Monday, June 26, 2006
Barrow Neurological Institute
Phoenix, AZ
For Lisa, Monday started off with a massage and a team of orthopedic specialists. She was to receive serial casts. Serial casting is a noninvasive procedure that will help Lisa improve her range of motion so she can respond to her daily therapy with less difficulty. It is a process in which a well-padded cast is used to immobilize a joint that is lacking full range of motion. What happened during the Serial Casting session? Muscle strength and range of motion of the affected joint was assessed prior to application of the cast. The team of specially trained therapists then applied the cast in the joint’s optimal position and range. Casts are changed on a weekly basis until a target range-of-motion goal is achieved. Predicting the number of casting sessions is difficult, as each individual responds to the casting procedure at different rates. Typically, the casting procedure is completed in 4-6 weeks.
Barrow Neurological Institute
Phoenix, AZ
For Lisa, Monday started off with a massage and a team of orthopedic specialists. She was to receive serial casts. Serial casting is a noninvasive procedure that will help Lisa improve her range of motion so she can respond to her daily therapy with less difficulty. It is a process in which a well-padded cast is used to immobilize a joint that is lacking full range of motion. What happened during the Serial Casting session? Muscle strength and range of motion of the affected joint was assessed prior to application of the cast. The team of specially trained therapists then applied the cast in the joint’s optimal position and range. Casts are changed on a weekly basis until a target range-of-motion goal is achieved. Predicting the number of casting sessions is difficult, as each individual responds to the casting procedure at different rates. Typically, the casting procedure is completed in 4-6 weeks.
Lisa was also received several Botox (Botulinum toxin) injections on Monday. The Botulinum toxin can heal as well as harm. The bacterial toxin that can paralyze and kill if consumed in contaminated food is now safely used, in a purified form, as a medicine to control certain conditions marked by involuntary muscle contractions. The toxin is a protein that helps stop muscle spasms which are caused by chemical messages sent to the muscles from nerves. These messages tell the muscles to contract (to tighten up), and Botox is used to stop the muscle spasms because it blocks these messages. Botox is a standard treatment for spasmodic torticollis, a muscle spasm that causes the head and neck to pull in one direction. Dr. Kwasnica decided to use the injections to treat these and other problems as well.
Then Lisa received a bolus of Baclofen to hasten its benefit. The drug was given quickly by intravenous injection, and now we await the results.
The day was not complete without 3 hours of therapy. Each therapist divides their own time into 3-half hour sessions which are repeated twice by Lisa’s new physical therapist, and occupational therapist, and speech therapist.
Everything was accomplished under the watchful eye of Richard and Michael. Richard’s work in Ada, Oklahoma was completed on Friday, June 23rd, and he spent the weekend with Lisa and Michael.
Please write if you have questions. Several friends send wonderful jokes that I read to Lisa during our weekend visits. Thank you for helping me out.
Till next time….
Michael
mlwintory@msn.com
