“Even if you’re on the right track you’ll get run over if you just sit there.”
My body found itself pretty beat up and tired (in a good way) over these past several days. Last week I finally began physical therapy sessions at Buckeye Wellness Center. I plan to work out twice a week for the time being and monitor my progress and adjust the schedule as needed. The center uses the same therapy regimen as, Project Walk, the pioneering facility in California that BWC is modeled after. Most of the exercises are done out of the wheelchair and either on a mat or a specific piece of equipment. This past week, I did both. One of the sessions had me strapped into the Total Gym piece of equipment (the same machine that Chuck Norris advertises). The therapist and I worked on connecting my mind to the up-and-down leg press motion he manipulated my legs to do. I tried to activate and control my muscles as we moved through the exercise. The good news is that my muscles were very active and responded quite well, albeit involuntary, and did not fatigue as quickly as we thought they would.
Although I am not yet able to actively control my muscles, my body received a great workout and I could tell my legs were tired by how exhausted I felt while trying to move them. I really worked up quite a sweat, for the first time in a long time as a result of exercise. It felt great to feel as spent as I did knowing that my body was getting a much-needed, strenuous workout. Moving forward, I plan to supplement each workout with a session on the FES bike after the mat work. In addition to the physical workout, the exercise provides a great psychological lift for me as well, and I relish the way I feel when finished. Proceeds generated from the Lehigh fundraiser on November 5 will be used towards physical therapy sessions at Buckeye Wellness Center.
My buddy, Alex Malarkey, was in town on Friday and we were able to spend a few hours together hanging out. He continues to amaze me with his attitude and presence. Alex is so wise beyond his years and really is quite a remarkable young man. I often forget that he is only 13 years old as much of the conversation we tend to have can be quite profound at times. He and his mom are a true “Dynamic Duo” and defy all odds the way they handle things. I don’t get to see Alex as much as I’d like to, being that he lives a few hours away, but certainly enjoy the precious time we do get to spend together.
Saturday was quite an eventful night for my mother and I. Metro Health hosted a star-studded fund-raising gala called the “Champions Ball”. The black-tie event kicked off a year-long celebration of the hospital’s 175th anniversary of existence. All of the beautiful people were out, including my mother and I, to raise money for the hospital as well as induct selected individuals into its Medical Hall of Honor. I appreciated the opportunity to have an excuse to wear a tux and show off my hot date! I also donned a pair of Superman cufflinks with my outfit to pay homage to SCI pioneer, Christopher Reeve. The sold-out event saw more than 1100 people gather in downtown Cleveland at the Renaissance Hotel to take part in the festivities. I think I can safely say that I am a pretty good wheelchair operator, as I was able to successfully navigate a very crowded ballroom without taking anyone out or running over any ankles! I was featured in a short video that was shown to commemorate some of the services Metro offers, hence the complementary tickets I received. My mom and I had a great time, but were both pretty tired by the time we arrived back to my apartment.
Sunday was a day for relaxing and watching football. My dad and I suffered through another pathetic performance by the Browns, which we were able to endure mainly because of the feast we enjoyed. He brought over a couple live lobsters that we boiled up and ate – they were delicious! We put one of the lobsters on the floor to see how the cats would react to it, but it was pretty uneventful, not as dramatic as I had hoped. I turned in early Sunday evening, pretty worn out from a busy week.
It’s definitely getting colder outside and resembling the brisk Fall days that can be expected this time of year. I was able to park myself in the sunshine for a few hours today until I had to come in once the wind got to be too much. As long as there is sun outside, I will try to find some way to enjoy it at least for a little while. Tomorrow I am off to another therapy session. I have a meeting at LEAP on Wednesday and a few other things planned for later in the week.
Please continue to keep all of those living with an SCI in your thoughts and prayers. Stand strong!
Scott