How do you measure progress after a major surgery? There are days when I think my progress is so slow and I get impatient with myself and wish for more. But the truth is, I have really come pretty far since the surgery.I remember when I was in the hospital and PT came to my room to do the exercises that I had already been doing at home. I could not lift my left leg up at all. The therapist basically had to do several of the exercises for me. My leg was hurting and weak. Yesterday in outpatient PT, I realized how far I have come. All of the basic exercises were easy and we are now adding more resistance and some weight. I could do all of the exercises that wanted me to do! Sure the last 10 reps had me working extra hard but it felt so good! I am feeling it a little this morning but that is good pain! My range of motion and my endurance are really increasing!I am still swelling though and sometimes it feels like my quads are being held in a tight band that makes me stiff. Most times I can push through it but it makes the leg length difference so much worse. Speaking of which we built up my shoe a little more yesterday at PT and when the swelling isn’t bad, I am much more even! Not all the way yet but getting there. It makes walking without a cane so much easier!I went shopping yesterday ( because walking in AC is nice) after PT and it was nice to do some more “normal” things. I overdid it but I went home and iced and all was well again. I felt goos enough to go to my friend Stamping Up© open house. I haven’t done that in so long. That was so much fun! My mom went with and we had such a nice time. We even signed up for another class in July!My moms new house here in Missouri will be ready to move into today! It will be nice to have them so much closer! She is really excited to move in. She has been staying with us this week since their house in Illinois sold quickly and closed a couple of weeks ago. I am going to drive up to the new house this weekend with my daughter and some of her friends to help them move in. This will mark the lobgest drive I have been on post surgery but its only an hour. I will wear compression socks and take my ice. I won’t be doing much but “supervising” but it will be fun.I see my surgeon next week. I am happy to show him my progress. I am still depressed a little about the leg length difference – ok more than a little. It really is going to squash a real field season for me. Hiking isn’t going to be pleasant or fun yet. Hills are really hard right now. Uneven ground is unthinkable. I use a trekking pole to walk on our flat gravel private drive. I can’t even fathom putting on waders or even my muck boots and trying to walk in a stream. It’s hard enough when you are even legged! Ok must stop dwelling on that before I am totally bummed out again. My healing is progressing nicely. I am using a fit bit to track my progress and most days I am increasing the number of steps I am taking. Don’t push a cart and expect it to count your steps correctly! Just saying… I went to Menards with my mom and walked all over that store and it counted less steps than from my house to my mailbox! Anyway I am up to over a mile and a half a day or roughly 4600 steps. I’ll leave you with a picture I took while walking of some pretty flowers.Please continue praying for me! I am praying for you!Peace.
