Tag: horse riding

Posted in Archive, January

Yesterdays R.D.A Lesson & Support group

Posted on by dystoniaandme

Yesterday I had a lesson booked with the R.D.A, I was a bit nervous about this due to the new tremor in my leg. I had emailed my instructor in advance to let her know that it may be slightly more difficult than usual to get me on. Her reply made me grin “Tremor or no tremor, we will give it our best shot”! She stuck true to her words, they gave it their best shot and managed to get me on! I hopped up the mounting block, then with my arms round two volunteers shoulders they lifted me up on to Connie so that I was sitting side saddle, I then swung my Dystonic leg over Connie’s neck and slid my feet into the stirrups.

After about a minute of having my feet in the stirrups my right leg decided to spasm, it shot out sideways and upwards. The volunteers and my instructors remained very calm and Connie did not even notice. Thankfully it was not a long spasm, once it had passed we agreed that until my leg had settled down completely, I would ride without the stirrups. I was completely fine with this, and happily rode round without them. After a while, when I was certain it was OK to risk putting my feet back in stirrups, I did so, this time my body did not react.

My riding instructor does fantastic lessons, and I was allowed to do a lot more trotting this time. We did trotting in general, trotted in and out of cones and over poles, it was complete heaven! The three volunteers that stayed beside me, kept saying that you would never know I was disabled if you watched me ride, as I sat so well and had good control. I must admit them saying this really made my day! I have to have three people around me at the moment when I ride, due to my Non Epileptic Seizures, as I only had my last one a few weeks ago, so we have to play it safe.

I cannot put into words that happiness that riding gives me. I literally sit and grin the whole time I am riding, taking in every magical second of it! I cannot wait until next weeks lesson!

Last night I also attended my support/research group. I love these meetings, they are so mad and positive that I just there and smile. Despite both my leg and arm playing up whilst I was there, I had a fantastic time. The group is extremely supportive and I find that the different methods we are taught for coping with pain are extremely helpful.

Overall yesterday was an absolutely brilliant day. It was so worth the aches I have today. Despite the aches, if you put a horse in front of me now, I would still try and get on!

 

Posted in Archive, January

Benedict comes out to play!

Posted on by dystoniaandme

Today Benedict (the dystonia alien) decided to really wake up and came out to play. I was happily curled up with my youngest sister watching the 8th Harry Potter film, and all of a sudden my index finger on my right hand started to tremor. This gradually progressed to the rest of my fingers and within a few minutes my whole hand was shaking. I laughed it off, not wanting to worry my sister, and carried on watching the film, trying to ignore my hand. It eventually stopped shaking.

For the next few hours it behaved rather well and I relaxed and forgot about it. However when my mum held my hand to help pull me up, later in the evening, it instantly went into spasm and the tremor returned. Again this seemed to last a fair while. Consequently I have decided to put my splint back on my hand and refrain from using it as much as possible until my little Dystonia alien has decided to settle back down.

I am trying to stay positive and not let the issues with my hand and leg get to me. Tomorrow I have my riding for the disabled lesson at my local stable, and I don’t plan on letting my Dystonia alien stop me from getting on the horse!  I know it will make mounting even more difficult and I know my body will be bad afterwards but riding makes it worth it!!!I cannot wait for tomorrows lesson!

 

Posted in Archive, January

My first RDA Lesson

Posted on by dystoniaandme

There are no words to describe just how over-joyed I was yesterday. It was a day of sheer bliss!  Yesterday I had my first R.D.A (Riding for the disabled association) lesson. It had been 5 years since I had last ridden (when I was able-bodied), and I was desperate to get back on a horse! I must say that the volunteers who run the group are amazing! They are such caring, upbeat people and it is such a vibrant environment! You could not ask for a more helpful or nicer bunch of people.

As I am in a wheelchair, the volunteers had to be slightly inventive, as I could not mount a horse in the typical way. Instead, once I was on the mounting block, two of the volunteers lifted me by my knees, up on to the horse, so that I was sitting side-saddle. I then had to swing my Dystonic leg over the horse’s neck, so that I was sitting correctly. I was thrilled that I had managed to get on!!!! As I knew there was a very good chance that I may not be able to.

I then had 3 volunteers stay by my side throughout the lesson. So that if for some reason my dystonia played up or if I had a seizure, they would be able to keep me from hurting myself. I was expecting to only be allowed to walk in my first lesson, especially as we did not know how my leg would react. However I was in heaven, when I heard the instructor call my name and tell me to go for a trot!!!!! At first the trots were short, so that we could establish my strength, however throughout the lesson they got longer and longer. I could have cried with happiness. I have loved horses all my life, and started riding at the age of 5. Ten years later I had to stop due to injury. So you can imagine my joy at being able  to get on a horse again and then being able to do more that I expected!

