Life of a Traveling Physiotherapist

Today, July 8, 2021, I want to take you to my world... A day in the life of a traveling Physiotherapist (or Physical Therapist). I do traveling three times a week and the rest of it I'm on hospital duty except Sunday, that is if we don't have on-call for in-patients on that "supposed- to-be" rest day.

Anyway, since I don't have much inspiration to write about other things at the moment, I want to take you instead on how my usual day went when I'm traveling to patients who needs Physical Therapy services at home. Usually patients under homecare PT are either bedridden or bedbound, or sometimes they're just difficult to transport in a nearest hospital or center with PT, or maybe no one can drive them to and fro at a regular basis, however can afford to pay a traveling PT. With my patient's case, she needed homecare because she's an elderly patient, who lives with her elderly husband and no one can drive her regularly for PT sessions. Also at this time of pandemic, senior citizens are afraid to go out especially to the hospital.

Yesteday, I got this new referral with a below knee amputee patient. She got amputated a year ago because of Diabetes, and received PT right after surgery for home instructions about exercises and proper care of the amputated limb. This elderly patient have second thoughts of getting a prosthetic or artificial limb so it took a year for them to decide. Her daughter that has been working in the UK as a nurse wanted a prosthesis made from the best Prosthetist in Manila, however with the current pandemic situation it seems impossible to travel just for this reason so instead they opted for what was available in the city.

They had prosthetic planning a month ago in our hospital and just yesterday the limb was ready for donning. We met in the department yesterday together with the prosthetist and our physiatrist for co-management, planning and etc. So today, I'm off to see her at home.

In the morning, I still have one home PT for an old patient with stroke, the patient's home was near my place just 10 mins walk. I would spend there for an hour and 30 minutes for her PT session, that includes Electrotherapy, standing balance and tolerance exercises and gait training. This patient has cardiac precautions, so usually we have rest periods in between and that would mean a time to do some breathing and more chit chat, lol! That's part of the program, I guess.

In the afternoon, I'm headed to the new amputee patient. But before that, I have to make sure where I'm traveling and with the bliss of technology and internet, google map revealed that I would be driving an hour and five minutes to reach my destination, if I won't make wrong turns (google sounded so specific and completely trusted my driving, lol). Anyway, it's not my first traveling to this place, so I was a bit confident that I won't get lost.. I really hope so though.

On the way, I got a call from the patient and instructed me that I have to make a right turn from the highway, and then a left turn from the barangay road. The first turn was easy because landmarks were all familiar from the national highway. The second turn from the barangay road was hardest because the landmark was just a description of the path, and all the rest I could see in the road were trees, and more trees! Sigh and long sigh**. I have to make a stop and call them again perhaps someone can fetch me in the corner where I should make the left turn. They agreed and yep, I was half kilometer short before making the turn. Glad I made a call or else I would just keep driving further and away from the patient's home.

The PT session was just an hour and 20 minutes. Prosthetic care and donning - doffing instructions were given to them yesterday, I just reminded them again for familiarization and compliance. She performed some exercises without the prosthesis mostly muscle strengthening and some stretching of her hip flexors. For amputees this muscle is most often tight, though hers wasn't really that tight, because she's so active despite on wheelchair for a year. She also performed exercises with prosthesis on, and gait training with a walker. I'm pretty sure, she can ambulate well in a month or so, though I'm not sure if she can walk without a walker because at her age at 76 postural and balance problems that comes with aging is inevitable.

Patient's case and condition is not difficult to handle. Though she's diabetic but not under insulin injection, so her blood sugar is well controlled by medication and diet. I also learned that lady's-finger or okra water is a good way to maintain the blood sugar in normal levels for patient's with Diabetes. She has been taking a glass of this water every morning after waking up, she believes that it does wonders! Well, I do believe that with the old couples' lifestyle and location far from the city would hone them with better food choices.

Going home, it was nearly dark when I almost reached home and made a quick stop to take a photo of the beautiful sunset. Looking at it and the cooler breeze does refreshes my mind and body. That's one thing nature can do. Praise God for this beautiful world!

Work does not stop there for me at this time of pandemic. Everytime I arrive home, I have to rest for a bit in the garage, and head directly to the bathroom to shower. Only then I can say that the day is over.

Tiring, but there is always something to be grateful for in every single day despite of busyness and the tiredness.

I thank God...

... For my work and his provisions...

... For the strenght, the wisdom, and the skill.

... For the protection and safety, covered by His blood.

... For the passion that makes working a joy to achieve.

... For the things around me that sustains wellness in my mind and body.

... For this platform and community to vent out and share my thoughts and life in writing.

There are really lots of things to be thankful of, thus I think that too is part of my day before I end the night.

Photos are all MINE...