My Journey Through Rehab

Well went to the orthopedist today. Told him it was feeling much better. Passed the first test where he presses down on my arm as he tells me to resist as if I’m doing a curl. No problem. But then came the second test. This is when he tests the supination strength. As he put it "It’s weak as shit". Never a good term. So now I have to do a sort of wrist curl with an elastic band to try to strengthen it. He says it should strengthen but the exercises I was doing wasn’t cutting it. So I’ll see him in another month and hopefully do better on the test.

I did get some good news though. I able to go fishing today, and caught a couple of blues and a couple of porgies.

Also he said I can start lifting very light weights. In some cases just the bar. But as far as I’m concerned it’s been 3 and half months waiting and just the fact I can do anything is a step in the right dirction.

Nothing new to really report. My benefits dept is useless in trying to get me more visits for the PT. I’m doing all the exercises at home and it actually feels like it’s getting better. I’ll see the doc on the 30th and I’ll see where I can go from there. Still doing my cardio, running 3 times a week for about 12 miles a week. It sucks running at night, I get home about 6:30 and it’s just about pitch black already.

Got a phone call from my Physical Therapist yesterday informing me that they are not granting anymore paid visits for my arm. Seems they think I have gained enough strength and range of motion that they don’t need to pay for anymore. They say I can finish it on my own. I still haven’t been cleared to lift, play golf, play softball or even fish but they say I’m good enough that I don’t need any more treatment.
Insurance companys been taking money from me for years and now that I actually need them they close up shop as fast as they can. Why should they care if their clients get healed when they have to make their quarterly profit for the shareholders. Just Beautiful.

Got back from vacation on Monday and went to the PT on  Tuesday. She did a new test on my arm where she grabbed my forearm and told me to not let her turn it. Turns out I wasn’t able to put up that great a fight. So now she has me doing all my exercises but added a hyrdra-grip machine. I grab it straight out and twist the handle, hopefully this will strengthen my arm because this one actually feels like it works.

As for the vacation I did alot of walking and hiking in a few different states so I only ran once but I went out today for 4 miles and 6 hills.

The doc said everything is coming along great but still NO lifting. I can do the few curls for my arm but that’s it for at least another month. I thought he was almost gonna let me play golf or snowflake softball but in the end he squashed that too. It’s another month of running and biking.

Down to 199 in weight and will try to lose a few more before the end of the month.