Standing up and Moving
Joy In Motion
In response to Dennetts’ November prompt
- Falling down — Nasty Surprise -
On June the first, 2023, I was struck down (literally) with a TIA (transient ischemic attack)stroke. Luckily for me, a TIA stroke is considered “minor”, but it is also considered to be a warning stroke.
So one day I was out with my garden assistant, Mel, pruning shrubs at a client's garden, later that same day I was knocked down and briefly passed out, on the grass at home. You can read more about that in my Post Stroke Mumblings series.
The bottom line is that as a result of that TIA , on the following morning, I found myself unable to properly function on the left side. Neither arm nor leg seemed to be willing or able to move and I could not even get out of bed.
- Stopped and no control -
I was no longer able to do any of the normal day-to-day activities.
It is incredible to suddenly find that one is unable to do the simplest task.
The unexpected way it happened was particularly unnerving. I am in excellent health, don’t smoke, don’t drink, and have a very healthy diet — but those things were not the major factor. Age and genetics are what they suggested as the main culprits. Nothing I can do about those. So completely no control.
- Regaining Control and Moving -
I began to try to move immediately after getting into the hospital, with the goal of getting back movement and control. The attending doctor said “Keep moving, it is vital that you keep on trying so as to regain control; if you do not, you will lose the battle.”
Naturally, I took that advice as a challenge and a goal.
Keeping that goal in front of me, I kept on working at it, a tiny bit at a time. My partner, Bruce, brought my iPad to the hospital, thoughtfully adding current photos of the cats and our garden. Seeing what I was missing made me try harder. Having the iPad allowed me to restart writing (if only at first able to type with the right hand). Bruce also brought one of my Theraband loops to help with hand and foot exercises, and a tennis ball to squeeze.
June 1, I was unable to move my left arm and leg. June 3, I regained some movement in the left leg and the left hand.
June 7, I persuaded the physio people across the hall to let me come in and try some exercises on their equipment. I was also able to get mostly off the bed by myself to use the washroom (with nurse assistance).
June 9, the physio people had me attempting to climb and descend actual stairs and had fitted me with a loaner walker.
June 10, using the walker, I was taking short turns around the room and visiting other close-by patients.
June 14, I was discharged with a brand new walker and a list of recommended exercises.
- Return to free movement, well sort of -
June 20 — I got some help getting tools and the walker out to the garden and launched into some overdue garden bed tidy-up.
The Hospital had assigned me several home physiotherapists, who came once weekly to give me exercises to do using home furniture as a support. I launched into whatever they gave me with vigor, and each week, there was improvement.
By mid-July, I was able to get around mostly with just the cane, leaving the walker for first thing in the morning and bedtime, times when I was very groggy.
Finally, by the beginning of October, I was out with my Helper Mel at my two remaining clients, pruning and weeding with the aid of the cane and my garden seat.
In the photo compilation below (made into a .gif by Google) taken on October 15, Mel and I are seen finishing up a little flagstone project we had just finished together.
Joy in Moving...again
For those curious, below are photos showing what we started with, and our finished area. Mel had to carry and move the stones; I indicated where to put them and how to get them levelled in their bed of screening. We have added grass seed to the area since and hope it will look great in the spring.
