First Post-Op Appt - Boot & PT
Had my first post-op appointment today - yeah! Everything looked good and I got my boot, which I am very excited about 
I’ll be in the boot for another 4 weeks, NWB, but I can start physical therapy this week. My doc wants me to start with passive stretches, ROM, etc. which I think is great. He said at the next appt. he’s going to essentially “take the crutches away” - meaning, he wants me to start walking - starting PWB and then moving as I feel comfortable to FWB. I noticed a look of panic on my face and said it really would be at my pace - he has some patients that transition quickly and others that take more time. Yikes. At that point, we’ll start more strenuous physical therapy and strengthening exercised.
I feel much more comfortable in the boot - I think its a psychological thing - went into work after my appt. and they working with me to rearrange it so I can elevate as needed and I’ll go back in tomorrow! Yeah for re-entry into the world again! I was REALLY conservative over the past 2 weeks and didn’t leave the house - so today was also my first official day out - woo hoo! While I’m bummed that I’m NWB for another 4 weeks its nice to know that I can begin the count-down
Congrats and “yay” on the boot, and the steps back toward normal life!
When’s your next appointment? You can’t go straight from NWB to “take the crutches away”! We all needed some time for that transition. For me, that was 2 weeks of PWB (with crutches, from 2 weeks to 4 weeks), plus a few more days of WB “as tolerated” before I took away the crutches (and the cane).
I didn’t realize I was FWB until I noticed that I’d forgotten where I’d left the cane!
normofthenorth
October 11, 2010
Congratulations! I am exactly one week post surgery today and I can identify completely with your situation. Hang in there! Question? Was your wound closed by staples or sutures? How did you clean the wound? Reading about your progress helps minimize the apprehension I feel about my own. Six days until my first post-op appt! Can’t wait. May God bless you!
trupahdwn
October 15, 2010
@normofthenorth: my next is appt is in 3 weeks (6 weeks post-op) - he said I would transition from PWB to FWB at my own speed - some took a couple days, some took a couple weeks - when he told me “take away the crutches,” I def. pushed back and he told me it was literal… whew!
@trupahdwn: I had sutures - and didn’t clean it as my soft cast completely covered it - at my 1st post-op appt. they put tape over the incision to keep pressure off it and told me they’d fall off after a week or so - I have been cleaning my leg with wipes (my surgeon said I could shower post-boot when I felt comfortable - even though I have a chair in the shower - I am def. NOT comfortable, and won’t attempt that for a while).
csmva
October 18, 2010