I was able to get out of my car by myself yesterday at Barwis. I was tired and I felt my legs tightening all day so I was not sure what type of day I would have at Barwis. Phil was a bit of a Grumpy Bear and I called him “Grumpy McGrumpster” as he stretched my legs. I called him Adam and reminded him that Phil is NEVER grumpy. They remained REALLY tight and he told me to go to the stander. I asked which one but then quickly told him that I was going to the OG stander. I like that one better. Once we got to the stander, he put me in the stander and began to strap me in. He began cranking it up. My legs began resisting the straighter I stood. I breathed through it and put my shoulders back the best I could as Adam has instructed me to.
I stood for 6 minutes. It didn’t feel like that long. Then he cranked it up again. Another 6 minutes! Standing is really starting to feel normal. It feels like my body is remembering what muscles to use. The third time Adam cranked it up, I told him that I could stand for days on my left leg. My right leg was having a little more trouble relaxing and was resisting instead. I stood for 6 more minutes and looked at Adam and exclaimed that I stood for 18 minutes!!! He was shocked that I did the math so quickly in my head. I thought back to 3rd grade, Mrs. Crisco’s class. I remembered the flash card game we used to play at the end of the day. The student in the first seat closest to the door would stand next to the student’s desk behind them. She would hold up a flash card with a multiplication problem on it and whoever said the correct answer first would move to the next student’s desk. If the student who was sitting was first, the standing student would then sit down. I remember making it all the way around the classroom. I was good! What can I say? It was 3rd grade! I don’t remember how many times would recite the times tables as a class. Probably millions!
Adam cranked the stander up one more time for another 6 mintues. As he uncranked it, I said, “6 times 4 is 24.” I was so tired and my brain was a bit foggy that I checked using my fingers and Adam asked, “Really?!” Well, I just wanted to be sure!
Total time in stander = 76 minutes.
I was extremely tired so Adam put me in my car. Now, I like Phil’s variation of his “bends” but I decided yesterday that I don’t like Adam’s so much!!!