Well - you do still have arthritis (or -16 with 50mph winds)

OK, so all is not peaches and cream.  Not complaining - exactly.  But yes, when the weather is minus double digits and the wind is whipping, the ankle is achey and stiff.  It has not been particularly happy since the white stuff arrived in October.  Still doesn't handle the uneven surfaces very well.  I discovered there's a reason the PT gave me all those tip-toe and standing on one leg exercises.  Some of the tendons and ligaments haven't had to work in years, and they're very lazy and weak.   So, you put on snow boots and head out into this moon surface stuff, and your ankle wants to roll out from under you.  Dug out the exercise sheets and back at it.  My chiro suggested a few weeks of walking in warm sand.  I asked if he'd write a prescription.  Just enjoy the thought of what VA's response to that referral would look like after our year-long battle.

Overall, delighted with the results of the surgery.  Seems unreal its been almost a year already.  Looking forward to spring and more solid footing.

A 2 Mile Hike

Yes, you read that correctly.  Friday I was able to do a 1/4 mile with the dogs.  Hubby has been busy teaching, and we have a new 1yr old, so walkies are a necessity.  So, my first solo dog walk in almost a year!  Saturday we did another 1/4 mile, and then I went with my mother-in-law to check out the craft stores.  It felt amazing to be able to just go whereever we wanted and not have to consider how far we'd walked, how far away the parking lot was, etc.  Just like a normal person!  I had a totally pain-free day Saturday.  Narry a twinge.  It was incredible.  Sunday I figured I better take it easy, but it was one of those amazing, you should bottle it kind of days with sun and blue skies, so carpe diem.  When Ben suggested a walk to the river, I said yes.  Two miles on trail, with hills and roots.  My legs were shaking like noodles by the time we got home, but it was such pure joy to be able to do this walk again.  I haven't been down to the river trails in two years and have really missed watching the different wildflowers bloom, and checking out the changing sandbars.  The dogs ran like they had firecrackers up their butts.  A very good day was had by all.  And, I could still walk on Monday.   Actually, my back and hips are more sore than the ankle.  I just want to call everyone in the phone book, whether I know them or not, and tell them what I can do!

A simple walk in the rain

We all know we should slow down, enjoy the simple things, and stop occasionally to smell the flowers.  This week I got to experience the simple pleasure of a walk in the rain with my dog.  It wasn't very far, it wasn't very fast, but it was absolutely delightful.  I am so pleased by the progress so far, and excited about the future possibilities.  I'm now walking without any aids.  When people started bringing me my cane because I'd forgotten it somewhere, I decided it was time to put it in the closet - hopefully for good. 

Sat. we set out to do my PT homework for the week - determine how far I could actually walk.  As a precaution, I put on my leather gauntlet brace and my hiking boots.  Felt like a turkey trussed up for Thanksgiving.  I managed 1/4 mile my first attempt.  That included a short section off-trail, with a hill.  Going up was no problem - a HUGE change from pre-procedure.  The extra dorsi flexion is really paying off there.  Downhill was a bit trickier.  I think I just need to stretch things the other direction now.  I did feel very stiff, more like a popsicle stick guy than a Gumby guy.  Like, if I stepped on something uneven I'd just break instead of flex.  Sunday we went up Hatcher Pass and I decided to leave the gauntlet at home and just go with hiking boots.  I took a short walk up an actual mountain trail, just far enough to see over the other side.  Walking was much easier without the gauntlet and I felt much more able to flex with the changes in the trail.  My husband was taking video and even captured me walking back to the car.  I was hugely impressed by how even my gait looked.   Wasn't fast, but it was pretty fluid.  I'd like to screen capture that video and shove it down the throat of every VA doc who insisted we had to fuse this ankle.  Yeah, yeah, still working on that zen thing!

When we got home Sun I stood in the kitchen and made a cake.  No additional swelling.  No increased pain.  Certainly some stiffness, but 10-20 min of rest and its ready to go again.  It's not painfree by any means, and maybe never will be.  And I don't know how much of this is physical and how much is just an attitude shift, but now when I feel pain I think, oh, well, that's not so bad, feels better than a week or two ago.  Before the procedure when I felt pain it was, oh, see, the thing's falling apart.  Attitude really is a huge component of this whole procedure.

