Finally, treatment!

Last week it was finally time to start my treatment here in Spain! On Monday it started with one and half hours and it will build up to 4 hours per day, 3 times a week. I had an hour and half on Monday, Wednesday and Friday with additional acupuncture and extra time in the gym on Friday.

So far each session starts with some very gentle manipulation of my spine and then neck. The neck part causes all kinds of strange sensations in my nose, eyes and ears but also feels sooo good - like something that should have been done long ago, a big relief – especially the stretching (pulling on my head). After the being bounced around in the car last weekend in England my neck really needed some TLC.

After the spine manipulation I get to do some easy sounding but very difficult to do neck exercises. So far they’ve made me feel quite dizzy. The goal is to strengthen certain small muscles in my neck to stabilize my head. I have to do these exercises at home too. Every day, building up slowly. I also have to follow a wriggly line on the wall with a laser attached to my head. VERY difficult!

Then more manipulation, which usually makes me feel even more dizzy and sort of disoriented. After that it’s gym time (they have a gym in the clinic) and more exercises. All highly frustrating because the exercises look so easy but are difficult to do properly.

The first 2 sessions ended with a massage to loosen things up after all this exercising. It felt like I hadn’t really done much because the exercises we so subtle. At the same time it felt like I couldn’t move my head at all and that it might fall off.

The vertigo, dizziness, head and neck aches and sleeping problems got much worse this week, especially after the very first treatment. The therapist had said things might get worse at first and they did! When I came home after the second treatment it was around 1:30 and I was so tired and my head so sore that I decided to have a siesta. I thought I’d sleep for an hour but woke up 5 hours later! And still didn’t feel much better.

The third and last treatment this week was a little different. More exercises, added acupuncture and no massage afterwards. I felt like a rag for 2 days.

Today I took my Dad and Cassey out for a walk to show them a path I had discovered earlier. I thought I’d do three mild kilometres with them but as always my Dad had to drag his 120 kilos of stubbornness along and went way overboard. Seven kilometres return and some steep hills - no stopping this guy!

After seven kilometres he looked 20 years older and of course slipped and fell over out of tiredness (no no, just lost my balance, I’m not tired at all!!). Blood on face and both arms. Once we got home he admitted he might need more training and even managed to do some stretches to loosen the old knees!

Tomorrow morning I will have MRIs and X-rays made and then more physio in the afternoon. I’m hoping to also do some easy biking and maybe kayaking next week, depending on if the therapist thinks that is OK or not. So far the regular walking is making me feel a lot better.

The path we walked today to the village in the background

Poisonous garden plant (oleander)

Basura (garbage) kitty - one of the regulars at the garbage bins. They all look quite well fed!

Sunset from the driveway

First 3 weeks

After being in Europe for almost 3 weeks it’s time for a first update! 

 

On the day we arrived in Holland the weather was very nice and we went to the beach in the afternoon with my Mum, sister, her boyfriend and their baby boy. Colin and I even swam in the sea! It was a 25K bike ride to get to the place where we met the others  (almost 50 KM return) so we got some exercise too! The next few days I spent recovering from the jet lag and visiting friends and family.

I also went to see an optometrist (type of eye doctor) in The Hague. She has had a whiplash herself many years ago after a car crash. She had experienced symptoms similar to mine. She could see the uncontrolled rapid eye movements that are caused by this type of brain / neck injury and is writing a report about the tests she did on me.

After 6 days it was on to Spain. The weather in Holland deteriorated fast after the first 2 days so I was ready for some sunshine! No sunshine when I arrived in Valencia - just heat, clouds and humidity. Also no Dad to pick me up as the plane was delayed and he had to go see patients so could not wait at the airport until I had arrived. Cassey stayed at the airport to greet me and we waited for Dad to return to the airport 3 hours later.

The next few days were spent acclimatizing and planning doctors visits. My Dad did another thorough examination of my eyes. I went to see a GP and the therapist who is going to do the treatment on my neck. He is an Osteopath and Physiotherapist. So far the conclusion is whiplash and potentially some further damage in my neck. This is affecting my brain and ears and eyes and might also be preventing my brain from recovering from the concussion. I still need to have several x-rays and an MRI made and will see a neurologist and other specialists in the next few weeks.

When I’m not being seen by doctors I help Cassey with shopping and cooking and killing the locusts that are eating her roses. I also try to keep my legs hiking-fit by walking around the hood in the evenings (days are too hot) and sometimes I drive to work with my Dad as all his locations are close to beaches so I can go for a swim (good exercise!) while he sees his patients. Some pics below.

We also went for a very quick visit to the UK last weekend. My great-aunt had passed away on September 6^th at 97 years of age and we attended her funeral.

I got carsick for the first time in my life caused by the combination of an injured neck and head, sitting in the back of the car, my Dad’s erratic driving, English country roads, speed bumps, Dad having to relearn how to operate a manual car - with the stick on the wrong side - and the car being brand new and therefor having breaks that actually work. Not fun! But the good thing is that I now know why my headaches and dizziness suddenly increased as soon as I got to Spain. Also Dad has learnt his lesson and trying to drive a little slower and smoother now when I’m in the car.

Treatment on my neck has started but I will write about that another time.

Evening walk

Sunset

Swimming in Benidorm (the crowd on the beach is mainly Spanish and seems to be over 80 years of age at this time of year)

Benidorm wildlife

The hood (Montepego) at sunset. We live somewhere just above the middle on the right hand side of the picture.