I woke up yesterday in pain as well. I got to work and couldn’t transfer out of my car to my wheelchair. I tried though and ended up sitting on the asphalt right outside of my driver’s side door. I called the school and Mr Curl came out to get me. I told him that I was beyond embarrassed and he told me not to worry about it. He asked if I needed any help carrying in anything but I have that routine down very well so I declined. But I told him that now I have “man smell” on me. He laughed and told me that he just shaved. I smelled that “man smell” all morning. It wasn’t all the time though, it was just when I would turn my head away from my computer after doing attendance or something to wheel back to my table where my students sit. It was a reminder of how I failed to transfer on my own in the morning. I didn’t so much dig that.
I get out of work and I am talking with my friend by my car and the weather was SO nice; I thought about transferring back into my car and was a bit trepidatious because of my fail this morning. But then my brother pulls up and came over to talk with us so I told him to “spot” me and I was able to get into my car and he helped me with my feet and I was good to go. I get to Barwis and get set to get out. Or nah. I wasn’t feeling very confident so I sat down with my legs out of the car and my wheelchair across from me. I ended up calling Dusty. Phil was training someone so Mike came out to get me. It’s interesting how I don’t like to take help from people and usually I just thank them and tell them, “I got it.” But today I had TWO different men pick me up! They weren’t strangers but it still was SO uncomfortable for me. I’ve gotten better at telling people the best way to help me in this situation though. I think it’s because Phil does it most times so I tell them how he does it and so far that works for them too.
My legs were really tight and Phil said, “Shhhhh” and “Just.” many times. I told him that he can’t change-up the catch phrases like that though. I ended up doing 2 standing *BINK*s and we didn’t use the “stand-er upp-er blocker” yesterday. Phil told me to head over to the table. He stretched me some more and we did manual leg curls and extensions. Then that was it.
I tried to get into my car but I couldn’t and Phil got me in. I asked how I did today and he nodded and said it was a good stretch. I want more than just a “good stretch” though. I want to walk a million steps and not hurt so badly. I think our fist bumps now are just Phil and me both trying to grab each other’s hands so it’s a weird, grab-y high-five in which both of us laugh because neither one of us were able to “joystick.”
I drove home thinking about today and the help I needed getting into and out of my car and the difficult time I had with stands. But I was able to get out of my car by myself in my driveway when I got home. I checked my twitter account and I saw this:
Barwis Methods@BarwisMethods
Katie is working on walking so she can walk down the aisle! She is such a sweetheart! Check it out! #MiracleMonday http://bit.ly/1ojQuX7
I watched it a number of times and I know how hard Katie is working and how hard it is! Then there was the video of me that I have never seen. I clicked on that. I’ve watched these videos many times.
If you stay watching me (with my summertime non-blowdryed hair) 2 video segments after that is me walking on July 29, 2013 (first time in YEARS). I think I feel steadier now than I look on that day.
I meant it when I told Jesse that I’ll do anything to walk and I still do! I guess that “anything” involves asking for help when I need it. So bring it. I’m grabbing my guts and swallowing my pride and I’m looking forward to “Walking Wednesday” #22.