ARNI training – May 2010
Andrew, my husband and I had been expecting our first child, I was 37 years old and we had been married 17 months. I mis-carried on Saturday 13th February and was rushed into hospital. If that wasn’t bad enough, on 15th February 1999 at approx 10.30am, my life changed for ever. It was the day I should have been going home. I got out of bed and felt pain in my legs, this turned out to be a DVT which then developed into a PE (pulmonary embolism). A couple of hours later, a clot from nowhere hit my brain, within minutes I was paralyzed down my left side. Although the medics could not discover where the clot came from a consultant later on has said it was probably pregnancy related.
I spent 3 – 4 months in rehab I left walking with a stick and a useless left arm. Over the years I have not given up trying to regain use, I’ve tried acupuncture, reflexology, electrical stimulation, anything to help. Then following the birth of my son in 2002, my fist opened up. My little miracle had caused a miracle to happen! I had to be functional with my arm. Then in 2003 I developed frozen shoulder on my right side! You may have heard of constraint therapy, well this was inadvertently forced upon me. This had the upside of forcing neuron plasticity to take place in my brain thereby enabling more use in my left arm.
Then in recent years I plateaued, became depressed following a TIA, and got fat! Having recently been referred back to community neuro-physio for a problem with my gait, I was told about ARNI. When I got home I contacted ARNI and have just returned from having some one to one training with Dr Tom Balchin. I have spent a lot of money at private gyms over the years to no effect just because the instructors don’t understand brain injury. Although at the start of my journey with ARNI, I feel encouraged, I can get stronger and fitter, I may not get 100% back but I’m not going to give up on trying! Having walked with a stick for over 11 years, since getting back from ARNI I am trying to walk short distances without it, I feel my confidence growing. Thank you Tom!
