hydrotherapy

Okay so no need to boast but before my stroke put me in a swimming pool and i'd just swim lengths.

Today I had my first ''swimming lesson'' as a stroke patient.
sitting on a red sofa outside the physiotherapy section of the hospital, feeling so lost confused and almost anxious, I had no idea what to expect; Would I drown? Would I float? Would my brain remember and I just magically start swimming like nothings happened.  I carried on tapping my good foot on the floor so much so the man next to me kept looking at me because he was clearly annoyed. gutted mate, i'm not gonna stop listening to my music for anyone.
Physio's in their dull blue trousers and long coats were just walking past, followed by Occupational therapists, in their disgusting green trousers ( I feel sorry for any occupational therapist because that uniform is actually rank)

So my physio came out ''Elizabeth Ashmore?'' I just smiled and stood up, walking towards her as eyes just stared and people just watched me analysing why I needed 'physio'
All I can do is just smile, and walk with my head held high, Some lady whispered to her husband but really loudly she may as well of shouted it.. '' She's that girl that was on the news'' And sympathetically looked at me with the gayest smile. So I literally gave her the biggest smile showing all my teeth.She looked down and carried on just talking to her husband.


My physio walked me past a room full of the most attractive physio's, no joke I looked like i'd just been dragged through a bush.
''Do you need any help Elizabeth?''

'oh no i'm absolutely fine thank you. She left me with two manky hospital towels in the smallest changing room.   I just got undressed and into a swimming costume which I haven't worn for years, I felt like an old lady in her element. My mum told me I shouldn't wear a bikini as it wouldn't be 'appropriate' deep inside that hurt because i've bought such nice bikini's for Greece.


As I walked out to this tiny pool, breathing heavily ''I'll help you shower if you want?''

again, ''no I can do it myself, i've learnt so i'll be fine thankyou though''
The lady smiled.

I washed all of my body. And slowly walked into the pool, As soon as I stood in it I just wanted to cry, My brain knows how to do it, but it just wont..
All those early sunday mornings swimming seemed wasted and money on swimming lessons seemed pointless.

My Physio gave me one of those sausage floats and placed it under my bum ''right were gonna work on your core strength if you just squat in the water but on the float'' apparently I ''did really well'' and my core is really strong. So thats good. The whole time I was doing what he said i'd looked at him and be like ''am I doing it right?'' I didn't want to get it wrong, My whole life depended on him, to teach me how to ''swim''.

I looked at him and really shyly asked if I was the youngest stroke patient, He knew I wanted him to say no but he just took a deep breath and replied ''Yeah you are, but strokes do happen to young people still as you know''
They kept calling me Elizabeth. I was like ''umm you can call me Lizzie, I don't mind.''

`We practiced walking around the pool, and balancing when the waters going 'crazy' with waves. That was quite fun. He said my core balance was really good, again I smiled and carried on walking around the pool.


We were only in their for 20 minutes but still, now I know I can last in a pool, and.. i'm still alive!
my biggest fear. I showered and got changed, ''`Do you need any help getting dressed?''
''No thank you, I can do it all by myself now''  Honestly there is no better feeling than being able to do something you couldn't before. I was so dependant on nurses and Occupational therapists before but now it's so bad that sometimes I forget which leg to put my splint on.