oh and I have a walked with neon green tennis balls. This has taught me a new sense of humor. If you can't laugh at yourself then you really have problems. Laughter is really one of the best medications. It really does make tough situations a heck of a lot easier. I do have my set backs I wouldn't be human if I didn't, however I think back to that first week after the surgery and the irritation is quickly over.

I do have a great respect for people who have these limitations on a daily basis.

One day I ask you to try cooking, cleaning, and laundry from a seated position the whole time. Ovens are one of my biggest challenges in the kitchen. Unfortunately I'm not able to unload the dishwasher just yet because it is awkward for the wheelchair. There are things that I would love to be able to do right now such as walking out to get the mail, walking into the bathroom, or walking into the kitchen in the middle of the night to get a glass of water. Without a walker.

Here is a quick recap of my days without going to therapy. I wake up between 7am to about 10am depending on how well I slept the night before. Get into my wheelchair wheel myself into the bathroom at least I can do that by myself now. It is very humbling to literally have someone else wipe you ass. Then I wheel into the kitchen to fix something to eat. This is fun because I really work up an appetite. Instead of it taking a couple of minutes to fix cereal it takes me between 5-10. Let alone if I actually want to have something that is cooked now we are talking about 30 minutes to an hour. I have to make about two to three trips to the table before I can eat. While I eat I will either watch some tv or check emails or my blog ;). Oh and by the way I can only sit up for about an hour and a half to two hours then I have to lay down again. Next is the overview of bills or any other paperwork on my plate. Now it is time to lay down for at least a half hour. Now I put on my shoes so that I can do some therapy. This includes a little battery pack that sends electronic shocks to the muscles in my legs. FUN. Now I get to walk around with my walker maybe go outside if it's not too hot or just around the dining room and living room. This takes between an hour ore two with standing, walking and sitting in between. Then a shower finally that is by myself again and that is a work out within itself. Then get dressed and go back to the kitchen for lunch. After lunch it is time to think about what to cook for dinner. Now for a big dinner we are looking at a couple of hours prep let alone the cook time. After dinner I get an hour or two of down time then take meds and go to bed between 10-12. Sounds exciting doesn't it, well that's my day.

Have you had your piece of humble pie today? It's so tasty too.

How it all started

I have a condition called spondylolisthesis, what that means is that instead of the disks in my back lining up there was a slip and that caused a lot of pain and numbness in my legs. The slip was pushing on the spinal cord and the outputs of the nerves going from the spinal cord to my legs. This is how it all began.....

My doctor finally decided to do surgery and fuse my disks in place so no more slipping sounds simple enough right. Wrong because I went into the surgery able to walk and wiggle my toes then I woke up and couldn't feel anything in my legs. Let me rephrase when I woke up the first thing that I said was "Oh my God I can't feel my legs!" then the tears insued. The doctor was shocked as well because there was no injury to my spinal cord, no cutting of a nerve and after 3 MRI's no problem with the cord. Lone behold we are confused as to why I can't feel my legs. Two days after the first surgery which was 5/5/08 they decided to go thru my stomach and do a complete spinal fusion. Thank God for the morphine drip and that I was out of it for these tough calls. If you are ever going to have surgery make sure that you fill out a medical power of attorney it will help, believe me. Unfortunately after the second surgery I still couldn't feel my legs.

Now the rehab begins.....

I had therapy at the hospital, a rehab hospital and then a nursing home. Yes, a nursing home it was a nursing and rehabilitation home. Finally I am back at home. I decided to do this blog to chronicle was has happened so that I will remember and possibly help someone else. These are going to show my struggles with learning how to walk again and that even if the doctor says that it may not be possible DO NOT EVER GIVE UP!