Tuesday was our two week point with the start of Physiotherapy exercises to get Michellie's muscles back on track. Time has a way of helping us forget things, and it wasn't until we met with the Physiotherapist that we realized just how much healing Michellie has accomplished over the last two weeks. When we first tested her reflexes, Michellie had nerve damage such that she had lost feeling in the legs and feet. She was having trouble recognizing touch to any part of her legs, and the sensations were not equal. Very often her feet and legs would go numb. We are happy to report that she now has sensation equally down her legs and feet. There is still a little numbness on the bottoms of her feet.
Michellie's balance was such that she could balance with her eyes open and on one foot for about 15 seconds, and with her eyes closed, about 2 seconds. Yesterday, she had balance on her feet with her eyes open for almost a minute, and over 15 seconds with her eyes closed. This was a significant shift. The impact of this change in receptors shows that the proprioceptive system is gaining strength, and that messages are now being transmitted equally and with integrity.
The first meeting Michellie had no idea where muscles were, if they were engaged, and how they felt - except maybe if they cramped. This still blows me away - she was a dancer, how could she not know!? Yesterday, Michellie could find the muscles, she could engage them, and she had strength to reproduce an action repeatedly without fatigue. She had gained considerable strength in her core, glutes and hamstrings.
New activities added for her this week included work with the Gluteus Medius. Michellie could not engage her gluteus medius without shifting her hip to use her hip flexors, or quad. She also noted that she could feel her abdominals try to engage, as well as her fascia latta. These are all muscles Michellie used to do the Highland Fling, Hitch Slide, Grande Battements, Baby Freezes and more only 12 months ago. She is relearning from the ground up for sure.
Michellie's hand grasp had improved significantly as well, and both hands are now equal in grip. This will help with bike riding, and using the grip to get up and down our driveway as it is an uphill climb to get home.
Standing and sitting tall is much easier for Michellie now. She definitely walks with more confidence, and when she sits up her head is in alignment with her spine. All of this had collapsed through the treatments. As well, the shoulder blades have had a huge winging in the back with treatment, and she has been able to reduce this by 50% over the last few weeks. This will keep her from still being able to lift boxes, or do any extraneous pulling or extending. Bed making is ok, but vacuuming is still not a good idea. They are worried she could still pop a disc out with the muscles not yet engaged in her core.
Next weeks walking in Washington should really help to reengage the whole body in movement. Michellie has a whole new set of exercises to add, and she has continued with using the Star as well to reengage the brain/body connection and continue to repair the mylenation across the nerve endings. She has even talked about getting a little Highland Fling time in, just to engage those muscles again.
Reflecting on this experience from a physical perspective, it is really amazing to see how important movement and nutrition is to the body. Inactivity can reduce the body quickly and in ways one can not even imagine. As well, damage to nerve endings can reak havoc on so many aspects of our lives. The brain, the spine, the muscles, sensation, concentration, stamina, strength, the list is endless. The body is a marvel at repair and sustaining itself, but if we keep the nutrition strong, what incredible power we continue to give to our body to do the best for us.
Michellie's next appointment is in three weeks. That will be the middle of May. It is hard to believe that May has arrived and so has Spring. New possibility in every way.
