Lindsay has also made me officially give up the crutches and the cane and begin to walk more and more. My hip is stiff and lots of muscles are complaining LOUDLY!! Since my hips have been bad all of my life, the proper muscles don't support them. So, I have some muscles that are absolutely locked in place that shouldn't be and other muscles that should be supporting that have been simply going along for the ride all these years. Re-training both sets of these muscles will take a little time and pain . .. mostly pain I am thinking at this point. Whew!! I am beginning to see what she is trying to accomplish because when everything is firing as it's supposed to be, my walk is fabulous and I feel great. When I first get up in the morning and am completely stiff, I walk like my 82 year old mother . . ok, maybe not even that good. It's work, it's hard work but it's definitely just starting to get results. Lindsay also tested my balance yesterday by making me stand on my operated leg and lift my right knee up parallel to the floor and stand for 2 minutes. Ok, take a break from reading this and go ahead and try that on your leg that hasn't had surgery 17 days ago. . . . it's hard!!! But, the good news is . . . I did it . . she continued to make it harder and I did it every single time. I have good balance!! At least one thing I don't have to work on. . .YIPPEEE!!! She also started me on some pilates machines yesterday. It felt great.
Staying here for 6 weeks of rehab was absolutely without a doubt the right thing to do. There is no way that I would be working on balance and pilates machines if I had come back to Indy. Lindsay has promised that she will get me out on a road bike (flats only) before I leave here on June 2. Most people who leave and get pt elsewhere wouldn't get that chance until about 3 months. I watch them rehab pro athletes though and they know exactly when to push and how hard to push. While I am certainly no pro athlete, I get the benefit of the therapist who knows how hard to push and I get pushed along at a slower rate. My stomach and back are already more muscled than they have been in years. Next will come the muscles in my legs. I will get to enjoy a lot of my summer still and will have 2 good hips to do it with for the very first time in my life. Knowing what I know now, I wish I would have scheduled this surgery about a year after he did my right hip. :-( But, it's done now and hopefully I still have many years to enjoy them both.
Many of the patients who had surgery at the same time as me are leaving this weekend. It's kind of sad but then again I get to be the most advanced patient setting a good example for the patients who are further behind me. There is a college hockey player who is a week behind me who is pushing way too hard. . .already trying to walk and shouldn't. I suspect he is going to pay the price sometime next week. Yikes!! Maybe I'll still be able to kick his butt in the swimming pool on Tuesday. :-)
I have 22 more days to stay here, maximize pt and get myself back in shape. I am definitely homesick and ready to be back in my bed and my house. Don't get me wrong, I am infinitely thankful for Bill and his generous offer to let me stay at his house but it's not home. It's a fabulous house, incredible view and perfect location but it's not home.
So, here's to day 17, walking again and building a stronger core and legs.
2 comments:
Glad to read you are kicking butt in rehab. No question you will continue to beat the hockey player in the pool. He is probably trying to keep up with you.
Good to hear you are doing so well!
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