Tea and cakes fuel recovery

Sharon writes about her weekly visits to the rehabilitation group at the local hospital which includes physiotherapy and social activities. She been to four sessions, with two more left.

“We always start with a morning cup of tea and toast and a good old chinwag,” says Sharon. “There can be up to nine of us in the group and we all get on very well. After the chatting, we go one-by-one for physiotherapy.

“I find the workouts very intensive. There is lots of walking up and down while hanging on to the parallel bars with my good hand. I have to walk backwards as well as forwards, and sideways. Then I have to stop and do bending the knees, which I am actually getting the hang of now even with my bad left leg. I have to wiggle my hips.

“Then I have to walk all around the room with my new quad pod, which is a walking stick with four little feet which makes it very stable on the floor. It doesn't wobble like my crutch does. I do lots of arm exercises as my left arm and hand are of no use after my stroke two years ago. So I have to hold my left hand with my right hand and wiggle it around and lift it up and down above my head. I am not very keen on this because at night I get a terrible ache in my neck and shoulder. It is obviously doing my muscles good but I need plenty of Deep Heat rubbed in before bed time.

“Then I go back to join my group and we play bingo, curling, scrabble, dominoes, word search. Then we have voice therapy with singing. There is nothing wrong with our minds and we can nearly all speak fairly well, it's just our bodies don't always do as they are told. Because I am also blind the therapists photocopy my bingo card to the most ginormous size so I can make out the numbers. I have won once.

“Lunch comes at 12.30 which is always a lovely cooked meal with enormous helpings. There are three courses, soup, main course and pudding. Last week I had shepherd's pie with green beans and fruit yoghurt. I couldn't manage the pea and ham soup. Followed with cup of tea. About an hour later there is a tray of cakes and another cup of tea. Last week I had a treacle scone. Of course, I can't manage to eat anything when I get home so just have something very light at night.

“I must give a ginormous pat on the back to all the lovely staff who are so considerate, helpful, thoughtful and kind, to put up with all of us and our limitations. This needs the patience of saints and they always have a smile and an encouraging cheerful word as we struggle along.

“At the end, when we are having our afternoon tea we play the Oldies CDs that I bring in. We all sing along and have a good laugh at ourselves. Visitors always sing along as well.

“All this might seem very simplistic activity to many people but to those of us who are fighting to get back to normality it is essential to our well-being and recovery. I am so grateful and I always look forward to my Wednesday sessions.”

www.sharonskitchenworld.blogspot.com