Therapy

Our weeks are filled with it.  We grow emotionally, physically,
mentally and spiritually because of it.  Things that you may think of
as impossible become possible.  It's a curative power or quality.

Therapy, therapy, therapy!

I laugh because my family knows how big of an advocate I am of all types of therapy.  Tons of therapy!  I believe in it, love it, and all together I see therapy making a huge difference in our daily life.

Massage.  Ok, there are many benefits to massage therapy.  Chris still experiences a great deal of pain in his neck daily.  I find that when he gets a massage it loosens his neck and shoulders and provides him with more movement and some temporary relief.  A technique called dry brushing our massage therapist uses has been increasing movement in his right leg.  The first time it was done we were shocked as he wiggled his right toes on his own. AWESOME!



Manual.  Manual therapy, as I understand it, is a physical therapist with advanced training.  Chris' manual therapist used stretching and dry needling, a practice using acupuncture needles, in his neck to release tightness.  When doing this every week Chris has a wider range of motion.  We are in the process of finding a new one, if you know of any please let us know.


Physical.  He spends about 3 hours, 2 times a week in the Peak Center at Craig Hospital working with physical therapists doing AMAZING things.  Exercises that push him to the max!  One of his favorites is the pool therapy at Craig.  Those who know him well know his love for all things WATER.  He was a swimmer in high school and still tells me of his record in the backstroke.  I will never forget his first experience back in the water after nearly drowning.  He waited somewhat patiently to get off the vent and for the hole in his neck from the tracheotomy to close to be eligible for pool therapy.  My husband's strength and character often astounds me as he asked the therapist if she would dunk him.  Not for long, but wanting to overcome any fear, he takes a deep breath and she dunks him.  He comes up and says "Thanks, but I don't want to do that again".  Physical therapy stretches you!
   

Occupational.  This type of therapy helps Chris become more independent in daily life.  They cast for finger splints and make adaptable equipment for  brushing your teeth, eating, and shaving.  He was recently excited about being able to open our fridge, unlock the front door, and turn on and off the lights and firepace.  I even found him willing to help fold towels and vacuum.  This is the one therapy that insurance covers and we are thankful.


Phsyco.  I think this is more for ME!  I am a HUGE promoter of everyones mental health.  I am so thankful for this person in my life. She has known me from when I was writing pros and con lists on whether to marry Chris to being my biggest encourager and help during the past six months.  I know I am a deep thinker and an old soul but I just love people.  Loving people is great but as we all know some people are a little crazy.  My therapist helps me navigate the crazy.  


Shopping.  I would always recognize this as one of my favorites but it is not as satisfying to me PREGNANT.  I fit into nothing, not even my own shoes.  I'd love to hear how other women have felt about this but I have not had the desire for much shopping.  I hope my desire returns in a few months.  This has probably been replaced by my love for yummy food!  Which it's time for now.  

Change

Change.

Sometimes we fight it.
Sometimes we hate it.
Sometimes it's AWESOME!

The definition of change is an event that occurs when something passes from one state or phase to another.  I think Chris and I are living in a constant state of change.


On July 4, 2012 While vacationing in Nebraska I was watching my handsome husband walk to the end of the dock after a wonderful game of UNO.  We were all so hot and ready for a dip in the lake.  I kept watching Chris and had realized he was floating funny.  I then ran, jumped in and turned him around to find my husband in a state of blue.  Shocked and yelling, "911", we got him out of the water and started doing chest compressions.  To all my beautiful praying wives out there, we pray for our husbands but in this moment I was fighting with Jesus for his life.  I can't express how thankful I am for the daily hugs God gives me but this was a HUGE moment.  I prayed that Chris would breathe in the name of Jesus and he started spitting out water!  Blessing one!

We then got Chris to the hospital and they informed us that we would need to do flight for life back to Denver.  There isn't a whole lot of room on the helicopters so we had to drive the longest 4 hour drive from Nebraska back to Denver Health, a level one trauma hospital.  Later in the evening they told us they wanted us to go home and get rest and we would do surgery in the a.m.  As anyone knows how hard it is to leave a loved one in the ICU, pure crazy!  But I decided I should try and run home and get a few things done.  The number one thing on my mind was to take a pregnancy test.  Of course when you're married you don't quite dream of doing this with your best friend, but ladies, sometimes you just have to know!!  Of course I start bawling as the test tells me positive! Blessing Two!

POSITIVE!

Is my husband going to live?  What does this mean?  We just came off birth control, is this for real?!  Well, it's 30 weeks later and I can tell you it is for real!  I'm the pregnant, caregiving, full-time working, hairstyling, loving wife.  In the last six months a lot has changed.  We sold our favorite house we designed together in Cherry Creek and moved to another more accessible house near the University of Denver.  We now live closer to Craig Hospital where Chris continues to do outpatient rehab after our almost 3-month inpatient stay where we made lifelong friends.  Every day life gets a little more routine, but of course in 2 months that will all change again!

As some of you already know, and as many of you are about to find out, walking through a spinal cord injury is a crazy roller coaster ride where you're not quite sure what the next hour or even 15 minute is going to bring. Welcome to our ride!

Walking Video

I think I have resolved the technical difficulties with the video on my previous post.  Electrical stimulation on my right leg helps me activate a step and I am able to move my left leg under my own strength.  The physical therapist behind me helps to put my leg into full extension so that it can bear weight while I step with the opposite foot.  I am also strapped into a walker that allows me to support some weight through my elbows.  This therapy is just one of many we are using to hopefully get me walking on my own!

Six Months

Today marks the six month anniversary of my diving accident.  One of the first things I was told when I started rehab was that it's a marathon not a sprint, boy is that true!  I've come a long ways but still have a long ways to go.   I have learned so many things in this period of time and have been overwhelmed by the love and support from friends and family.  Stacy and I decided to start this blog so that we could share some of the stories from our daily lives about the ups and downs we experience every day.

Be sure to read the About Us page so that you understand the context of our stories.  Some other big events that you need to know are: after after my injury I spent two weeks in the ICU at Denver Health, I went to Craig Rehab Hospital for 2 1/2 months, and we sold our house in Cherry Creek and moved to a more handicap accessible home in south Denver.

Stacy and I have been busy the last few days printing and addressing New Years Cards with a special  thank you message.  We'll be sending these out over the next week or two, if you want one and you think we may not have your address send me an email so we can get one to you.

Rehab at Craig continues to be a highlight of almost every week so expect to see lots of stories and pictures of my days there.