I drove to Frankfort yesterday to our annual picnic and staff meeting. It was the second one I'd attended since my stroke. The first one, last summer, was a big deal for me. It was the first time I had driven that far by myself, and the first time I had participated in a large event such as that. But it's amazing how the human brain and body can heal and adapt to even something as traumatic as a stroke. Since that first time, I've made the trip to Frankfort many times by myself, and this time carrying Polly's casserole from my car to the tables where the food was laid out was no big deal. And just as I have adapted, so have my co-workers. This time no one offered to let me go to the head of the line or help me get my food. I was just another staff member standing in line with everyone else. It was too hot to play games after eating, so I went back to work for awhile then drove back home. I drove through a thunderstorm on the interstate, but what else is new in Kentucky.
When Polly got home I still had enough energy to go with her to the Y and swim laps. That, also, is much easier than it used to be. I no longer have to ease in using the steps at the shallow end. Now I go to the deep end of the lane I'm going to use and jump in. The water and the pool area is kept cool, so jumping in is a shock to my system, but it's good to get it over with instead of drawing it out. I swim underwater a bit just to get used to the temperature, then swim laps for about forty minutes. Then a long, hot shower and back home for supper.
The spasticity on my left side still plagues me, but doesn't stop me. I tell myself that it's part of the healing process and that eventually it will go away just as it came. I don't know if that's true, but it's a nice thought, and who knows, maybe it will happen that way.
Recovery from stroke is such a slow process that it's easy to get discouraged. But on days like yesterday, it becomes obvious to me how far I've come in a relatively short time. Today is a day of reflection, but also a day of work. Life is such a balancing act.
Can you windmill your arms against the spasticity?
ReplyDeleteWhat swimming stroke are you using?
My spasticity doesn't limit my range of motion as much as it makes motion slow and difficult. I don't windmill my arms, but with effort, I can get my left arm up and out of the water enough to do a standard freestyle stroke. To make it easier, I roll my body a bit from side to side and always breathe to my right. That way, my left arm is beneath me on a down stroke and that's much easier than lifting it up and out. I don't have much of a problem with kicking. My left knee is stiff and hard to bend, but kicking mostly stiff-legged gets the job done. Swimming is a hassle when you have to drive to the pool, get undressed, get dressed, dry off, and I don't want to get mystical and say there is something healing about water, but I truly don't believe I would be at the point I am without it.
ReplyDeleteLet me add that until fairly recently I swam with both arms underwater, using a breaststroke pull with my head bobbing up and down in order to breathe. That was slow and awkward, but it strengthened me to the point that a freestyle stroke became possible a few months ago.
ReplyDeleteJim I can't figure out a way to make your posts automatically come to my email. Is there a way to do that?
ReplyDeleteI think so. I've never turned that feature on, because I never thought anyone would want to use it. I'll look into it now.
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