Wednesday, October 21, 2015

What a Difference a Week Makes

Currently on our fridge we are displaying some art from two budding artists and a fun card from these same individuals: DGS and DGD. They make this recuperating grandma quite happy.

I have now moved on from the walker to a single point cane. That feels like a huge leap to me. Walking independently can't be terribly far off, can it?

Speaking of walking, my stride is lengthening and my peg leg is bending more.  And, I have almost stopped swinging my leg from the hip. Twenty years of bad muscle memory is hard to unlearn.

I am also doing water therapy now and I love it! I can do things in the water that I could never do on land. I can even do deep knee bends.  I can't remember the last time I could do those.

Oh, one of my not so favorite things, getting into and out of the car, is now much easier and less painful.  Score another one for our side.

It occurred to me one morning this week that what I in essence asked the doctor to do was cut my leg in half, mess around with it a lot and really tick it off and then sew it back together.  I have sometimes wondered if I was in my right mind when I volunteered for this.  But now I am beginning to believe I may not have been that crazy after all.







Wednesday, October 14, 2015

One Month Update

The squirrels and chipmunk are super busy darting around and foraging for food.They are cute to watch and put a smile on my face but the thought of the winter they are for telling makes me a little nervous. After all, the recent winters here have been brutal. Better search out all my woolies.

I am in outpatient therapy now and seeing slow but steady progress, although the swelling has flared up recently. BUT, all the steri strips are now off and that means I can start water therapy which is supposed to help. I am not looking forward to wearing my suit in public (I am not sure the world is ready) I am looking forward to some relief from the swelling.

This past Sunday I did manage to stand independently in the shower long enough to bathe and wash my hair. A gold star day! I have also been able to stand long enough to do the dishes.That put a smile on Mike's face. :-) And,to put a smile on my face, often when I am in the kitchen Shelia, the dog from next door sticks her nose up against the screen door to say hi and we commune with each other. I love it.

I have also found myself furniture walking in close spaces instead of moving the walker. And one time I realised I had even taken a step or two without support. All of this is without thinking, but something tells me a cane might be coming soon.

I have also had the pleasure of animated email cards, an honest to goodness letter, visits from good friends and even a lunch out with a friend. I was pleased to discover I could sit in a chair that long. And we only needed the small oil can and not the super sized one to get things moving again. :-)

I have been crocheting but as of now have nothing to show for it. I crocheted a pullover for myself twice and ripped it out both times. Ugh.
I then tried a shawl twice but didn't like either so they were ripped out. I am now working on a baby blanket but its future is also uncertain. Anyone see a pattern here?

My biggest news is that I have been fending for myself for the last three days!  Mike is on an accreditation visit to a small college in Ohio. I have had to take care of myself and the cottage and feel proud that I could do so. Meals have been basic and I did have to rely on the kindness of a good friend to get me to therapy but I did it! Mike will be back in just a few hours.

Well, that's my excitement filled life. Hop you all are doing well. Till next time.







Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Slowing the Pace to go the Distance

Today I am three weeks post surgery.  And here is where I currently am.

  • the swelling has lessened but isn't all the way gone
  • I'm no longer on the sustained release pain med and coping well with just the every four hour pain med
  • sometimes at night I can stretch the med to more than four hours
  • getting up and down is much less painful
  • although still not a favorite, getting into and out of the car is progressing closer to the no problem zone
  • sitting in a chair for any period of time is still not something I am a fan of doing
  • I can now change my scenery by reclining on the couch and I don't need a crane to get off said couch
  • my walker (frame) has graduated to wheels in the front 
  • as part of what I consider OT, I cooked minestrone, smashed potatoes, banana bread, sauerkraut and apple with leftover pork and roasted a chicken
  • I have started to crochet again, but only simple things like a pillow for the cottage we are in
  • My former bad knee, which needed a lot more work to make right, now bends to 98 degrees and my less bad knee bends to 102 degrees and both straighten completely to zero degrees
  • I am "marching" and focusing on each step starting on my heel and rolling off my toes to work on normalizing my gait
  • I have taken over 1000 steps in a day which is small by normal standards but good by bilateral standards
  • I have figured out how to sleep on my side and give my back a break
  • Oh, my seven minute trip from bedroom to bathroom has been cut in half,yeah!
  • and tomorrow I will begin my 12 weeks of out patient therapy
We are getting closer to where we need to be. I just need to stay the course.