I went for my follow-up two weeks ago with my Neurologist Neurologist Nurse Practitioner. She started asking me questions. Most of the answers were on my chart. Anyway, she said they were concerned about my falling and balance. I reminded her that before and after the Ritalin and Welbutrin, I didn't fall a lot and my balance, well I have Cerebral Palsy. DUH! (Okay, I left out the duh verbally.)
She insisted I see a Physical Therapist to help with my balance, get orthotics and some kind of percussion vest since I have a history of pneumonia. I haven't had pneumonia in ages. Probably because I take the pneumonia shot. So to make her happy I agreed to be evaluated by the PT.
The staff and PT were awesome. However, when the PT came get me she was walking behind me with her arms out on both sides of me to catch me if I fell. It made me uncomfortable. I told her don't do that. She said, "I just want to catch you if you fall." I asked her to stop and told her if I fell I would just get back up. She backed off a little.
I really like my PT and I know she was just concerned.
After a slew of questions, she tested me. I laughed at some things and I have to admit I gave her trouble until she told me she was testing my balance and risk of falling.
Here are a few tests of many:
She made me stand up from sitting with and without the support of my hands I was able to stand with support no problem. Without using my hands I did it but it was unstable. No surprise to me. Sometimes if I stand up from my couch or bed I'll fall back down two or three times until I finally find my balance.
She made me stand with my feet close together and stay still. I was not to move. That was a challenge because I kept moving. I would sway. Then I had to do it with my eyes closed. That was funny but it makes you realize how important your sight is to balance. I kept swaying.
Another test was walking up steps. There were three steps. She told me to walk up the steps without holding the rail. Yikes! I felt iffy but determined. I went up one step fumbled, regained my balance and walked up the other and so on with same results. Then she told me to walk down the steps. That was fairly easy. Of course, when I got down to the bottom and stopped I woobled but I didn't' fall.
I had to stand up and lift each leg. That was hilarious. That didn't go so well but I didn't fall.
She told me my ankle tendons were tight and could be a factor in my balance. "SIGH" When I was a child I had the surgery to lengthen the tendons to loosen them.
I was sitting while she was putting things in the computer. All of my life I have been able to put my foot a certain way on the floor and my leg will shake. I can stop it anytime I want. It's not because I'm nervous, it's just something I've done all my life. It is sorta habit sometimes but it feels good.
She informed me it was clonus and not do that. My next post will be about that subject and I promise it will be very soon.
All in all, she said I was at Medium risk for falling. Actually, I thought it would be high. She suggested I visit her twice a week for six weeks. I grudgingly agreed.
Today is the end of my second week. I realize I can walk backward. Slowly and carefully. PT has benefited me a little. Most of it I think that it just been my life for 55 years. But I understand that since I'm older (If I hear that word one more time I'm gonna scream!) I'm prone to broken bones or serious injury if I do fall. It's frustrating to hear professionals tell me what they THINK they know about me. They just read the paperwork, if they actually DO read it, that I have Cerebral Palsy. They assume things because I have CP that doesn't pertain to me.
I was so tired last week because I was running around working on another project plus PT. I'm not used to being on the go 2-3 times a week. Last week was 4 days.
I will fulfill my promise I'll go six weeks but I will be done. I may take some exercises to strengthen my muscles etc but I shall go along with my life like I've always done.
Oh! My PT didn't think I needed a vest. Thank you very much! I already have orthotics in my shoes. They asked if I had any assistive devices. I told them I had walker from surgery but it is in my junk room. I refuse to get any canes or other things like that. Now if they suggest a scooter to go around the yard I would certainly go for that but she said no.
Oh! My PT didn't think I needed a vest. Thank you very much! I already have orthotics in my shoes. They asked if I had any assistive devices. I told them I had walker from surgery but it is in my junk room. I refuse to get any canes or other things like that. Now if they suggest a scooter to go around the yard I would certainly go for that but she said no.
Until next time, tell someone you love them.
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I'm sure the PT told you that it takes several months for muscles to learn new things and the most important thing is to continue with the exercises that they teach you. That has always been my downfall (no pun intended). It's hard for me to find the discipline to do the exercises on a regular basis after I leave, but I go back to the exercises and they always help. And I hope you don't think that they were treating you special because you have cerebral palsy. I have always found PT evaluations very thorough and I like them better than what the doctor does because they pay attention to the details.
ReplyDeleteGood luck.
My problem was that I felt like I didn't need it. I know they weren't treating me differently. From this experience, the PT seemed like she was suprised that I conquered pretty much everything she put forth. She did give me a hand out of the exercisees and like you I tend to stop doing them. However, I have joined yoga again at a different place (the place I was going before I felt was not my level). She does alot of stretching and such so I think yoga will help me and I will try to do some of the other exercises. I feel so much better after yoga vs after PT I was done and I hurt all over. Thanks for the response.
DeleteSo understand. I call it “cookie cutter medicine”. They get the money for doing their running you through their rat maze. They fill in some blocks on their to-do lists. Your experience and medical history mean nothing to them. It just amazes me that they don’t want to listen to you to actually help you in your life for what you need.
ReplyDeleteBrouck went through rehab several times with the idea being that he would go from sit to stand. That’s what our doctor signed us up for. But when we got to PT, they had their ideas, they didn’t have the equipment they promised so they worked with Brouck for him to do something he couldn’t do anyway. They wanted him to do a transfer from a manual wheelchair while using the wheelchair. He can’t feel with his right hand. There’s no way he can roll the wheelchair with his right hand. We never got this fully across to them nor did they comprehend it when they saw it. That was their program. We found getting him into the pool was the best therapy. We will do sit to stand on our own some how. The last three years really affected him badly and we’re having to start from worse than scratch because his muscles have deteriorated.
We were told that for BROOK to have physical therapy, he also had to have speech therapy as well as occupational therapy. Three times a week. So that’s nine therapy visits at $75 a pop which meant we had to pay $25 each. We just couldn’t afford it.
So, get what you can from them. My dad got some benefit out of the balance therapy when he was having some issues. But I always remember that they’re just running us through their templates rather than actually treating us individually as people.
Joanie, you hit the nail on the head. PT did not listen to me. Actually, once i became short of breath and 'reminded' her that I had C.O.P.D. She said, "I admit, I didn't read your history". I bit my tongue because I almost said why did I fill out 3 medical/history forms but I just let it be. OH she mentioned occupational therapy and I said, "NO!" She left that alone lol. I paid depending on what we did that week until I asked why it was different every week. The receptionist told me depending on what boxes she filled in. I said well that sucked...but it evened out to $43 a week. I did get some benefit out of balance therapy, it strengthened me.. WHen I get to my neurologist again, they will get a earful.
DeleteI hear your stories and think I shouldn't complain because you have it so much worse with Brouck. Thanks for reading and comment.