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.