May 09 2011
Really???? (Day 12 / May 9)
So I went for my first post-op visit and was pleasently surprised. They took out the stitches and it was really nice to see my foot again. There was no swelling or bruising and they said the wound looked great. They took off the old cast and put on a new one that is much smaller and more comfortable. They also gave me a shoe to go over it (see below).
Then came the good part….my Doctor said that I should use a right crutch for a few days but I was cleared to put “full weight” on my ankle!!! I asked him 4 times if he was sure and he said yes, that the cast would protect me. Obviously he wants me to take it slow but it was great news. I haven’t yet tried putting “full weight” on it because I am a little nervous but I will give it a go with the crutches tonight.
In two weeks I go back to get this cast removed and into the walking boot so I can start physical therapy. After a month I should be ready to go back to 2 shoes.
LESSON LEARNED: Don’t lose your spirit…there is light at the end of the tunnel and it is not a train!!!!
Sounds pretty good, and speedy. I think I remember that most crutch-friendly web-sites advise to use a singe crutch on the side OPPOSITE the injury, unlike your Doc. (Google would know in a flash.) Me, after laying off two crutches/PWB, I used a cane for a coupla days, then started forgetting where I’d put it.
And you should find a way to “build up” your left shoe/boot so it’s as elevated as your right, so you don’t start walking with bad alignment. Buying a second “cast shoe” and finding a sandal or something that fits inside it is one way. Others have taken an old shoe to a shoemaker, or just looked for a thick roomy boot and added some footbeds to it. The method doesn’t matter, but being straight when you walk sure does.