Follow up trip in Tansen - Updates

The last few days have been spent following up on some patients we saw in the community during the official visit back in March. Prior to that I was taking some time to see the workings of Green Pastures and working and mentoring the new physio there. We took some time to review the Bobath techniques with the other physio staff who took the workshop in Kathmandu. Overall, I think there was good integration of the techniques, however, they just need the right patients to practice! I also got to learn a bit more on the leprosy side of rehab and got to apply a plaster cast and tibial transfer bar for ambulation. Unfortunately, due to the Bobath training course, conflicts with Nepali New Year and Easter holidays, I wasn't able to do any visits with PFR while I was in Pokhara.
On my visit to Tansen, I arrived just in time to attend the physio session that Amrita, the nurse who had Guillain-Barre Syndrome, has in OPD. It's a big feat that she now has therapy sessions out of her home and has also been attending nursing inservices within TMH as well. When I saw her, I was so pleased to see how she's progressed as you all would have been as well. She's put on a lot of weight (healthily!) and she's so motivated for all therapies. I worked with her for about 1.5 hours and she was eager to go home and do meal prep!
Her mobility has improved and we worked on increasing her independence on transfers, she still is quite weak in her extensors and lower extremity but she has gained more strength in her upper extremity and trunk. She is even standing for short periods unsupported and ambulating short distances with a walker or with support.
She is doing well, and as per our last recommendations, she may benefit from bracing to increase her mobility independence and she has been put on the waiting list for short term stay at Green Pastures for fitting and assessment.
It was great to see these improvements and to see how a little education in rehabilitation has made great differences. Amrita was not aware of the potential of her body after her illness and was confined to her home, however, with persistence with exercises she has made gains and is slowly resuming some of her previous activities.
I spent the other days doing rounds with the surgeons, co-treating with the physios and doing a little bit of teaching on ortho techniques with the PT staff. It was a short but sweet visit. I am back in Kathmandu now and will be visiting the new SIRC centre and staff again tomorrow!