Invisible Disibilities

My daughter visited the disability services display booth at the university today and picked up a button for me.

It says....

All Disabilities are Equal
But Not all Disabilities are Visible.


I attached it to the backpack where I keep all of my occupational therapy and cognitive therapy notes and supplies.

Swimming Time

My friend and I have been going swimming on the past two Tuesdays.

There is an organization in the city that arranged for one of the city pools to be closed to the public between 5 pm and 8 pm on Tuesday and open for disabled people to come and swim for free along with assistants if needed!

When we went two weeks ago Shawn and I were not too sure what we were getting into but though the worse that could happen would be that we would sit and chat and wait for our rides to come to take us back home. It turned out that I was worrying for nothing. Everything was great. There were not very many people so that made me happy because a lot of noise and movement really bothers me. We changed in a large accessible family area with great accessible showers and bathrooms and then we proceeded to the pool area. There was no wheelchair lift for Shawn. Instead, she transferred to a water proof wheelchair since the pool has a ramp that goes straight into the water. It was so much fun to watch Shawn roll into the water all by herself and basically swim out of the chair! The water is pretty warm at about 83 degrees. We chatted with a couple of other ladies and swam around and this week played with pool noodles.

Shawn and I have the same physiotherapist and he was thrilled to find out that we are voluntarily getting out there and being active. It is so cold right now that it is hard to get out much and do any kind of walking or any other kind of exercise, but this was such a treat to be moving and playing. We are going to try and go every week and I think we have already convinced two more people to come with us next week.

Physiotherapy in the New Year

Today was my first real therapy session with my new physiotherapist and it went very well. He was very optimistic about the possibilities for good progress.

My biggest concerns are dizziness and balance issues and I have also developed a lot of pain in my "good" hip and leg. It is probably in response to my awkward gait. Tony is assuring me that we are going to do great things and it will make a real difference.

It feels like staring over with physio but that is a good thing. It is a new year, new therapist and a new set of goals. I am very proud of the progress I have made over the past two years and I think I got pretty complacent with where I have found myself. Now looking at how I am doing through the fresh eyes I can see where I still have a ways to go still and change is really still possible!

We went through a few exercises and he checked how well I could do them. I now have a new set of exercises for homework. We also worked on some balance tasks. (I am back to using the dreaded stabilization belt... sighhhhhhhh) Tony firmly stated that THOSE exercises were NOT for doing an home... yet.

I meet with my dietician next week and I know she has a whole new plan for me too.

''Year's end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us.'' ~ Hal Borland

It looks like I am well on the path to an even healthier 2011.