Still Alive

Well I'm still alive just am having difficulties typing. Last week at the Occupational Therapist's assessment she tested my hand strength and found I had less than 10% of the strength I should have.

So on top of the hand exercises she gave me I also have my shoulder ones, the ones for my lower limbs and my spinal ones.

It's a nightmare trying to fit them all in.



Yesterday at the Physiotherapist he gave me a shoulder pulley to use in my physio exercises. He replaced the one with my crutch with the pulley.

I am due back @ the Occupational Therapists @ the main hospital on Tuesday 21st Feb in the late afternoon for my first follow up appointment after my assessment. On Wednesday 22nd Feb in the late afternoon I am due back @ my Physiotherapists at the other smaller hospital extension. So only two weeks between PT appointments this time instead of the usual three. Yesterday was my second appointment after my assessment by the PT on December 22nd. He is pleased with how far I can move my left hand up my spine, says there is a good improvement there and he's pleased. Unfortunately not many daily tasks allow me to do them with my hand behind my back!!

The OT @ the council is coming back on Monday with a hand grip to attach to my bed to help me get in/out and to pull myself up with rather than using my headboard top bar as I've been doing for the past several months. She is also giving me a stool to allow me use the kitchen utilities which are not accessible for me as I need both my crutches to stay upright so I need to sit due to the degeneration in my lower limbs, sitting on a stool will allow me free use of my arms/hands. We as much as they are currently useful.

Unfortunately the aid I need most, which both OT agree on, the city one says they can't put into an upstairs bathroom. As our only bathroom is upstairs I am stuck and she has no idea what to do to allow me to take care of my showering needs. She says all she can think of I try to get planning permission to have the walk in/split level shower put in. But as this costs money we don't have to be honest we would need to have a good chance of getting permission granted before borrowing money to apply.

Tomorrow I go to get my tooth extracted at the dentists. I haven't had an extraction since I had  a wisdom tooth removed as a young child under anaesthetic. This would be under an injection, my Mum says this doesn't hurt as she's had it done herself, but I'm still nervous. At least this time tomorrow it will be all over.

I have a week without non-stop appointments/favours to be seen to except for the OT returning with my bed grip and stool, so hopefully I can have a more restful week before I have double therapists to attend the following week. I hope something comes up, or my other OT can give me some advice, on how to get around the whole showering problem.