It's true...

What doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.  Today at physio (aided by some extra drugs, as another round of self-experimentation) my physio managed to get some extra passive movement from my shoulder.  The drugs don't take away the pain I get with movement - which is good because they want me to know when to stop - but they seem to stop my muscles 'guarding' (a technical term) against movement as a means of protection that must come from my lizard brain because I certainly can't control it.  It means that it is possible for the muscles and nerves and tissues to be stretched manually so that I can get back some range-of-motion and eventually that will become an active range of motion (where I am moving it, not someone moving it passively) and then once I get that, I can start on some strengthening work.  Still a long process ahead...

However, a little positivity today as my passive range-of-motion measurements have increased in the last two months.  There are four measurements and my measurements have increased 8 degrees, 7 degrees, 11 degrees and 7 degrees for two overhead measurements (the word overhead is used very loosely here - I guess it's more of an aim for overhead right now) and then internal and external rotation.  The last two were really good improvements because it pretty much means I don't have a frozen shoulder capsule, which was an added complication from underuse that everyone was concerned about a couple of months ago when my measurements had gone backwards.

On my good days at physio, when the drugs are working and my muscles seem more relaxed, my physio does push it a little bit more - we are aiming to get my arm/shoulder motion to 90 degrees so that I can get certain stretches that will hopefully stop other muscles pulling (mainly on my ribs) on my bones - right now everything is so tight that I have lumps and extra-tender points on certain bones where the attachment sites are.  I can't stretch properly because my scapula and shoulder just don't have the mobility to get into a position to stretch.  So that is this month's challenge.  I really want to try hard to get it to the 90 degree mark... but still within all my restrictions about limiting pain because I also don't want to push myself backwards trying to go forwards....... oh it is such a fine line.... if only I could figure out where it actually is.

Today's lyrics are a perfect fit - one of my absolute favourite songs at the moment.  I also love the video... they asked people to send in their own videos via Youtube of them doing the choreography and then chose the best ones to use in the video.  Earlier this year I used to have this video on repeat as I worked through some of my exercises, so it's kind of my exercise mantra.  I know the dance in my head and everything..... Although I don't think my horizontal dance-along in bed attached to my ice machine would have made the final cut...

KELLY CLARKSON

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger

Stand a little taller

Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone

What doesn't kill you makes you a fighter

Footsteps even lighter

Doesn't mean I'm over cause you're gone.

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger

STRONGER

(Again: I don't own any music/ videos etc. All linked to Youtube and artists accredited)

And the original quote from the (crazy) genius himself:

"That which does not kill us makes us stronger"

~ Friedrich Nietzsche