FULL WEIGHT BEARING – The Crutch-less Girl – Week 12 & 13

Last week I was able to drop the crutch and walk without any aidJ.  Very happy camper now!  Although when I was walking down the hallway at rehab I suddenly realized that I didn't know what to do with my hands while I walked.  For the past 3 months I have either been in a wheel chair, or had one or both hands occupied with crutches.  For the first time I can carry a purse and hold Brad’s hand at the same time!  I can carry my cup of coffee, Bible and my breakfast plate at the same time!  You never realize how the simple things in life can be amazing until they are taken away from you.

Walking on my own is great, but it is also scary.  I don’t trust my left knee like I used too, we need more time together to get reacquainted and my knee needs strengthened.  When I went to the gym the first time without my crutch I had complete strangers come up to me and express their excitement over my new found walking ability.  Not sure if I was excited with them or just plain scared people were watching me while I worked out.  Either way there I was at the gym alone without my husband or crutch to lean on.  It went pretty well until I came to a free weight leg press and found that some body builder left over 200lbs on the machine.  FYI next time weight lifters please remove the weights that weigh more than me!!  Even though I am able to walk with my own body weight, I cannot however carry more than my weight…..yet!      

Other than the gym, I am now able to go grocery shopping again by myself!  It’s great that the things that made my eyes roll before now make me feel like I’ve own a trip to Disney World!  I’ve only gone to the natural food store and the neighborhood market because they are smaller scale stores.  I haven’t attempted the Walmart Super Center yet, but Kohl’s and I are good friends againJ.  I also get to use the cart as a walker so that helps a lot.  Although when I get home from any of these stores I have to ice my knee due to swelling. I’ve noticed I have more swelling now that I’m walking free and clear.  It’s all about balance, which is the major lesson I’ve been learning through these last 3 months.

I’m only going to rehab once a week now, and after this week we will drop it down to every other week.  In order to do this I have to go to the gym during the week, which I need to do anyway so that works out. (No pun intended…ok well a little bit intended)  While I was at rehab last week I got fitted for a Don Joy off loader brace (I chose silver just in case you wanted to know).  It’s supposed to push my knee in a way that will relieve the spongy cartilage and give it more time to heal, but will allow me to partake in activities. Let the Bucket List making begin! 

That’s about all the change and update for this ACI patient.  

Too Much…but Not Enough – Week 11

This week I have learned that I’m human.  I know it’s a shock, but it is true.  I can only do so much and when I think I can do more then I’m not being real with myself.  Unfortunately thinking about doing more is not all I did this week…I also tried and failed at doing more.  Let me explain.  I’m able to put 75% of my weight on knee which allows me to use just one crutch.  Well what would you do with that free hand??  Probably what I did, which was to carry everything that I've wanted to carry into another room but couldn’t for the last 3 months.  Needless to say I overdid it.  Not only in the carrying part did I overdo it, but in my work life as well.  All the while going to the gym 2x plus rehab this week.  I've bitten off more than I can chew and need to take it slow.  It seems like I have enough energy to get myself food (which makes a mess) and get to the gym or a work appointment for the day (which makes a mess), but then can’t quite clean up the messes I make throughout the day.  A fact I want to change because I don’t want Brad to have to clean up after me forever, which he informed me he agreed J

So future ACI patients or anyone after a surgery TAKE IT SLOW for as long as you can.  I know that I’m doing too much in some areas of my life, but not enough in others and trying to find the balance of it all is a struggle and a process.  Some days are better than others, and other days I make bad decisions.  I feel like the old saying, “two steps forward and one back”.  I just want to PRAISE THE LORD that it’s not more steps back than forward at the end of this.  I’ve been told today to give myself a break, which is hard to do for a self motivating Type A personality, but that’s exactly where God has me right now and I want to be obedient and learn the lessons I am to learn. 

Will post more next week when I can do FULL WEIGHT BEARING!!