Therapy Visit #1: No Pain, No Gain

Before visiting a physical/occupational therapist, the yoga prayer pose was impossible. Also, I couldn't clap and I couldn't extend my right arm fully open-handed. Oddly, and sadly, they are all arm actions that remind me of church worship. So, I deeply yearn to be able to do them... that is the goal.

On therapy visit #1, two things threw me for a loop: 1) Sticker shock at the cost of the visit, and 2) Therapist Jill said that, pessimistically, only 50-70 % mobility will return.

Those percentages got me down. My hope was shattered. After an evening visit with family, my departing words to them were: "Have faith for me, because I sure don't feel it yet."

After two good sleeps, I have determined that 50-70% are also fighting words. I want better than a C-to-D course grade for Righty. And, I am willing to work for it. I was given homework, consisting of two sheets showing 7 exercises to practice at home, 4 to 6 workouts a day. Check, I will do them at least 6 times a day.

To make workouts more beneficial and organized (always), I have done a few key things:

• Divided a day into 6 manageable time-slots, also called a workout schedule: 6:00, 9:00, 12:00, 3:00, 6:00, 9:00... do-able. 
• Cut up the two exercise sheets into seven smaller-square sheets, to flip over after finishing each exercise, helping to keep track during home sessions, and for portability to do exercises on-the-go.
• Use lotion, mild heat, massage the hand gently, and drink water.
• With one of the exercises, 15 reps are hard to keep track of, so I found a small holder for 15 toothpicks (15 reps). After each rep, a toothpick is shifted to the other pile. When I hit 15 reps, why not do a few extra? 
• The last exercise is the yoga prayer pose. I set up a tabletop mirror to observe important arm posture, to do it correctly. Meaning I don't let Lefty do more than her fair share of the pose. It is hard. It hurts. That wrist bend feels like I am attempting to bend in half an unforgiving block of wood. Soft tissue can turn tight, and Righty will not cooperate. Thus far, the pose has insignificant progress.

In a quirky way, all of the "bite-sized" sheets create markers that make a session feel rewarding. I can't depend on what I see to feel benefits, because measurable progress hasn't come. Gain requires trained (expensive) guidance plus five free things: Patience, faith, grit, time... and pain.

A square sheet of the prayer pose & one trusty mirror

And, during all of this, it reminds me to pray for the upcoming June family reunion. Push through the uncomfortable; in other words, pushing through the pain.