As soon as I start eating and drinking somewhat more intelligently, life becomes better. The stairs become easier. Time goes much faster. I still have to deal with the non-immobilizing immobilizer though. I sleep without it, but it’s on most of the day. Hilary gets it on as tight as possible in the morning and I leave it as long as possible.
Putting it on is a challenge. I can’t reach the lowest fasteners while sitting on the bed. Finally I discover a method that works more or less. I prop my leg on the pulled out lowest drawer of my dresser, which is maybe 2-1/2 to 3 feet from the side of the bed. I can then get the thing under my leg and around it. Finally I get the fasteners snugged up. This results in an immobilizer that sort of immobilizes. It’s nowhere near as good as Hilary can get it, but it’s the best I can do.
The stairs dislodge the immobilizer almost every time I go up or down. I try to do the stairs no more than 3 or 4 times a day. That’s pretty easy. The stairs are still slow. Even if I toss the crutches down, going up or down takes 10 minutes or so. Going up is real work and I often really sweat.
Nothing really seems to change during this period. The wound is healing, but there is sometimes minor bleeding around the staples. The staples all stay in place.
I hope to start outpatient physical therapy as soon as possible after I see Dr. Frederick on the 25th. I would, in the normal course of events, see him on the 18th, but at that time he is off at a U.S. Women’s Gymnastics event. He consulting orthopedic surgeon to the team.
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