So I went yesterday for an occupational therapy evaluation at the same place that I’ve been going to therapy for the past four years. However I only participated in OT last year. I never realized I could do both. When my insurance ran out last year I actually took a break for the first time. Normally when my insurance runs out I go on their maintenance program but this time I just decided to continue doing my own exercising at home. I knew I was continuing to get worse and truthfully I was just tired of going. I have my physical therapy evaluation later this month.

My therapist from last year did the evaluation and will be my ongoing therapist for this year. This office, all the therapist and workers and chronic care patients know me well. It was mice to see everyone again but I won’t lie I was nervous. I knew I was a lot worse than I was when I left and I questioned whether that was my fault for not going on maintenance. My neurologists, my family and of course I, myself, have noted the progression of my disability over the year even while I was in therapy but of course there is still that doubt. Should I have continued? Would it have made a difference? The answer doesn’t matter because I didn’t and now this evaluation was going to be compared to one prior during my therapy sessions.

It wasn’t good. The grip test showed a drop in right hand strength by 2lbs, not terrible but left hand strength by 10lbs. That was significant. The thumb pinch was bad on both right and left, not just bad, significantly worse. The coordinations test on hand dexterity was actually not as bad as I thought it would be but it was off from where I was prior. We discussed my falling and how I’m in the wheelchair most of the time now. He questioned if the hover round was the right chair for me. I might need one of those true wheelchairs that go up, down and back making some of my tasks easier as well as transfers. It is a matter of will insurance let you trade in a chair early if there is a significant change in symptoms. That is another issue I may have to deal with.

The OT plan has been made and I start again next Tuesday. It won’t be easy but physical therapy will be harder. Especially because my normal PT isn’t doing my evaluation this time. He has been on medical leave and isn’t back yet. They both will make me work doing challenging exercises I hate but I do them with a smile because I don’t give up.