Adam is progressing. Slowly...... but progressing... a bit.
He moved his legs a bit, but 3 days later he couldn't again. I don't know what that means. His legs burn and hurt. He can't get comfortable either sitting or sleeping.
He has had this pain in his legs, so they did an x-ray.
It seems now that he has "HO" (Heterotopic Ossification) , a chronic incurable condition that occurs sometimes in SCI patients. Calcification crystals form bony masses in soft, muscle tissue near the hip joints (and other places too).
He has it in both legs. This is not so good.
Treatment (6mos-1yr of medication and strenuous physical therapy to keep the joints flexible) may halt progression, but not necessarily. If it does, he can expect occasional flare-ups and necessity of future treatments, for the rest of his life.
His right hand seems to be getting a bit stronger, but he has no triceps 'firing', his biceps to pull -are working, but push or throw isn't. That means he can't re-adjust himself in his chair or bed to relieve the constant pressure of never moving. So he still has to be 'turned'/re-positioned every 20 mins in the chair and every 2 hrs in bed- 24 hours a day.
So far, his discharge date (12/5) hasn't been changed. I'm hoping it will - so he'll get more therapy (it seems something always interrupts or causes him to miss therapies, occasionally).
The philosophy at this facility is "If it (hands. fingers, legs) shows promise and works-they give therapy. If not, no therapy is bothered with to try to get him able to move anything.
Its not a very pro-active method, in my way of thinking.
There are other methods that do try to get inactive muscles and limbs to work by constant e-stim (electrical stimulation) on hands and legs. He gets some, but not as much -or where I feel he should.
If he shows promise betweeen now and 12/5, he could be extended by a week or two. I hope that does happen. It'll mean he's doing really well with his therapies.