Rainy Sunday
Mama and Nancy departed this morning, whisked away to the airport by Marilyn. It was a tearful goodbye for Chester and Mama. Just after they left, it started raining and hasn't let up much. Feels appropriate to welcome the rain after a crisp and sunny week with the family. Chester is sad to see his Mom go, and is so grateful that she was able to make the trip. Next month we'll be welcoming his sister and brother out for a visit.
Another great session with June this afternoon. We are going through all of his exercise routines as I videotape them and pay careful attention. This will be the last full week of Rehab Without Walls, so we are making sure that we are prepared to do self-directed rehabilitation. Here, some images from Chester's last session with June. In one, she is taping his toes up to create a deep stretch and activation through the little piggies.
This "piggy bondage" is important to get the toes active, which helps with balance and gait. I had never noticed how much the toes activate while walking- they spread, lift and curl down with each step. I so appreciate how witnessing Chester's rehab sessions has allowed me to pay closer attention to the body, learning the subtlest details of movement and becoming familiar with the tiniest of muscular activations. As bodyworkers, Chester and I share an endless curiosity about the body and his rehabiliation process has certainly been enhanced by our constant attention to the details.
This image is of Chester walking without his cane and without his ankle brace. This "naked" walking allows Chester to gain confidence in his body. Both the cane and the brace are still necessary tools, but now Chester is able to discern when they are needed and begin to gain experience in moving without them. It is startling to see him walk without the cane- even with all of June's extra support, he is doing most of the work and balancing on his own. A part of me experiences disbelief when I see it, just as I experienced disbelief when I saw him take his first few steps after surgery, almost six months ago.
That's right- six months! If February had a "30th", it would be the six month mark post-op. I am experiencing a bit of shock with it- realizing that for the past six month we have engaged in a daily process of rehabilitation, regeneration, survival, learning, grieving, celebrating, and simply being ALIVE. Back in August, while witnessing Chester's degeneration before surgery, six months of life seemed to be an impossibility. His surgery on August 30th removed enough of the primary tumor that he has now had this time to be alive, to continue teaching, to be held in a world-wide network of love and support, and to experience whole new aspects of embodiment. These six months have been a gift, and now time stretches before us, without any sense of an end. All of the statistics and prognosis predictions have fallen away, and we now live in cahoots with the mystery of it all, not pretending to be able to predict where this will go.
Tomorrow morning, we probe into the mystery with modern technology with Chester's next MRI. The doctors will look at the new film on Wednesday and again on Friday, so we'll keep you updated with those readings as we receive them. In the meantime, dance in the unknown, and celebrate the darkness of the New Moon!
Another great session with June this afternoon. We are going through all of his exercise routines as I videotape them and pay careful attention. This will be the last full week of Rehab Without Walls, so we are making sure that we are prepared to do self-directed rehabilitation. Here, some images from Chester's last session with June. In one, she is taping his toes up to create a deep stretch and activation through the little piggies.
This "piggy bondage" is important to get the toes active, which helps with balance and gait. I had never noticed how much the toes activate while walking- they spread, lift and curl down with each step. I so appreciate how witnessing Chester's rehab sessions has allowed me to pay closer attention to the body, learning the subtlest details of movement and becoming familiar with the tiniest of muscular activations. As bodyworkers, Chester and I share an endless curiosity about the body and his rehabiliation process has certainly been enhanced by our constant attention to the details.
This image is of Chester walking without his cane and without his ankle brace. This "naked" walking allows Chester to gain confidence in his body. Both the cane and the brace are still necessary tools, but now Chester is able to discern when they are needed and begin to gain experience in moving without them. It is startling to see him walk without the cane- even with all of June's extra support, he is doing most of the work and balancing on his own. A part of me experiences disbelief when I see it, just as I experienced disbelief when I saw him take his first few steps after surgery, almost six months ago.
That's right- six months! If February had a "30th", it would be the six month mark post-op. I am experiencing a bit of shock with it- realizing that for the past six month we have engaged in a daily process of rehabilitation, regeneration, survival, learning, grieving, celebrating, and simply being ALIVE. Back in August, while witnessing Chester's degeneration before surgery, six months of life seemed to be an impossibility. His surgery on August 30th removed enough of the primary tumor that he has now had this time to be alive, to continue teaching, to be held in a world-wide network of love and support, and to experience whole new aspects of embodiment. These six months have been a gift, and now time stretches before us, without any sense of an end. All of the statistics and prognosis predictions have fallen away, and we now live in cahoots with the mystery of it all, not pretending to be able to predict where this will go.
Tomorrow morning, we probe into the mystery with modern technology with Chester's next MRI. The doctors will look at the new film on Wednesday and again on Friday, so we'll keep you updated with those readings as we receive them. In the meantime, dance in the unknown, and celebrate the darkness of the New Moon!
posted by Chrys Curtis-Fawley at 3:08 PM
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