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Hope and determination can prove to be
very good medication

Below is a description by John Walker of his wife Joan's experience after a head injury. After it, you can read a summary of his wife's treatment by heads up!. (We are grateful to Mr Walker for writing this piece and for giving us permission to write about his wife's treatment.)

"At the time of my wife's discharge from hospital, I had great difficulty in getting agreement for me to take her home instead of her going into residential care.

All the problems and difficulties were stressed with warnings that I would not possibly be able to cope with caring for Joan at home.

However, during her long stay in hospital I had seen that her treatment had basically been that of nursing care aimed at improving her general level of health.

I had been most impressed by the physiotherapy that Joan received, with the improvement in mobility and the fact that she enjoyed it so much.

So Joan came home and, as predicted, it was not easy. Caring and physiotherapy of the necessary standard are not always easy to find.

But we had moved a long way since the night of Joan's accident when I was told that she had just four or five days left.

Friends seeing her now marvel at how well she looks. For this we owe a very great deal to heads up! for the way in which they have formed such a friendly and supportive relationship with Joan so that she is always happy to see them and enjoys doing the exercise programme.

This has given us the incentive to keep seeking improvement and not to accept that decline is inevitable. We are encouraged by the way that the therapists always have targets and aim for making progress.

The lesson that I have learned from all this is not to accept a negative prognosis. Hope and personal determination can prove to be very good medication."

The physiotherapy treatment of Mrs Walker

by Virginia Grant
(Autumn 2006)

Mrs Walker has been treated by heads up! since 2003. After a fall at home she became paralysed down one side of her body.

Her husband John contacted us soon after her discharge from hospital very keen to get Joan back on her feet again. Although discharged home with a hoist, John was adamant that Joan would not use this.

At that time Joan was spending all of her time in her wheelchair. Having spent much time in hospital, Joan’s limbs were quite flexed and she was unable to move her arms very far from her body.

The heads up! therapists initially implemented a standing programme in an Oswestry standing frame to improve Joan’s ability to hold herself against gravity.

They also worked on improving the range of movement in her limbs to allow more freedom of movement. With frequent standing, Joan was more upright and therefore able to start walking with two people.

I have been working with Joan now for over a year and she continues to make steady progress. Having been a fit and active lady she readily looks forward to her physiotherapy sessions, and I am rewarded with her lovely smile and hard work.

She can now consistently walk with two people from room to room around the house. With the assistance of two people she can also walk up and down the front steps.

She continues to stand in her frame 3-4 times a week and can now stand with less support. We have tried using a walking frame indoors but unfortunately this is not practical through narrow doors.

Our continuing aims are for Joan to be able to walk with the assistance of one person and to be able to consistently go up and down the front steps to access the car.

Like many patients discharged home, Joan was given a poor prognosis and did not meet the criteria for rehabilitation at home.

If not for her husband John, Joan would not have had the opportunity to improve her mobility. Determined as ever, Joan continues to make improvements.

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