Two Weeks Ago

We began day 2 of treatment with PNF and mat work - which is surprisingly challenging, even for JL. When he found out he would get to lie down, he said, "I get to lie down? You're gonna make me get down some crazy way like a one-legged squat or something." He wasn't wrong.

I am never, ever going to forget you in my whole life. 

JL and I attempted an obstacle course before it started downpouring. (JL would later describe this as the best part of the day). We did band walks and played the bead game again with another patient, CM, but he dropped the cup and had to pick them all up. "I hate this game." We did some trampoline work and practiced dance moves with ML. We ended the day with group volleyball, where JL had to kneel (while everyone else sat) and could only use his left hand. In our final recap, one patient said that he learned today that "White girls CAN dance".  Classic.

Why can't I sit in a chair like everybody else?? I want justice!

Tuesday we started on mats again, but this time I felt like doing something entirely different. JL got a break (for once) and I just worked on joint mobs, soft tissue mobilization, and passive ROM for a while. When we were finished, JL could lift his arm above his head! This was the first time in four months! Game changer.

Teammates. 

JL made a playdough elephant and increased the number of beads he can move in 30s (19 vs 32!), and practiced placing pegs in a board. When we finished the whole board, he just started laughing and said, "I was thinking you'd want me to do it again."

We practiced for our dance competition, which JL was lowkey into. IB won with Smasher the horse and Wrecking ball. Maddy did some good work with him and it was cool to see their bond.

Smasher. 

After treatment, we walked down the road to a coffee plantation run by Wade and Lloyd, who are deaf. Maddy and I both know letters, so we were able to communicate somewhat and they gave us some name signs. They were hilarious and we laughed and laughed with them. Maddy and I found out we're eskimo sisters and everything made sense.

The coolest people. 

We did home visits again to help our patients and their caregivers how to apply everything we'd been teaching them. JL's wife Shirline watched as he cut yams and carried heavy boxes and agreed to keep making him work and use that affected side. JL is a man with a plan and told me how he plans to exercise and job (cheetah speed) and use the affected hand more and replace meat with vegetables and decrease the stress in his life. What a champ.

The cutest couple ever. 

JL took us to the best jerk center around - and it was dangggg good. Then we met up with the whole crew for a football game that was a fundraiser for one of the patients by the teams he used to ref, the Reggae Boys. At half time, we played ball with the locals. We found and killed a forty legger - a venemous and huge centipede looking thing. Toots regaled us with some stories and brought in her homemade jewelry. And Trump was impeached? 

Thursday was re-test day and everyone did phenomenal. JL cut all of his times in half and improved on every single test. It's easy to brag about his accomplishments. His wife came for lunch and a slideshow. Each patient was given mugs to give to their PT students and since I was the only solo student, JL insisted he give me 2 mugs since I did the work of 2 people.

There's more life in this hand now. 

The NAU crew. 

 We convinced Brooke to let us go to Lover's Leap lookout since we missed the hike. We had about ten minutes of beautiful view before we were enveloped by a cloud and had to enjoy our ice cream and drinks in the cold, wet air.

This is my sexy pose. 

We made a community breakfast with all our leftovers for Lauren's birthday. (And later threw flour at her and ate her key lime pie.) Then we drove to the beach for community integration day. It was awesome to watch JL just check up on people, make sure they use their affected hand, and see how they're doing. "I've never seen so much love."

The NAU crew. Iconic. 

We got patients in the water, including IB who was walking (with 6 helpers) and singing the Gambler. We drank pina coladas and mango smoothies and ate lobster fritters and curried goat and lobster. JL promised he'd get in the water (despite his fears), but kept putting me off with "the sun's too hot" or "it's man time". As we were cleaning up, I found him hiding in the bus and ended up chasing him down the road. I've never seen him move so fast. I caught up and he agreed to walk back along the beach, but eventually he had to step into the water because there was a sharp cliff we couldn't walk on, so he did. And drenched himself.

Drinks are better here. 

Saturday, we took a three hour bus ride to the airport and said our goodbyes. Rahz, Maddy, and I headed off for a totally different adventure.