Yes, I know its only been a few days and already a second procedure! Its monday and we are doing physio this morning. We are then going to Gautam Nagar for the procedure in the pm. Its an one day epidural injection. As it is here things never go according to the outlined time line. We are meant to go over at 11:45 but it ended up being 12:45. After the prep work of antibiotics and an IV is hooked up I am rolled off to their OR. This time I am prep'd and then the epidurals are injected multiple times at about T8-9 occurs and my body receives these strange waves of warm sensations, spasms, and tinglings. Not many minutes later Ashish says how do you feel and what are you feeling. I tell him about these sensations and he says very good, very good. Then he goes down to my inclined feet and says, "try to wiggle your toes", "start with the big toes, and then the outer toes". I state that I have previously been able to move the big toes on each foot but not any others other than the 5th toe ever so slightly on the left foot. But now Ashish is telling me that I just moved, individually my 2nd, 3rd and 5th toes on the left and the 2nd and 3rd on the right foot. I ask, is this noticeable or just minimally? He states that some are minimally but has seen them distinct movement in each.
A video was recorded and will be sent to me in a few days. Cool. I hope to post this soon.
After the procedure I was taken back to my room and I had to lay still on my back with my feet up on the 2 bricks holding my bed up for the next 4 hours!!! Now this is the hard part... with blood flowing to me head and having to lay still. I also found that my butt was sticking and sweating from being in the same place after about 2hrs. Good thing it is not hot here.
I never look forward to having to do this... can't wait til I have to do the 2 or 3 day one!
In the following days at physio we have been working on increasing the walking distance and doing Swiss ball exercises over head and holding for as long as I can, sitting on the swiss ball and doing bouncing on the ball 100 times to increase circulation in my spine. Along with these exercises comes balancing without hands on the swiss ball and rotations. I am also on the mat doing kneeling with squats and holding on with one hand, etc.
I havent noticed too many changes but seemingly my abs are getting stronger with better balance and stability. My legs feel heavier after 3 days post procedure and I continue to feel more time zone adapted and more energised. Well that is all for now.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Sunday, January 24, 2010
3rd Time lucky
Welcome Back to India Sir!,
Well here I am again in Delhi, India for my 3rd treatment. It was a long long trip and with an early early start from home I was exhausted when I arrived on a cold and very foggy night. On the drive from the airport to the hospital the visibility was maybe 100m ahead due to the huge fog and terrible dust. Welcome to India, home of pollution!
After a very uncomfortable sleep I was up for my first morning (21 January) and "Hello Sir, Stem cells?" Yes, no mucking about, straight into it with the injections. The down to Physio for an assessment and up on my feet to show for the camera. Later that day all I could do was talk to people so I could stay awake and begin a normal day on Friday. I made it to 8pm before I had to go to sleep.
I have a new physio, his name is Dipin. He is the only Indian male that I have seen who isnt terribly short (same height as me, and I am no giant).
This morning I am still very fatigued and have a UTI (good way to start hey?) but we go through the motions to start the exercises and then a brief walking distance. It is better already compared to when I arrived totally fatigued.
When I return to my room moments later Geeta arrives to meet me and talk shop briefly. She always looks in good health!! I am informed of my 1st procedure to occur this avro! Its a minor one but mate!, there's no mucking about.
The injection is given here in the OR in Green Park Hospital so therefore no need to transfer to Guata Nagar. So, I wheeled up to the 3rd floor and they popped me up on the bed and Ashish went to work. The injection was to be put into the spinal muscles on either side of the vertebrae a few levels down from my injury (so about T8). Now, when I had these DSM (deep spinal muscle) injections previously I could not feel anything.... in this case I was totally suprised and OW! did it ever hurt!!!! Oh it was a big suprise! Ashish, says; wow that is great! It may be good that the sensation has changed but pain is never good.... atleast it was very brief.
For the Green Park physio staff its the end of the week and usually we half the amount of time in exercises. Dipin has started me with doing some different core exercises which I think will be very beneficial. What he has me doing is, lifting a swiss ball over my head with arms extended and holding it for as long as I can till i loose balance, and repeat.... We are also throwing the swiss ball back and forth as quickly as possible and at different angles. I was actually suprised at how good my balance has become (I havent done this exercise for a while). On the bed we are also trying to see if I can bend my knee while laying down. Dipin gives a little assistance and I am able to make the knee bend even when in laying flat. The left seems a little weaker but its hard to tell. I am also back up on my feet to continue with the walker for a couple of short walks as I am still feeling fatigues with the UTI and all.
Even though there is no Physio this avro, I decided that since I wasted time not walking for a few days with travelling, I will do some more in my room on my own. Since I can.... why not?
It shall be interesting to see how things progress??
Well, that is about it for the intro.... catch you later.
Well here I am again in Delhi, India for my 3rd treatment. It was a long long trip and with an early early start from home I was exhausted when I arrived on a cold and very foggy night. On the drive from the airport to the hospital the visibility was maybe 100m ahead due to the huge fog and terrible dust. Welcome to India, home of pollution!
After a very uncomfortable sleep I was up for my first morning (21 January) and "Hello Sir, Stem cells?" Yes, no mucking about, straight into it with the injections. The down to Physio for an assessment and up on my feet to show for the camera. Later that day all I could do was talk to people so I could stay awake and begin a normal day on Friday. I made it to 8pm before I had to go to sleep.
I have a new physio, his name is Dipin. He is the only Indian male that I have seen who isnt terribly short (same height as me, and I am no giant).
This morning I am still very fatigued and have a UTI (good way to start hey?) but we go through the motions to start the exercises and then a brief walking distance. It is better already compared to when I arrived totally fatigued.
When I return to my room moments later Geeta arrives to meet me and talk shop briefly. She always looks in good health!! I am informed of my 1st procedure to occur this avro! Its a minor one but mate!, there's no mucking about.
The injection is given here in the OR in Green Park Hospital so therefore no need to transfer to Guata Nagar. So, I wheeled up to the 3rd floor and they popped me up on the bed and Ashish went to work. The injection was to be put into the spinal muscles on either side of the vertebrae a few levels down from my injury (so about T8). Now, when I had these DSM (deep spinal muscle) injections previously I could not feel anything.... in this case I was totally suprised and OW! did it ever hurt!!!! Oh it was a big suprise! Ashish, says; wow that is great! It may be good that the sensation has changed but pain is never good.... atleast it was very brief.
For the Green Park physio staff its the end of the week and usually we half the amount of time in exercises. Dipin has started me with doing some different core exercises which I think will be very beneficial. What he has me doing is, lifting a swiss ball over my head with arms extended and holding it for as long as I can till i loose balance, and repeat.... We are also throwing the swiss ball back and forth as quickly as possible and at different angles. I was actually suprised at how good my balance has become (I havent done this exercise for a while). On the bed we are also trying to see if I can bend my knee while laying down. Dipin gives a little assistance and I am able to make the knee bend even when in laying flat. The left seems a little weaker but its hard to tell. I am also back up on my feet to continue with the walker for a couple of short walks as I am still feeling fatigues with the UTI and all.
Even though there is no Physio this avro, I decided that since I wasted time not walking for a few days with travelling, I will do some more in my room on my own. Since I can.... why not?
It shall be interesting to see how things progress??
Well, that is about it for the intro.... catch you later.
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