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First time on the Auto Ambulator


caringfor5

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Today, Mike went for his first session on the Auto Ambulator. It was so wonderful to watch. It keeps his legs in the perfect position in hopes that he will learn to step more accurately and keep his body in a better position. The thought behind the process is that the brain and muscles will relearn the proper way to hold themselves in alignment from repetitive use. I hope it works because if Mike can get stronger and relearn to keep himself more balanced he could really walk a lot better.

 

He also walked today for the first time with a regular walker. The therapist and I had to hold on for dear life to keep it from getting away from him, but he did pretty good considering he hasn't ever did it before.

 

He has been showing some aggravation the last couple times that he's been at therapy. I've been trying to talk to him about the importance of not showing that your annoyed even if you are. Some things are very hard for him and he has gotten upset a couple of times. His PT tends to pat repeatedly the part of his body that she wants to straighten and it annoys him. I don't know what to do because I know its bothering him but I don't want to tell the therapist that that is why he's getting annoyed. Hopefully he will get used to his new therapists ways or maybe as he gets stronger she won't have to cue him to straighten up so much. I don't know.....he's doing really well but he thinks that she doesn't ever think he's doing anything good enough because she's always correcting something. I tried to explain to him that unless he's walking perfectly that she is going to continue to push him to do it right.

 

All in all everything is going really well though.

 

Tina

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Ray had trouble with one of the therapists who always sounded like a cross school teacher and I don't think he ever really tried for her. The next time he had therapy he had another therapist he adored but by then he had lost a lot of ground and could not respond to her training as well as he would have liked to.

 

Maybe tell Mike that he and his therapist are a team and the more they can match their aims the more progress he will get. If they can together teach his body the right way of walking it will make it so much safer. It is nothing personal when she pats the part she wants him to use, she is not chastising him but "talking" to his muscles.

 

Walking is such a big deal in the world we live in that you want him to get back as much mobility as he can. Tell him repeatedly you know how hard it is for him and cheer him on. Ray and I went through it after each of the strokes AND when he broke his hip so I know what it is like.

 

Sue.

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