Day 3 of Weight Bearing Update

So, Wednesday Brandi started me on weight bearing exercise by...... Walking. Yes, that's right, using the aid of the walker I started in with walking. Let me tell you, for a study in mindfulness there is nothing like thinking through the process of taking a step. Heel down, gradually increase weight on foot as you get more of your foot on the ground, lift heel once the other heel as encountered the ground, shift weight to other foot - oh and don't forget to straighten the leg in there or you walk with a bit of hitch.

Wednesday night my leg wouldn't stop twitching as the muscles so long unused realized the easy days are over.

Thursday had some standing exercises added to increase my tolerance for weight. Brandi also gave me some tips to help decrease my surface sensitivity on the leg. Thankfully the leg no longer needed to twitch so it has already worked through use vs relax.

Friday I did my standing exercises. I had let Brandi know I was not yet ready to go for a walk, needed a few more escorted walks to gain confidence that the leg wouldn't simply give way under me.

So the question is - will I recover my walking skills and weight bearing enough to walk into my doctor's appointment on May 22. Stay tuned, I'll let you know how I progress.

Breaking... no, Healing news

Fresh from the doctor visit this afternoon - I am able to start weight bearing to my tolerance now. No waiting till May 3rd, the tibia is healing nicely and it is time to start giving it some weight loads. This on top of the news yesterday that the leg is bending to 88 degrees and is at a -10 degrees on straightening. Good news two days running.

A big thanks to Noel-Marie for taking me to and from Baltimore for the appointment today.

Okay, enough basking in the glow - back to work...

Report for the first week home

So, the week started with some real highs (home, guy, friends) and lows (fall, ER) and swiftly went to a mid-level range, thank goodness. Felicia stayed till 6pm on Tuesday helping problem solve, pick up a 2nd wheelchair, shop and in general make the transition to home much easier. She also came up with the method for getting me in and out of the house while I am using a wheelchair. By the time I get out and back in I'm exhausted, and my helper who is wrangling a wheelchair is pretty well worn out as well. However, it works and has minimal risk of a fall.

The week has gone quickly with PT on M, W and F. A schedule which will continue for the foreseeable future and should. Both my PT and myself were able to talk with my insurance case manager about my being sent home perhaps a bit soon. I hope it has them take a look at their policies and rethink the decision process. The fall on Sat could have gone bad in so many ways, it was good fortune that it ended with a bruised shoulder, scraped knee and little more.

Sadly, while the computers are all talking together they all seem to be talking different languages. So my work is still being done only on the laptop I had at the rehab center. Nor have I been very productive this week, it is taking far longer to get settled in than I had anticipated. Ah well, this to shall pass.

So, off to work, and yes I am very fortunate to work for myself out of my home with so many fantastic clients. I don't know how I will ever be able to thank them for being with me through this journey. Nor how I will ever be able to thank all my friends who have come along for this ride, helped out, lent support, given support. I am a fortunate person truly blessed with a full life.

Whew....

So, a report from the first 24 hours back home. Well, it started with the excitement of a fall which on the day after seems to have no further effect than giving everyone involved some stress and excitement. My sister, Felicia, and brother, Keith, stayed the evening. The move from the rehab center went well with help from Karen and Steve. We made a stop at CVS where I got my exercise walking in to hand in the scrips for all the meds that are part of my life right now. Sadly they only had five days worth of the Lovanox so I need to go back and pick up the rest.
After thetrip to the emergency room the first bit of settling in went well with help from Mary Lou and Carolyn as we sorted through what I needed. Mary Lou and Keith did a great job of bringing things down from upstairs and getting the office area all set up for me. Carolyn took on the monumental task of trying to clean up the dust from all the construction. She worked on it Friday and Saturday and I am thankful as there are no clouds of dust as one moves through the house downstairs. After Carolyn and Mary Lou had both left Keith started work on plumbing and things he needed to do. Later Felicia went to the Common Market to gather some food from the soup/hot bar for dinner. As we ate we discussed plans for the evening and the following days. I was also introduced to my guard dog, if you come to visit I will be certain to introduce you as well.

Today Felicia and Keith brought in tables and chairs from over the garage so that I will be able to host the Frederick South game days for a few months till I regain some independent mobility. I was also shown the exercise bike :-( Keith bought for me which will allow me to exercise and strengthen my arms and good leg. However I was exhausted today and so spent much of the day sleeping. Guy is due back home around 7pm and after he gets back and a bit settled in we will head out for some dinner and some shopping of groceries and such.

Today

And she's home already!

Hurrah, no damage, Leslie is back home already, she fell as well as can be expected.

Oh No! Set Back!

Just a quick note, Leslie fell on her move home, she was not ready.  She is in the ER at Frederick Memorial Hospital.

Moving Day is coming

Just had a chat with the cordinator here. She let me know that they like folks to have cleared out by noon (hmm, aren't there some westerns with that?) Soooo, having spent over two months accumulating things here - who would like to help me vamoose? I don't know that I'll need a lot of help except that I have my executive office table setup which is going to require a van with a good bit of space or a truck. Seems on the heavy side to me so probably don't want to lift it a great deal up. There is also the platform walker which is skinny but long. The rest of the stuff might require a large car or van, and then there is me. If there is leg room I can likely do a front seat, just can't really bend the leg greatly - yet.