Moving Right Along...
I feel that I should clarify my use of the verb "to walk" as applied to Robb. Robb is hardly striding down the hallways of California Pacific Medical Center, but he's also not exactly shuffling along like a ninety year old man, either. "Mosey" might be appropriate, but that implies a certain ease that Robb's walking does not have, yet. Walking is, at this moment, an intense mental and physical endeavor.
But he's doing it. More and more, every day.
Robb walks laps in the therapy gym. Most recently, he walked 350 feet using the walker, and then walked up and down a flight of stairs using a cane.
He is also starting to re-explore the world outside of CPMC. Walking on sidewalks, up and down ramps and curbs, and crossing streets are among the activities that he and his therapists have been working on.
It is great to be outside, negotiating new terrains.
In addition to the physical and occupational therapy, Robb gets massages (which at this point are mostly on his feet; his back is too recently injured to massage) and acupuncture treatments. The acupuncture is amazing. It seems to stimulate new sensations in his feet. We brought Linguine for another visit, and arrived during an acupuncture session. She was so excited to see Robb that she leapt out of my grasp, and lunged up onto the bed, while he still had needles in him. Luckily, the acupuncture team was delighted, rather than horrified, by this behavior.
Robb also did Tai Chi, in a modified form. First he sat down, and did all the arm movements. When he stood at the walker, and did the motions with both arms, he started to lose his balance, and topple over backwards (not the direction you want to fall with a walker), so he stood at the walker, and did the arm exersizes one arm at a time.
But he's doing it. More and more, every day.
Robb walks laps in the therapy gym. Most recently, he walked 350 feet using the walker, and then walked up and down a flight of stairs using a cane.
He is also starting to re-explore the world outside of CPMC. Walking on sidewalks, up and down ramps and curbs, and crossing streets are among the activities that he and his therapists have been working on.
It is great to be outside, negotiating new terrains.
In addition to the physical and occupational therapy, Robb gets massages (which at this point are mostly on his feet; his back is too recently injured to massage) and acupuncture treatments. The acupuncture is amazing. It seems to stimulate new sensations in his feet. We brought Linguine for another visit, and arrived during an acupuncture session. She was so excited to see Robb that she leapt out of my grasp, and lunged up onto the bed, while he still had needles in him. Luckily, the acupuncture team was delighted, rather than horrified, by this behavior.
Robb also did Tai Chi, in a modified form. First he sat down, and did all the arm movements. When he stood at the walker, and did the motions with both arms, he started to lose his balance, and topple over backwards (not the direction you want to fall with a walker), so he stood at the walker, and did the arm exersizes one arm at a time.
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