On Initial Eval: 37 seconds to barely walk the painted red lines. I had to take lots of breaks and had the tremors like crazy and had to wear my sunglasses the entire time. When trying to turn my head to the side or up and down I couldn't take a step forward at the same time. I scored a 9 out 40 on the total balance test and a normal 40 year old scores 39 our of 40.
Today: 7 seconds to walk the same distance. I could walk that same distance multiple times turning head side to side and up and down for the entire distance. We didn't do the basic total balance eval, but rather did a test with a machine that is rather interesting. I should have taken a picture of it, but I can do that next week and post it then. Anyway, it is painted bright colors with different patterns so you are visually stimulated. You stand with your feet on a platform that senses your balance (kind of like the Wii fit platform, but much more spiffy and official looking). You go through a series of tests with eyes opened or closed and then the visual field moves around you while noises are made, the platform you are standing on can move or not move--slow or sudden jerky movements--or any combination of those to test your vestibular system which is your sense of touch, sight, and hearing/ears. Two years ago when I "graduated" I scored a 75. Today I scored a 67. My main areas of failure were with vision issues. When I have to depend on my eyes, I have major issues and it makes sense because my eyes are what get easily overstimulated. I still wear sunglasses inside most stores as the fluorescent lights are HORRIBLE for my symptoms, plus there is lots of sensory overload in just taking in lots of information when you are looking at a typical store aisle and all the people in the store as well. Anyway, I also did really bad on the very last part of the test, but that was also in large part due to the fact that I was fatigued from the test and the tremors took over so the last portion of the test was all red.
However, I was still extremely happy with those results. Even after pushing it and taxing myself to the point of tremors I was able to do a couple more rehab exercises after a good rest. Candy needed a couple things from IKEA so she pushed me through there in a wheelchair and I was able to do that without getting the tremors. We made it back home just in time to go to the eating/fellowship portion of our small group at church. I hadn't been able to make one since I went into the hospital so it was a real treat, even though we weren't able to stay for the whole thing.
I'm thankful for these improvements. Like I said in an earlier post, I still have a long way to go as I fatigue WAY easier but I'm also finally able to walk fast enough and long enough to make myself short of breath again which is a REALLY good thing because I STILL don't have the inhaled antibiotic. I stopped by the doctor's office today after rehab to talk to the MA so supposedly there is finally just one more piece of paperwork that needs to be filled out by the office and then they should be able to overnight it to me. We are also still consulting with the Infectious Disease doc to figure out what to do about my sinus infection. The ENT said the medication they wanted to put me on through sinus inhaled isn't made by the pharmacies my ENT knows about so we are still trying to figure out what to do to get that under control.
The antibiotics seem to be working for the UTI but we won't know for sure until I get the culture results back which can take a couple days. I think that's about it as far as health updates go. I'm doing well spiritually--been listening to a lot of sermons on the Kingdom of God and Jesus 2nd coming...oh what a DAY that will be! I would much rather have a temporal sickly body and know I'm spending eternity with Jesus in the new heavens and new earth. I'm very much looking forward to having a body like Jesus resurrected body!!!! When the lion and the lamb will lay together...come quickly Lord Jesus!!!!
In the meantime, while we are still breathing, He has work for us to do here. I would love to know how to pray for you...feel free to comment on this post or send me a text or an email with how I can be praying for you. I hope you are resting in God's great grace as you go about your day.
In the Love of the Lamb,
Rachelle :)
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| Candy and I at IKEA...they didn't have motorized scooters so when it came time to get her stuff she had to try and push my wheelchair and pull the cart at the same time...it didn't go so well! :) |
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| Using a new handheld lung vibrating device called an Aerobika that I can do anywhere in place of my massive vest for treatments...such a blessing! |
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| Saw this on facebook...enjoy the laugh! :) |
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