March 11 to March 24,2013

March 11 to March 24, 2013

Mon Mar 11^th: Since I rode the bike on Saturday and tightened up and did nothing on Sunday I was hoping to wake up on Monday nice and loose ready for the treadmill. Did my normal hour exercise routine which I thought may loosen me up for the treadmill.  Well it didn’t happen. Legs were quite tight and heavy on the treadmill and just couldn’t get them going. Janelle was away and Shannon was the physio looking after me. It is good getting a second opinion. Chalked the poor performance up to being Monday and get stretching on the mat. Did some sit to stands and transfers from the chair to the mat. When I transfer from the chair on my bum I take little hops using my right hand the lift by butt off the chair and bounce onto the mat. Shannon wants all my transfers to be therapeutic. That means I must use my legs to transfer. Instead of bouncing over, I need to lean forward so my feet are firmly planted on the floor and lean far enough forward that my butt comes off the chair and then move my butt over. My left foot floats on the ground and doesn’t really have contact with the ground. Since it is the weak side I do everything with the right leg. She wants me to concentrate on using the left leg and make sure every transfer is done properly. I am not to do it in a hurry but make sure I am doing correctly…go figure! She also wants be to kick my legs and bring my feet as far back as I can to strengthen the hamstrings…particularly on the left.

Tues Mar 12^th: A bad night. I was doing plantar flexes in bed, but as I pull my toes up my heel rubs on the bed. I did several sets not thinking about my heels because I had socks on. Fell asleep and woke up at 2 with a very sore heel. Since I can’t fix it myself I woke Darcy up to put a pillow under my calf to keep the heel off the bed. My legs and feet were burning and I thought it was because I had heavy socks on to keep my feet warm. My legs from my knees down were burning hot. Darcy felt my feet and they were cool but I took the socks off anyway. That is what has been described as nerve pain or hopefully the nerves coming awake down there.

Did do the exercise routine at 10 AM to see if it would affect the performance on treadmill.  Got to PT early and did some more stretching. Then it was time for the treadmill, the first 3x5 minute sessions didn’t go all that well. I wasn’t standing on my legs and my upper body was very tight. However, the last 3 rounds went better, seems the ol’ brain had it figured out finally. The last 5 minutes got turned into 6. It was then into the chair and back to the mat for some ’aggressive’ stretching. Then it was time to walk, got up into standing position, Janelle on the right, Barry on the left and off we went around the gym…145 feet and got to the mat and it was going so well we went around again. Made it back to within 10 feet of the mat and the legs just wouldn’t go any further. That 280 felt like a marathon... yeehaw. Little did I know that I would pay for that little excursion.   

Wed Mar13th: Ah a rest day. No therapy and no swimming pool as Yonna was at bonspiel. After the ‘long walk’ I needed a rest. I know, I keep harping on the tight body and now the legs were tight to. My right arm has been the workhorse through all this and today I had difficulty brushing my hair. Every time I moved the brush to my head my right shoulder would come up and my upper body would tighten up and the arm would not go up to my head. Thought there was something wrong with the arm. In the morning my brain thinks that I need to lift the shoulder to raise my arm. I must really think to keep my shoulder down…silly brain!

At bedtime I was still very tight all over and did just 6 sit to stands. In bed, I have the remotes to turn on the TV for light to see to use the urinal during the night. Getting in a bad habit of watching TV for half an hour or so at 3 AM…a very bad habit that I must break. Woke up tired of course at 6:45 for shower and breakfast. Off to London at 11:45. It was a bad day on the treadmill. They said my legs felt heavy and it wasn’t until the last 5 minute session that I got going. Back to the mat for stretching and after a few sit to stands they got me up to walk. That lasted about 20 feet and the legs were just too pooped to go any further. End of the session.

At bedtime I was able to do 10 sit to stands. After bowel care I fell asleep ‘til it was time to go to sleep at 10:30. Darcy got me already and I watched some news until 11:30. I can put the CPAP nose piece on but the strap goes over my head. Now the right arm wasn’t working and I couldn’t get it on. Since I have sleep apnea, I kept waking up about every ½ hour or so. Then at 3 for a pee and I watched TV for 45 minute. Dozed on and off until the PSW arrived at 7:30. Needless to say I was pooped in the morning. 

Fri Mar 15^th: Nodded off a couple of times in the car on the way to London. Got there ½ hour early and got some good stretching done on the mat. I walked from the mat to the treadmill with a few hiccups, but I made it. The treadmill session didn’t go all that well. Had difficulty keeping my gluts turned which is a must to walk and I wasn’t standing on my legs very well. Janelle asked if I was tied so guess it showed.

Back on the mat for some very aggressive stretching and then some sit to stands. They tried something new. Stood on my right leg and moved the left forward as in taking a step. Barry is on the right and Janelle is on the left. What I was to do is shift my weight from the right to my left in a walking motion. Keeping the left leg straight. I just couldn’t get it. Don’t know if it was because I was tired of the brain doesn’t know what to do. But if Janelle hadn’t been there I would have fallen over. This is the point where my brain turns on everything, my both arms are rock hard, my back, tummy and legs are hard. It was time to sit down. Session over…I was too pooped to participate. No more TV at night, when Darcy goes to bed, I go to sleep.

Sat Mar 16^th: Finally, the PSW came at 7:45 when she usually comes at 8:30. Got ready in lots of time for Karate class. Starting to feel a little more confident and taking part more in the class. Sensei Linda ran a great class.

