Update:
I just had a three-month follow-up appointment with my
physiatrist. After reviewing my health,
fitness, and how well I was doing with my prosthesis, she suggested that we not
schedule any more follow-up appointments.
If a need arises I should come see her, otherwise I should continue on
with life.
I’m very comfortable with that.
In fact I was going to suggest something like that if she hadn’t brought
it up first. I am still learning and
growing in my understanding of being an amputee. I still face challenges with my prosthetic
leg and its daily use. But I have
progressed far enough along that I don’t need the constant oversight and supervision
of a rehabilitation doctor.
Currently, things are going well with my prosthetic leg. As I have said recently, I have to put my
prosthesis on for about 30 minutes before really walking on it to allow my leg
to settle into the prosthesis. With my increased
health and exercise, my calf muscle has regained some of its shape and
size. I think that is causing my
difficulty with a perfect fit. I am
probably about due for a new socket; however I still plan on losing another 20
pounds or so. Until that weight is gone,
they won’t built a new socket for me. My
leg size needs to stabilize so that the next prosthesis will last about 3-4
years, maintaining a good tight fit.
Right now I am putting on about 3-ply of socks in the morning to get a
good fit. I have to keep adjusting the
thickness of socks usually going up to about 9-ply by the end of the day. I do find it a bit aggravating to have to
check my socks every hour or so. Within
another 6 months to a year, my leg size should stabilize some and reduce the
need for me checking so often; but right now it is about once an hour.
My remaining right foot requires constant care. I have to be very care not to develop
blisters or other wounds. A sock
slightly bunching up can cause significant damage before I notice it if I am
not careful. Even if all I feel is a
slight pinching or irritation, I have to stop and investigate what is causing
the discomfort. What makes this so
difficult is that I am a typical man.
“Ignore discomfort. Don’t pay
attention to pain. Keep working and
don’t stop for anything.” I can no
longer live like that. The simplest little thing can cause a problem. A few weeks ago, while doing my daily foot
inspection, I noticed a funny cross-hatched bruise pattern on the bottom of my
heel. My foot was sore and tender when I
put weight on the heel. I took me a
couple of days to realize that when I had taken my shower, I had stood on the
floor drain and that had caused the bruise pattern in my heel. Now I have to make certain that I don’t stand
on the drain again. My doctor suggested
that I wear a water shoe when I shower to help protect my foot. Crazy, isn’t it?
I still have distance restrictions upon how far they want me to walk
and they still want me to use a cane to help take some of the pressure off of
my foot. I actually switch the cane back
and forth from my left to right hand depending on which way feels better
(Right-handed supports my prosthetic leg.
Left-handed supports my remaining foot).
I am walking farther than I have so far; but I continue to conserve the
number of my steps so that I have enough left to do the things I really want to
do later in the day. I still ride the
motorized carts in stores when they have them.
Someday those restrictions might be lifted but for now they remain to
protect my remaining foot. It is
uncomfortable for me to stand for any length of time, so I usually find a place
to sit down fairly quickly.
I continue to find adaptive ways of accomplishing everyday tasks. The other day at that store my wife bought a
50 pound bag of something she wanted.
The price savings was incredible.
But it was too heavy for her to easily carry and I can’t pick up that
weight and go up the stairs into the house either. So I got my wheelchair and we put the 50 lbs.
sack in the wheelchair and pushed it up the ramp and into the house. J
My life is certainly different from what it used to be. But I am so thankful to be alive and to be
walking at all. I’ve got it pretty easy
overall. I just met a man who had been
wheelchair bound for the last 22 years.
He’s very mobile and seems to have adapted well to life. When I see something like that it helps me
keep a proper perspective on the slight difficulties that I face. It also gives me courage to keep striving and
stretching myself to see what I can accomplish.
I just saw on Facebook a double amputee who ran a half marathon. He was pretty pumped to have finished. I don’t think that in my situation that I
will ever do that; but it does encourage me to not give up and seek to enjoy
life up to the limits of my abilities.
In one fashion or another, I have resumed all of my old hobbies, I am
able to do most things around the house, and I am working at my job. Can’t hardly ask for more! I am blessed!
That said, I have had to wrap my mind around some limits and the fact
that there are some things that are forever gone from my life. Going down stairs with a loaded laundry
basket or other heavy object is beyond my ability. My solution: I put my dirty laundry in a
laundry bag and throw it downstairs. I
can make it up the stairs by “walking” the laundry basket up a couple of steps
at a time. It takes me a lot more time
and energy; but I can get it done. I
don’t think that I will ever climb up into the attic area
of the garage anymore. It would be too
easy to take a mis-step and severely injure myself.
This morning I am headed to the pool to swim for an hour. It is a tremendous workout. I am a limp noodle when I get out of the
pool. A few weeks ago I decided to buy
some swim goggles. Now I am determined
to learn how to properly do the crawl (if I don’t drown myself trying first). When I bought the goggles, the sales person
helping asked if I needed ear plugs. “Nope!”
I told her. “I have never had problems with water in my ears.” Famous last words! Every time I have swam since then I’ve got
water stuck in my ear for a couple of days.
So I broke down and bought the earplugs.
I’ll try those out for the first time today.
Note: When I first typed the
last paragraph, I kept typing “googles” instead of “goggles.” Just a subliminal message imprinted on my
brain after using that search engine so much I guess. And yes, I am a goofball! But that’s me!
Got to get ready and head to the pool!
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