With all of the snow yesterday, my Mom drove me to Barwis. We both are teachers and both had a snow day. (We have one today too!). She said that she didn’t want me getting stuck somewhere with no way to get myself out. She helped me get out of the car (it’s ALWAYS weird transferring from the passenger’s side!) and she pushed me in. I forgot that my Mom hasn’t been back to Barwis with me since that first summer and it was a bit strange explaining what I do in the snow but she has NEVER seen me wipe my wheels off or take an interest in Claudia’s work. (She did awesome!). It was a nice reminder that Barwis is my home.
Mike came over to the chairs to come get me. I told him that my Mom was here and he went over to her, introduced himself, and shook her hand. He told her she could come over to the blue table where we would be working. Before getting on the table, I showed Mike that my legs being tight was only a little bit sticking out as I sat in my wheelchair opposed to sticking straight out as they historically have been. I thought it was nice that after 19 months of working, to see some progress. He put me on the table and worked my calves first. He said they weren’t too, too bad and told me to lay back. He started by putting both of my legs over his left shoulder, grabbing my knees to stabilize them and leaning forward. Man, that is an INTENSE stretch but I refuse to give him the satisfaction of saying, “Ooh Doggie!” regardless of the stretch. This time when he put me in the “Ooh Doggie!” stretch to the left, I had to gasp, close my eyes, and remind him to do his worst in a whisper.
This time we did something new. He had me sit on the edge of the table with my feet touching the floor. He held my hand out and had me bend so my left shoulder went toward my right knee. He said it was to strengthen my lower back (I feel the burn today!). We did this a few times and then he switched hands and told me to bring my right shoulder to my left knee. I could do this. Simple enough. BUT, I wasn’t seated in the center of the table so when I brought my right shoulder down to my left knee, I just about fell off the table. I squeezed his right hand and put my right hand behind his right knee. So here I am, looking at the turf, laughing, and expecting Mike to pick me up with only one free hand. I eventually got back on the table and he scooted me more toward the middle before we continued the stretch.
He asked me if my Mom could get me in my car and then told me that we would end a little early so he could get me in. My Mom CAN do it but she is shorter than me and putting me in the passenger side is tricky. When we ended and headed back to the car. My mom brought it up closer to the building where there was no snow and Mike helped me get into the car and then push behind my knee to get my legs to bend easily. Once I was in, he said goodbye to my mom and told us both to have, “safe travels.”