Saturday afternoon was spent writing the blog and did some sit to stands as a break from writing. However, this morning while shaving I did find something out. I was looking in the mirror trying to brush my hair. Again I couldn’t get the brush up there because every time I went to lift my arm up my shoulder came up to try and help it. My brain still thinks my shoulders do everything. Again I had to mentally keep my shoulder down and then I was able to brush my hair. Just typing this blog has tightened up my back and neck that I may needs some pain meds. I’ll give it a rest and just do some reading.

Sun Mar 17^th: Ah St Paddy’s Day. 9:15 it was off to the Brown Belt’s training. I think they were happy that Renshi, my instructor wasn’t there again…but he will be back. A good class, they all worked hard. 

Since I was still tight from Friday, and Grandpa, The Sarge, Bud, my brother-in-law, and John V were coming over for some St. Paddy’s day cheer, a workout was not planned. Grandpa brought 4 Murphy’s Cream Stout over that he had got in Florida. It’s just like Guinness…yum! I had a whole beer with no side effects until I was sitting at the computer after, and I felt a little woozy and started to sweat. Darcy had gone shopping so I went and sat in the doorway to the garage to cool down. It only lasted for about 10 minutes and it was back to normal.

The only exercise I did was the PSW working on my arm and 10 sit to stands before bed. Resting up for Monday which is usually a tough day.

When I got into bed, I tried to relax my body. Consciously tried to relax my back and stomach. It seems to work but as soon as I move it tightens up. Even as I type this, I am holding my shoulders up and when I notice it I can relax them but they will sneak up again.. 

Mon Mar 18^th: OT was on again at 11 with PT at 1. This is my last week with Jody and I’ll know on Friday who my new therapist will be. We did the usual stretching which did loosen my back up a bit. Every bit helps.

Lunch in the cafeteria, a turkey sandwich and a coffee…nope didn’t win anything under the rim. Took my lunch time pills, 100 mg of gavapenton for nerve pain, 30 mg of baclofen for spasms, cranberry pill for prevention of bladder infections, 4 mg of hydromorphon for pain. The dose is 2 mg every 2 hours as needed but I thought I’d try a higher dose and I think it helped. PT at 1 with usual stint on the treadmill. Barry was away so Dennis tightened the sling and it wasn’t quite as tight as Barry makes it and it was a lot more comfortable. The run on the treadmill was very good for a Monday. After some stretching on the mat, we did 2 laps of the gym…yeehaw!

Tues Mar 19^th: Another stint on the treadmill and another 2 laps around the gym. I asked Janelle what I should be doing at home on treadmill days. I am concerned that I will tire my legs out before I get there. Janelle thought it would be ok to sit to stands early in the morning and give enough time to rest before the treadmill.

Wed Mar 20^th: Ah the 1^st day of spring dawned cloudy and snowed every hour or so. Wiarton Willy was wrong. Swim day with Yonna. First time in the pool in 2 weeks. Felt good to float around. 

Thurs Mar 21^st: Ah the penny finally dropped, actually started standing on my legs. There is a full length mirror in front of me. When I stand straight up I  can just see my moustache. I don’t need to look at my feet or legs as long as the tache is just visible. I am standing on my legs. Finally the ol’ brain may be making that connection. Then after some ‘aggressive’ stretching it was time to walk. Barry on the right, Janelle on the left. Once I got going, I was able to stand on my legs and even the left hip didn’t go out too much. A bad habit is I reach for the floor with my toes particularly with my left foot…they tell me they are going to get me high heel shoes.

Fri Mar 22^nd: Back to OT for some loosening up and work on the left arm. I was still toned up from yesterday’s treadmill and walk. I was a little apprehensive about the treadmill because of all the tone. Barry, Dennis and Janelle were away so the treadmill was manned by 3 Health Science students, Shannon a physio and Lynnsie a physio. The students did very well and I did some walking with no assistance on the right leg and only one hand on the left. 

After the treadmill Shannon wanted to get me doing sit to stands. When I stand straight up with my butt tucked in and shoulders back etc. it is out of my comfort zone. When I need to balance myself, I stick me bum out instead of tucking it under. When I start to lean forward I get very nervous and resist pulling the butt in. To walk you actually fall forward and bring your back leg forward to stop the fall. I walked about ¾ of the way around the gym with Shannon on the left and Rich, a physio student on the right.

Finally all the queuing that they have been doing has sunk in. Walking is a lot easier when my bum isn’t stuck out. Must remember to keep my head over my shoulders and not stuck out like a goose. Shannon hadn’t seen me walk for a while and she said it had improve, a long way to go but it’s heading in the right direction…yeehaw!

Sat Mar 23^rd: Karate class went well and there was Frank sparring with the best of them. 

Made it through the bed workout routine and did 8 k on the bike. Just a very easy spin, low tension and medium cadence. The back was a little sore but nothing real bad. Managed to keep the arms loose for the entire ride. Felt ok.

Sun Mar 24^th: Woke up at 5 AM very stiff and with a very sore back. Difficult to get out of bed. Went to Karate and I was very cold. The dojo was cold and I kept my coat on. About an hour in, I was feeling a little nauseous. After class we went to Cultures for a coffee. Didn’t drink the coffee and felt very crappy. Went home got into bed with a heating pad and slept until 4 o’clock. I was still very tight and my back was sore. Don’t know if it was the tonal overflow from riding the bike or if it was from being very cold.

How am I Feeling?

I am very pleased with how the walking is coming along. Finally after all the whining about not standing on my legs the penny finally dropped last Thursday. The aggressive stretching is helping a lot. Overland walking is getting better as well. The left hip needs a little work…strengthening but it is a lot better than it was.

The ‘tonal’ overflow from the bike, if that is what it is, is a little concerning as I’ll be picking up the trike next month. Hoping the episode on Sunday was because of a sore back and not from the bike.

Thanks for listening…