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A few weeks passed as the Hanson family were finally back home and life was returning to normal as Ike, Taylor, and Zac did some recording for their new album while Taylor was healing and trying as best as they could to work around Taylor's handicaps. Alice and her daughter settled in nicely into their apartment and Alice helped Walker and Diana set up the room where Taylor would start his physical therapy in. Alice made sure that the proper equipment was installed for the therapy work she would put Taylor through. Mats, weights, and exercise machines were strewn around the room. Today Taylor would finally get his casts removed. She knew he would now have to endure all the hardships to get himself back to normal again. She hoped that Taylor was strong and determined enough to withstand all the work and exercise that she would have to put him through if he wanted to walk normally again. She was thinking deeply as she walked around the room and was checking to see if all the machines were properly working. "Alice!?" Ike yelled popping his head in through the doorway. "Yes Ike?" "Taylor is back from the hospital and all the casts are off. Dad is bringing him to you right now. I wanted to warn you he is a little cranky. They have him in a wheel chair sitting up." Ike stated. "Well I don't blame him for being cranky. He is probably very stiff after all those weeks of being in those casts." Alice said smiling at Ike who opened the door suddenly wide as Walker wheeled Taylor into the room. "I am not CRANKY Ike!" Taylor shouted frowning at his brother. "Uh huh!" Ike said chuckling. "I...I just feel ...." Alice walked up to Taylor and bent down in front of him. She smiled at him as he stared back looking tired and angry. "Are you ready to start a little bit of therapy today Tay?" Alice asked sweetly. "I..I guess so." Taylor said sadly feeling very stiff and sore. Walker gently lifted him out of the wheelchair and laid Taylor on the mat where Alice indicated where she wanted Taylor to lay. Taylor tried to raise up his right knee and let out a big groan. "Oh God! Why does it hurt so much?" Taylor winced from the movement. "Tay it is going to hurt. Therapy is going to be a lot of hard work and that includes pain. Just think of the saying... 'No pain, No gain'!" "Alright. I am happy though that the casts are finally off. I don't think I could have stood another day in them!" Taylor exclaimed with a little smile forming on his face. "First of all I am going to put some hot packs on your legs and hip to ease some of the stiffness you feel. That should make you feel a little better." Alice said as she walked over to the table where she had the hot packs ready. She brought them over in a pan. "Help me get Taylor's pants off Mr. Hanson and Ike." Alice said as she unsnapped the top of Taylor's baggy blue jeans. "Hey! I can do that myself Alice!" Taylor yelled blushing as Ike gently and slowly pulled off Taylor's pants as Walker carefully lifted him up a little. "I am going to wrap your legs and hip in this and then place the hot wet packs over the top. Okay?" Alice explained as she gently wrapped Taylor's legs in cloth. "Sort of looks like your wrapping Taylor like a mummy." Ike chuckled watching Taylor give him a nasty look. "Very funny Ike." Taylor said gently swatting Ike on the arm with the back of his hand. "There finished with that part. Now it will feel somewhat hot at first but it helps to loosen up the stiffness you feel in your leg muscles and joints." Alice informed him smiling at Taylor. Taylor grimaced slightly as he felt the heat penetrate into his legs. But a couple minutes later it actually felt good to him. "I am going to leave them on for a few minutes then we can start with some easy exercises. Okay Tay?" Taylor nodded his head and looked up at his father who was watching Alice intently. Taylor felt stupid laying on the mat and started tapping his fingers against the mat to past the time. "Well I think that is enough time." Alice said as she pulled off the hot pads and then unwrapped his legs as gently as possible. "How do your legs feel now Tay?" Alice asked with concern. "A lot better. What kind of exercises are we going to do?" Taylor asked curiously. "Tay? Let me do all the work when I lift your left leg. Don't try to help. Okay? This is going to hurt. I am not going to lie to you!" "Uh....yeah." Taylor mumbled swallowing hard looking up at his father who appeared upside down bending over him. "Mr. Hanson?" "Please Alice call me Walker. Okay?" "Oh ...okay Walker. I want you to hold Taylor's hands while I do this and don't let go." Walker took hold of his son's hands while noticing Taylor looked a little scared. Ike sat back and watched Alice as she slid her right arm under Taylor's left knee and very slowly rose up Taylor's leg while holding onto to Taylor's left foot. "Ahhhhh.....Oh Please! That hurts! Ahhhhh!" Taylor screamed as Walker gripped onto Taylor's hands holding him down as his son squeezed his hands tightly. "I know! I know Tay it hurts! But I have to do this!" Alice crooned in a soothing voice as Taylor's forehead beaded with sweat. "I am going to bring it slowly down to the floor now." "Ahhhh....Oh GOD!" Taylor yelled gasping. It felt like knifes were penetrating all his muscles and joints. "Two more times! Okay Taylor? Just two more times!" Alice stated. Taylor nodded his head and closed his eyes as tears formed under his eyelids. Walker noticed that Taylor began to shake. He hated to see him in pain again, but knew his son had to go through with this in order to walk again. "You can do it Tay! I know you can!" Walker exclaimed in an encouraging tone of voice. Taylor nodded his head trying to smile as his eyes filled with tears from the pain. Alice lifted his knee again and then down again. She noticed Taylor's body was covered in sweat as he grimaced in pain at the movement. "There done Tay. All done for today with the left leg." Alice said happily. "Thank God! Is it going to hurt like this for awhile?" Taylor asked in a shaking voice. "Yes, but as we do this daily and progress with each exercise I will put you through, it will hurt less and less. I promise you will walk again if I have anything to say about it." Alice declared boldly as she took a cool cloth and wiped the sweat off Taylor's face and neck. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply. "I am going to walk again Alice! I will do everything it takes to get back to normal!" Taylor vowed as he smiled up at Ike and his father still breathing hard. "I am glad you feel that way." "How long will all this therapy take?" "That depends on you Taylor. Everyone heals at their own pace. Just never give up!" Alice said stroking Taylor's hair as Walker smiled at his son's words of determination. "Well let's get his pants back on and into the wheel chair." Alice said as Ike and Walker gently helped Taylor with his pants on. Walker lifted him onto the wheelchair. "My hip hurts sitting up like this!" Taylor groaned angrily. "I know it does, but I want your hip to start moving again. I will give you some aspirin for the pain." "Oh...okay. That's it for today then?" Taylor asked hoping it was. "Yep... but tomorrow and the rest of the this week we will repeat this procedure again." Alice informed him looking into Taylor's sad eyes. "Now the rest of the day is yours!" "Great!" Taylor exclaimed looking up at Isaac. "Let's go and get Zac and practice our music Ike." "Sure! I thought you would never ask." Ike smiled and wheeled Taylor out of the room. << Previous Page of Story>> << Back to Story Page>> << Back To Index Of Chapters Page>> Back To Main Page>> |