JimK's Journal

Thursday, July 03, 2008 – 7:35 P.M.

This was an EXCELLENT day for me!

When I got up this morning, I had very little pain in my back, but it began increasing as the day wore on. By early this afternoon, it got to the point where I had to take pain medicine for it.

I had a two o’clock physical therapy appointment. My driver managed to pick me up on time for a change. He took the slowest route in town, where he managed to hit almost every red light in existence, but at least I made it to my appointment on time.

By the time my physical therapist (Chris), and two others, got me out of my wheelchair and onto two traction tables, my pain had risen to a level of seven. Chris was not happy about that, and quickly began working on me.

She placed one bolster between my legs, and another one under them. Then she kept working on my position until my body was in a straight alignment from head to toe. By then, my pain level had decreased to two.

Chris then began rolling me from side-to-side as she stretched muscles in my legs and back. She also worked on my neck and shoulders. In practically no time at all, I was completely pain-free. I had not felt that good in several months.

She said she still believes that I will really benefit from having therapy in a pool. I will be seeing my doctor next Friday, and will ask for a prescription calling for that type of therapy. Assuming that my doctor agrees to that, Chris will then need to get permission from her boss before I get to use their pool, and she will need to “recruit” one other person to help her with me. The whole plan also needs to be approved by Medicare.

I am trying to be positive, and cautiously optimistic, about all these plans working out. I would like to have more good days like this one.

Quotes for Success:

“The important thing to recognize is that it takes a team, and the team ought to get credit for the wins and the losses. Successes have many fathers, failures have none.”

Philip Caldwell