October 12, 2017, 10:45 a.m.
Well, this was in the Physical Therapy Department, but not with an individual physical therapist. The room looked vaguely familiar. I would remember later that I had been to a neck pain class after that accident several years ago when our van got sideswiped by a non-insured driver as we were coming out of the parking garage in downtown Oakland. There was no charge for this neck pain class, then or now.
The class was conducted by two people, a man who took the lead and a woman who assisted him. During this class, they showed video clips, some of which I had seen in the online materials Dr. Chan had referred me to. A lot of it was focusing on posture and ergonomics—things I had learned many years ago. But it was a good review.
They demonstrated correct ways to sit, stand, and lie on a bed, and how to use pillows and towels where needed for support. In the classroom, they had placed inflatable pillows to be used as a lumbar support. They told us to try out the pillows during class, and if we liked them we could purchase them in the Kaiser store next door to the pharmacy (same building). I did try the inflatable pillow and liked it, and I ended up buying one in the store before I left the building. I also purchased a cold neck wrap in another frantic attempt to ease the ever-increasing neck pain.
