I've Learned That PT Does NOT...

...mean play time!

In PT we are still learning that I have difficulty walking, muscle weakness, cerebellar stroke, and loss of coordination! Right now, for muscle weakness I have been doing strength training and for walking I set a timer on my phone and walk until it goes off! I am very aware of how I walk when doing this. So, I do take the time to correct myself if needed.

My therapist's assessment of me: "Jessica has shown significant improvement in her objective testing. She is still challenged with dynamic balance and continues to improve with skilled intervention and home practice."

I do remember asking him for more challenges. When I would first arrive we would do 20 minutes on the elliptical and a whole bunch of exercises with the medicine ball - which I still do them at home!

My short term goals:

• patient will demonstrate a good understanding of her condition and strategies for self-management.

• patient will ambulate three tenths of a mile using trekking pole with distant supervision assistance on uneven surface

• patient will improve TUG score by 2 seconds to demonstrate decreased risk of falls

I am still to see him twice a week and safely improve and advance my home program!

Today, I am doing well and he is pleased with my progress to date! My wonderful functional status score is a 55. The other tests I have completed are as follows:

• Neurologic S.A.F.E. tests = 30 Second Chair stand test. The First time I did these a couple of weeks prior, I did 11 of them. This time I increased it and did 14!

• Neurologic S.A.F.E. tests - 4 stage balance test - 10 second max. The first time I did these I did all 10 seconds of feet together stand, all 10 seconds of a semi-tandem stand, 0 seconds of a tandem stand, and 2 seconds with a one leg stand. The second go around I increased the last two!! I did 17 seconds with the tandem stand and 14 seconds with the one leg stand!!

• Neurologic S.A.F.E. tests- minute walk test. Well, I did a two minute walk test and the first time I walked 223 feet and the second time I walked 505 feet!

S.A.F.E. to say I have improved! Went from not being able to walk at all, to walking 505 feet!! I'll take it!