The answer? Exercise

The answer? Get that arm moving ASAP.

Thank God for the ladies from Reach to Recovery. Waldean and Dorthy saved the day. What did they do? They made me feel normal again. They taught me how to exercise the arm to regain full mobility again.

The first exercise was learning to crawl the wall with my hands. With my forehead placed against the wall, I placed my hands at shoulder level and slowly crawled my fingers up the wall. It didn't seem like much, but when you had one arm that didn't want to move at all, every inch was an obstacle. Each day, I aimed a bit higher. My goal was to have both hands over my head within 6 weeks. Waldean and Dorthy warned me that it might take me much longer. Four times a day, I crawled the wall.

The second exercise was easier. Dorthy had brought me a small ball similar to what was on a paddle ball. I held the ball in my hand, squeezing it slowly, beginning with 5 times each session. Four times a day (and many times in between), I squeezed the ball. I could feel the muscles pulling under my arm.

The third exercise involved tossing the ball. Oops! That ball on the end of the rubber band can be painful when it bounces back and hits the chest. Better aim differently. Four times a day.

The last exercise needed help at home. My husband tossed a rope over the door between two small nails. I would put the paralyzed arm on the lower end of the rope and gently tug the arm, higher and higher each day.

I wanted to move my arm. I wanted to show the doctor I could do it.

And I did. 6 weeks, I could hold my affected arm above my head. barely. But I could do it.