Given how much use I got from others’ experiences here, I thought I’d post a functional look back at my first couple months post-surgery before it (mercifully) fades from memory. All advice comes with a heavy caveat — everyone’s experience seems to vary, so this may not apply at all:
Work: The first four weeks went from almost completely helpless, to only moderately helpless. But no-weight-bearing isn’t easy. Public spaces are a little nerve-wracking, and carrying anything that requires more than two fingers requires a shoulder bag and substantial tactical planning. I was fortunate to be able to work mostly from home (I ride the train to work, usually standing-room-only. This did not appeal), and I’d recommend pursuing that option if you have it. It also makes it easier to keep the leg elevated and so forth. As my left leg was the non-functional one, driving an automatic was do-able after the first few days, so I drove into work once a week after week 2. At week 4 (and partial weight-bearing) life got easier, but it wasn’t until week 6 (full weight bearing) that things like public transit became fully feasible; at that point I managed to return to a relatively normal work schedule.
Life: Inside the house, the first two-ish weeks were unpleasant. Bathing was difficult (I went with sponge-baths), and carrying, say, a plate of food across the kitchen wasn’t really possible (the crutches required both hands). The remainder of full-weight-bearing and partial-weight-bearing was better, but quite restricted, mostly because I couldn’t walk and carry anything. I used a rolling desk-chair as a makeshift scooter over short distances (the kitchen, e.g.). Here, again, the first six weeks were the most difficult; once I could walk without crutches, life returned to something resembling normal; walking is slow, the boot is uncomfortable, and showers require a chair, but I can more or less follow the normal patterns as far as grocery shopping, cooking, and other domestic basics.
Fitness/exercise: I chose to use this as rest break. I haven’t taken more than 10 days off for several years, and since I can’t do anything fun for several months anyway, I figured some de-conditioning now was fine. After week 2 I started doing a little seated upper work with resistance bands (that can be anchored in a closet or room door), and at week 3 I started spending time on an exercise bike and upper-body-ergometer (an arm cycle, basically) before my physical therapy appointments (1-2x per week). But mostly, the first 8 weeks have been idle. From here on out I’ll be working to get back into decent recreational shape, and will try to post a bit about that. For those who want to get back sooner: the upper-body-ergometer seemed the best bet for conditioning, and I’d recommend trying to find one. Most upper-body-related machines seemed fully accessible too (but I have no taste for those things).
Bottom line: The first two weeks seemed like near incapacity. The next four weeks were difficult, but less so. After that, there’s the frustration of being hobbled, but with a little extra time, most of the basics seemed accessible with a bit of extra effort.
Next up: I’m meant to move out of the boot tomorrow-ish, at least in controlled conditions. My foot will barely flex, so I’m not expecting much (aside from the relief of not lugging this thing around).