Confession: how to get released (thrown out) of a physical rehab facility....

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Okay, many of my sparkfriends are rehabbing now from injuries, surgeries, or have friends who recently had surgery and will be starting rehab soon.

As you may have previously read, I had a stroke at 21 and had to learn to walk, talk and use my right arm again. When the main Hospital was convinced I wasn't at risk for further complications, they moved me to a rehab facility. The next youngest patient at the time was a young man (57) who had experienced a heart attack.

My therapy schedule - 1 hour of speech a day, 1-2 hours of physical therapy (split am and pm), and about 45 min of occupational therapy with "homework" (ie, while watching TV in your room, (which is where I was supposed to be every hour I was not in therapy because I was a falling risk), squeeze this therapy ball in your right hand for 15-20 minutes).

I was bored... I've always been an over achiever... If 15-20 minutes is good, 2-3 hours must be great! Right?!?!?! (can u seen where this is going?)

Well, there was this fine finger agility test that they would time me on every day (in addition to numerous other activities - move all the pegs from board a to board b), and I never saw the results. Once a week the staff meets to review patient progress. When reviewing me, they couldn't understand what was happening, my speech was coming back nicely, my legs and balance were improving, but my fine finger agility was progressively getting worse and they didn't know why - it was a concern for the team...

So Neil, my OTherapist, came to visit me in my room to discuss if I had been doing my homework. I very happily replied that yes, in fact I'd been playing with the stress ball during most of my TV time... The look on his face... Well, turns out instead of giving my body a chance to rest and rehab, I was actually fatiguing the muscles!

I was kicked out that weekend and sent to out patient rehab at the local hospital until I was ready to go back to work....

Morale of the story: when in rehab, listen to your therapist. If you want to do more or modify the program, talk it over with them first - or at least keep them aware of what you are doing so they can accurately track your response to therapy!

Cheers to the most important workouts of a persons life!

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

CANNIE50 1/27/2012 11:38PM

Oh my gosh - no, I had NO idea about your stroke. You are remarkable. Thank you so much for your supportive messages on my blogs. I am feeling much stronger - nothing changed, except my perspective. Report Inappropriate Comment

DOTSLADY 1/26/2012 11:16AM

Thanks for sharing, you overachiever you. Report Inappropriate Comment

BLUE42DOWN 1/25/2012 3:52PM

Hehe, with the "thrown out" in the title, I certainly had the wrong type of rehab in mind at first. Very good point, though. There's a reason they push only to a certain point. Hearing "Okay, just five more" could drive me batty, but they knew exactly when I should stop also. (It's kinda like taking prescription medicine. Taking two pills instead of one is not going to make us well twice as fast.) Report Inappropriate Comment

NIECYWRIGHT 1/25/2012 11:24AM

Good advice, you know I'm doing PT, and of course i tend to over do as well. I will be taking your advice. Report Inappropriate Comment

PT.JEFFGIRL 1/25/2012 10:05AM

That is an incredible, if unfortunate, experience you had. A stroke at 21 has to be a low chance on those percentage charts. I wish you well and hope you are making wonderful progress. And how were you to know that it would set you back by trying to be an over-achiever? Report Inappropriate Comment

MEWHENRYSMAMA 1/25/2012 7:22AM

Wow, that is an amazing story and you sure are a strong and determined woman! Thanks for your input, it is something we can all use! Continued health to you! Report Inappropriate Comment

ALLYTHEATHLETE 1/24/2012 8:43PM

You rebel, you! Report Inappropriate Comment

Girl loosing weight and bodybuilder - who knew how much they had in common!

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Fun conversation with a guy friend of mine who has been bulking up with muscles lately.  His "informal coach" told him he's big enough now, and it's now time to "lean out" and show off those muscles...  

Guess what - our diets are aligned!  Made sense once I realized that we are both trying to loose body fat.   We discussed how he has changed his workouts to support his new goal of fat loss and my plans for future workout adjustments once I hit Onederland... they too are fundamentally aligned!

Funny - I had only ever thought about how different diet and workout requirements were for people trying to loose weight (fat) vs bodybuilders...

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

TINAIGNATIEV 2/1/2012 1:03PM

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MEWHENRYSMAMA 1/22/2012 4:06PM

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CAROLYN1213 1/22/2012 3:24PM

They are very much alike. The build phase for bodybuilding is very different, but the principles of fat loss are the same. Think of yourself as a muscle builder and the fat will come off. Report Inappropriate Comment

Subtle changes...

Saturday, January 21, 2012

I now have delayed onset muscle soreness from long or fast walks - feels better than when I used to get winded and have to stop halfway up a staircase.

I sit much further back in seats.

I don't have to suck-it-in and hold my breath to fasten the airline seatbelt anymore (anything not to have to ask for an extender).

My legs, hips, and thighs feel "different", like I'm carrying my weight differently. Guess I am.

I've always been a "soft" girl, now I can feel my muscles when I move, sit, turn, etc.

Bp and pulse are down.

