Reciprocating Walker??

Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show...(the opening lines of David Copperfield as written by Charles Dickens;inspired by MTM). Or at least this ACCOUNT will, perhaps, have a reflection on whether I'm going to be the hero in my own life.

When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears
When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears
And I held your hand through all of these years
But you still have
All of me~~~My Immortal; Evanescense

On Friday, 15 July, 2011 I have this doctor's appointment at the U B Neurological Clinic. It is affiliated with The Dent Neurological Clinic in Amherst, NY. I am to see a neurological surgeon to discuss the implantation of a pump. Almost immediately, I am overwhelmed. I am sure it is because my layman's mind is just that; a simple one. In part, this is because besides Dr. Robert Plunkett in the meeting, there was also a physical therapist as well; Dr. Susan Bennett. Before Dr. Plunkett gets far into the technical explanation of the surgery, he asks that I allow Dr Bennett to go-to-town on me. She is asking me to do all these different types of lower-limb positions. She invariably, has to aid in having me assuming some of these positions because I just don't have the ability to do so on my own. As I am doing these, she is calling-off, for Plunkett to note, different score; tension-point numbers.

Once this is concluded, both Doctors now want to actually see me walk. Both are very absorbed by the acute degree of spasticity, how turned-in my feet are at the ankle as I struggle to get the one gait to drag itself ahead of the other, while I laboriously try to keep myself upright with the aid of two canes. Bennett does not like what she is seeing. Yes!! I know!! Which part!?!? She tells me..."you won't be using those canes, when you will be 'trialing' this pump, all day, at The Buffalo General Hospital." She adds..."we are going to trial this all day, to see your reaction to the baclofen dosages." "You will need to have something steady and trusting to keep you upright, in case the dosage does impact you to where you are feeling groggy or drowsy."

She then asks..."have you ever heard of a Reciprocating Walker???" By now I am thinking~~~"Lou, you are in---so over your head." And additionally---"what in God's name is a reciprocating walker???" Is this going to be my next 'steady' piece of equipment?? How much is this going to cost??? Don't worry Jesus---I still Love You!! Gggrrr!!

Plunkett and Bennett ask me to sit back down on the gurney. They can tell, by now, I am an information-overload wasteland. Bennett jumps in to try to get me focused again. What she wants me to do is to arrange for an appointment at her DeGraff Wellness Center. There, she will show me this reciprocating walker, and 'walk' me through its various aspects, including actually having me use one so that I can feel comfortable with it. This is, of course, because this will be the apparatus that I am going to be using during my trial day with the baclofen 'pump' at the Buffalo General Hospital.

Among other things, I have to find out how one obtains these. Preliminary investigations indicate that these are not cheap. It is not like going to the local Ivy Lea Pharmacy and buying a $69.00 cane. Does the Wellness Center rent these; rent to buy?? Do health insurance plans provide some relief?? Does the Wellness Center sell these at a discount?? Is what I am doing part of a "UNIVERSITY" study?? Is there some cost relief, or in-kind gestures afforded me, because of this??

Time-will-tell on this one. An appointment is arranged for Thursday 21 July, 2011 @ 15:15PM, through Michelle, for the DeGraff Wellness Center. There, I will be working first-hand with Dr. Susan Bennett. To make sure that as many people as possible are involved with this learning curve, I have made it a point to make sure that Donna will accompany me on this meeting. The struggle that is a part & parcel of my existence, is often perceived differently from the ivory tower, than from seeing it first-hand, at the ground-level.

--{-=@
Hickok
The Promise