The Murphy Builders Site

From: oifa@irishfield.on.ca
To: rebel-builders@dcsol.com
Subject: [rebel-builders] Jennifer Sarcoma recovery update November 4, 2011
Date: Fri, 4 Nov 2011 22:14:34 -0400

Been awhile since I've updated those of you here following Jen's "story".
This somehow keeps getting put off as we've been busy here trying to get
back into a somewhat normal routine and getting the workshop lined up for
the work that's been neglected for the last year etc. Hard to believe that
this "journey" for Jen, and all of us, started over a year ago now.
Officially diagnosed with Sarcoma on Oct 18th of 2010 and knowing something
was amiss earlier than that.

With Jennifer delivered back to her own apartment in Toronto on October 6th,
Leah and I finally got up to our Temagami camp/cottage on October 12th.
This trip was to basically close up and winterize what we didn't use all
summer, but also for a much needed "breather" for the two of us . We
"enjoyed" 10 days in the friggin rain and as such pretty much stayed indoors
with the fireplace roaring. We apologize for those in town that we didn't
get a chance to visit with and a thanks to those that dropped by the dock to
check in on us. A BIG thanks to Doug & Anita for having us over a couple
times to there island abode and keeping a good eye on our island camp the
entire summer.

We came home late on the 21st to some wonderful videos that Jennifer's
physiotherapist had taken that day, on only her 5th day of therapy. Jen goes
every day for one hour and the amazing part is the fact that this facility
had just opened recently... and it's only about 700 feet from her apartment
door right on her own street!!

If you watch the bike riding video you'll see Jen is very slow on it and has
a couple leg "flop" occurrences near the start. She can't make the machine
go fast enough to turn on, but she is using her right leg 100% to push the
pedal. Up from about only 20% a couple weeks earlier, when I had her on the
ball bike here at home. Amazing progress and starting to put most of her
weight on the "unattached" leg.

Jen - partial weight bearing (standing) 15 weeks after surgery
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQ-GH-ty5sQ

Jen - partial weight bearing (walking part 1) 15 weeks after surgery
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKRFnZP5L4c

Jen - partial weight bearing (walking part 2) 15 weeks after surgery
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baXkSyHf9Eg

Jen - riding stationary bike 15 weeks after surgery
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhQAnpXNk1E

Yesterday we went to the city so that I could deliver some equipment that I
built last weekend, that Jen and her physiotherapist thought would help.
They had a basic idea and I expanded on it. Basically a rolling trolley but
I added to it and made it with overhanging platforms on two sides, to clear
her good leg and foot, with the unit counterweighted so it doesn't tip over
once she puts her leg on it. This way she can put her right leg on the
trolley while lying on her left side and do leg exercises, bringing her knee
up towards her chest and then down to her side. The cantilever platforms
allow her to get her legs side by side and also she can bend both legs in a
90 degree fashion and work the right leg back and forth as well, without the
rolling trolley hitting her good leg. Don't have a good video of it to share
and her brain hasn't quit reprogrammed her muscles yet to make it work in
some locations ....so it needs a little push by the physiotherapist, but
much better than her having her leg supported by hand and pushing the
trolley will help strengthen things due to it's weight. The brain
"reprogram" seems to be progressing very well at getting the right muscles
to work for what she wants to do. Now that Jen has no pelvic bone, rotator
cup/hip socket or associated muscles, what use to move parts of her leg no
longer does. Her side muscle and femur muscles, that use to be each attached
to the pelvic bone, are now joined together... so some leg movement is now
controlled by her side muscle and while it's taking some time you can see in
the video that I shot yesterday (and that Jen pieced together last night
after we left) she has made AMAZING progress in just 9 more trips to physio
in the last 2 weeks. She amazed the physiotherapist by running the bike fast
enough yesterday that she actually turned it on and they could program Jen's
weight etc into it. That was a first. Up until Wednesday she could make it
blink on and quickly off now and then, but couldn't get it up to speed to
actually come to life. Yesterday I guess she needed show us she is bound and
determined to get this leg working and to progress towards walking again. As
her therapist even said yesterday, while riding the bike someone walking
through a gym wouldn't even give a second look or realize her right femur is
just floating in tissue and she is getting a really natural movement to her
leg.

Videos from Thursday November 3rd, 2011.. day 14 of physiotherapy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5nKpe7kJJM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_uufuGCZt8

Enough babbling for today and thanks for your ears (or eyes) and your
shoulders this past year!

Wayne







-----------------------------------------------------------------
List archives located at: https://mail.dcsol.com/login
username "rebel" password "builder"
Unsubscribe: rebel-builders-unsubscribe@dcsol.com
List administrator: mike.davis@dcsol.com
-----------------------------------------------------------------