Hey Pard'

 OT, occupational therapy and PT, Physical therapy were in the morning. Unusual to be back to back, but that's the way the schedule went yesterday. Sometimes OT and PT overlap in the elements of their session. OT generally concerns itself with personal hygiene and self care, to be sure someone is capable of normal everyday regiment. There is also body movement.

But, the content of the session floats depending on the therapist and reading the patient at that moment. Yesterday, the therapist asked a lot from Jim. And, he delivered. Wheelchair parked at the foot of his bed, he used the footboard to pull himself up and stand, mostly on his own. Tall. Head up. At some point, letting go with one hand to be distracted by something to fuss with on the bed and only secured by the other hand. There were some tough sit squats added to the session. Coming out of the chair just enough to clear the seat and then sit down again. Then, standing, he shifted his weight from right foot to left foot and back again, and side stepping to the end of the footboard. It was wow!!

Later in the gym, while sitting in the wheelchair, PT asked him to kick his right leg out to bump the therapist's hand. Then left. I said left. Then right. Left. Back and forth, staying mostly on task, while he sometimes fixed imaginary wires as a phone tech at early AT&T. Then a boxing match! Right punch to the therapist's hand, left punch. Back and forth. When he let out a big old raspberry of exasperation, that was his sign off.

Watching Jim from the end of the gym, was a man in a wheelchair who had been working on the pedal machine with his upper body,. His legs gone. Resting himself, he greets Jim." Well done, Pard'." At first Jim did not respond, but when he made eye contact he thanked him. The old Pard' told him that he could tell how hard Jim was working, and that he looked great. A little later, we saw him again in the hall. I greeted him as Pard', And, he introduced himself as Mark. "Mark, meet Jim." Jim gave a nod and a wave. Mark proceeded to tell Jim how great he looked, again, and how well he was doing. We visited for just a moment or two, but I wanted Jim to connect to and acknowledge someone else. Someone with a loss. Someone that needed to be seen, and was bold enough to make the initial move. 

Whether that meeting encouraged him or not, I'll never know. But, Jim did wheel the chair part way down the hall. Whatever it takes.