October 6th 2023 – Hips Don’t Lie for this SCI

Oct 6th

I did have an okay nights rest tonite! Waking up and trying to understand all of the news for the day! What has truly been interesting is realizing that my mid section, abdomen, obliques, and lower back are truly there. They really are all firing, even though they may tire quickly! I do think that I need to keep working my abdomen, to help support my lower back and back muscles that need the support! doing my chin tucks and scapular retractions have really helped!

Waking up this morning, I’ve realized that I feel more and more of my hips moving when my leg may spasm. That has not been a feeling that has been this significant, and now I feel my hips rolling and moving with the movements of my legs!

My legs really are having more sensation each day. Hearing yesterday during therapy that my therapists were confirming all the sensations coming back, and using the tuning fork on my joints, and actually feeling that, was amazing! They would bump and attenuate the tuning fork, and then place it on my joint, and I would feel the buzzing emanating thru my leg! He did it on my wrist, and it literally felt the same! It was great confirmation feeling that!

As I was talking to the therapists as well, they wanted me to try contracting my hamstrings and quads, in a squatted position. When I attempted to do that, they had placed their hands on my legs. When I went to try to do a squat, they legitimately could feel my muscles contracting, and trying to lift me from the seated/ squatted position! It was honestly a great feeling of validation that they confirmed the things that I am feeling, and that I’m working on!

I really am gearing up and really wanting to get back to my life. The moment of realization yesterday, realizing that I am capable of finally doing that again, and probably with less help than I need, is truly a miraculous and amazing feeling. I have so much to live for, so many things I want to do, and I really do have a great partner thru all of this that has been an absolute joy to be with thru all of this.

To realize that I can actually do this, has been a very hopeful thought for such a long time, I feel like I’m actually doing it now! It’s really crazy what all has happened and what I want to still do!

Okay, therapy today was great! I was doing kneeling hip thrusts on the edge of a bench!! My core support has been increasing soooo much!!! This was a great stretch for my hip flexors, and I felt it soooo much in my right glute!! They had also even mentioned they had even felt my left glute firing!!! That’s the one that for me, has been so dormant and “empty” ! I was actually starting to feel just the smallest bit of sensation! Anthony walked by and even mentioned that all of my muscles in my legs, basically were firing!!! He hands right on em and could feel the twitching and contracting!

So today was great cuz it really stretched my hip flexors, and worked glutes and my abs! I’m pooped right now, but I feel good! Just tired!!

Being in the wheel chair I definitely have more range of motion after doing these!