Tough day for Thea

You'll have your good days and your bad days.

Well, I wouldn't say that it was really a bad day...but it was hard. I arrived at her house about 9am and soon noticed her right leg was bouncing around from a spasm. It's going to be a difficult day at therapy...I thought.

Leg spasms are not necessarily a bad thing, but when you're trying to walk in braces, it's takes A LOT of upper body strength to make those legs go where you want them to. The resistance is strong. The entire routine is both physically and mentally draining.

"It feels like I'm taking 2 steps forward and 5 steps back." she said.

Joe, Thea's physical therapist disagrees with her.
"No, You are making progress...it's more like 3 steps forward and 1 step back."

I'm no doctor, but here's what I think is going on...
Her medication. Backlaphen (I have no idea if I spelled it correctly- but that's how it is pronounced). That is the medicine she takes to lessen the toneness in her legs. It make the spasms go away. The problem?
The dose was too high last month...made her feel spacey in the head.
Now the dose is too low and mixed with valume...NOT WORKING!
She needs to find a happy medium so her therapy sessions are not too hard. She goes to therapy (an hour away) twice a week.

We left Davis Medical Center with a sigh of relief. Ahh, the hard part is over, now let's go have some fun!
We went out for lunch. Quizno's. Yummy subs.
Then shopped at Walmart and Sam's Club.
After that, we filled the gas tank and stopped at Long's for her meds.
By that time, the evening sun was upon us and home was calling my name.

Today is Friday, March 18th. This is the day Thea has truely been looking forward to for a long time. She had always told her family, friends and doctors that she would literally get back on the horse before she would drive a car...and she has, many times.
Today she will learn to drive.
A man from Chico is coming to our tiny town to teach her how to drive a converted Toyota Sienna.
She's very excited.
Our town has done some fundraising and Thea's family have had to sell a few beloved items (2 horses and a truck) in order to make this happen. They are very exspensive vehicles!
If all goes well, and she likes the van, she will be able to order one for herself.

We both hope that someday she will be able to drive ME to Sacramento for her therapy sessions. It's tough getting a wheelchair in and out of the trunk of her Pontiac Grand Prix! But of course, I don't mind one bit.

THEA (short for Theadora)...is certainly one in a million! A great and treasured friend.