Friday, my legs were really tight. This fact won’t deter me from my goal of walking; yet it is a constant reminder of how DIFFICULT this journey is and is going to be for me. My legs were really tight and stiff at work and they remained that way when I got to Barwis. Anthony pulled me into the door (I was rolling in backward) and pushed me to the chairs. Mia was doing squats again and I got to cheer her on. Her squats were A LOT stronger this time and she stood up taller. She dedicated her second set of squats to me and I cheered her on even more. She was getting tired on her third set and I told her to “dig deep” and that I KNOW it’s hard but that she can do it.
When it was my time, Mike pushed me over to the blue table. He felt how tight my calves were and kneaded them pretty hard! I think he was trying to get me to say, ‘Ooh Doggie!” as an act of surrender. I told him continuously throughout the stretch through gritted teeth that I could take it, I wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction, and to do his worst. Before the stretch really started, I told him that on Wednesday, I was able to lay on my stomach for 44 minutes before falling totally asleep for the night on my side, curled up in a fetal position. Because of the cold weather, I curl my body in a ball when I sleep because it is most comfortable for me. Mike has stretched me while I lay on my stomach to help with my adductors and/or abductors (I can NEVER remember which one it is) that will make it easier to take steps. I haven’t been able to lay on my stomach comfortably for a VERY LONG time. After I told him this fact, he looked at me with a straight face and said, “You’re welcome.” I laughed and told hm that I laid on my stomach Thursday night as well. He looked at me again and said, “You’re welcome.”
I laughed again but there was an ounce of truth in what he said. Friday night, I laid on my stomach comfortably for 50 minutes before ultimately going to sleep. Saturday night, it was over an hour. It seems that I am making progress in spite of the weather. Now, Mike’s stretches are NOT easy by any means but I feel that they are necessary. At times, I will squeeze my eyes shut, draw in my breath, and grab his wrist that holds my shoulder down but I feel that it’s essential for progress. That being said, it’s not like the weather doesn’t affect me at all in my waking hours but at least I don’t sleep the whole night in a ball. So, just like I told Mia, I need to “dig deep” and I am absolutely positive that it is hard (it’s been hard at varying levels for 14 years so far) but most importantly, I need to remind myself that I CAN do it.