Another long day to Duluth yesterday. Caused me to ponder on my future direction of treatments. We all here of things that will supposedly make us better, even promise to make us what we were again. Now that I have passed the four month timeline, I wonder. Am I starting to plateau or not. The "experts" say so. But is it a self fulfilling prophecy? We hear it from people smarter than ourselves. Also after four months it is easy for motivation to wane, so does it happen because we think it will? I have found that if I exercise less the results are predictable. If I continue to work hard I am not sure what results will be, but I do know what the alternative results in.

I continue to research other therapies. Trigenics (spoke to a provider last night), Active release (spoke to a provider a week ago), Acupuncture (will talk to a provider in the next few days), Ability Camp (Hyperbaric oxygen treatment and Conductive Education, sounds neat but my personal unscientific feeling is it would be more benefical right after a stroke), Neuromove (my unfortunate results have already been reported here), Saeboflex (great results), Walkaide (worked well but pricey). Graston (helpful, we can do much of it at home now we know how). Some others I have only looked at websites Like Dr. Cole in Ohio, Dr Feldenkrais, Bodyvibe, just found them yesterday, interesting but quite pricy (they start you low, then the cost of the unit you need is guess what-much higher. As a former salesman I am suspicious of their sales techiques, but still find it interesting) no other information or experience to relate.

I have tried to evaluate each of these on a cost/benefit basis. I am willing to spend the necessary $$$ but have to have some assurance of success. I have a personal limit of four treatments for something to show progress. If it does, I'll do what I have to to continue it. If little or no progress after four tries, good by. I am now planning to reduce to trips to Duluth. The Myofacia release and Graston therapies I get there have been effective, the shoulder and upper arm muscle tone is greatly reduced. Unfortunately it has not resulted in much more arm range of motion so far. Lesley and I think we can to both reasonably well here at home.

The bottom line of all of this is I have found that OT/PT's are great at what they do, but I have reached a point with all of them where they seem to be satisfied with very small improvements, and justify them as a reason to continue treatments with them. I am not satisfied with such, especially when I can do much of it at home without twice a week travel to Duluth (250 miles round trip). I keep researching, will keep working and reporting results here. I listen very carefully to what my providers say. Yesterday I asked the OT now that the Myofacia release has greatly reduced my muscle tone, why has the range of motion not greatly increased? The answer was there has probably been some muscle shortening due to lack of use. The only thing that will fix that is guess what, more exercise. I doubt that any of these things that promise a quick miracle cure will overcome that. Only long days of exercise will. Muscles grow slowly.

I am really not trying to be negative here, just factual, honest, and realistic. If any of you have info on something I have missed or has been effective for you, let us all know please.

A new day is beginning, I feel good, the sun is shining, I think I'll make it a good day.