Monday was my last day of home health PT. Since I’ll be attending college this fall (as a day student), my insurance won’t cover home health PT anymore.
My physical therapist, Kyle, has come to my house to do PT with me 2-3 times a week since March 2022. Kyle wasn’t an expert in hEDS and my other conditions initially, but he got up to speed quickly, reading publications and doing his own research.
I remember the first time Kyle came, I was 100% bed bound and had cardboard blocking all the windows in my room. I even made him whisper because the noise of talking aggravated my raging headache. That day, we did five ankle pumps on each foot (with no resistance), and that’s all we were able to do because even this small motion was so difficult for me. After the session, I cried both in pain and sadness over my lack of mobility.
For the first eight months, we couldn’t even work on my walking because I was unable to tolerate sitting. So that’s where we started. Progress was slow. Then it gradually became more like three steps forward and two steps back. Many times obstacles blocked my progress, and unexpected surgeries along the way would sometimes help or set me back. PT is hard work; it takes so much dedication to stay disciplined, push your body, but also not push it too far, and keep trying even when the results don’t reflect your perseverance.
Now, over a year and a half later, I’m upright and walking with a cane. We’ve worked as a team to rehabilitate me, and I am so proud of the progress I’ve made. I will continue PT in an outpatient (but non homebound) setting now.
And while this graduation from Home Health PT is exciting, it is bittersweet. Kyle’s visits have become a constant in my life for the last 18 months and I am going to miss him. I am grateful for people like Kyle who are kind, patient, and make a difference in people’s lives.
