Just had my 8 week follow-up appointment. Really great news. The bones are almost fully healed and all the soft tissues are healed. I can now put 25% of my weight on my left foot.
How do I figure out 25% of my weight? First I weigh myself (I'm 200 lbs.). Then I find 25% of that (50 lbs.). With the boot on, I press down on the scale until I reach 50 pounds, and that's what I target as I walk (with crutches still). It's not exact science, but the idea is to ease my foot back into being used.
The bones are close, but not fully healed. Putting all my weight on my foot would be a really bad idea. However, for my bones to heal completely, they need to start experiencing pressure again. So this partial weight will help me heal.
In two weeks I can put 50% of my weight on it. Then in 4 weeks (drum roll please) I can finally ditch the crutches. That will be 3 months of crutches and let me tell you, will not miss them when they're gone.
I have to still wear the boot, but only when I am walking. If I am watching TV, at work, sleeping, etc., I don't have to wear the boot. The bones are strong enough now that I cannot injure them unless I walk on them. Frankly, I stopped wearing the boot to bed a week and a half ago, but I wrapped my foot up tight in an Ace bandage. I don't have to do that anymore either.
I have to start moving my foot up and down and in a circle to reduce stiffness. It's a little sore when I do this, but I know I'm not inuring anything. Moving my foot in a circle is tough. I couldn't move it in a circle much before because of the coalition, and still can't. But I have to try as part of the therapy. Obviously the circular motion will always be limited because of the fusion.
All in all a good visit, with good news. I'll post some pics of my healed up scars soon. Things are looking up!
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Monday, December 29, 2008
7 Weeks Post-Op ... depressed
It's been a while since I've been into the doctor's office. My mother-in-law passed away the week of Christmas and my appointments were postponed. I should have been in for a follow up 2 weeks ago, but things haven't worked out.
It's been icy this winter. I've stayed home when it's been bad. I'm lucky that I can do some work from home. I tried to go into work once, but had a bad slip on the ice and put all my weight on my left (healing) foot. It's a strange feeling. My whole leg stiffened involuntarily before I fell on it. I suppose to protect itself. It ached afterwords, but I am sure I haven't done any damage. I have fallen this way twice now. Once on the ice, and once in my kitchen on a stray paper towel. You can never be too careful.
I'm writing tonight because I cannot sleep and just had a bad run of diarrhea. I stopped taking Vicadin two days ago and have just been taking Tylenol. I can't help but think that some of my symptoms are mild withdrawal symptoms. I have been taking Vicadin steadily for over a month.
Pain comes and goes. I mostly feel pain on my commute back and forth to work. I'm in the car for about 50 minutes in the morning and about an hour in the evening. My foot is down the whole time. The bumps in the road and the mild rocking back and forth causes some bone discomfort. The nerve pain mostly occurs at night when my foot has been in the same position for a while.
I keep my foot up whenever I can. It's still the best pain relief. But I am restless. Depression has really been a big struggle. We have three children; all boys. During the holidays, the funeral and preparations, my wife still had to take care of us all. I had very little to offer in the way of help. It really stinks to be layed up like this. Was it worth it? Time will only tell.
I'm still wearing the boot and I'm still on crutches. I hate the boot. I'm sure anyone who has worn the boot also hates the boot. I'll sign this post off with a photo of my least favorite friend...the boot, and a Christmas Tree.
It's been icy this winter. I've stayed home when it's been bad. I'm lucky that I can do some work from home. I tried to go into work once, but had a bad slip on the ice and put all my weight on my left (healing) foot. It's a strange feeling. My whole leg stiffened involuntarily before I fell on it. I suppose to protect itself. It ached afterwords, but I am sure I haven't done any damage. I have fallen this way twice now. Once on the ice, and once in my kitchen on a stray paper towel. You can never be too careful.
I'm writing tonight because I cannot sleep and just had a bad run of diarrhea. I stopped taking Vicadin two days ago and have just been taking Tylenol. I can't help but think that some of my symptoms are mild withdrawal symptoms. I have been taking Vicadin steadily for over a month.
Pain comes and goes. I mostly feel pain on my commute back and forth to work. I'm in the car for about 50 minutes in the morning and about an hour in the evening. My foot is down the whole time. The bumps in the road and the mild rocking back and forth causes some bone discomfort. The nerve pain mostly occurs at night when my foot has been in the same position for a while.
I keep my foot up whenever I can. It's still the best pain relief. But I am restless. Depression has really been a big struggle. We have three children; all boys. During the holidays, the funeral and preparations, my wife still had to take care of us all. I had very little to offer in the way of help. It really stinks to be layed up like this. Was it worth it? Time will only tell.
I'm still wearing the boot and I'm still on crutches. I hate the boot. I'm sure anyone who has worn the boot also hates the boot. I'll sign this post off with a photo of my least favorite friend...the boot, and a Christmas Tree.
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