Today is the 3rd anniversary of this infamous event.
Reflecting back on the past three years, I can't say that I have any profound wisdom that I have gained from the experience, but I have learned much and I know that a lot of good came from the experience. Yeah, it's been a pain - in many more ways than one - but so many good things arose from it all that it may well have been worth it to some degree. Significant life and lifestyle changes, new friends, new perspectives, and more.
As for my general physical status, not a lot has changed since my last update. I have many ups and downs of many types. Toes, feet, ankles, legs, knees, hips, back. At some point all or some of them have good days and bad. Finding footwear is still a problem. I'm always on the lookout for casual, running, and hiking shoes that will work. So many start out OK but they break down to near uselessness so quickly it is mind-boggling - and expensive!
Along with that, I still have a bit of a psychological/emotional roller coaster going on, but that gets gradually better with time. I still feel guilt for causing all this through my lapse in judgement and I still get a bit angry and/or depressed at all the things I can no longer do and what medical things still lay ahead. Sometimes that lasts for days, sometimes just for moments. But it always passes and I just get back to what I was doing.
So on we go and I look forward to the next year. I plan to press on, try to extend my capabilities, and not let this stuff slow me down any more than absolutely necessary.
God Bless.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Monday, October 18, 2010
So what's been going on?
Well, to tell the truth, not much.
Things have not change much since my last post back in April. I'm doing the same level of caching, walking, and working.
Finding shoes is becoming far more difficult. I was doing fine with New Balance 1xxx shoes, but they started feeling less comfortable so I tried a pair of Brooks and they have not held up well. I now can't wear them more than a few days in a row before stuff starts hurtin'. So it's back to the drawing board.
My feet and ankles go through longer cycles of good/bad days now, too. For a week or two they will feel like hell, then all of a sudden they feel fine for a week or two. I'm trying to determine if I push them too hard while they feel good and resting them when they feel bad is what's making them then feel better. In other words, am I causing this lousy cycle?
But as each pain cycle comes around, I think harder and longer if it is nearing time to trade in one of these feet. If I do, I'll start with the right one. But that is one heckuva decision to make and NOT one that can be taken back! I've read a lot about living with BTK (Below The Knee) amputations and sometimes it sounds like it'd be a blessed relief. Then other stories make me terrified of what may come as a result. So I guess I just keep reading, thinking, and praying until I just can't take it any more or something happens to force the issue.
But all that being said, we are just going on with our lives. Some days I can get around better than others, but in any case, I just keep on with whatever we wanna do. I figure if it hurts, so what? We all have something we have to deal with, right?
I hope you are dealing well with your stuff!
God bless!
Things have not change much since my last post back in April. I'm doing the same level of caching, walking, and working.
Finding shoes is becoming far more difficult. I was doing fine with New Balance 1xxx shoes, but they started feeling less comfortable so I tried a pair of Brooks and they have not held up well. I now can't wear them more than a few days in a row before stuff starts hurtin'. So it's back to the drawing board.
My feet and ankles go through longer cycles of good/bad days now, too. For a week or two they will feel like hell, then all of a sudden they feel fine for a week or two. I'm trying to determine if I push them too hard while they feel good and resting them when they feel bad is what's making them then feel better. In other words, am I causing this lousy cycle?
But as each pain cycle comes around, I think harder and longer if it is nearing time to trade in one of these feet. If I do, I'll start with the right one. But that is one heckuva decision to make and NOT one that can be taken back! I've read a lot about living with BTK (Below The Knee) amputations and sometimes it sounds like it'd be a blessed relief. Then other stories make me terrified of what may come as a result. So I guess I just keep reading, thinking, and praying until I just can't take it any more or something happens to force the issue.
But all that being said, we are just going on with our lives. Some days I can get around better than others, but in any case, I just keep on with whatever we wanna do. I figure if it hurts, so what? We all have something we have to deal with, right?
I hope you are dealing well with your stuff!
God bless!
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
And so a few months have passed.....
...and not much has changed.
I still have good days and bad days. All in all I think I have pretty much stabilized.
I am doing up to some terrain level 2.5 caches and I've done some moderate bushwhacking for short distances. I've also done some hiking on unimproved trails that included some unexpectedly rough terrain. I took my time and I got through it. I've also done a little over 2 miles of walking at a time. And finally, I have started doing more house stuff including edging, trimming, and using the push mower on the front yard. I won't say there have been no consequences to stepping up the activity. After doing something that pushes my limits it takes my feet and ankles a day or three to recover from swelling, stiffness, and soreness; but that is also to be expected I suppose.
I've just gotten to the point that I know these things are going to, at best, feel weird. At worst, they are just gonna hurt. Usually, they will be somewhere in between. In any case, I just gotta live with it until I just can't any more, then we'll talk about if it's time to trade either or both of them in for new models.
In the meantime, I'll keep pushing the limits and living the way I want and as much as I can tolerate while I can. I'll keep geocaching, waymarking, and doing whatever else I feel like trying. I'm even thinking of entering as a walker in a 5k or two just to do it. I have not been in a 5 or 10k since I ran some in the Corps.
So, off we go. Let's see what happens.
God bless.
I still have good days and bad days. All in all I think I have pretty much stabilized.
I am doing up to some terrain level 2.5 caches and I've done some moderate bushwhacking for short distances. I've also done some hiking on unimproved trails that included some unexpectedly rough terrain. I took my time and I got through it. I've also done a little over 2 miles of walking at a time. And finally, I have started doing more house stuff including edging, trimming, and using the push mower on the front yard. I won't say there have been no consequences to stepping up the activity. After doing something that pushes my limits it takes my feet and ankles a day or three to recover from swelling, stiffness, and soreness; but that is also to be expected I suppose.
I've just gotten to the point that I know these things are going to, at best, feel weird. At worst, they are just gonna hurt. Usually, they will be somewhere in between. In any case, I just gotta live with it until I just can't any more, then we'll talk about if it's time to trade either or both of them in for new models.
In the meantime, I'll keep pushing the limits and living the way I want and as much as I can tolerate while I can. I'll keep geocaching, waymarking, and doing whatever else I feel like trying. I'm even thinking of entering as a walker in a 5k or two just to do it. I have not been in a 5 or 10k since I ran some in the Corps.
So, off we go. Let's see what happens.
God bless.
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