I haven't put a post on this blog in the longest time, but finally feel up to writing again.
On December 18th, I fell on our interior stairs and broke my right ankle. Fortunately, JoAnn was home to help and we got right into an urgent care facility, saw the Doc and had surgery that afternoon. It all happened smoothly that day, for which I am grateful, and I had wonderful care. Another blessing was the fact that there never was much pain. Not even after surgery. One day of pain pills was all it took, and all I ever wanted!
I didn't want to keep the x-rays of the metal that was put in, but the insurance man thought I might want to keep a record of it, so home it came and now it's kind of interesting. I can have the metal out later, but that would be more surgery, and it doesn't seem to be bothering me any. So, a bit more metal...what does it really matter?
I was down for the count, so this is a photo of me at Christmas, at least all dressed and in my right mind, I think. I had a loose splint put on the ankle for 4 weeks, and got around on the knee cart pictured below. Those are really a great little tool, and sure helped navigate the bottom floor of our house. We lived down there, including sleeping on a bed John brought down and put in the living room. You do what ya gotta do. I also spent a lot of time sleeping in the recliner. Sleep is so restorative.
After that, we put on a pretty blue cast, but still no weight bearing. I resumed my piano teaching with some complications, and the students had fun decorating the cast, and I enjoyed their original artwork.
What an interesting, but to be honest, difficult time it has been. The cast was only on about 2 and 1/2 weeks, and I was so ready for freedom. Then it was supposed to be 2 weeks in a boot with pressure wraps, but the boot made it on my foot less that 1 week, as it really hurt both the ankle and my back to try to walk in it. So, the transition to shoes went fairly smoothly, and now I am up and walking in shoes with the help of a 'trekking pole' still taking it easy, so the swelling doesn't get out of hand.
I felt like I had a turning point Monday, as I felt more like the old days, and did some dishes, rested, cleaned out the frig, rested, cleaned out the pantry (trust me it needed it!), made up some menus and a shopping list, and even went with the insurance man to shop that night. What an accomplishment. It felt so good! I had my first physical therapy yesterday, and that helped too. She told me I was holding my trekking pole in the wrong hand, and voila! I can now walk with no limp and my foot straight. It's straight and steady, but slow for now. One step at a time they say, but patience is always so hard to exercise. My goal is to reach April 29th, and granddaughter Kory's college graduation with a normal walking gait and hopefully pain free. Things are getting better, and I am greatly encouraged, even enough to even write a blog post this morning. Hooray....And a great thanks to the insurance man for his unceasing love and care.
