Month: August 2015

I went to ATI opposed to Barwis again on Friday.  I was working with Greg.  I had seen him many times while I was at Barwis so I already felt comfortable with him even though I had never worked with him.  He asked about my leg and how Nicole and Nick had worked with me.  Nicole and Nick had worked my leg while I sat in my wheelchair but Greg said that he preferred to work on me on a table.  I was comfortable with that having had Parker work on me for a few years while I was on a table.  My Mom transferred me onto the table and Greg tried to stretch my legs straight out.  Both of my legs (my left more than my right) wanted nothing to do with that.

Greg talked about the tone in my legs.  I’ve heard that word a lot lately but my Mom asked A LOT of questions.  Tone is the stiffness in my legs that resist movements that people (ATI and Barwis) want my legs to make.  My legs used o be able to complete these movements naturally but now it is so much more difficult to mimic these natural movements.  It’s frustrating that this is happening but I attribute it to the progression of my disease.

Greg told us what ATI stood for, “(Athletic a and Therapeutic Institute”) and showed my Mom how my leg had relaxed by him massaging and stretching it.  It MOST CERTAINLY did and it was really nice!  He put the stim patches on and iced my leg.  He told me that it was most likely the tone in my legs that resisted against the movements that tore my hamstring while I squatted.  That was a bummer to hear but it made sense.  I told Greg that I worked so hard that I tore my own muscle.  That sounds pretty hardcore!  It stinks that MS has caused all this tone in my legs and consequently my torn muscle.  Yeah well, MS sucks but I am fighting against this degeneration every time I am at Barwis (and ATI for the short-term).  I will go to therapy twice a week and to Barwis on Wednesdays(GOOD THING I won’t miss “Wacky Sock Wednesday”)!!!

I was BEYOND “Jessie Spano” excited to be back at Barwis.  It had been TWO WEEKS to the day (AND it was “Wacky Sock Wednesday”) since I had been there to work with Nick.  I believe that has been the longest stretch I have been away since I have started coming here two years ago.  I used to think a week was WAY LONG but two weeks was just TORTUROUS!  I waited by the chairs and Nick came over to ask if I was here to see him.  I nodded and he pushed me over to the blue table.  On the way, Mike Morfitt came by to give me “five” and I told Nick how Mike made fun of my white legs.

We got to the blue table and I told Nick all about my hamstring and I told him how it STILL hurt.  Nick stretched my legs out gingerly.  He told me that it (my hamstring) was too bad because I had just started squatting again.  He helped me on to the table and my stretched my legs out by crossing my them across my body.  I had my Mom take this pic of my socks for “Wacky Sock Wednesday” #25:

Then he had me lay on my stomach and I did some PNFs. My legs were tired!  I didn’t work my hamstrings but REALLY worked my quads.

My Mom put me in my car because I was SO tired!!!  I fell asleep on the way home.  It was like my first summer working at Barwis, when I used to nap after I worked out.  I’d wake up from my nap with TONS of turf pellets in my bed.  I noticed turf pellets on the table when I was laying on my stomach.  I was disappointed with my setback but I KNOW I will comeback from this setback.  Just have to wait for it.

I was scheduled for physical therapy at 5, was running late so rescheduled for 5:30.  We get to Barwis (my Mom drove me) and we parked in one of my normal spots around back.  My Mom went to get my chair from the trunk as Deeds was in the gym walking by.  He saw me and waved and I felt something strange in my chest that I didn’t quite recognize but smiled and waved back.  I got my feet out of the car with my Mom’s help and Dan came out to the car to help further.  He put me in my chair and as my Mom pushed my through the gym to physical therapy I realized what the feeling in my chest was,  I’m going through withdrawal not seeing the guys at Barwis; I miss them!  I saw Mike Morfitt and even Mike Rhoades but just said “Hi.”  I talked with Dan for a second but had to get to therapy.  Barwis has been part of my routine for SO long!  I haven’t been there since the 22nd of July.  I missed it.

My Mom pushed m e into ATI and I see Nick Lucius.  I smiled and he told me that he was working with me.  Oh yay!  My 2 worlds (Barwis and ATI) overlap!  Nick stretched me out had me do some PNFs on my left leg and he put some stim on my leg.  My leg was tired and my hamstring ached.  It’s different to have my leg ache like this.  I’m used to sore muscle ache (it feels good because I can FINALLY feel pain in my legs) but the pain I feel in my hamstring is more of a painful ache.  Originally, I planned to go to therapy and to Barwis right after.  I have since amended that with Elle.

But, I was excited to come back to Barwis on Wednesday.  As my Mom was pushing me through the gym to the car, Mike Morfitt came over and met us just before we got outside.  He asked me what happened and I told him that I tore my hamstring but assured him that I would be back to Barwis on Wednesday.  I told him that it was weird not being at Barwis and I told him that I even had to wear shorts and that I haven’t worn shorts since high school.  He agreed that my legs were REALLY white.  I laughed and I went outside and he went back to what he was doing.  Nick Lucius put me into the car.  Before he picked me up, I warned him that, “I’m a BIG girl” and he replied, “I’m a BIG man” and picked me up.  My leg was tired but I was excited to be back working at Barwis the next time I was here.

I have been coming to Barwis for 2 years and I have never been inside ATI.  it’s the physical therapy office INSIDE of Barwis.  I’ve seen all of the physical therapists in the gym doing various things but I never had a reason to come inside… Until now.  Dr. Frush told me about it and told me to see Nicole.  I called Wednesday and was able to get in to see Nicole on Friday.

Nicole reminded me of a friend and colleague whom I have worked with for the past 10 years.  We had easy conversation and she pushed her hair behind her ear just like my colleague and that made me smile to myself.  Nicole rubbed my leg out (it was STILL puffy and my hamstring kind of ached.  She told me that my muscles felt good and that made me feel really good!  Hearing it from Dr. Frush AND Nicole felt REALLY good! I don’t hear good things about my muscles very often so to hear it twice was spectacular!

Nicole did some stim on my leg as well.  I vaguely remember getting stim on my knee during rehab after surgery.  Nick Lucius was there and it was strange to see him NOT at Barwis but at Barwis.  He couldn’t tell me what ATI stood for so I will have something to ask Nicole next week.  My Mom showed her pictures of me squatting with the harness.  She asked if I used to do squats unharnessed (she saw me back when I could do them).  I told her my PR was 46 and 70 harnessed.

She told me that I won’t do squats for awhile which bummed me out and she told me that she would talk to Nick about how I should workout there until my hamstring heals.  It is SO convenient having my PT (physical therapy) and Barwis in the same place!  All of this just solidifies in my mind that being at Barwis is EXACTLY where I need to be.  I will go to Barwis AND PT next week.