Monday, March 15, 2004
Mom's first physical therapy session has ended.
I'm very pleased. Mom is very relaxed. This appointment was a combination of an E(valuation) and R(ecommendation) and initial treatment. Essentially, Mom was evaluated and treated at the same time.
During the initial part of the appointment the LPT had Mom push her various limbs against the LPT's resistance and mentioned that Mom exhibited "surprising strength", which was a relief for me to hear. My guess is that the "surprising" element is relative to her age, her slow recovery from her severe lower back strain and her forced immobility for the past four and a half months. I know that my father's body had unusual muscular (as well as other types) of endurance. I know this from having observed his endurance and having gotten his body. Although I must assume that my mother's body is from similar stock, since I don't have an obvious physical connection to it I'm never sure. I was afraid that she would be experiencing extreme muscular atrophy as a result of her enforced immobility but her muscular atrophy doesn't seem to be as pronounced as I feared. Maybe some of this is due to our walking and my constant correcting of her walking, sitting, standing and moving but I have a feeling most of it is indigenous to her genetic muscular eccentricities.
The treatment phase of the appointment took place on her back, which was initially uncomfortable until I boosted her oxygen to 4/lpm. I also learned, through observing, how to move her from laying on her back to a sitting position on the edge of a platform, which is an extremely valuable technique for me. I'd been doing it previously in a way that, I can see now, was not completely gentle. Once Mom was on her back the therapist used her body to read my mother's body for incorrect placement and gently adjusted her structural layout using her hands and arms beneath my mother's back. She gently worked the large joint positioning of Mom's arms and encouraged her to feel what was going on inside her body as she was adjusted. She mentioned to me that my mother's breathing would probably improve as the torsal portion of her skeleton readjusted and the ribs and other bones were encouraged to separate from their presently pinched layout. From a point below my mother's raised knees the LPT adjusted the stance of Mom's hips and pelvic joints. She also asked a series of graduated questions about how Mom reacted physically to various movements and positions in order to pinpoint what positioning was causing problems. The LPT included a helpful commentary on how it is, as injuries crop up and we compensate for the pain they cause, we incorporate the less painful of those movements into our habitual movement, thus never ridding ourselves of pain related to the initial injury. We just pass the stress and concomitant pain from area to area.
When today's adjustment and work out was completed the LPT mentioned to Mom that she may feel tired and have some discomfort but that relaxing (any excuse to take a nap) would help. Mom's already got that glazed, "This is a good time for a nap," look. As well, her bowels decided to take this morning to clean themselves out. They did the tail end of this during her appointment. I had her girded for this, just in case. She isn't interested in eating at the moment, feeling that it might go right through her, so I'll make sure when she arises that a binding dinner is ready for her.
I think the most valuable aspect for me of the PT appointment this morning was that it renewed my faith in my mother's interior physical sense. When she is recovering from something she often has more faith in her body's interior common sense than I do. I usually follow her dictates but sometimes I have a hard time giving her free reign, especially when, outwardly, her weaknesses are apparent to me. I think I tend to magnify them by a factor that includes what I imagine to be her inherent frailty at any particular time and cause myself more anxiety than is necessary. It always helps me to see my mother the way others, including and especially insightful healers, experience her.
Our next appointment is this Friday. My intention is to get her out as much as possible, even if it's wandering around the yard while I continue spring clean-up.
Looks like it's time to settle Mom into bed for a nap and head out on errands. Later.
During the initial part of the appointment the LPT had Mom push her various limbs against the LPT's resistance and mentioned that Mom exhibited "surprising strength", which was a relief for me to hear. My guess is that the "surprising" element is relative to her age, her slow recovery from her severe lower back strain and her forced immobility for the past four and a half months. I know that my father's body had unusual muscular (as well as other types) of endurance. I know this from having observed his endurance and having gotten his body. Although I must assume that my mother's body is from similar stock, since I don't have an obvious physical connection to it I'm never sure. I was afraid that she would be experiencing extreme muscular atrophy as a result of her enforced immobility but her muscular atrophy doesn't seem to be as pronounced as I feared. Maybe some of this is due to our walking and my constant correcting of her walking, sitting, standing and moving but I have a feeling most of it is indigenous to her genetic muscular eccentricities.
The treatment phase of the appointment took place on her back, which was initially uncomfortable until I boosted her oxygen to 4/lpm. I also learned, through observing, how to move her from laying on her back to a sitting position on the edge of a platform, which is an extremely valuable technique for me. I'd been doing it previously in a way that, I can see now, was not completely gentle. Once Mom was on her back the therapist used her body to read my mother's body for incorrect placement and gently adjusted her structural layout using her hands and arms beneath my mother's back. She gently worked the large joint positioning of Mom's arms and encouraged her to feel what was going on inside her body as she was adjusted. She mentioned to me that my mother's breathing would probably improve as the torsal portion of her skeleton readjusted and the ribs and other bones were encouraged to separate from their presently pinched layout. From a point below my mother's raised knees the LPT adjusted the stance of Mom's hips and pelvic joints. She also asked a series of graduated questions about how Mom reacted physically to various movements and positions in order to pinpoint what positioning was causing problems. The LPT included a helpful commentary on how it is, as injuries crop up and we compensate for the pain they cause, we incorporate the less painful of those movements into our habitual movement, thus never ridding ourselves of pain related to the initial injury. We just pass the stress and concomitant pain from area to area.
When today's adjustment and work out was completed the LPT mentioned to Mom that she may feel tired and have some discomfort but that relaxing (any excuse to take a nap) would help. Mom's already got that glazed, "This is a good time for a nap," look. As well, her bowels decided to take this morning to clean themselves out. They did the tail end of this during her appointment. I had her girded for this, just in case. She isn't interested in eating at the moment, feeling that it might go right through her, so I'll make sure when she arises that a binding dinner is ready for her.
I think the most valuable aspect for me of the PT appointment this morning was that it renewed my faith in my mother's interior physical sense. When she is recovering from something she often has more faith in her body's interior common sense than I do. I usually follow her dictates but sometimes I have a hard time giving her free reign, especially when, outwardly, her weaknesses are apparent to me. I think I tend to magnify them by a factor that includes what I imagine to be her inherent frailty at any particular time and cause myself more anxiety than is necessary. It always helps me to see my mother the way others, including and especially insightful healers, experience her.
Our next appointment is this Friday. My intention is to get her out as much as possible, even if it's wandering around the yard while I continue spring clean-up.
Looks like it's time to settle Mom into bed for a nap and head out on errands. Later.
