I'M WALKING!

I'm sorry that I've neglected this blog in recent weeks.

It's because I'VE BEEN WALKING!

So I went to the doc a week and a half ago, and he checked over my feet and ankles real well and then had me stand up (barefooted!).

He looked up and said "Well, this is the first time I've ever seen you standing. Congratulations!"

All good, so he okays me moving from the Darth boot into a standard hiking boot on my left foot ("Since you work at REI, I know you have hiking boots, right?" well yeah, maybe a pair or two...). The right foot stays in the Darth boot, but I can begin putting weight on it. I'll need to leave the knee scooter behind and start using crutches.

My doc's assistant walks in and says "Huh, you're taller than I thought you were.." Again, first time she'd seen me standing up.

So I went to PT the next day, and took sneakers along with me so that I could ride the recumbent bike more easily. After ten minutes on the bike, I walked over to the hip sled/leg press.

Walked.

In my sneakers.

Yikes!

My physical therapist looked and me and asked "WHAT are you doing?"

Um, walking?

"Are you supposed to be doing that yet?"

Um, probably not...

"Does it hurt?"

Nope.

"Well, you've got two choices. You can lose the boot, and use crutches. Or you can keep using the boot, and not bother with crutches."

This is a no brainer as far as I'm concerned. No crutches for me!

I okayed this with the doc by phone and so now I'm up and about!

I can't walk quickly. And mom says it always looks like it hurts when I walk, but that's just because I have to take awkward steps with the Darth boot.

Like before, the biggest problem is one of blood flow. After a day at work, even when I try to keep my foot up as much as possible, I come home with a sore and swollen ankle. But its not going to get better unless I use it. And I'm so glad to be walking, I'm happy to put up with sore and swollen!