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| Barb Polan Barb’s Recovery |
Yesterday I had an emotional meltdown during my SLP (speech and language pathology) appointment when I was talking about the challenges of returning to work. My SLP then spoke to my OT and PT about me having a bad day - which is unusual for me because it's very important to me to focus on the future with optimism and on my rehab work with enthusiasm. When they add more exercises to my routine, I'm happy to comply because it means my recovery will be sooner. Yes, I'm not the most patient person, but this ordeal is making me more so - in fact, I have no choice and the only way to learn patience is to be forced to wait for something you really, really want, which is exactly the spot I'm in.
The result of the therapists' discussion was that they concluded: (1) that I had returned to work too soon and was doing too much and (2) I needed more sleep. The solution? I explained that most of my sleep problems were because I was uncomfortable lying in bed because of a plethora of aches and pains: my arm and my lower back, plus I was wearing a brace on my left foot to keep my foot from permanently flopping over;tossing and turning to get comfortable was out of the question. My OT and PT decided that I can wear a sling on my arm during the day so that while I walk, my arm doesn't dangle at my side, stretching my tendons and ligaments; that I can go without the brace at night (as long as my Achilles tendon doesn't tighten up as a result);that I should not have a pillow under my scapula when I lie down; that I should stop doing bridges, which might be straining my lower back. Making those changes yesterday resulted in the best night's sleep I've had since I had the stroke - I went to bed at 9 p.m.,woke at 11:30 to go to the bathroom, then slept until 4, and woke up refreshed and relieved to be pain-free.
One other part of the plan is that I am supposed to take a 30-minute rest/nap every day, with my eyes closed and no potential distractions.
Additional progress? Today I moved my thumb for the very first time!!!
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