Driving to Independence

Tuesday, May 18

3:30 pm

Note: Lee typed this post himself! Christine is both thrilled and sad to be demoted.

Yesterday was an important day—mostly because it was my youngest daughter’s (and favorite blogging partner’s) birthday! Happy birthday Christine!

I had both PT and OT yesterday. Since my progress at this point is much slower than before, it is often hard for me to judge how much progress I’m really making. One reason I like going to therapy is that we occasionally repeat exercises we did a week or more ago and I realize that I actually am preforming them better than last time. That happened in PT on some of the hip exercises yesterday. My right hip continues to lag in strength, but I could definitely do the bridges and planks better than last week. I could also grapevine walk with more ease and stability.

During OT, my therapist Jimmy put me through a couple of tests I had done almost two weeks ago. On the grip test, two weeks ago my left hand registered 52 lbs and my right 43. Yesterday my left hand was up to 62 lbs and my right was at 55.

When I did the nine-peg test (placing small pegs in holes drilled in a 3x3 grid and taking them out again), two weeks ago my left hand completed the task in 43 seconds and my right in 61 seconds. Yesterday I was at 25 and 28 seconds respectfully! (Jimmy told me 23 seconds was considered “normal.”)

But the most exciting part of OT for me yesterday was when Jimmy put me through the four tests the DMV uses for driving. I was standing in front of a large TV (~60 inches). The first test involved having half-inch-diameter dots randomly appear somewhere on the screen—I had to find them and touch the center before the dot disappeared (1 second). The second test was the same task with the addition of a distraction—a yellow box in the center of the screen that occasionally blinked. I had to touch the blinking box before I could get credit for any more dots. The third was similar to the second, but instead of a fixed blinking box, a blinking dot would randomly appear somewhere on the screen. And finally, fourth was an endurance test to see if your speed decreased over a four-minute period. The dots stayed up for 5 seconds but you had to maintain an average of 1.2 seconds (I was very close to maintaining 1 second).

I passed all four tests, so yesterday I drove—by myself. I actually ran an errand for Linda.

Both my OT and PT therapists indicated to me that, while I will need to continue rebuilding strength and stamina, my need for a therapist would probably not go beyond June.

One other milestone occurred yesterday—I cancelled the order for my custom wheelchair! It might be a little early for that but it’s kind of a Catch 22. If I waited much longer I wouldn’t be able to cancel. So I guess I’ll do without.

Thank you all for your continued support—I enjoy reading your comments in the blog and your well wishes by text and cards. You all keep me motivated.