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| Barb Polan Barb's Recovery |
I generally don't start the day with a crying jag, but this morning was an exception: Yesterday I had a brilliant (I thought) idea ... since aerobic exercise creates an environment in the brain that enables neuroplasticity (the generation of new brain cells and function), and mirror therapy causes neurons connecting brain to motion so that I can recruit that a new area of my brain to control particular muscles, it made sense that I should do some aerobic exercise, THEN do mirror therapy. I was VERY excited about trying that this morning, and planned to row my typical two miles, then go downstairs to do my finger opening/closing mirror therapy. Unfortunately, I had rowed only a half-mile when I couldn't keep my hand/wrist attached to the rowing machine handle. Remember how I had trouble using the quick release gadget Tom had attached to the handle? Well, this morning I had the opposite problem - I couldn't PREVENT my hand from being released. So Tom sat next to me, re-attaching the gadget every 30 seconds or so; I knew that he wanted to be out on the back porch grouting the tile he had just installed, so we were both trying to deal with increasing frustration. Then Turbo brought his tennis ball over, dropped it next to me, sat, and started whining. I told myself that he was just trying to be empathetic because I was crying, but I could not convince myself and could only think,"Poor Tom. Here he is with 2 crying beasts, when all he wants to do is be outside grouting.What a way to start the day." I told Tom that I would postpone the attempt, that I would do better having my hand Ace bandaged to the machine (the old way) TOMORROW, and I would try out my theory again after that. So he went downstairs to grout, and I sat on the window seat feeling sorry for myself. Even if my approach ends up being flawed, I'll certainly be no worse off: I'll still get in my rowing and my mirror therapy, just in a different order than usual. Yes, I will try again tomorrow.
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