August 9, 2021
So, it was 349 days ago that my post fusion rehab began…and, it’ll be going on for the rest of my life!
My rehab began on my fourth day in the hospital. Basically, I managed to get myself out of bed, and I limped up-and-down the public corridor outside my room a few times. There were some nurses and admins chatting at the desk, and I said hello as I passed and they said hi.
I thought how blissful it would be to trade places with them.
The therapist had told me that if I didn’t get walking, I’d be having big problems. That’s not hyperbole! This is true from all of the additional reading and conversations I’ve subsequently had.
So, as far as I’m concerned, that was the starting point of my rehab: limping down the hospital corridor in considerable pain afraid of what would happen if I didn’t keep limping…
And, today’s 348 days later.
My rehab has gone through quite a few different stages over the past year: walking, stretching, various exercises tested out, professional physical therapy, and several phases when I just plain-and-simple had to stop doing everything for a week or two. And, on a few of those occasions I got a Prednisone prescription from Dr. Cortez to help with the pain. (Prednisone is a corticosteroid that reduces inflammation which in turn reduces pain.)
So, today I felt pretty good but some lumbar stiffness, and my intuition told me to take it easy today.
I follow this intuition!
I’ve learned the hard way what happens when I don’t follow it!
So, since it was Monday…Monday and Thursday I walk laps, play basketball and mix in a smattering of pull-ups, chin-ups and dips. That’s exactly what I did. And, then I microneedled my scalp because I believe it’s good for blood circulation…