I Feel Like Houdini

Have you ever been strapped to a board?

Up until now, I didn’t think I would have but now I can stay that I have been.

Earlier in the week when I went to PT the therapist said he wanted me to try and get some pressure on my back when I do my at-home exercises.  I am feeling better but still not pain free.  He thinks we need some pressure on the back since it helps when we try the moves at PT.  The hard part is finding somebody to lend a few hands.  Kenyon and I work long hours and will soon be on opposite work shifts.  I don’t really have a job where two people can be off the consoles at the same time so finding a coworker to assist is also difficult.

The PT showed me how I can use a strap and a table, like the one at Rehab Authority. to apply pressure to my lower back.  While at Rehab Authority that is easy to do because the tables you lay on are elevated and there are lots of people to help get you strapped in.  So how would you do something similar at home?  The PT suggested using a belt and an ironing board.  You strap yourself to the ironing board (while it is collapsed) then lay it on the ground (don’t lay on it while the board is standing up) and use the belt/strap as the pressure against my lower back similar to the tables at Rehab Authority.

Okay.  Got it!

I headed home and explained to Kenyon that he would need to help me figure out how to belt myself to our ironing board.  Kenyon didn’t think that idea was very safe and he was worried I might break our ironing board (I am pretty sure that wasn’t a fat joke).  Kenyon, always the forward thinker, had a better idea.

 This just happens to be a very heavy duty wood table top that Kenyon plans to turn into a desk.  Since he has not had time to work on his desk project the wood table top is now my new PT tool!  He dug out my luggage strap and got me all set up.  I lay my pink yoga mat on top for a little cushion, strap myself in (which can take a few tries), and do my at home exercises

I hope this will continue to improve the condition of my back.  I’ll be honest.  I have good days and bad days and often I get frustrated or depressed.  I have almost all of my everyday movement back.  For that, I am thankful!  But, there is still a lot of my old life I miss that I can’t quite do right now.  I know it will take time.  It is hard to be patient.  In the meantime I am being a very good PT student and planning to see the orthopedic doctor in two weeks.  I am also preparing for the cost of an MRI.  I just want to get better and return to my old life.

I miss my active lifestyle.