[LYING FLAT AND BREATHING LIKE A NORMAL PERSON!!!]


That is amazing about the breathing.

Thank you for posting this! It got me off my duff and I found the ONE person in Memphis on the Feldenkrais website. She is a student teacher, and right now can only teach the Awareness through Movement (ATM) class, but it sounds like it might be worth checking out. Again Thank you!

Anne,

Thanks so much for your threads! I miss my Feldenkrais sessions a lot, they made so much sense and it was a time of peace and something good "just for me". But I couldn't stick with it due to finances and the 45minute drive in busy traffic added to my stress level. I would really like to take more Feldenkrais, it looks as though there may FINALLY be movement on the settlement for my vaccine injury case soon and if that happens I think Feldenkrais wd be affordable and a good idea.

I need to take some kind of steps to improve my balance, I fell on Mother's Day, my 3rd hard fall in 3 years. This time I fell sideways, landed on my side. Bruised my thigh to the bone, still smarts in places, but the bruising is finally about gone. Scared to death I'll break something as I was dx'd with osteoporosis early in 2003 and RSD also causes thinning bones. (But it also bothers me that I'm still having regular periods and neither Fosomax or Boniva have been tested in any way for use in premenopausal women!?!)

I think the bride walk may be useful to practice around the house, both for balance, and to help correct the way I walk. The Feldenkrais instructor in Denver (totally blank - loved her to death, can picture her perfectly, can't come up with her name for the life of me!) discovered I was putting my heel down before my toes over 4 years ago now, and the instructor here noticed it too. I think that's a big part, but not all of the balance problem. And I think I do it subconsciously to protect my arms, cause when you put your toes down first you have to lean forward and for that split second it feels like you could fall forward, which would mean catching yourself with your arms, something I REALLY want to avoid having to do!! Putting the heel down first prevents you from leaning forward and eliminates that fear, but it's not a natural gait, so it throws your balance off - at least that's my theory.

When I concentrate I can put my toes down first but as soon as I stop thinking about it I go right back to heel first. And I don't have much arm swing at all - if you think of a clock face, my left arm swings about from the 5 to the 7 when I walk, the right arm just stays at my side. I think the "arm swing" is another piece of the balance puzzle.

And then there's proprioception - the "p-word". The body's ability to sense where it is in space. I know that's affected. Can't believe how many times I've gone to get in the car and hit my head on the rubber strip around the top of the door frame since I've been hurt - even after looking at it and ducking my head! My distance estimator is clearly on the fritz!!

Anyway, thanks for the posts - they are encouraging and informative. And it's great to know something positive is happening for you at long last. I hope many more good things come your way SOON.

love,
beth

Hi Anne-

My girlfriend is about to have first rib resection and anterior scalenectomy for arterial TOS. After surgery she will be staying with her parents in Atlanta for quite some time for PT and recovery.

We are looking for a good physical therapist and I thought your Feldenkrais experience with Carolyn Law sounded encouraging, so I wanted to check in with you.

Were you seeing Carolyn for post-surgery PT? After four years has it been valuable for your recovery?

Thanks in advance for the update and information.

-Dave

Hi Dave, glad you found this post!

If Carolyn is still practicing, your girlfriend will be "in good hands"!

Yes, I was seeing her post-op. She's familiar with TOS and the value of Feldenkreis in our recovery. She was amazed to hear I had FT before surgeries and while in hospital - as soon as same-day! My surgeries were done in Denver.

I haven't been to see her for financial reasons. I'd love to go back for refresher sessions. It helps to be reminded of the right way to ______ (walk, bend, balance, etc.).

Best of luck to your GF!

Thanks very much. I'll let you know if we end up seeing Carolyn.

Dave