The tape measure, scale and body fat loss monitor have become my new best friends.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

CANNIE50 1/27/2012 11:37PM

Aren't muscles fun? I LOVE muscles. Mine are still very well insulated, but they are in there. Report Inappropriate Comment

SABLENESS 1/22/2012 6:24PM

Isn't that exciting??? I still have trouble seeing a difference in myself--but the shirt I'm wearing was unwearable 5 mos ago or I'd have looked like a sausage in it, and my body feels different, too. This is about more than numbers! Carry on, Report Inappropriate Comment

FATKAT65 1/22/2012 6:13PM

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MIMMICA 1/22/2012 9:02AM

Isn't it great? Congratulations on your continued success! Have a great day! Report Inappropriate Comment

SHERYLDS 1/21/2012 5:50PM

•“Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.” ~Robert J Collier Success is also being able to appreciate the subtle differences that mean sooo much. Report Inappropriate Comment

-CHERYL 1/21/2012 5:21PM

Fantastic! I love seeing the changes! Walking is my exercise and I think people underrate the benefits of walking and don't feel it is really a weight loss exercise. It is an all over body exercise, well if your doing it right it is. Due to strokes I have issues with my left side and my left foot can start hurting once I start going over 3 miles an hour on pavement. I take a couple ibuprofen and a Flexoril (muscle relaxer about 20 minutes before my walk, helps cut down on the pain. Report Inappropriate Comment

ALLYTHEATHLETE 1/21/2012 4:18PM

Adds up, doesn't it? Sure feels good when you start to notice these things! Report Inappropriate Comment

ZUMBAGIRLTN 1/21/2012 4:13PM

Thank you for sharing!!! Subtle changes will become obvious ones soon enough! Report Inappropriate Comment

Hmm... Thanks for the perspective on competition!

Friday, January 20, 2012

The 'competitive' aspect of loosing weight at the same time as my sister is nothing more than a game to me - it will have no impact on my motivation, or actions. I'm 6 months into my new lifestyle (which has has the wonderful side-effect of weight loss) with no desire to ever go back or jeopardize my current lifestyle momentum.

However, your comments do bring up a great point related to Her motivation and how fragile that could be. She has been under a great deal of stress due to some changes in her life and I need to balance keeping consistent with our sisterly-relationship while also being 'sensitive' to her current stressors and being supportive of "forward progress" regardless of the pace of progress...

Thanks for the Fair Balance - I want to see this end in a win-win!

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

AKRONEWITTER1 1/20/2012 6:47PM

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BLUE42DOWN 1/20/2012 4:08PM

Definitely a VERY important consideration! Good luck to BOTH of you! Report Inappropriate Comment

CIRANDELLA 1/20/2012 9:11AM

You're a wise and a loving sister, Tink! Your sis is lucky :) Report Inappropriate Comment

MEWHENRYSMAMA 1/20/2012 8:53AM

EXCELLENT! Report Inappropriate Comment

Compelling Idea - Contrasting Approach.... Sisters!

Thursday, January 19, 2012

I think my weight loss has finally gotten to my sister... She's 18 months older and we've always been competitive.

Today she started the Furhman vegetarian diet - I will continue with Paleo.

We'll weigh in and compare once a week... :)

I need to loose twice as much as she does, and I'm determined to be out of the obese category before she hits her target goal!!!

vs

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

MIMMICA 1/20/2012 7:13AM

You can do it! Report Inappropriate Comment

ERIN1957 1/20/2012 6:57AM

You can do this!! Report Inappropriate Comment

GOURMETLOSER 1/20/2012 4:52AM

Good for you! Nothing like a bit of healthy competition! Report Inappropriate Comment

MEWHENRYSMAMA 1/20/2012 3:42AM

IF COMPETITION WORKS AS A MOTIVATOR GO FOR IT, BUT IF IT BRINGS UP EMOTIONS THAT INTERFERE, YOU MIGHT WANT TO THINK ABOUT IT...I DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF RELATIONSHIP YOU HAVE WITH YOUR SISTER, BUT FELT I SHOULD MENTION THAT IT IS GOOD, IF IT IS A POSITIVE THING..OTHERWISE, WHY BOTHER! KEEP ON DOING WHAT YOU ARE DOING...IT WORKS! HAVE A GREAT WEEK END. MARY Report Inappropriate Comment

XRSIZE18 1/20/2012 3:20AM

A little competition never hurt anyone. Report Inappropriate Comment

CANNIE50 1/19/2012 11:50PM

Ah, sisters. I have 5. One of my sisters, with whom I have discussed SP and weight loss many times (she has dabbled in SP and has also lost weight via WW), gave me expensive chocolates for Christmas...hmmm..... May the best sister win, and the other sister do well, also! Report Inappropriate Comment

BLUE42DOWN 1/19/2012 10:42PM

Not to mention you have a head start on the idea of it being a way of life. A nice bit of competition, in which both of you win, is great! Report Inappropriate Comment

TAMPATINK67 1/19/2012 10:36PM

Heh - I think I'm more motivated and tenacious! Report Inappropriate Comment

CIRANDELLA 1/19/2012 10:30PM

Wow! That sounds pretty challenging to me...you've got to lose twice the weight? Whew! I wish you all the best of luck on your quest... Report Inappropriate Comment