Not so Wild Dog

The excitement of being in two shoes and getting to ride a stationary bike has been replaced with the pain of reality yet again.  My job is one where I do a lot of walking and the amount of walking ramps up as it gets closer and closer to spring and summer.  All of that walking is causing my ankle to swell to sizes that are in direct correlation to the amount of walking that I have to do.  Thus, my physical therapists have put me back in the boot to try to get the swelling to go down.  They have assured me that swelling is normal especially due to all the walking I do, but they thought the boot would help take some of the pressure off.  It has I guess, but I am still bummed as it feels like a real setback.

I have started having some pain on the side opposite my scar on the heel bone.  I wonder if it is the screw they put in when the did the FHL transfer.  Does anyone else have pain on the side opposite the scar?

I have commented on how good my scar looks (I think) so I thought I would give you all a chance to see up.  compared to some I have seen on this site, I do believe mine looks really good.

Two months and two days ago I had my surgery.  Today I got out of my boot and into two shoes.  I was afraid that there might be some fear of walking and maybe a little pain since there would be no protection without the boot but NO.  There was no pain, no fear, only joy.  The joy of being free and the joy of seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

Besides walking they let me get on a bicycle today as well.  That felt fantastic.  For right now the therapists only want me to bicycle under their close supervision (they are afraid I think that I will take off at warp speed) but they said within a week or so I can get on my own bicycle set up on a trainer.  I have set myself a goal to be ready to ride RAGBRAI in July and the PT says that should be no problem.  (RAGBRAI is a bicycle ride across the state of Iowa–this year that will be 442miles)

The therapists have said that I am to wear my shoes with a heel lift when I am walking inside and on level ground.  If I am outside on uneven ground or if I will be walking long distances I am still supposed to use the boot, or if it becomes painful in anyway.  The doctors order stated I should “wean” myself out of the boot.  Does a chick go back into the egg once it is out?  I don’t think so!

I wondered if I would have a limp once I got out of the boot and into shoes, but no limp whatsoever!  I am being very mindful of the mechanics of walking.  The PT says to make sure I point my foot forward.  I know how important that is as 25 years ago I had knee surgery and didn’t have any therapy afterward and that foot points out like a duck.  Paying so much attention to walking correctly does help me to go slow.

To those of your waiting for your day to go into shoes, take heart.  That day will come and it will be just as wonderful as you are thinking it will be!