FOLLOW-UP: CHAPTER NINE

It is now the beginning of November.  I have attended a total of 12 sessions of physical therapy twice a week and I have finally lost the cane and graduated to a little AirCast and a tennis shoe.  This took 16 weeks to the day from the date of my surgery.  

I also continue to use acupuncture, as I have for many years, to control some slight on-going swelling, along with anti-inflammatory Chinese oil (“Hysan”) that I rub all over my foot before bed at night.  I alternate that with Emu oil, available at Henry’s Market, as I have heard it is quite remarkable for scar reduction and also makes a ducky nighttime eye cream.  I have exercises to do every day to build my calf and foot muscles back.  I stretch my hamstrings and crinkle up towels with my toes and stand on my toes and ride the exer-cycle.  My strength is returning quickly and my energy level is almost back to where it was before the chronic pain set in.  If I have any lingering problems it is only a swatch of skin that doesn’t have a lot of feeling on the inside of my left foot.  While this is annoying, it’s not overly concerning.  I am pretty sure the sensation will come back with time as the nerves repair themselves.

I do require new orthotics, and have learned that these are not covered by my insurance; ergo, I will wait another few weeks for the beginning of 2011 so I can utilize my pre-tax Flexible Spending funds.  My goal is to be able to wear a pair of small high-heels sandals again, and if things continue to go as well as they have lately, I may be wearing those cute shoes by my 50^th birthday at the end of this month!  To my credit, I have already managed to shop Wal-Mart and Vons without an electric cart; I walk the dog a couple of blocks once or twice a day; I’ve walked to the bar for Happy Hour; and we both took the dog to Dog Beach for a short visit where I was able to walk in the sand without assistance or pain. 

If you had told me two years ago that I'd have to wait that long to get my ankle replaced, I may have given up and had that fusion because the pain was just too great.  But I am glad I waited because I now have the best outcome I could have hoped for.

The human spirit is meant to overcome pain and obstacle, and overcome I have.  

Next installment:  2010 – “The Year of Waiting”