I’ve been discharged from the Ottawa Hospital’s outpatient physiotherapy program. I had my second appointment this morning and my physiotherapist was pleased enough with my progress that she felt I no longer needed to be tortured with more appointments.
She was impressed. Normally, she said I wouldn’t get to “normal” before six months to a year.
I hasten to add that I had (and have) help. I’m getting massage through the clinic upstairs, and went to see Paula Walmsley, who has a private physiotherapy practice in Gatineau.
Personally, I don’t feel like my hand is normal. It doesn’t have the same range of movement as my left hand and it’s still only about half as strong. But I’m told that’s normal and that over time I will regain the strength and the range of motion might also come back.
Mind you, the times when I notice that my hand isn’t normal are far fewer. Recently, I’ve noticed that packing compression sacks (like you put your tent in when camping, for example) is a lot harder to do. But apart from that, things are going on as normal.