A Week Later

I still feel remarkably good. I have a few aches in the femur, but I kind of look at that as a good sign of my bone starting to attach itself to the rod. The sutures on the back of my leg hurt if the skin gets pulled, so I do everything I can to avoid that.

One time this past week I couldn't avoid the skin pulling because I needed to bend over to grab a cat. On Tuesday, a new volunteer was at the shelter, and while I am sure she had been trained, a cat she was socializing managed to escape his cage. He ran under the cages and popped out right in front of me. I gently picked him up and we got him back to his cage. It was worth a bit of pain.

On Thursday I met with my new physical therapist. I felt so comfortable with her. She tested my strength and gave me a few exercises I can do during my "rest" period. She encouraged me to stand more to get my left leg stronger. She and my OT will coordinate to get my whole body ready to walk again. I am so excited.

I am adapting to a rod sticking out of my leg a few inches. Yes, it's odd and I need to be extra careful not to bonk it too hard. And I need to keep it clean so I don't risk infection.

I have a video visit with the plastic surgeon on Monday. If he gives the okay my primary care physician will take out the sutures on Tuesday.

Four weeks after surgery I go back to New York to see the orthopedic surgeon. If he feels I'm ready, my physical therapist and I will work on loading weight on the residual leg. The weight is added slowly, taking about a month to reach my full body weight.

I know it is possible the surgeon will say I need more reat time before I'm ready to start bearing weight, and I am trying to be prepared for that. It would mean only a slight delay, and after waiting a year, what's a couple more weeks.

Some friends are coming over this evening and Jerry is going to grill beyond burgers and veggie dogs. I made yet another batch of potato salad-- I think Jerry could eat it every day-- and we will pick out a nice summer wine. The first time entertaining on the rooftop deck. It's little things like that that give me back a sense of normalcy.

I still have those moments when I can't believe I have spent the last year in a wheelchair, and I periodically relive what put me in the chair. But mostly I am looking forward to continuing with a life that is already pretty darn good and promises to be a whole lot better.

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