Two days ago, on Friday 24th June I finally came home, back to my own split level flat. You may recall, I live in a Victorian conversion, on the second & third floors. So I have a flight of concrete steps to get up to my front door & then another flight of stairs inside to get up to the bathroom & bedrooms.
I went to the supermarket to stock up before my boyfriend left, this time I decided to avoid the wheelchair & opted instead to hop around on my crutches- big mistake ! After the KOL concert the day before, "The foot" complained bitterly about more hopping about & swelled impressively to let me know that I'd overdone it.
After my boyfriend had left, I found myself feeling quite down & isolated. In fact just really insecure about my ability to look after myself & to keep myself staying positive now that I'd be on my own mostly, without transport & that I'd need to look after my dog, Hannah who was due to arrive home the following day.
However, I've been wanting this for weeks & the need to regain some of my independence & for my own space was stronger than the fear. Ridiculous really, I've been living on my own for over 10 years now & am a really strong & resilient character normally. I find it strange that this injury has had this latest effect on me. If I'm honest I have struggled with the immobility & in the first few weeks, the anger & sense of grief that I felt was very strong, but to now feel uncertain about the simple things, such as cooking myself a meal, taking a bath etc on my own, is embarrassing. So on Friday evening, I grasped the bull by the horns & decided I'd attempt a bath. After much planning I managed it, to my relief !
OK it was awkward, having to lift myself in, using my good foot & then twisting around to be able to use my good foot again to support myself when I lifted myself out, but I did it ! Without hurting "The foot"- Yay ! You see, just to make it even more awkward, my bath is on a plinth, which is about 1 1/2 - 2 feet higher than the floor. So negotiating this successfully too was quite tricky.
Box number one- ticked !
Yesterday I managed to cook myself a pizza & today a stir fry, then I administered all of the dog's drugs to her successfully & in the right order :)
Boxes 2 & 3- ticked ! All of a sudden, my self esteem crept up a couple of notches & I now feel that I was right after all, I needed to come home & get on with it, OK so it's all hard work & requires planning & thought (not my strongest attributes) but I'm learning.
So I'm back to hospital on Tuesday, more x-rays & a consultation. I am a bit worried, the foot still swells whenever I hop around for any length of time, it goes purple/blue in the bath & I have had a couple of falls on my crutches recently (on wet surfaces, another hazard !) But it will be what it will be. I don't think I've done any damage, but will feel reassured after the X-rays.
I went to the supermarket to stock up before my boyfriend left, this time I decided to avoid the wheelchair & opted instead to hop around on my crutches- big mistake ! After the KOL concert the day before, "The foot" complained bitterly about more hopping about & swelled impressively to let me know that I'd overdone it.
After my boyfriend had left, I found myself feeling quite down & isolated. In fact just really insecure about my ability to look after myself & to keep myself staying positive now that I'd be on my own mostly, without transport & that I'd need to look after my dog, Hannah who was due to arrive home the following day.
OK it was awkward, having to lift myself in, using my good foot & then twisting around to be able to use my good foot again to support myself when I lifted myself out, but I did it ! Without hurting "The foot"- Yay ! You see, just to make it even more awkward, my bath is on a plinth, which is about 1 1/2 - 2 feet higher than the floor. So negotiating this successfully too was quite tricky.
Box number one- ticked !
Yesterday I managed to cook myself a pizza & today a stir fry, then I administered all of the dog's drugs to her successfully & in the right order :)
Boxes 2 & 3- ticked ! All of a sudden, my self esteem crept up a couple of notches & I now feel that I was right after all, I needed to come home & get on with it, OK so it's all hard work & requires planning & thought (not my strongest attributes) but I'm learning.
So I'm back to hospital on Tuesday, more x-rays & a consultation. I am a bit worried, the foot still swells whenever I hop around for any length of time, it goes purple/blue in the bath & I have had a couple of falls on my crutches recently (on wet surfaces, another hazard !) But it will be what it will be. I don't think I've done any damage, but will feel reassured after the X-rays.
You seem to have thought of everything. My foot would swell after any motion. In fact, my doctor had me putting my foot down until it turned purple and then put it up until it turned pink. Several times a day. After a shower it looked purple. I'm not sure when it stopped changing colors. I guess it happened after I was able to get around a lot more. My foot is still swollen but gets bigger after activity. I couldn't do crutches (fear of falling), I used a walker, and I got blisters too. Now I surprise myself walking from place to place in my house without my cane. Sounds like you are coming along at a good rate.
ReplyDeleteHi Sissie,
ReplyDeleteThx for your comment & for reading my blog. I'm not sure where you're from, but I'm guessing you aren't on GMT :) It's so good to hear from someone who is still recovering, there are other blogs that I've read, but they do seem to be from a couple of years ago mostly. Can I ask you how long it has been since you did your Lisfranc injury & what type it was please ?
It sounds like you are a bit further along in the recovery process than me.
Emma.
I had a bit of a problem posting so you will miss part 1, until I figure it out. Basic facts:
ReplyDeleteSurgery Dec 29, Cast off in late Feb., CT scan put me back another 6 weeks. Two plates, eight screws, bone fusion and a couple of pins holding it all together.
Part 2
I eventually started having pain in my knee -- I had to start strengthening my leg muscles to take the pressure off my knee. Also my pt observed that I turn my foot out when I'm walking, which makes my knee do this torquing thing. Back to my primary care doctor -- x ray knee, I have arthritis but no tears are visible.
Meanwhile, I started to have some pain in my foot. Not terrible, but as I told my doctor, I was having pain between the little piggy that had roast beef and the little piggy that had none. It was on the bottom and top of my foot. It was the only place I had that burning pain I'd read about in some of the older blogs. Not all the time. My pt offered to tape it for me, but I wanted to ask my doctor. I usually email any questions to my doctor before I go in for a visit. It's so I'm not overwhelmed by his gorgeous blue eyes and charismatic energy.
So I'm now trying to use a cane and pacing myself. I seem to overdo on some days and suffer with the pain latter.
My cute doctor said I was going to be a star at his next lecture. Guess what? That piggy problem is called Morton's neuroma, It seems to be getting better. Any specific questions I'm happy to answer.
Was allowed to begin weight bearing at Easter -- a little at a time.
ReplyDeleteOh those glorious first days home
ReplyDeleteTotal doubt ridden depression
followed by the glory and elation of small victories...
I too was so proud of myself when I cooked a meal day 2 of being home - it wouldn't have won a Michelin star - but it WASN'T the ready made, order in, stuff the 'experts' had been telling me I would be reduced to for months
and as you also rightly say Emma - take your time, plan everything out beforehand, get everything ready and to hand... then small miracles can and do become possible
another huge early victory was working out how I could feed, water and 'litter tray' the cats
those of you who don't live alone - give thanks!! ;-}