Physiotherapy (PT) Appointment

So yesterday I wasn't feeling too good but I had to drag myself out of bed to go to my regular Physiotherapy Appointment.

It was an absolute nightmare trying to find a parking space! The hospital that I go to is really big but it only has about 25 car parking spaces so you always end up having to park a long way away!! Thankfully we have the Blue (Handicapped) badge so it means we can park on the road! The appointment itself went OK, although it was REALLY painful! The Physio's mainly did a lot of talking with me about how I have been getting on at School, what sort of exercises I have been doing etc. I exlained to them that I have been struggling a bit with School and that when my pain gets really high I have difficulty concentrating and find myself staring into space.

One of my good RSD friends, Felicia (the girl who sent the lovely fridge magnets for me) said to try a TENS Unit has they can help take the edge off the pain and that maybe it would reduce my pain to a more "toleratable" level. Myself and my mum spoke to the Physio's about the TENS Unit and they explained that they don't use it that often in RSD patients but they have read some research articles that states that it can sometimes reduce the pain. The Physio's said that it was a really good idea and that my PM Doctor had just purchased some TENS Machines so hopefully we would be able to borrow one of those. The Physio's said to experiment with the TENS at first to find out where it works the best but NEVER to put it directly onto an RSD limb. I think that I am going to give the TENS another shot, it can't do any harm and it says that it is really safe to use!!

The Physio's are hoping that on the 22nd October I will be able to go into hospital to have a splint moulded and my leg manipulated under general anaesthetic. My mum asked the Physio's if I was definitiely going into hospital on that day but the Physio's explained that they weren't sure has they wont know until next week if the Operating Room is available. Because I am not having an operation has such (I am just having a manipulation) it may be that someone else has to take my place if there's is an emergency. We will probably know next Friday if I am able to go into hospital on that date.

The Physio's did a lot of different exercises on me, I had to do some Bridging which is where you have to bend your knees and lift your bottom up, that is really painful!! The Physio's wanted me to try and do some Bridging just putting weight through my RSD limb but that was waaay too painful and I kept falling all over the place!! My Physio's got me onto the cross trainer (it's a bike where you sit and peddle - similar to a normal bike) has they wanted to see if I could apply any weight through my RSD foot. The only place where I was putting weight was through the ball of my foot - the straps on the bike were really hurting my legs and now I have a load of blisters (my skin breaks easily because of the RSD).

I don't have any Physio next week as we can't make the appointment that was available but I have been given a load of exercises to do!!

I'm still not feeling too good today so my mum allowed me to take the day off school - I hate missing school but I would rather stay off and take it easy than push myself too hard and end up in a massive flare!! I haven't been sleeping very much so I don't think that has been helping either has I am just physically exhausted!