first, I want to apologize for my computer not allowing me to make capital letters. Especially capital letters at the beginning of a sentence, like "first".....although it did capitalize "Especially." go figure.
anyway, my ever so astute neurologist suggested I solve my balance problems by having physical therapy. I took a dim view of that for a bit, but then agreed, since they will come to my house, and my insurance will pay for it. Otherwise, no way.
I actually had two (2) physical therapists: Ann came on Mon and wed. for my upper body strengthening, and Joni came on Tues and Thurs for my lower body strengthening. both just about killed me at first.
with Ann, I used dumbbells, borrowed from a neighbor. two and a half- pounds. Up and down, over and across, meet in the middle....all fairly simple, but I sure felt muscles I didn't know I had.
She also advised me to take one of the molded plastic lawn chairs and put it in the shower. I had really begged for some kind of grab bar on the tub so I could take a warm tub bubble bath, but she said NO. she had too many clients who got in the tub and couldn't get out for days. and that was only because someone happened to come over to check on them.
So lawn chair is in the shower. It works just fine. I had put a stool in the shower stall, but she said the lawn chair would be better, because it had a back where I could rest by back on it. cool. I have the kind of shower head that is on a long cord, for lack of a better word, so I can aim the shower head where I want it. shampoo, body wash, rinse and I'm through. Use the arms on the lawn chair to boost myself up, if necessary.
Lower body exercises are more intense, later in the therapy sessions, we added leg weights. borrowed from my younger daughter, who has had nearly every bone in her body broken (through horseback riding accidents, roller skating, and just plain being unlucky) so she has all the equipment I needed. Velcro is a wonderful thing, as I was able to put the weights on my ankles and then do the myriad exercises.
My favorite exercise is stretching in the morning. I watched my daughter do her stretches in the morning while she was here at Christmas time. Now I feel like I'm doing my stretches with her.
the last exercise was just walking down the sidewalk. I went only three houses the first day, with my torturer-- er, I mean, my therapist. the next day, I added another house, to make four. Up and back.
today, I'm up to seven houses. that's almost a half a block. I'm getting stronger; look out, world.
Now, if I can only get my computer to cooperate....I'm strong enough now to whack it until it submits.
but I don't think that would be a good thing.
