Fiercely Independent Pam

Category: Updates

  • Working Hard, Focus on the Goals of Independence and Success!

    I am a big believer that goals are only as good as who you share them with.I spent a great PT session today standing and walking a little bit from my arm chair and gradually lowering the arm chair. I did this until I was exhausted. I felt good about being able to stand on my own. Its all a matter of focus on what needs to be done.

    Looking forward, I would like to try being on the Zeen next week or the toilet. I have to decide where I am going to focus. It would be huge to be able to actually use the toilet and be able to get up from it unassisted. At this point the unassisted is the most important part.

    I still have a OT session this week and hoping to work on some transfers (pivoting instead of using the transfer board.) Again, it’s a matter of focus and energy conservation to get this done. This will be most possible from my arm chair to wheelchair and bed to wheelchair.

    In other news, I managed to completely get ready on my own today. I managed to set my clothes out and other than that, I was able to do everything!I needed to focus and make it happen. I am finding my independence one way or another!

    I even had maintenance install my new toilet riser so it set up for when I am ready. I got them to do it while they were here changing light bulbs. I am setting myself up not only for independence but for success as well, all through focus.

  • UTI’s, Antibiotics, Standing, and ,More, All Good Things Happening

    So, it finally happened. My UTI came back with a vengeance. I started having symptoms yesterday and it got bad overnight. Luckily, my primary care already had sent a urine culture out so we know what we are dealing with an what antibiotics are a match.

    I have a call into infectious disease and hopefully the antibiotics won’t be too expensive.Last time they were $3000 which is crazy!

    I had all sorts of trouble calling the infectious disease doctor, but I finally was able to leave a message and the receptionist called me back and will call me back again when the doctor gets in from the hospital.

    Hoping this round of antibiotics clears everything up, as there is nothing more annoying than having a UTI. I am pretty sure the antibiotics will be via IV and not oral, but just hoping they aren’t too expensive.

    In other news, I did great today with PT standing up about 99% by myself, which is a huge improvement. It’s also not a scary for me. PT/OT and I created a calendar for this week to keep trying to stand and hopefully even try some pivots.

    I am so eager to get to the point that I can use the Zeen, but I’m not there yet. I am thinking I will be using it in the next two weeks.

  • Sometimes, A Surprise Really is the Best!!!

    There isn’t too much that surprises me anymore. As a teacher, my students use to love to find ways to surprise me. Sometimes it was a M&M toy or treasure or other times it was a full pancake breakfast. I loved it, but I always knew they were up to something.

    Fast forward to yesterday, as I was getting ready to go to lunch, there was a knock on the door. I was quickly greeted by Bill and Vicki, my neighbors from Florida, who I haven’t seen since leaving Florida two years ago. I was so surprised to see them.

    Good neighbors are hard to come by. Bill and Vicki did so much for me when I was alone in Florida, especially for Sofi. I don’t know what I would’ve done without their help!

    Their visit changed my whole outlook for the day, and hopefully longer. It was not an easy thing for them to travel to Myrtle Beach out of their way, but it meant so much to me! Their surprise wasn’t like my students would pull, it was beyond thought out and they even checked with the front desk to make sure I was still home and not back at the hospital. My goal is to take this positive energy and turn it into standing and walking when OT comes later today!