Freedom is Exhausting

We have learned to take great joy in little steps forward. Lately, we have been able to celebrate larger improvements.

Robb is slowly learning to work with is full-torso brace off. He worked with his physical therapist Doreen, sans brace, for an hour this Wednesday. He says that he feels very fragile when the brace is off. He's got a lot of work to do to rebuild the muscles of his torso that have essentially been on a three month vacation. He's learning that an intermediate step between wearing the brace and taking it off is loosening the velcro straps, so that he is semi-supported.

Today, Robb had to pick up a prescription at the pharmacist. He had no therapists scheduled, and I was at work. So, for the first time ever, he walked down our hill to the shops, unaccompanied.

Of course, getting a call from the pharmacy saying that the prescription is ready does not mean that Robb was able to leave the store with the pills. No. That would make far too much sense. It turned out that while the pills were ready, the pharmacy had not gotten payment authorization from the insurance company, and wouldn't let Robb have the pills. He called the insurance company, walked over to the burrito shop and had lunch, and then picked up the pills.

And then he walked home. He walked the five long blocks up the hill to our house. And that walk, which normally takes ten minutes, took forty-five minutes.

Other than that...

We've been enjoying life. Visited with Kara again, and met her friend Susan. Ellen cooked dinner for all of us. It was a lovely evening, although I suspect most people would say that we spent an awful lot of time discussing injuries.

And speaking of cooking...

One of the goals Robb had with his in-home therapy was to do some sort of a task that involved standing for an hour. Robb's occupational therapist suggested washing all the windows in the apartment, but instead Robb opted to brew a batch of beer. We now have a large glass carboy full of roiling (and franky pretty freaky looking) liquid tucked under our kitchen sink.

Kara hopes that by the time the beer is finished, she'll be off her medications and will be able to enjoy some of Robb's beer. I'm not so hopeful that Robb will be having a beer anytime soon.

Finally

Robb had a follow up visit with his primary physician. There isn't a whole lot to report, other than a reitteration of the fact that the time frame for Robb's recovery will be slow. Nerves regenerate at about an inch a month, and some of the nerves in question reach all the way from the middle of his back to the tips of his toes.

We were talking on the way out of the doctor's visit about how anti-climactic doctor's visits can be. Robb was commenting on how he keeps hoping that the doctor will say -- in an authoritative voice not unlike the Great and Powerful Oz -- "TOOO-DAY is the day that we AD-MINISTER the ... CUUUUURE!"

And darn it! We didn't hear that pronouncement again.

Comments

Anonymous said…
I tried that once about three months ago. The flying went great but the landing SU-U-U-U-U-UCKED!
Gina said…
Ah, yes, but this time they'll be a giant clown troupe with lots of tiny little trampolines covering the entire surface of the earth. If that doesn't keep you airborne, I don't know what will!

Keep on keeping on!
xo

Gina

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