Thursday, March 10, 2011

Daily Routine Part 5 Evening

Since beginning my daily muscle stimulation and nightly meditation/ exercise( meditercise as I like to call it), some of muscles have” woken up” and “remembered” what it felt like to be used. Even if I can’t get up and walk around, I can flex various muscles throughout my body; I have more trunk control, and I  regained control over and sensation in my private and anal areas which helps immensely with my bowel routine. I have, since 6 months after my initial injury, had most sensation throughout my body but never had sensation in or around my anus, very little on my legs or feet, and not much in the way of sexual organs. Until, I started my nightly routine and became more in tune, more in touch, more mentally connected with my body.
       Let me continue: After my 100 reps flexing my lower buttocks, I move to abdominal muscles where I know with every fiber of my being I am moving because this is one muscle group that we stimulate regularly so I’m familiar with the feeling of contractions and can reproduce them at will. So I will contract my tummy 100 times. Then it’s on to the middle butt. Another muscle group we stimulate. Flex and relax, flex and relax, visualizing my bottom getting rounder and firmer with every rep. Of course you will start with 10 – 20 reps because doing the meditercise correctly is more important and with your full concentration and all your physical might then a lot of reps done incorrectly or half-heartedly.
       Finally, I arch my back pushing my head into my pillow, cross my arms over my chest and try to lift my hips off the bed by flexing the uppermost part of my bum cheeks together as fiercely as possible for 100 reps.This also works muscles in your lower back and obliques. Lastly, I hold hand up at the elbows and try to separate and straighten each finger, seeing it happen in my mind, watching with real glee as my contracted knuckles open easily and smoothly an my fingers that have become almost closed fists separate and wiggle individually. And by the time my program is complete, I’m so relaxed I usually fall asleep before it’s finished and if this happens to you don’t fret; you can finish your routine anytime you are awakened during the night or in the morning before you get up.
The important thing to keep in mind is that it is YOUR routine. Whatever you need to think about to motivate you and whatever higher power you can put some faith into to help heal you is what YOU must do to make this routine work. And it is worth the $150.00 or so investment to get started with a good NMES machine to stimulate those paralyzed muscles that simply lost connection with your brain both physically AND psychologically!    

2 comments:

  1. Lori, the return you're getting after so long is pretty impressive. I am wondering, have you thought about getting into a pool and seeing how much you can move without the full weight of gravity bearing down on you? I think that pool therapy would be so awesome for you.

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  2. It's pretty impressive that you outdo me with your workout.. Many times, I watch you do this and think that I am pretty pathetic, considering I am not injured. I do work out, but its not a daily thing. I can say one thing, you are a great teacher and I have added a few new exercises into my workout... :) Keep up the good work!

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please feel free to be as open, honest, blunt, and real as think you need to when leaving your comment. any of you who can relate to any one of my issues or takes offense to something I've written I'd especially like to hear from. I'm sorry to say that any comments left anonymously will not be published whether positive or negative. however, i still appreciate the insight and value the opinion. Thanks, L.A.M.B.