Baby steps....sorta

When you're used to being "very" right-handed, and you lose your ability to use your right arm, it's hard. My husband kept telling me to try to use it so that I wouldn't lose anymore function. I was to lift my right arm with my left to do things. Or struggle really hard to do something like wipe the counter with my right hand. This involved all sorts of awkward, uncomfortable movements. Eventually, I naturally just started using my left arm to do things..I couldn't help it.

But praise God, now I'm starting to gain some of my right arm function. It's VERY slight, but it's an improvement. I didn't notice it at first, because of memory issues and because I'm not even close to being back to my normal function with movement, but I can now start to lift my arm with extreme effort. I can tie my kids' shoes, and put on my own jacket. I don't know if it's radiation shrinking the tumor that's causing the nerve problems or what, but I'm grateful for any improvement right now. I go to a new physical therapy place tomorrow. We'll see what they recommend.

I also have a cookie decorating party with Max and Ella in the morning, then my physical therapy appointment downtown, then a radiation appointment, and lastly an appointment with a counselor. Rather busy I'll be. I get very anxious still when it comes to times and schedules, so I pray I don't get overwhelmed by it all. I've been trying to write out schedules with exact times for everything....as specific as the exact time I need to get in the car to be someplace. And I'll have to ask my mom about 5 times for each place/trip about where and when I'm supposed to be....and that memory thing keeps messing me up. But in the end, we (my mom) manages it all and we get to where we need to be and do what we need to do.

Two terms I find humorous about my day tomorrow. One is that at physical therapy, my husband wants to see if they'll do electrical stimulation to the nerves. And secondly, the counselor I'm to see tomorrow has the title of a Psychotherapist. I'm having flashbacks of the book/movie I read in high school One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Scary!!!!


"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6-7).