Good Therapy

Pool Therapy is great! The water is 95 degrees, I feel light, I can move easily without pain, and I know it allows my body to progress more quickly than on the mat.

Thanks to this great hot pink water-proof cast, I can get my elbow in the water and work on my arm extensions too.

Here's a little video of me working on some balancing skills.

One of the things I like most about therapy is that it is back at the hospital where I did my rehab. I get to see the other patients I lived and ate with and got to know each of their amazing life stories. It is exciting to hear their updates and see their progress too. They are very inspiring people (and family members) and made me want to be a better person.

Many were stroke patients, which was humbling in and of itself as I know very well that this could have very likely been me at some point if the hole in my heart hadn't been found and repaired. We are so grateful it was before this accident! What a blessing!

I also get to occasionally see the PCTs, nurses, doctors, Physical Therapists and Aides that have helped me along this journey.

Today, as we were headed to the cafeteria we ran into Derek, my first PT, and a couple of his aides who helped get me moving the first week after the accident. Derek listened to me, my fears, my pains, and then made adaptations to help me gain confidence, learn to trust, and reach the bench marks I needed to get to to move out of intermediate care. There was just something about him that made me trust him completely with my broken body. He was genuine in his compassion, and made me want to work hard for him. He was right beside me cheering me on  that last day on 2nd floor when I walked that 140 feet. Right after our walk, I got whisked away to X-ray to see if my bones had shifted, then moved to the 4th floor because I was now ready for "standard care".  I never got the chance to tell Derek thank you because it all happened so fast, until today. It was great to see him again, show off my walking skills, and to be able to thank him for what he did for me (and Byran) that first week. Not just physically, but mentally and emotionally too.

Derek is in the blue

Seeing Derek again was also a good reminder to me of how far I have come in the last three weeks, for which I am so grateful for as well. Sometimes it is hard to see the progress because it is slow.

Today, being able to recognize blessings, progress, and express gratitude was very good therapy :)