Continuing On

Since I last wrote I have had 2 more procedures.... I had the dreaded "lumbar puncture" and another DSM injection. I say the lumbar puncture in quotations because it isnt actually in my lumbar region but it is still a widthdrawal of CFS fluid and then injecting of Stem cells. Again I am warned about staying still and the possibility of headaches, vomiting, and nausea. I guess I am very lucky on having a great system that recovers well, since I did not have any of those symptoms! yahooooo! The hardest parts for me are sitting still for hours with my head down and feet up with the blood running to my head. I noticed that my butt is sweating and feels uncomfortable being in one position for long periods. Its some kind of internal feeling???...

After surviving a night in the other place and being uncomfortable and not sleeping much, i am taken back to Green park midmorning to rest in my room. No physio today, they dont want to you to exert yourself after such a dramatic change to your system. The next day its just a light physio session as a preventative. Although, I am itching to get up back on my feet and go, as I feel pretty good.
I have noticed at the next physio day, (even though i am still very tired) that my legs feel heavier, and I have lower abs contracting like crazy and seemingly my core feels stronger and I can sit up easier? Today I have heaps of spasms in my abdominals! After the procedures I tend to become much more spastic and then after a few days things settle down.

A few days later Geeta came to see me in Physio and she is checking out my ability to move on the bed with exercises. Generally my physio states that I have improved in balance and core strength since I have arrived in Green park this trip. Geeta also watches me in walking and within a few minutes she is having me in the parallel bars and demonstrating how she would like to see me walk (like a normal person). Geeta demonstrates the proper gait technique and I try it! I get the concept but to try and do the motion is near impossible... however my left leg is seemingly better at it. I try it a few times and I manage to get a few steps in correct and then i sit down. This is the final stage in gait technique, whereby, if you can do this, then you are making the same movements as a "normal" person. This means I wont have to change my gait anymore after mastering this stage!!! Can you imagine....

One of the main things that any wheelie has to battle is..... stairs. So the next thing I am going to try is getting up on a step and to hitch my legs up. Next!...

At the end of this week I now have to have a DSM procedure..... another and another, luckily it is only in the same hospital and I only have to lay down for an hour. It means missing another physio time :( Luckily I am able to go on my own and walk in my room and in the bars at some stage during the weekend. This way I am able to keep getting on my feet and practice.

I have now been here for 2 1/2 weeks and with all the procedures and being constantly on antibiotics, my bladder function has gotten worse instead of better. They are trying to prevent infections but at the same time the medications mess up your system in many other ways. Well, I am sure things will straighten out once I leave an go back to some state of normal living.

This week we continue with the swiss ball balancing and core strengthening, along with walking, balancing on knees, and today, hip hitching so that we can advance to stepping up.....
I am due to go for an epidural catheter procedure today, which means going to Gautam Nagar for a few days and being poked and prodded again. Fun with drips, here we come!! Hopefully I wont go crazy while I am there. Time for a massive flooding of stem cells!