Eric helped me out of my car yesterday while Madison held my wheelchair. Phil stretched me at the Keiser machine and brought over the GREEN half popcorn ball thing. I’ve changed my strategy to stand. Instead of using the armrests of my wheelchair to hoist myself up and then grab for the bar, I just place both of my hands on the bar and stand making sure that I “push more than pull.” It proved to work out pretty well… so I thought. I prematurely let out and excited, “Yeah! Yeah!” because I was able to get out of my chair but I was unable to stand up completely to a *BINK*. I tried 4 or 5 times to stand and each time I could only get about halfway up to a stand. I “pushed” as Phil told me to and my legs shook to no avail. Before I attempted to stand, Phil said I was going to get on the stander again with a smile. He must have changed his mind because he told me to go to the table. I rolled down the ramp with my arms up but in silence.
He pushed me to the table and he began stretching me as I laid on my back. It was a hard-core stretch and I told him that I lied. He asked about what and I told him that on Wednesday I said that I liked his stretch better than the stander. I lied. I didn’t like his stretch either! He had me roll to my stomach and he had me do leg curls. It was difficult and it had been a LONG time since I had grunted with such effort on the table. I was tired and Phil helped me off of the table and pushed me to my car.
I tried once to get into my car by myself but it OBVIOUSLY wasn’t happening. Before Phil put me into my car I asked why I haven’t been productive lately. He told me that I was a bit tight today but Monday and Wednesday were good. Then he said, “Everyday you come in, it’s productive.” Well that made me feel better! He put me into my car and I just gave him five because I was too tired to make a fist. He kind of closed his hand around mine, shook it a little, wished me a good weekend, and shut my door.
I sat there for a little while and thought about what he said about being productive. My mind is SO set on walking that I’m not seeing that all the stretching and grunts are adding up to get me walking eventually. I thought about how much progress I’ve made since I started coming to Barwis. It has been A LOT and I guess that I just have to wait a bit longer.