Breakfast was delicious, biscuits and gravy. My favorite. I met with a psychologist. We chatted for a few. No need to continue with him. I missed another virtual appointment with the doc who prescribes my blood thinner. Dang it! Psych ran over that time. Then my physical therapist came in and did an assessment. The hard work was about to begin. She placed my back brace for me, I strapped up and started in. First thing was standing. My legs were weak as could be. I pushed through and locked my knees. I was upright and standing with the walker. I transitioned and pivoted to the wheelchair. We toured the floor on the way to the gym. I got to see where the hard work would happen. We talked a bit about the scope of therapy I’d be receiving. Next, we made our way back to the room. I did some more standing and then did a transition from the wheelchair back to the bed. This took about an hour or so. I had about an hour between appointments and then OT came in. I told her let’s attack this head on and get some work in. She said she wished some of her patients had my drive to do the hard stuff. I said I have a goal, to get home to my family and my kitties. She helped me stand with minimal assistance using the bed rails to push up and grab the walker. Stand for a moment and ease into the wheelchair. I was doing it. Let’s go! We then proceed to the gym. Today’s therapy was with parallel bars. She wheeled me up on the device and we got started. She placed three pads on the ground in a triangle formation. Right, center and left. When she would call out the color, I’d put the corresponding foot on the pad. Center was my choice. I have right side weakness, my tumor is on the left side of my brain stem so it controls the opposite side. This was so difficult. It may sound easy but when you lose function and control it was one of the most difficult things you could imagine. I was pushing through it though. I am a fighter and I have a goal to not be bed bound or stuck in a place. I want to regain my strength. I’ve got to put in the work and that’s exactly what I did. We did that twice. She said we’d do more each day. Then she placed the pads in a row and I would then walk to each one. Don’t shuffle, take actual steps. I said ok, let’s go. I stand back up with minimal assistance and proceed. I did it! Again, you take minor things like this for granted when you can do it on your own. When we got back to the room she told me she was proud of my work done and how I well I did. I broke down and cried. It was hard but they were happy tears. I did it! She asked if I wanted to sit in the chair and look out the window or watch tv and I said don’t think less of me but that really kicked my butt, I kinda want to rest in the bed. She understood completely. We then lined up the wheelchair to do another transition from chair to bed. The hard work was over. I had lunch and rested. Then it was time for a speech therapist to come in and do an assesment. This consisted of a cognitive test, and memory test as well as speaking a few things. She said I was fine with this and wouldn’t need her type of therapy so her time would be split with PT/OT. So that would be an hour and a half with each on 5 days a week. Strong contrast between this place and the dump. I completed my first day of therapy. It was difficult but I powered through it. Mindset is key and the drive to push myself is there. Let’s see what tomorrow will bring. Oh and lunch was parmesan baked white fish. I don’t eat fish. I told myself since I am doing things out of the norm, try it. I ate it and enjoyed it. I ate fish y’all! lol
Thanks for stopping by!
~Bruce
Tumor Has It 
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