Monday, March 9, 2009

Back in the 'Saddle'

This morning was my second day of physical therapy.  Of course today is Travis' day off, but my appointment was at 9:30 and I didn't want to have to get the kids put together and haul them over there and back to pick me up.  So, I did it, I decided to drive myself!  

I asked my doctor at my last visit if I could drive and he said yes, just to wear a regular shoe and not the boot (liability issues if it got stuck or whatever) but then to take the boot for when I got to my destination.  So, I loosened up (a lot) my right shoe (after Travis located it - only my left shoes are out right now) and slipped it on.  It felt so very weird!  I decided not to even take my boot because I'd be taking it off for PT anyway.  

I went out and started the car, it took for-ev-er to defrost and I'm not used to that anymore.  I have not driven since 12-24-08, that's 75 days!  My first step was to drive around the neighborhood to make sure I'd be okay.  I wasn't concerned with being able to push on the pedals because I have been bearing full weight for awhile now, but I was more worried about the position of foot because I cannot flex/extend it very much at all.  I felt free, and pain-free, so I called Travis and said I'd be fine to drive myself there (he was on stand-by just in case I had any issues he would have gladly taken me).  

PT went great, I did some new stretches/exercises and didn't endure much pain at all.  I was a little tired after warming up for 10 minutes on the bike, it's so amazing how quickly you lose strength and endurance when you haven't been able to do much physically.  My favorite part so far has been the compression ice machine (also used on my first visit - and I hope all of the future sessions).  I've put many of these on patients after surgery, but I NEVER knew how amazing they are.  They are cuffs for various joints that inflate like a blood pressure cuff would, but with COLD water.  While I had this on for around 10-15 minutes, the foot of the table was elevated so my leg was up.  Afterward, my leg looked like normal size - it doesn't last too long though.  Apparently I still should be icing it if it's below my heart for 'any length of time' - hello!  Can you say ALL DAY?!  I stopped icing it when it didn't hurt, but I should have known better.

When I called Travis after I was done around 10:45 he said the boys had just woken up about 1/2 hour prior.  WOW - of course they'd sleep in on a day I have to be up and out of the house fairly early.  I don't know if the daylight savings thing screwed them up or what because they didn't go to be incredibly late or anything.  I don't see why, because wouldn't it have had the opposite effect since we sprang forward?  Anyway, when I got home Calvin stayed awake for awhile, but he's pretty used to taking a nap no too long after waking up.  I think he fell asleep around noon and at about 3 Travis and I started talking about how he had eaten around 10 and not since then!  The boy must be growing I guess because he NEVER takes a 3 hour nap.  Luckily it didn't effect him much this evening, he was asleep at normal time so that's good, I was worried.

I don't have any new pictures to post - there are some on the camera, but haven't transferred them yet.  So, I'll post some soon, including what I have done of my blanket.  It likely won't be done on time, but I'm not too upset about it since it's my first project and I had NO idea what it would take.  

I had great plans of getting my house all clean for next Saturday's Scentsy party/ladies night over this weekend, but I didn't get much done at all.  I don't want to (can't) have it all to do on Saturday, so I HAVE to do it over the week any chance I get.  

It's weird to post without a picture, so in case you have forgotten, or have just 'tuned in' here's my post-op X-ray:

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