Last week marked my 10th physical therapy appointment which meant it was time to check in and see how/if I had improved from the start.
The assessment we did when I first began PT this Fall was quite disappointing. We compared my numbers to our assessment from 3 years ago and I was way down in strength, agility, and walking speed. I do not remember all the numbers we compared from 3 years ago to 10 weeks ago, but one in particular stands out for me. They had me do an agility test using 2 PVC pipes set up to make plus sign + I start in the lower right hand quadrant and step up to the top right hand quadrant then side-step left to the left hand quadrant, then step backward down to the lower left hand quadrant and finally I side-step back into the lower right hand quadrant and then do it all over again, but in reverse. My original time was 17 seconds and then this year I was up to 50 seconds! YIKES! That was the number that really stood out in my mind and scared me. That number was my big motivator to WORK. That day it felt like someone gave me a diagnosis of being pre-diabetic and if I did not make a change in the way I was working out, I would be in bad shape very soon.
On test day I had high hopes for the PVC pipes or what I call the “cross-bar test.” I hopped (more like shuffled) into my lower right hand quadrant and got started. UP, LEFT, BACK, RIGHT, LEFT, UP, RIGHT, BACK.
What was my time coach?
60 seconds.
Shit.
Jason reassured me that it was OK. Although my time was up I definitely had more control doing the test than I did before. I couldn’t disagree with that statement.
Next test- the 6 minute walk around the office. 10 weeks ago I got 840 yards in, this time I only made it 780. Unlike my crossbar test, I was not disappointed in getting slower on this one, because I felt so much better doing it. I was in control, never felt like I was going to fall on my face, and most important of all I could have gone for much longer. Well really most important I didn’t fall on my face. That small feat is my daily goal. Did I fall on my face today? Nope. #WINNING!
Getting these results and comparing me 10 weeks ago to today feels a bit like the tortoise and the hare, only I am both. 10 weeks ago I was the hare bumbling along as fast as I could to try to finish, and now I am the tortoise taking my time. I just have not crossed my finish line yet.
Oh Yes She Cane! 