I've been doing physical therapy for core body strength, and a minor knee injury that was getting aggravated by spasticity, and my not really walking much, and to help my balance and walking. My walking gait really sucked, and probably had a lot to do with aggravating the knee injury.

well, my PT ended on wednesday, partly because my physical therapist wanted me to try to save some of my allowed PT for later this year, just in case I need some again. And partly because her husband is a doctor, and got matched to go to a hospital in Texas. So, she wasn't going to be here anymore. She thought I'd finally gotten something done. (I'd been going to her off and on for about the past year).

About a month or two ago she had handed me a quad cane, and was having me do short distances around the PT gym. (I kept missing PT because my parents kept having health issues that I had to drive them around for).

She'd had me walking around in the gym area, and then we started going out into the hall. She kept my rollator very very close to me just in case I got tired, or panicked and needed to use it to walk.

So, wednesday when we were doing the walk down the hall, she was looking at the distance markers on the ceiling. I walked 80+ feet down the hall, with a cane. And, I'd turned the corner without any problem.

She said that she thinks I could probably get to a point now on my own where I can probably start to walk without the stupid rollator if I keep practicing. So, every day since then, I've been kind of "pacing" the floor in my basement. I have grab bars in various places in the basement for me, and for my parents to use when they come down to get ice cream out of the freezer.

I can now walk from my computer desk, into the bathroom with the much nicer quad cane than the one the PT place has...the distance is maybe something like 15ft.

I still have to use the lift chair that we have to get up and down stairs, but I can use a quad cane inside the house. I'm afraid to use it outside yet, because I can really only walk on flat surfaces. Put a little incline on the ground, or make it uneven ground, and I'll faceplant myself.

Today I managed to go from our glassed-in deck with the cane, into the kitchen, and over to the fridge to get a bottle of pop. Last night, I was hungry and wanted microwave tacos. I left my basement walker next to my bed, rode the stair chair up. Used the cane to get into the kitchen, and made myself a plate of mini tacos in the microwave. I can't carry a plate in one hand without dropping stuff, so I had to go grab my upstairs walker so I could carry the plate back to the stairs. (had to leave the plate on the stair chair once I got downstairs. Go get my basement walker, and come back for the tacos)

But hey! I can use a cane again. And my birthday is tuesday! It's been over two years since I've used just a cane to walk across a room. It's about time I can walk with a cane again. I'd started using the walker when I got frozen shoulder from a mis-aimed flu shot (nurse stuck it in the shoulder space). When your shoulder is as painful as that was, it messes up your balance. So, I used a walker to get around because it was safer. Plus it was so painful that all I wanted to do was sit. So, I'd ended up getting de-conditioned to the point of not being able to walk without a walker.

It is so annoying to go see a doctor, using a walker, and when you tell them you want to dump the walker and get back to at least using a cane, they tell you that's probably not going to happen. I had to hurt my left knee (accidentally, and some spasticity caused issues too) to get some PT ordered for the knee. I asked for the core body strength/balance PT to go along with it.

Hoping I get good enough with the cane that I can go into the doctor's office to one or two of the doctors that told me that I wouldn't walk with a cane again, and go in and do a Julia-Roberts-in-Pretty-Woman walk around them before I tell them I have to go shopping now! gloat around them.

Really hoping nothing happens that screws this up for me. Usually when I get something good going, the MS goes "challenge accepted!", and then knocks me backwards.

I'm a bit annoyed at that walker. I think it was half the reason the exboyfriend dumped me. I kind of want to send him an email to tell him how I am, and that I can walk again, with a cane. The last time I'd gone out with him, I was not having a good day, and was using the walker. I could tell he was embarrassed to be seen with me. **I** was embarrassed to be seen with me that day. I'm really quite annoyed that he dumped me like he did (and mentioned the MS as one of the reasons). But, it said a lot about his character that I didn't know about him up to then. Better off without the jerk.

He does not sound very strong and loving (nice way of saying **). Does he measure even close to your own dad? There's a reason the past is the past. Eyes on the future. Never look back.

I like your name for him. (**)

I had thought he measured up to my dad. He really was a nice guy. I did not see the dumping coming at all.

I was cleaning off my cellphone the other day. Found a picture of him on there. Actually last two pictures I took of him. He was flipping me off in the picture. At the time, I thought he was teasing me, but now I'm wondering. (long story, but my last actual date with him was in may of 2014, he dumped me in october...he lives 50mi from me. Had broken his leg over that summer. Didn't see him except on skype after that. Knew him for exactly 10yrs)

Congrats on the cane usage again And for being willing to say sayonara to the ex for good. I'm terrible at relationship advice because I've only ever 'dated' one guy and that's who I'm married to now. And we never even really 'dated' as such. We played computer games together which a bunch of other guys and somehow ended up in a relationship... It's rather bizarre when I think back on it, sort of ..."how did I end up here again?!" But my fingers are crossed that you will one day find your "how did we...??" guy. Forget the prince charmings though, they don't exist and even if they did, how many princesses are living happily ever after with him?

Congrats on the walkability! I'm so happy for you!

As for the **, please, let it go.

Congrats and I sure hope you can walk into those Dr's offices and show them what you did without their help. You had a wise therapist. And if he was that kind of a jerk then he wasn't worth being seen with you.

BTW, I have friends who were vacationing in Gatlingburg and decided to get their flu shots at one of the local chain pharmacies. When they go down there, they go in a camper and stay a month. Pharmacist did the same thing. Shirley couldn't hardly move her arm for 3 months and it still bothers her at times.

Yeah!!!!! I am so glad you are now able to start using the cane. It takes time and lots of practice to learn to walk again. I think many of us have been there and can certainly celebrate these steps with you, however great or small. Keep up the good work.

So, I walked with a cane for a couple of hours in the house this morning (monday), was pretty good with it until I did some laundry...which tired me out. So, I need to get some endurance built up now.

Today (tuesday) is my birthday. So, it's kind of cool that I at least have a bit of something good going on this week.


What irritates me is that it took so little time to get all deconditioned, and it's taken me how long now to even get to the point that I'm at now? (about a year)

I still have another issue or two to deal with. I've had neck pain forever, and I still haven't been able to get to that place to do the dry needling that I got Rx-ed to try to treat that yet.

I am really bummed that my physical therapist had to move to Texas. I'm going to miss her.