Baseline Plus and Surgery Day

Today is the big day!  After all the buildup, after all the angst, after all the processing and reflecting, today is the day the intrathecal baclofen pump will be removed.

I can’t tell you about any of that yet though because it hasn’t happened.  What I want to share with you today is a bit more follow-up on my baseline post from yesterday.

While Duke and I were at HEP, instead of just letting someone take Duke upstairs, I wanted to try something.  I asked the staff member if they were comfortable with it and then I gave her Duke’s leash.  While Duke went his one speed up the stairs, I went my one speed up the stairs.

That’s right.  I said I walked up the stairs.  I wanted to see if I could because it felt like I should be able to do it.  Now, it was slow, one-step with both feet, the cane, my left arm muscles and the railing, but it was up the stairs just the same.

I walked around the upstairs offices with the cane and Duke (and some intermittent walls) so that Duke could get his treats and I could grab some hugs before not being there for a week or so.  I didn’t walk down the stairs.  Someone else took the Duke down while I rode the elevator.  I pushed the limit a bit, but how do I know where the limit is if I don’t push it just a bit?

We can add the stairs to the baseline.  Surgery is likely to set me back some.  It truly has been physical therapy every day of some kind to make it to this baseline.  I believe that I will make it back there after recovering from surgery.  It is awesome to have a baseline that looks like this as I head into the big day!

I am the last of my doctor’s cases, so I don’t have to be at the outpatient surgery center until late morning.  That might mean you won’t hear from me tomorrow, but no worries, I will get back with you to catch you up and tell you all about it over the weekend.

Feel free to search around, re-read some old posts, find The Tawny on Facebook (and like me), or subscribe by email so that you don’t miss what comes next, while you wait!  😉

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