Background
I met Barbara back at the start of January, she was referred to SASP following discharge from hospital and project lead Lianne had called her over the Christmas period to introduce the service and check she was okay. Barbara was feeling quite distressed about movement and being in pain. Barbara had severe pins and needles in both arms and could not move more than 1 to 2 steps without going dizzy and having to sit. Barbara felt unable to leave her chair for most of the day, had a very low mood and was depressed.
Session Progress
When we started our sessions, Barbara was very apprehensive as she thought that nothing would work as she'd been let down by several services in the past. We talked through her depression and how certain things can help and spent a lot of time trying to regain her confidence and reassure her that we could make changes. We started off with some simple stretching exercises to try and alleviate the pain in her hands, and some simple lower body movements to get some strength back in her legs.
Over the course of the following weeks, we focussed on how Barbara got up and I showed her how to stabilise herself and take a moment to breathe then move. We started off with small goals and worked our way up so it felt manageable. Barbara went from not being able to take two steps to being able to walk around her house, make her lunch and dinner again, and even venture back out to her back garden. If you'd had said that to her at the start, she would have replied it was impossible.
The pain in her hands still comes and goes but Barbara says the stretches shown to her helps at times. She has now made an appointment to visit the doctor to sort steroids for this. Her walking has come on so much, in the last session she met me at the door and even showed me her garden. Her mood and outlook on life has changed so much and she has become a different person now. She is going to carry on her exercises and walking and her next goal is to go back into town in the next few months. The happiness in her face that she feels is amazing and she has purpose again which shows why M2I is so important for the local area.
Barbara's View
"Since Tom has come along from M2I I couldn't be more grateful. I was at a very low point in life and to be honest, was very depressed and suicidal to the point I did not want to be here anymore. Tom came at just the right time and gave me my confidence back, he showed me hope.
The confidence he gave me to get back up and walk again has been amazing and I am so grateful. I am happy, more confident and can move around my house with ease, I didn't think it was possible, I couldn't get to the end of the sofa before. Now I can get out to my summer house again in my back garden. I am so grateful for what Tom did and will carry on doing my exercises now and get myself back out and into town".