This is the last in a series of blog posts on selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) in adulthood as part of Knowledge Translation Tuesday (KTT). Tommy Collison wrote this update at the recent five months post-op point. KTT will continue on CPRN on September 8, 2020.

Quickfire round:

Challah Bread

• Broadly, everything is great — zero complaints, except that gyms/pools/physical therapists are closed.
• Generally feeling pretty solid on my feet. I had a fall a few weeks ago, but no ill-effects beyond some scrapes to my hand. I’ve been testing my standing endurance by cooking more — to the right is a pic of some challah I made last weekend. (Had the wrong kind of flour, it didn’t turn out just right. Reattempting right now with the correct flour: writing while it proves.)

• I think it’s still a little bit early to try and guess at effects of the surgery, especially since it’s an apples-to-oranges comparison of my life pre- and post-surgery, but some things I’ve noticed:

• • More flexibility than before in certain muscles: imagine sitting on a chair and bringing your heel up onto the chair, as if you’re putting on a sock. I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have been able to do that before.
  • General fatigue — this is the one I’m really excited about. Before surgery, if I had a big/ long day (gym → work for 8-10 hours → dinner with friends → home), I would feel it in my legs. Not pain so much as a… heaviness. Just a dog-tiredness. Not sure the right phrasing. I think that’s lessened or gone now. Yesterday, I hung out with friends in the backyard, went for a 6 mile cycle, and then walked downtown and back, getting back just after 10pm. I got into bed and it wasn’t the same sort of “whew, glad today is over” fatigue, where I feel grateful to be lying down and not having to do anything. There was general tiredness, but less muscle tiredness.

• I’m staying down in Menlo Park, which is nice because it’s within walking distance (about a mile — 25 mins walk) to downtown, where I can get a takeaway coffee. I’ve had success with that sort of habit-stacking (need caffeine, also need to walk) and am walking downtown ~5 times a week.
• Doing stretching and stretching in the interim. Probably not as much as I should, but PT and I are seeing progress, especially in the squats, and I’m sending her videos. Another interesting bit of progress: we used to practice sit-to-stands and they were SO difficult. The other day, I got out of a chair hands-free without thinking about it. Those little steps forward are so nice.

• Using two crutches + AFOs outside, and one crutch inside.
• Got an AMAZING three-wheel bike that’s much safer, because three wheels mean that basically all balance considerations are taken care of. I have a nice 6 mile route that I’m doing 2-3 times a week, and I ordered a Peloton, so lots more cycling in my future.

Want to ask Tommy questions about his SDR? You can find him on the forum at https://cprn.org/ by posting a question with “Tommy” in the subject.