Rehab Questions

Congratulations to your wife’s progress. As for rehab and fatigue and pushing your limits, I would reccommend that she do what she feels she can. She won’t learn her limits or lack of them until she tries. I didn’t know anything about not pushing myself during rehab while I was there. I did not have any setbacks or relapses and I pushed VERY hard. But, considering I was unable to stand the day I was moved to inpatient rehab, and walked out with a walker 4 weeks later, I was very blessed and recovered very quickly.

Hi Justin!

Man, that is just great she’s taking tiny steps already. That walker was hard at first. It feels like you want to fall over the front rail all the time. I was actually told to take it slow and not to push. I have pushed hard all my life in everything I do so I wasn’t going to slow up when I was recovering. I did get to one point when I was going up and down the stairs in the hospital and my hands stated tingling again. I was like, “whoa, better back off a little bit.” But the next day I was right at it. By the fourth month after I went down I was back to full throttle and people would have never known it had happened to me. So keep the faith and keep up the good work!
Cheers!
Johnny Mac

Oh, and one more thing. By the time I was in rehab I KNEW I was going to get back to normal. There were people on my floor, however, were never going to get back to where I was even then. That was pretty sobering. I kept thinking to myself, “I’m just passing through, I’m just passing through”. And I was. I got out in one week instead of the anticiapted two. So don’t let her get depressed by the others in her area. This is only temporary.
Cheers!
Johnny Mac

Necer,

I can’t tell you about steroids, but about rehab, I was told that my body would rebound on it’s own. I just rested ever chance I got even between PT exercises. My strength and mobility would just came back. I did everything my PTs and OTs told me to. The hospital was large and we would move around in wheel chairs. On day two my OT had me take off the wheel chair foot rests and asked me to pull myself along with my feet, I could do 30 feet. Then I would lift legs and motor with my arms or get a push. I also could only walk 10 feet with a walker. By day 14 I could walk 500 feet with a cane and I could go everywhere using my feet on the wheel chair.

Your wife’s body will rebound on it’s own. As the nerves come back, each muscle group or organ will start working normally again. Rehab will help her restore her weakened muscles and get her mobility back.

Just keep the Faith through the Valley of Darkness!

Mark.

Justin, I’m not good at all on the chemical side of recovery because I really never needed it. From posts over the last couple of years I would say that Fairly Odd Mother would be a good resource. Maybe you can send her a message if she’s not monitoring this thread?
Cheers!
Johnny Mac