Played Pool

Sunday: repeat of Saturday
Monday: rehab is going really well. Focusing on Matt transferring using the slide board. Doing so well they are talking of using just one person to assist instead of two. Matt starts in the wheelchair and wants to get to the raised mat. So he leans across and puts his right hand on the mat. Then they are encouraging him to use his legs, butt muscles, and abdominal muscles.
Was able to play pool for the first time. Since he cannot use his left hand yet, he uses the cue rest. So first someone has to line up the rest and the cue so Matt then can hit the ball. At first, Matt couldn't even move the cue ball, but after he got the hang of it dad said Matt did really well. Rocky and Barrette, 2 other paraplegics went and played too. They go to a billards place on Central Ave.
Tuesday am: Matt is just gaining every day!! It is just so exciting to hear all the good things. Matt was up in the sit/stand machine again. They have now taken off the curling slider off his right foot and are encouraging Matt to bend his knee and lift his foot. Dad says he almost has got it, and believes within the next week Matt should be able to take his first step. It takes so much concentration. First Matt has to shift his weight onto his left leg, and then mentally goes through all the stages of taking a step. Then he has to tell his body to do it. It comes so naturally to us, but if you break it down, it involves many processes.
The left foot is not quite advanced enough for the slider, but they want Matt to try and go through the process. So Matt has to try transferring his weight to the right side and try to move his foot. Then he has to twist from the waist to the left, and then the right. Also is bending ahead, all while standing. Matt accomplishes this all in about 6-7 minutes, but it is so good for his back and abdominal muscles. Also, this is usaully done on the 3 rd attempt. The first standing attempt always makes Matt nauseated and very green!!
After they put Matt to bed, he wanted to show Kristen (the physio) what he could do. So she bends his knees and holds his legs. Then Matt tries to lift his bum off the bed and support his weight on his shoulders. There is about 10 cms from the bed to Matt's bum. At x-mas, he could lift his right butt cheek 1 cm with great difficulty so just to emphasize the amazing gains Matt is making.
Another thing, when dad returned from "getting some fresh air" the physio was very excited about something Matt did. Matt wouldn't let her tell until dad guessed. So on the first guess dad got it! Matt had lifted his left forearm off the bed, bending at the elbow! How did dad know? Because the previous evening he had put the electrical muscle stimulator on and really worked Matt's bicep, making Matt move his elbow into a bent position. So the body remembered and did it without the stimulator!
I will write more tonight, realized this was a very long blog!!