Leg up and Arm up Friday, 19th October 2012
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This is Lily. Although this is not her real name, she has given me permission to share her story so as to give hope to those who become paralysed because of strokes. Where there is a will there is a way. She has been having craniosacral since 2010.
I am a volunteer at the Metta Day Rehabilitation Centre for the Elderly giving Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy sessions.
When Lily first came for treatments she was in a wheelchair. She had a stroke two years earlier and have been coming to Metta for rehab. She was shy and had difficulties standing up and walking without assistance. She does not want to talk as her speech was slurred. Lily was a very active person before her illness and because of her disabilities she sometimes became depressed and emotional.
Lily loved her first BCST session that she kept coming for more sessions weekly. I encouraged her to talk as I tend to dialogue during treatment. Eventhough at times I do not understand her answer and she seemed frustrated as she could not cognitively form words and sentences, I kept encouraging her to make more sound eventhough others do no understand what she is saying. I told her practice makes perfect. As it turned out Lily is a perfect patient anyone could ask for.
She came for sessions without fail. She would also give me feedbacks. She began to have more confident in herself and began to walk more, with the assistance of a cane. No more holding on to a helper. I taught her some legs and arms resistance exercises and taught her to crawl like a baby to give stability to her hips. I read one article about this and Lily had agreed to give this a try. Learn to crawl first, then to walk! I could tell that she has been doing those exercises regularly. Each time Lily came for her BCST treatment, I could see that she is making good progress. Her speech also improved.
Three weeks ago, Lily was excited and she showed me that she could now raise her right leg and her right arm. This is the side of her body that was paralysed when she had her stroke some years ago.