northernguitarguy
Your Replies
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August 21, 2010 at 8:10 pm
Hi Harry
I wish GBS was a mental thing, I would have thought it away by now.
Your wife will be ready for the pool anytime she is ready. She will likely need help and may need a life-jacket if her legs are too weak. The water feels nice and the workout is effective.
GBS recovery is tricky, a balancing act between physio and rest. Too little or too much of either is not ideal. She might enjoy and benefit from some massage therapy, hottub
I’m sorry about the family probs, I hope you can make up. Take all the support offered by friends.
Be patient as well. Us GBS’ers can be a cantankerous bunch. We dont mean it, we just hurt a lot.
Above all else, the power of distraction and anything that eases pain is paramount.
Best
August 21, 2010 at 11:07 am[QUOTE=Hedley LaMarr]If I read your post right, your wife started this 5/22/10 and you brought her home in June 2010. I was rapidly discharged after treatment for GBS and left the hospoital after three weeks. BUT, I went to rehab, not home. I think your wife belongs in rehab. Has anyone said that to you? She needs professional setting care.[/QUOTE]
Agreed, a good rigorous physio program will be important to her returning to normal. When she’s ready and under proper care or intense supervision the pool is a wonderful place to start recovery.
August 21, 2010 at 9:23 am[QUOTE=necey]D.U. brought to mind something that I just became aware of and that I’ve been struggling with these past few days.
What does “getting your life back” mean to you? When did you realize that its not the same life you left? And what did all of this feel like? Please share!![/QUOTE]
I can play the role of ‘household lazy-slob’ quite well. However, this has become ridiculous. What does it mean getting my life back?
Right now I am happy to be
-trimming my own toe-nails
– driving a car
-being able to stand up holding my Les Paul despite sounding horrible when playing it
-walking 1-2 km distances
-being able to hold my wife’s hand without pain
-being able to read printGBS took almost everything that involves physical activity and left me feeling like I just finished 16 hrs of shoveling gravel 24 hrs. a day while much of my epidermis feels like it has been power-sanded.
I’ll take anything right now. My colleagues are all preparing to return to work, I wish I was there. However, I am happy to be breathing, safe financially and more importantly surrounded by loving family and friends.
August 20, 2010 at 9:16 pmHey Bubb Hub
Welcome and sorry to be welcoming you.
I often think about what my wife has gone through in order to keep our house from falling apart. I am grateful that she has the reserve energy to keep it together.
Sounds like things are difficult. Can your parents watch your boy for you at all? That will give you both some quiet time that is much needed. Take help from anybody who offers. We have appreciated the food that people have dropped off.
I’m not sure that anybody here can tell you when she will walk, but there is no reason to think that she wont. It will take time and you will have to be satisfied with small steps. Measure each one on a small scale and celebrate when she shows improvement.
I wish you the best
August 20, 2010 at 7:03 pm[QUOTE=necey]I love this thread!
After a week of depression, non-stop tears and zero activity (definately not good for me), I’m feeling stronger and more emotionally stable![/QUOTE]
welcome necey, lotsa places to complain, I’m glad you found the optimist brigade.
I suppose I should be happy that I haven’t been on the forum much. I mis you folks but I have been determined to keep busy to be distracted from GBS.
Family has been great and have been supporting me. my boys have ben joining me at the pool. They love it! I have been trying to give back as much as possible. I love that I am back on the BBQ whipping up some summer chow.
Improvements spring up from nowhere. I am pumping a lot more weight at physio.
I went to a rock concert on Saturday! This was a lot of fun and a challenge but worth it.
I’ve decided to spend my recovery time writing some music. I’m going downtown Toronto this weekend to pick up some equipment and software to start recording. It will be fun.
I hope you can find something fun to do today.
August 19, 2010 at 4:43 pmHey Jessica
If you like alternative music check out this arcade fire video on youtube, they are my new favourite band and they take a lot from Bowie, New Order, Depeche Mode, however they use no drum machines or computers
crank it!!
[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vS5crSXJ6k&feature=fvst[/url]
August 17, 2010 at 9:00 am[QUOTE=lovemyford]I enjoy just listening to Johnny Cash. His music brings me back to reality and I think of my situation as not too tough. Johnny Cash’s music has a variety of meanings for me. He was an amazing artist.[/QUOTE]
nuff said!!
August 17, 2010 at 8:59 am[QUOTE=Brandt]I get knocked down
I get up again
Never gonna keep me downOver and over. If I could figure out to get it as my ringtone, I would put it there… it’s my theme song.[/QUOTE]
‘we’ll be singing when we’re winning!’
August 14, 2010 at 8:11 amHey Harry, that is so cool. Soon you’ll be asking the Mrs. to tango.
I know you will enjoy this new freedom and more will come. Cheers!
August 13, 2010 at 7:11 pmHey. Already been into the sauce. Celebrating (a bit) feeling better. I hope you are as well. But since I’m keeping it simple in the real world I’ll order up a bottle of Chianti with some nice antipasto. Feel free to have a snort as I’m a cheap drunk……..;)
August 13, 2010 at 2:33 pm[QUOTE=smitty]Congrats on the energetic new you! Surely you are recovering! Maybe your recent adventure with your family brought it on.
smitty[/QUOTE]
Thanks Smitty.
I saw my neurologist yesterday and had EMG testing (always fun:eek: ). My responses were good and he said I am on a speedy path to recovery. He also confirmed the ‘leap theory’ i.e sudden recovery of functions and feelings. According to Dr. B, once the myelin grows back it it takes time to kick in or a part of a path is completed allowing the nerve signals to ‘suddenly’ kick in.
Whatever, I’ll take it and keep moving.
I hope you all can feel some recovery.:)
August 12, 2010 at 10:48 amThanks ladies! Some of this has come from mental victories such as driving again. This has allowed me to get out of the house by myself. I took advantage of this yesterday and got my guitar fixed up and brought some antipasto delicacies for Lisa and myself for dinner.
Best to all!
August 11, 2010 at 8:29 pmRight on D.U.!
Great story- Lisa and I have tickets to see Arcade Fire on Toronto Island this Saturday. I thought that there was no way that I could handle it, but after a little planning I am going. We mapped out parking and a wheelchair ready at the ferry docks. As well, I b****** a bit to the promoter through e-mails and ended up getting wristbands for the VIP tent. This rocks. I can sit on my butt in the wheelchair or at a table. 😎 😎 😎 🙂
August 11, 2010 at 6:08 pm[QUOTE=dolphnlvr8]During early recovery, I found that I would make huge leaps and bounds. Then, I would plataue for a while and then leaps and bounds again. Since I am5 years out, I don’t really see much except small and slow. But, I do still see improvement. It is wonderful you are feeling so much better. Try not to over do it, and this could become the new you for now.
Congratulations!!!!!
Tonya Correll[/QUOTE]
Thanks Tonya! It’s hard to not over do it. Having been robbed of so many functions I wanna do it all:D However, GBS reminds you after all this that you gotta rest.
August 10, 2010 at 11:29 pmI believe I did at a Metallica show years ago, however regardless of GBS I’m as daft as I’ve always been
