PHYSICAL THERAPY

[Guest guest]

HI DON,

ME AGAIN, I JUST READ YOUR ARTICLE ABOUT

PT. DADDY HAS HAD PT EVER SINCE HE FIRST

WAS THOUGHT TO HAVE JUST HAD THE MINI

STROKES. HE ALSO HAD THE SPEECH, OCCUPATIONAL,

PHYSICAL THERAPY, AND RECREATIONAL THERAPY.

SINCE OCT. 1997 HE HAS ONLY HAD PHYSCIAL

THERAPY, WHICH WAS ORDERED BY THE DOCTOR,

IT IS FOR MOBILITY, TO TAKE HIM TO THE TABLE TO

EAT, TO STAND HIM UP, TO SIT HIM DOWN, TO BE

ABLE TO DRESS HIM. HIS BODY GETS REALLY

RIGID AND TIGHT, SO SHE KNOWS WHO FAR SHE

CAN STRETCH HIS MUSCLES, IT IS NOT JUST A

MASSAGE THAT SHE GIVES HIM IT IS ACTUALLY

WORKING HIS JOINTS AND HE ACTUALLY GETS

RELIEF FROM HIS PAIN FROM THE MUSCLES BEING

SO STIFF. THIS KEEPS HIM HAVING A " NORMAL "

LIFE IF POSSIBLE AND KEEPS HIM BEING PART

OF THIS FAMILY AND NOT BEDRIDDEN, WE DON'T

WANT THAT AND HE DON'T EITHER! WE GAVE UP

NURSING IN EXCHANGE FOR PT! WE TAKE CARE

OF THE NURSING OURSELVES, BATHING, BLOOD

PRESSURE ETC. AND SHE COMES TWICE A WEEK

AND USUALLY SHE IS NEEDED BY THE TIME SHE

COMES BECAUSE HIS MUSCLES WILL GET IN A

KNOT (LITERALLY) AND SHE CAN GET IT OUT, HE

KEEPS HIS RIGHT ARM AGAINST HIS BODY AND SHE

WORKS WITH IT UNTIL SHE LOOSENS IT UP ENOUGH

TO STRETCH OUT AND OPEN THE FINGERS! SO

MUCH TO SAY IN GOOD FAITH ABOUT PT, AFTER

SHE FINISHES HE CAN STRETCH OUT AND TAKE

A NAP AND RELAX, SO I TOTALLY TOTALLY DISAGREE

THAT THIS IS IN ANY WAY CRUEL AND UNUSAL

PUNISHMENT LIKE PAT SAYS, EVIDENTALLY SOME

PT'S JUST ARENT' AWARE OF CJD, MAKE SURE

THEY KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DEALING WITH BEFORE

THEY TRY TO WALK THEM OR WHATEVER, ONLY YOU

KNOW HOW FAR AND WHAT LIMITS ARE, JUST OPEN

YOUR MOUTH AND TELL DOCTORS AND NURSES &

ETC. THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND ALWAYS. WE HAVE

LEARNED FROM HER AND SHE HAS LEARNED FROM

US!!

SUE

PS. THIS COULD BE THE DIFFERENCE IN SOME OF

THESE PATIENTS WHO ONLY LIVE DAYS OR MONTHS

AS OPPOSE TO PEOPLE LIKE MY DAD WHO HAVE

SURVIVED OVER A YEAR! TAKE A GOOD LOOK AT

THE DIFFERENCE IN CARE.