I managed to do the entire lesson, which was incredible!!! To dismount from the horse, things had to get inventive again, as I was unable to do this in the typical manner. Instead I swung my leg over the horse’s neck again and sat side-saddle. Then with my arms wrapped round the volunteers, I let myself slowly slide down the horse to the ground. It was an amazing day! One that I will not ever forget. I cannot wait to go back next week for my next R.D.A lesson!

This is a picture of me riding Connie, just getting ready to dismount at the end of a fantastic lesson!

I also attended my support/research group last night. I really do love this group. It does a slight bit of meditation, free movement, discussion etc. To an onlooker, it would most likely look that we are all slightly crazy, however everything we do, I find leaves me feeling relaxed and peaceful by the end of the session. It was a perfect end to a rather heavenly day!

Posted in Archive, January

Care Plan in Place

Posted on by dystoniaandme

 

Yesterday I went up to London for an appointment with my consultant. I went prepared with many questions, and was determined to get everything I needed done. I left the appointment feeling very happy and relieved! My consultant had been extremely apologetic about the delay in getting back to us and the delay in administering treatment. He assured my mother and I, that this would not happen again, and that we were to email him if something else happened or when I needed my next lot of Botox done.

My main aim of the meeting was to leave with a care plan in place and to have received my Botox treatment. I was rather pleased, that instead of me having to ask for this, he brought the subject up himself. After feeling my Ormandibular Dystonia, he agreed to administer the Botox into both sides of my jaw. This lifted a massive weight of me, as I have stressed about this for weeks. It is a huge relief to know that in about a weeks time when the Botox kicks in, I will be feeling so much better!

My consultant has also referred me to a short stay physiotherapy/rehabilitation scheme at the hospital. In which they will admit me into the hospital for five days, and give me intensive physiotherapy/rehabilitation, they will also send me home with physiotherapy exercises to do. I am still on the waiting list for inpatient treatment on a longer basis, however the waiting list for this is a year-long. He is also referring me to one of my local hospitals to receive outpatient CBT, to help me deal with my Non Epileptic Seizures. The idea of this is to help give me methods to deal with pain, as my seizures are  triggered by extreme pain.

Another big plus is that he is more than happy for me to start riding at my local stables, which once a week hold lessons for the disabled. He thought it was a very positive idea! I am over the moon as it means that I can get back on a horse!!!  Hopefully (depending on the weather) I shall be having my first lesson later on this week, if the weather does not improve than I shall have my first lesson next week!

Yesterday was so positive, and has restored my faith in my consultant. I had gone to my appointment ready to fight to get treatment, instead it was all offered to me with out me having to ask! It is a huge relief to know that in 7-10 days time, the Botox will have kicked in fully and I will not have to worry about my jaw going into spasm for a while!

Posted in Archive, January

Today’s Support/Research Group and Dystonia Update

Posted on by dystoniaandme

This evening I went to a group that my GP signed me up for. It is designed for people with chronic pain symptoms, to help give them coping mechanisms that they can learn to use in daily life. The group is also for research so we were asked to answer questions, and give them our life and medical history, so that they can compare the results the group gets at the end of the 12 sessions to the answers provided at the beginning.

At the start, I must admit I was a bit dubious about the group, the leader seemed a bit mad, and everyone there was a fair bit older than me. I was also concerned with how much I would be able to take part in, as I am in wheelchair. However by the end of tonight’s session my concerns were long gone. I had managed to take part in everything, when they did walking activities, I copied their upper body movements, and swayed about in the chair. The other people their were lovely and I have a good giggle with them all. We also focused on our posture and did breathing exercises which I found to be very relaxing. The two hours flew by, and I cannot wait for the next session!

Today has been a rather positive day. After six hours of calling, I finally managed to get hold of my Consultants Secretary, who has promised to chase him, and have him contact me ASAP, I am hopeful that he will, but I shall just have to wait and see. I have had no Non Epileptic Seizures at all today which is fantastic and my head and body are feeling much better.

My local Riding for the Disabled stable phoned me today, and as long as my Non Epileptic Seizures stay calm, then I shall hopefully have my first RDA lesson next week! I am rather excited!

Posted in Archive, December

Happy Days

Posted on by dystoniaandme

The last few days have been full of positivity! Which has put a smile back on my face. The other day I paid my local riding stable a visit. Once a week for a couple of hours they run lessons for the disabled. They assessed me whilst I was there and have said that after Christmas I can join! I was of course extremely excited. I then watched one of the RDA lessons, so I could get a feel for how the lessons were run, I had a smile across my face the whole time. I love horse riding! The only issue that the instructors can see at the moment, is getting me on the horse without my leg going into spasm, however they have thought of a couple of different ways to get on me. Personally I’m hoping that my sheer determination to back on a horse will enable me to do it perfectly :p.

Yesterday my jaw spasm relaxed partially!!! It had relaxed enough for me to eat solid food and talk more clearly, only my lip remained odd. In the evening I had my usual extreme Jaw spasms and seizures, which had worried me that I would wake up today with my jaw back in spasm, but I need not have worried, today it is still relaxed. I could dance with happiness!