Category — Rehab

I can move it.

After being put back on Etidronate for suspected rebound HO, and subsequently discovering my leg was actually engorged with blood, I remained on the meds just in case the recent swelling in my right leg was due to a combination of factors.  One of those factors could still have been HO.  Earlier this week, though, an x-ray was taken to see how the right hip is doing.  And much to my satisfaction, there is no calcification.  No bone forming where it shouldn’t.

[Read more →]

Being on a spinal cord injury (“SCI”) ward at a top hospital like Mount Sinai makes it easy to forget how people see those in a wheelchair.  Everybody around you is either a patient or support staff that specialize in handling this type of injury.  I’ve made a good number of friends here, and while heading down the hall I’ll speak with or at least smile at the other patients.  Everything seems easygoing, until you’re faced with something that makes you so uncomfortable that you don’t know how to respond.  Even here. [Read more →]

So after all my concerns about the swelling in my leg being due to HO (Heterotopic Ossification), it turns out it might not have been after all.  But we’re still not 100% sure yet.  I was sent for a CT scan last week after the swelling hadn’t changed at all over the weekend, and the results were surprising – my leg is filled with blood.

[Read more →]

Well, it looks like I wasn’t quite out of the woods as far as the HO goes.  Just as the fevers last week from the infection were starting to trail off, something else cropped up.  And the fevers I got were even worse.  Just after I thought I was out of the woods from all those recent ups and downs, I was pulled back in seemingly even deeper.

[Read more →]

When I was first admitted to Mount Sinai, Dr. Stein‘s initial exam revealed limited flexion in my hips.  The left was observed to be worse than the right, but both were suspected.  I was sent for a bone scan and when the results were in,  Dr. Stein indicated that from what was observed on the bone scan it was believed that I had Heterotopic Ossification of the hip (or just HO for short).  Basically, bone was forming in my hip where it shouldn’t be.

[Read more →]

Well, after a few days of feeling pretty down and out about everything, my spirits are finally starting to look upwards a bit.  But of course with that up comes another down – some type of suspected infection.  To paraphrase a famous canine musician (since this is a G-rated blog), if it’s not one thing it’s something else.  (I think about one person will get that.. and he knows who he is…)

[Read more →]

Some days are better than others.  Most here are positive – there are a lot of positive people around, and the spirit is very supportive.  Sometimes, that doesn’t make one bit of difference and something seemingly routine just sets off all kinds of unpleasant emotions.  It seems to be par for the course around here.  Today was one of those days. [Read more →]

Grip strength.  It’s an interesting indicator.  One thing I didn’t realize prior to my injury (among many things) about SCI is how many systems are affected.  My injury level would suggest that I would have much more limited upper body movement than I do.  Despite good mobility, the movement I do have is affected.  But it is getting better.

[Read more →]

Today in Transitions (a group composed of both in-patients and out-patients here at Mount Sinai that meets once weekly), we all shared feelings relating to getting back out in the world.  In-patients talked about how we felt when we got here, how we feel now and what our expectations are for the future; out-patients talked about what their expectations were before leaving, and whether those expectations have been met, exceeded or unmet.  Overwhelmingly, all of the out-patients said their expectations had been exceeded.  They also said they still have a lot they can learn from in-patients.  I never thought I would be complimented in the way I was before the discussion ended.

[Read more →]