The one about physical therapy

I’ve been doing physical therapy twice a week, and it seems mostly pointless to me. Can’t I just get better at walking by, oh, I don’t know… walking?

I finally asked the lady at the front desk of the gym if she cared if I hopped on an exercise bike after PT. Her lips formed a tight line. “You’d need a membership,” she said and chased me out with daggers shot from her eyes.

That answers that question. Brrr. On my next visit, I’ll wear jeans so she’ll know I’m not planning to stay for an ill-gotten workout. Otherwise, I imagine her whispering to a colleague, “Keep an eye on that one.”

On my latest visit, I decided to make friends with my fellow PT inmates by saying to one, “So, what are you in for?”

She had had a tumor in her spine! Her entire spinal column is now titanium, and she’s learning to walk again after five years in a wheelchair.

I wanted to hide my lowly “bruised-boned” foot behind my leg.

A third woman was doing breathing exercises in a chair facing away from us. “I feel like I’ve been put in the corner,” she said. We chuckled genially. Then the titanium lady had to literally stand in the corner, one hand on each wall to do… something. I didn’t hear the instructions. Naturally I pointed out that she was now in the corner, to which Titanium responded in a plaintive tone to her imaginary accuser, “I’m sorry!”

Doing our best to make our mutual pain more fun.

The most challenging thing I have to do is lift my big toe–only. Lifting all my toes together, sure, but the big one separately? Not so much. It’s a different muscle, I was told, so I should be able to do it. I don’t know if it’s muscle damage or muscle coordination that’s the culprit here. I sent a picture to Hubby of my latest attempt.

Still a purplish Frankenfoot, but at least it’s from a distance. Don’t zoom in. I said, Don’t zoom in!

I also have to ride the exercise bike for ten minutes. As I was doing this, and watching the goings on behind me in the mirror, I realized there was a mirror on the wall behind me, thus making a reflection in a reflection in a reflection thing going on.

So, of course, I had to take a picture for you.

How weird that the reflection of the mirror in the mirror in the mirror has gone all wonky. There’s probably some scientific reason for that.

Another activity is called “clam shells” where you lay on your side with your bent knees together, lifting the top knee like an opening clam shell. This was surprisingly technical, requiring some positional correction.

“If it feels awkward, you’re doing it right,” the therapist told me.

“In that case, I must do a lot of things in life right,” I said, making her laugh.

Where was that quick thinking when I returned this past week to Taekwondo for the first time in four moths?

I took my new place at the end of the line. “The air feels different down here,” I said.

Sensei announced to my girls, “Class, we have a new student today.” Then to me, “Would you like to tell us your name and a little bit about yourself?”

All I could do was sigh heavily.

“I see you’re a bit shy. That’s alright. We’ll be welcoming to our new student, won’t we, class? Eventually we’ll get her out of her shell.”

Groan.

Then it was time to recite the tenants of Taekwondo. I forgot one and so fell silent for a moment. I think Sensei looked over at me. I hope he smiled. I also had a hard time saying, “Ma’am,” at the appropriate times, since that’s a response you say to the lead student, formerly me. I wasn’t used to having to say it, so I was all, “Maaa’aaaamm?” to my daughter. It took some getting used to.

For warm-ups, Sensei wanted us to start our running (In my case, walking) drills at the spot I happened to be standing. When the girls came over to join me, they dog-pile hugged me.

If you listened to my podcast with Wynne and my answer to the question of what’s the worst part of having been injured, you’ll understand the significance of that moment.

The girls are brown belts, and I’m holding tight to my blue still. At least it’s my favorite color. Sensei wanted us all to work on the blue belt form, and I surprised him by knowing it already, having taught it to myself, mostly in my head from a seated position, during my time off. I don’t know if it was somehow this new method, but it was shockingly easy for me to learn.

I even got a, “Great job,” from Sensei at the end of class, which is as rare and coveted as an “I’m proud of you” from my Jiu-Jitsu instructor. –Another thing that makes more sense if you listened to the podcast.

And finally, this picture again, but with new comments on the side:

One person asked who these characters were, in other words, what are the names I’ve given them. On the left is Thoughtful One, the guy who put me to shame by getting a card for us all to sign and a gift for Instructor (middle) when his wife had a baby. He also proved his thoughtfulness during a class, back in the day, where I was asked to help teach rather than getting to practice the moves myself. He said, “Betsy,” and motioned me over. “Would you like to get a rep in?” “Yes! Thank you,” I told him.

The one on the right is just another nice dude. I liked these two the best because there was no ego there. They didn’t mind me helping them, and they were never smug about helping me. It’s a bummer they’ll no longer be in the same class when I hopefully, eventually return. I’ll have to make friends with a mostly new crew of peeps. Lame.

Questions for you:

1. Are you the type to chit-chat with the other people in PT?
2. Are you surprised by the response from the lady at the gym desk? (I wonder if she gets asked that a lot.)
3. Is your love language gift giving? (Mine is not.) Would you have thought to get a baby gift and card for Sensei?
4. Any idea why the mirror on the back wall of the picture got distorted?
5. Did you listen to the podcast??

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