Bob & I brought pizza in to the lab an hour early as a thank you. Mmmm...Mellow Mushroom pizza!

I brought up my concerns from yesterday, but the lead therapist didn't catch the clue so I said straight out - 'what you said is offensive' and then she got it. While she put it off to 'a poor choice of words' I think she understood the issue.

Hour 1 - back on the treadmill. Surprisingly, the top harness was a little too loose and had to be tightened up before the jog. 20 minutes at 3.2 mph. 2 min at 4.4 mph. Rest. 1 min at 4.6!! Rest. 1 min at 4.6!! Rest. Finish strong with 1.5 min at 4.6!! I really pushed at the end. I aim to finish as strong as I started and boy howdy did I! I feel great about it. There were other therapists that balanced out the lead and really gave me encouragement. The last push was celebrated by having me 'run through' a finish line (they wrote Finish Line on toilet paper and broke it across my chest). I felt strong and awesome.

Hour 2 - outside, walking forward in bumpy grass. Walking backward same area. Walking side to side same area. Fast walking around an obstacle course with a ball thrown to me for me to throw back (distraction). Leg strengthening by having one foot on a curb and slowly lowering opposite foot to ground - 2x each leg. Bench (6") work with me stepping up and down, then stepping up and over, then stepping backward. Tough stuff!

Hour 3 - inside, balance ball work - throwing a ball to someone and someone else giving the ball I was sitting on perturbation (nudging it randomly). Crunches on the balance ball. Wii fit exercises - yoga balancing - Half Moon pose, Warrior pose, Standing on one leg and bringing the opposite leg in pose. Theraband exercises - Planterflexion, Dorsiflexion, Eversion, Inversion.

What a great finish for this program. I feel really good about it and would recommend it to any stroker as it is customized and the benefits are incredible.

As I am leaving the program, there is a double stroker coming in - he had a hemorrhagic stroke to his brain stem and 4 months later an ischemic stroke to the right sphere. I predict he will be able to walk without his walker by the end. (he is a year out from his last stroke)

I noticed that as new strokers (I count anyone under 2 years), there is a huge need to tell your story. I remember that well. I no longer have that urge, thankfully although it is still my favorite topic to discuss, probably because I am so well-versed!

I am so excited to get back home and into a comfortable bed and familiar surroundings.