So this is why I became a physio...

Hi All,

Ok, so remember how one of my first blogs was about how I was getting frustrated during my neuro outpatient prac because I felt like I was not making a difference only seeing people for 3 hours a week? Well, low and behold, I had a break through with a patient this week that made me realise that we actually can make a difference in such a short time! Like me paint you a brief picture about the patient: 59 y.o male who suffered a (R) MCA (TACS) stroke in 2004 and who presents with Pusher Syndrome. At the beginning of our sessions he was not responding to anything that I was trying to do with him...he was so apprehensive and did not trust me at all. But once I started to be more firm and aggressive with him, he started to slowly respond to me. Now this is a man who has been walking with a walking stick for 4 years and will not go anywhere without it as he does not trust his (L) leg to do anything..he holds onto that stick (or anything within close reach) for dear life!! But this last wednesday I finally got him to walk without his stick or holding onto anything!! Mind you it took A LOT of convincing on my part but I was so proud of him...I even got a little misty eyed becuase I realsied that I can actually make a difference in these patients lives and that's the reason I became a physio. When the patients wife came to pick him up, we showed her the progress we made with him and she started to cry because she was so happy for him. Not only that but the patient himself was very pleased and he said "I have two good legs" which is a pretty big deal as before he only thought that his (R) leg could work. So after this exerience I've realsied that even though you may think that sometimes what you are doing seems so minisual it actually does make a difference...i have seen the light and will never make that mistake again!!