Thursday, July 10, 2014

Graduation Day from PT

Today was my last day of Physical Therapy. I had my last "speed test" where I've gone from 23 to 17 to 13 seconds, and today I did it in 12 seconds. The speed test is starting in a seated position, getting up, walking a certain distance, turning around, coming back and sitting down again. I joked, "Wow I shaved an entire second off my time," and Steve pointed out that was a 10% improvement. Hmmm... he's a glass half-full guy.

He asked me what I still had trouble doing and I reviewed more what I have less and less trouble doing -- and finally said, "Well, so it's not entirely rosey, I still have trouble standing for any period of time." To my surprise, he said that standing is the hardest activity -- harder than walking. That surprised me.

In my list of what I do way better, I mentioned getting in the shower is much easier, but I added, "Of course I still have to get in one foot at a time." Steve sort of looked at me sideways and said, "Pat, that is how EVERYONE gets in the shower. I don't know anyone who vaults over the edge of the bathtub to get in." Oh yeah, I guess he's right.

He and I were a good match, and I really liked him. He is soft-spoken, not rah-rah, just a quiet guy. I thanked him for putting up with my occasional bouts of pissiness, and he said I am less pissy than many people.

So his parting advice was, "Take advantage of all your abilities" which I will try my best to do.

Meanwhile on the reading front, it's back to mayhem and murder:

 
 
This book is about a murder at the turn of the 19th century in New York City -- and it's more about the wars, rivalry and competition among the various newspapers. The murder is secondary to it, and it's an interesting read. 

2 comments:

Barbara said...

I am humming pomp and circumstance while I write... Congratulations on being graduated! (And by the way, you don't have to be an optimist to think that a 10% gain when you were already going that fast is a quite respectable improvement.)

Fran said...

Congratulations, you've come a long way baby. (Remember that commercial? Think it was for Virginia Slims cigarettes.) A very long way. But because we suspect you don't feel perfect, your friends have signed you up for Superman's special course: How to Leap into the Shower, and Maybe a Building, in a Single Bound.
You are perfect just the way you are.