My physical therapist’s boasts signage that US News named them #1 in New England, #2 in the country. Given my experience there, it tracks. Last weekend I went to their MS event about fatigue. I deteriorate throughout the day, and I wilt in the heat, but fatigue is further down the list of my MS complaints. Some of what they discussed made me realize how good I have it. A woman from my old PT told me she’s no longer working or preparing her own meals, says she isn’t able to do much of anything. MS can mess you up.
Everyone’s MS is different, and she’s a bit older, but it does give me pause: Where will my progressive disease progress to? Where am I headed?
And yet, seeing her is part of why I went: I wanted to be around other people with MS for a day. My old PT had tons, it was more gym-like and dedicated solely to MS. The superior Spaulding covers everything, so people might be there for any reason. At the event, I saw an array of assistive devices: a taller ski pole than mine, cane, walker, crutches with arm supports, wheelchair. One guy saw my leg brace and said he used his mostly for running. Another woman needed a motorized wheelchair. Everybody’s MS is different. Which devices will I need, and how soon?
At the resource tables, I tested a high-tech cuff for ankle and thigh that electronically stimulates your muscles to regain movement compromised by a multitude of scleroses. It made my walking better — not all better, but improved better, and certainly better than my current ankle brace. You can control the amount of electricity and where in your stride it starts and stops. Is this what’s next for me, becoming a light cyborg? If you can’t beat AI, let it control your leg?
At my previous rehab, I was notable for being the rare person without an assistive device, and I always wondered: How long will that last? It was during my year between therapies that I started thinking more about using a cane (crazy coincidence, Batman!). I was fighting the prospect as recently as late July, but now I use it most of my day. So when I see someone with a walker, I have to wonder how steep my descent would have to be to get me there. I mean, I love those free walkers at the supermarket. Sure, they call it a shopping cart, but I know a walker when I see one. I always use a cart, even for a quart of milk. Shopping rules!
The electric cuff would be in place of my leg brace, but it feels like an escalation. My cane is victory not defeat, but the degradation that led me there is ringed with defeat. The disease has progressed. The cuff wouldn’t be pushing me toward a walker, very much the opposite. But escalation matters. I know the date I started using my walking stick (July 28, a blink of an eye ago) because it marked a new chapter in my MS journey. The cuff would also be a tentpole, my entry into electronic assistance. Not much time between them.
The other thing that made me stick out at the old rehab was my “youth,” a relative term given how hard I’m pushing 50. It was a similar demographic at the event this weekend, everyone was older. Most diagnoses happen between 20 to 40, so it’s not like it only afflicts older folks. Are these avenues so unappealing to Gens X, Y, Z, M? Am I choosing an old persony path? Are others uncurious, or resistant, or not progressed enough, or too sick ? Am I hit harder because my body was shaped by clarinet instead of youth sports? Can’t I just enjoy being the young one in some context?
Just like in teaching, when I perseverate on the 10 kids who didn’t do homework instead of the 85 who did, maybe I should focus more on what’s going right today, less about what might not. The first half of the day, I barely put weight on the cane, and for a lot of the school day I forgo it altogether. My PTs keep being impressed with what I can do, and I do lots. I’m not kidding myself about what the future holds, but I may be better served appreciating what I have going in the present.
The Urban Blah
You can now get 1500 for $8. Progress!
Also, did she open his package, or did he prank The Wife? His look in the first panel suggests the latter, and I think that’s how I intended it.
And another thing
One speaker at the event advocated for therapeutic ping-pong, citing various regions of the brain activated by visually tracking the ball, swinging the paddle, strategizing placement, dealing with frustration, etc. I texted The Awesome Wife and she was disappointed I wasn’t given a prescription to be routinely thrashed by her. She’s a ping pong shark and an older sibling, and I’m excellent except for my backhand, my forehand, serve, return, hitting the ball successfully over the net, scorekeeping, not dropping the paddle on my foot, etc. I consider it a huge upset if I score a point that isn’t an unforced error. And now it counts as therapy!
Also, I was voice typing and said “MS,” then watched as Google Docs wrote that, then corrected itself to “ass.” Not an inaccurate review.