Therapy

We continue to go to both PT/ST two times a week. Bob is really enjoying it, though it's getting harder for me to push him the six blocks there and back in summertime heat! I tell you, I turn up looking like a drenched rat. Somedays, I wonder why I even bother to comb my hair before we leave the house!

Stretching Exercises

At PT, they are working mostly on stretching exercises, these being done manually by the therapist, i.e. the PT bending and stretching Bob's legs as Bob has such limited mobility and they also are stretching his neck. I'm glad to have PT's doing this, as I don't think that physically I would be strong enough to do it.

Then they help Bob with bit of standing (unfortunately Bob has not yet taken a step) and weight shifting while standing. Bob also does about ten minutes on the NuStep, which he enjoys. Each time they transfer him, from wheelchair to NuStep and back, or from wheelchair to exercise mat and back, they do this with a "stand and pivot" maneuver.  The therapists tell me that Bob is getting better at the stand and pivot, but to me it still looks like the PT is doing all the work....

Speech therapy is going very well and Bob really enjoys it, though, I can tell he is often very frustrated when he can't find the right word. I must say, I like this therapist more and more and she really has a good rapport with Bob. She is trying to engage Bob in actual conversation, asking him to describe the "walk over" from our house to therapy, i.e. what he saw and felt. A conversation which goes something like this:

ST: Hi Bob! How was your walk over?

Bob: I don't know.

ST: Oh, of course you know! How's the weather out there?

Bob: Um...

ST: Well, it's summer and we're in Florida, so, I'm guessing, it was probably --- HA (making the first sound for the word "hot")

Bob: Hot!

ST: Right!  And you came in wearing your sunglasses, so I'm guessing that it was SA (making the first sound for the word "sunny")

Bob: Sunglasses!

ST: Well, that's what you were wearing, but I'm guessing you were wearing sunglasses because the sun was BRRRR  (first sound for the word "bright")

Bob: Cold!

ST (laughs): No, not cold. Bright! The sun was bright!

Bob: Bright!

ST: So it was Hot and Bright and what else, Bob?

Bob: I don't know.

ST: Well, how did you feel?

Bob: Hot.

ST: And when you feel hot, you SWW  (first sound of the word "sweat")

Bob: Huh?

ST: Sweat. You sweat, right?

Bob: Oh. Right.

ST: So, let's see. It was Hot and Bright and Sweaty. Right?

Bob: Right.

ST: Can you tell me that, Bob? Can you tell me it was Hot, Bright and Sweaty? I'll ask you again. How was your walk over?

Bob: Um... Hot.... Bright... and Cold!

Oh---kay... 


But, unlike Bob's last ST who "taught" Bob gestures instead of talking---and I mean this was really weird -- to the point of ridiculous, i.e. why would Bob (who only has one working arm) need to learn a gesture to request a pair of scissors? I mean, what will he be using scissors for? That sounds rather dangerous. I wouldn't give him a pair of scissors if he asked!  Or worse, why would Bob (who can't eat) need to learn a gesture for "pass the salt"???  Jeepers. Anyway, this new ST wants Bob to stop relying so much gestures and start talking, instead.

Which sounds like a good plan. And I'm all for it.