So, I'm 2 months into what is normally considered a 12 month rehab, and I am delighted by the progress.  The first few steps each time I get up can be quite painful, and sometimes I have to stand a few seconds and just shift my weight back and forth.  Quite amusing at the library when a patron is waiting for me to retrieve a book.  I'm hoping that dissipates over the next few weeks.  I hope to continue PT for a few more weeks, as we're just starting to work on balance and gait.  I'm looking forward to increasing my endurance over the fall, and wishing I didn't have this invisible timeclock ticking away signaling the end of outdoor activities and the beginning of six months of hybernation. 

The tortoise

Continuing a slow but steady improvement.  My PT assures me its better to be the tortoise now than the hare.  Seem to have little spikes of improvement the day after a pool session.  Now primarily just using the cane unless I really overdue it during the day.  Still not much endurance, but strength coming along nicely.  ROM improving a couple cm a week right now.  Have just a little more dorsi, first thing in the morning, than pre-procedure.  A little less by evening because things are stiff and swollen.  Starting to get out and run errands on my own a bit more.  Walked across a grass lawn today at the library's summer reading program finale picnic.  Very tough, just that bit of uneven ground, but I did it.  Paying for it tonight, but I did it.  And still doing everything w/o a brace.  So that in itself is an improvement.  Think I'm going to tackle a return to yoga next week, since I can get off the floor now without having to do the dying cockroach roll onto the couch.

Swimming

Finally got to go to the pool.  Little tricky getting in and out with crutches.  Have to be very careful of the slick floor.  But once in, it felt great!  Able to walk between 4' and 5' marks.  Even did some flutter kicking.  Really have to concentrate on allowing the ankle to be soft, and it takes a lap or two to warm up, but for a few moments I was outpacing the toddler swim class.  First few steps walking are quite painful, and still mainly using 2 crutches.  But discovered once I'm warmed up around the house, I can 1 crutch it pretty well from room to room.  Even managed a voyage from kitchen to living room and back w/o crutches.  Only been a month - not the 6 they recommend, but I'm ready to declare it a 90% success.  Really feel there's more freedom of movement in the joint, and certainly smoother and more fluid.  Once the ROM releases and the healing pain subsides, I think I'm going to be a happy camper.

14+ weeks

PT continues.  I actually enjoy it.  After not doing anything for 12 weeks, it feels good to move things.  ROM increases slowly ... but measurably, which is what counts.  Ankle got T-boned on my knee walker Wed at the library by some out of control kid.  He was lucky to walk out under his own power.  Really sore Wed and Thurs, but no damage done it appears.  I discovered Friday that I can 1 crutch it for a few steps, or even use a cane.  But it doesn't last long.  Has made it easier in the kitchen.  I don't strand myself as often.  Going to take the regular walker to work tomorrow to use while there.  Try to leave the knee walker at home for late night potty runs only.  Hoping to hit the pool this week.  Otherwise, just keep on hobbling along.

PT

First PT session.  They're already planning to ask the VA for an extension.  I guess they figure its going to take us more than 8 sessions to get from here to there.  My whole body is achey tonight, but it felt good to move things again.  Still no dorsi flexion, but plantar has returned to nearly normal.  My 'good' knee is a swollen unhappy camper.  Not injured per se, just exhausted.  Trying to weight bear with crutches has made life harder for it the past few weeks.  Not fully weight bearing.  PT did say I could transition out of the Frankenstein boot whenever I wanted, as long as OK with my doc.  So I came home and put the darn thing in the closet.   It doesn't encourage me to use dorsi flexion, and wasn't relieving any pain I could notice.  Transition complete.  Still using knee walker at work, because I'm useless on crutches.  I save them for weekends and off time.  Coming along slower than I'd hoped, obviously, but not surprisingly so.  It does improve incrementally every day.  Still hoping to be down to a cane by July 4th weekend.  Just my own personal carrot.