This post ws written 3/ 22/2024. Still full of good stuff though 😁

For me being brave and courageous is me posting here. It’s terapy to me, when the exciting things don’t seem that huge to me, just diffrent. And then I have a look at the reality of my life.

I know that sounds a little weird. So let me try and bring you into my brain.

We have had my new best friend here now for a few weeks. My gratitude for her continues to increase. Just having the extra help has really alleviated much stress we had been feeling. I hadn’t realized how much unnecessary stress we were creating within our family by being stubborn in the idea that “we can do it ourselves” 😡

So many fun and really amazing things have been happening here. But like with my healing, the more big stuff the more exhausted I get, the less I have the energy to want to share. Not because it’s not good stuff but reliving the week, or weeks, worth of stuff is so overwhelming.

And as is normal for me, I started this 6+ days ago. So I’m sure I will forget some of the things I wanted to share, but I still have some good things to share.

At the end of last week I got this picture…

This is my OT, last Friday, showing me the new bras she ordered for me to try out, and I got excited. 😃 Who gets excited to try bras? For a long time I had a therapist ask me if I wanted to try dressing. I always said no. I honestly beat myself up when I tried something I thought I should be able to do but really couldn’t remember or was frankly too weak to do. I would say no because I couldn’t face my reality.

I am finally prepared mentaly to be presented with a new personal care challenge and willing to try, in this case getting dressed. Setp one was trying to put on undies and loose pants using a reacher after a shower. I’m not fast but I have been sucessful. So, moving to the next challenge we talked about my bra preference. She had some suggestions that I thought would make things harder, but I wasn’t the professional. And, who knew she would be right?!?

I have yet to put one on by myself, but I have been trying. These are so much more comfotable than what I had been wearing and they are flexable enough for me to struggle with them and not bend them out of portion. It has made me aware of how weak I still am in this area, but the truth is, in the battle I gain the strength I need.

Wow…so this idea really is true?

When I was still in high school I seriously considered going to school to be an occupational therapist. I remember my mom, who was the Dean of Allied Health Services assistant, made me an appointment but I second guessed myself as I sat outside the building. I, convinced myself OT would be a boring repetitive job and I did not want to be bored with my job choice. Good greif 17 year old Heather. Looking back I think I really would have enjoyed the job.

So along with this new exciting challenge, on Mon. at PT I had a progress test. This is a newer experience with this rehab company. But I have really ejoyed being able to see some numbers again that show progress. On Mon. I did a six minute timed walk. When I first went home, 6 years ago, my PT would break this walking test in 2 minute intervals so I could take a breather.

I might not be competely accurate in remembering numbers, but it was a huge deal when I would get 20 feet in 6 minutes. I was booking it Mon. and walked 220 feet in 6 minutes. I was winded. S & Z don’t look read the rest of the next sentence. This is because I have been slacking on speech breathing exercises. In my defence, which there isn’t really any excuse that I can use to cover my slacking, I was without a speech therapist the longest. I was still doing my home exercise program, just not all of it everyday. Now that I am trying to get back on it, because I am seeing the results, I am having to start all over from the basic level.

(Don’t worry guys I have a speech therapist now, and have gotten the talk about how it affects the other areas also. 😳 From PT)

I had incressed the distance around 20 feet. The walking exercise on Mon. felt strong. There have been so much adding to what is feeling strong, I am accrediting this “strong feeling” to ab work & low back work. It really is amazing how each movement is so seemlessly woven muscle with bone and tendon, until it doesn’t. It is frustrating to remember in my head but not have muscle memory. The other thing is the “feeling strong”. Feeling,any sensation, in places that had been a dull or no sensation, to a much more aware of feeling.

It’s hard to explain som of the new sensations. I often notice I use the word “new”, and I’m not competely sure the word new is correct. Often it more in focus. Like tuning a radio station, that we don’t do any more. Clearing up the white noise that is always on in my brain.

Really, it amazes me how the body/brain connection works.

There are other testing areas, how long it takes to do 5 sit to stands, how long it takes to stand and walk 10 feet and returning to the chair to sit. I improved in these areas too and that makes me smile too but the strenghen and distance in the timed walking…so smiley.

I’m sure that there was more I wanted to share last week but these are the highlights I know I wanted to share.

My new best friend and I are really having a good time getting to know each other and finding a rhythm for working together. I was able to introduce her to a few dear friends. So far she fits right in. I’m grateful for that too!

I can not wait for some warmer weather, we got 2-3 inches of snow this morning and it hasn’t really stopped coming down. It slowed down but not stopped. Which is only really terrible this year because we have already seen 70. I often laugh at myself because I choose to live in a state shaped like a mitten, so how can I complain when it snows in March.

I have big hopes for the next few weeks. Hopefully I will be able to share the good fulfillment of these hopes next time!

Until next time! Bye!

♡TeamGavrilides ♡TBI Survivor ♡Faith to walk in the middle ♡Seed of Hope