Walking More

My therapist said I took a couple steps without him holding on Monday! There's a video from last week when I started walking (with weights on my legs so I can feel and control them better and two therapists walking with me to catch me when I start to fall) on my Facebook page (sorry I couldn't figure out how to post it here - look for March 7 posts or on my husband's page). We praise the Lord that I walked even farther, independently today, though I looked quite drunk! My therapist teased me that I should drink three shots of Brandy before I try to walk and I actually might walk a straighter line.

I have new glasses as of Monday afternoon. Though I can't see crystal clear I see significantly better than I did. I can patch one lens at a time, so while one eye is still visibly out of synch with the other, and while it really throws off my depth perception, this mostly solves the doubled vision at least as a temporary (until my eyes either self-correct or I have surgery in about a year) fix. I'll try to post a picture soon. I don't have peripheral vision with one eye patched, so I'm rather blind unless you are standing right in front of me. I will need to adjust to the change (and hope I don't drive my walker over too many people in the meantime) but I am enjoying seeing clearer and being able to read more! My right eye is my "better" eye overall, but I've noticed when the other eye is patched, my vision is significantly darkened.

My temporomandibular disorder (TMJD) and left shoulder pain are still giving me fits. My therapist is working on the TMJ and when my jaw loudly popped last week I could hear better for a short time (that afternoon), but I am hopeful that addressing this may improve my hearing in the long run. My hearing is still quite muffled and I miss a lot. I haven't recently mentioned my shoulder to the therapist, but I think it is hurting more with exercise, so I will bring it up at therapy next week if it is still bothering me.

I'm still dizzy and sometimes nauseated when I move my head. I've described the sensation to Rick as having a gyroscope in my head. One wrong movement and I'm reeling! I can move my head from side to side a little more now, but my neck still feels like it needs to be adjusted. There is no way I desire to have my neck "popped" again, since that's when all this started with the dissection of an artery at the chiropractor's office.

My hand seems to be working a tiny bit better but is still very weak (especially in trying to spread my fingers apart) and shaky. My therapist says I can start wearing light weights on my arms to help me feel and control them better. I am finally washing and rinsing my own (cut very shot while in the hospital) hair, though my right hand does most of the work. I didn't have the strength to grasp anything left-handed until recently, but can now hold the shower head and squeeze the handle of my walker with my left hand, though my grasp looks funny. My right hand functions well as long as something is firmly passed into it and I grasp solidly before someone lets go. I am, thankfully, right-handed and my penmanship is starting to improve with practice.

My blood flow is still a problem. My left hand and foot often look purple due to blood pooling in them. As I am on blood thinners for at least six months, bruising is not surprising, but I frequently sport many large and ugly bruises. My knuckles look perpetually banged up! I don't feel as continually cold as I did but I still chill easily, in spite of a nearly 30-pound weight gain since I've been home.

I'm excited to make a new friend. Joanne Heim is also a Christian, nearly my age, used to homeschool and is a published author! What a perfect fit of commonalities. She is also recovering from a major stroke (14 months, I think) that was nearly fatal. I look forward to getting to know Joanne better! What an answer to prayer. If anyone knows of other stroke recovery websites, especially Christian-based, please tell me in the comments. I would be so grateful.

Those are today's prayer request and praises. Thank you for standing with me! It is wonderful to have this log to "journal" my ongoing journey. Thank you for walking this long road with me through your thoughts and prayers.