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Surgery Updates and Physical Therapy
Hello forum friends! I have been gone for a week while in the hospital for surgery, and am trying to catch up on life, work, and forum action. How is everyone?
I guess I’ll kick off my week by just talking about surgery and mobility. The surgery I had last week was aimed at relieving pressure on my nerves and removing a disc in my back, so that I could (hopefully) get feeling and control back in my toes. I’m also having weakness and loss of control in my hands too, which doesn’t fully track, but hoping it resolves on its own. If not, we will run a few more tests in a week or two to see why. For now, I’m supposed to do… well, nothing!
Other than following BLT protocol (no bending, lifting, or twisting, hold the bacon), I am not even allowed to do PT for two weeks. After the two weeks, we will add in home physical therapy, but the BLT goes for awhile. Considering how much I twist just to communicate in ASL with my family across a room or reach to grab something from a side table… it is already SO much harder than I imagined!
Question For You: Have you ever had to work with a physical therapist before, and what were your mobility goals at that time?
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3 Replies
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Bailey, I’m so happy to have you back and glad that you were finally able to get your long awaited surgery! I hope that your recovery goes smoothly and that both your strength and mobility come back in full. It seems like you’ve got quite a road ahead of you.
When it comes to physical therapy, once again, my experience is limited. My tendon injury was the only time that I’ve needed physical therapy. Even then, I was able to get away with just a few sessions, then continuing the exercises at home. I’ve certainly never faced anything too extensive or difficult in this regard.
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Ah, that’s very good to hear, Bailey. We wish you a swift and complete recovery!
My last experience with PT: the day after my appendix surgery, a physical therapist entered my hospital room and nagged me out of my bed. He insisted I could walk up and down the hallway, which I doubted very much, considering my experience with stumbling the 15 ft to the bathroom. He dragged me along the entire hallway behind a Zimmer frame despite my better judgement. It hurt like hell and I protested many times, but he didn’t listen. I was in pain the rest of the day and next day when he came by again, I pretended to sleep – that worked. I didn’t see him after that and fortunately I went home the following day. Left by my own judgement, it took me several days of recovery at home before I voluntarily walked the distance he forced me to.
So my suggestion would be: guard your own boundaries stubbornly, you are the only one who really feels the body. Mind you, they do a lot of good work too.
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Good to hear you are progressing well. We as school kids referred to PT as Physical Torture. Now you refer to a Physio Terrorist! My wife has undergone 2 lots of spinal surgery as well as surgery on both shoulders. Her spinal surgeon, who has Asperger’s, does not like PT afterwards nor the use of a neck brace. He might have Asperger’s but is a brilliant surgeon. Who needs to talk to your patient when operating?
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