Never Give Up
I am still making shocking improvements. I walked my hallway in PT. I haven’t done that since last year. https://multipleexperiences.org/2021/06/18/walking-again/. I at one point had a goal to not use the wheelchair in the condo anymore. As much as I would like to believe this is still an attainable goal, it is far down on my goal list. I was amazed I have been able to walk again at all. It took almost 30 minutes to walk roughly 50 feet, the hallway length. I mean really where am I going on my feet. Honestly, I could walk but it would take me forever to get anywhere and I’d be exhausted when I arrived. I don’t know if that is really the smartest use of my energy. I’d prefer to do my two hour cardio and Bionic Gym exercises. I think that keeping myself in practice walking is important. I feel doing so two times a week, with my therapist, is good for now.
I am still amazed at the complete change in my strength status over the last two weeks. I really couldn’t stand upright longer than a few minutes three weeks back. What changed? What clicked? Is it my Rituxan infusion? I don’t know. I have never had an MS symptoms boost from an infusion. As far as I’m aware, Rituxan, like Ocrevus, is to slow progression of MS. It can help some maybe with spasticity or pain but atrophy and muscle weakness, I don’t believe so. I can say it was the Bionic Gym. The vibrational wraps certainly help my cardio levels but they tone muscle not build. At least they tone not build when you are laying in a bed using them. Is it my physical therapy? As much as I adore my therapist, one hour a day two days a week shouldn’t have that instant change from one week to the next.
Truth is I have no idea. My doctor and my physical therapist don’t know. We just know something clicked. Something changed from one week to the next. I think part was me getting my head on straight. I stopped putting all my eggs into the PT basket. I took over my own recovery. I started using my Bionic Gym regularly. I started getting physical again. I started really working on getting my heart rate up. I started focusing on my upper body again in conjunction with the Bionic Gym on the lower body. I basically started getting my life back even in my bed. Next thing I knew I was able to get out of bed more easily. Then I’m was standing. Now I’m walking. I don’t think the why matters, I think it is the persons will that matters. We should all still set goals, regardless of how hard or impossible they seem. Never give up. Have a great weekend.