More Progress

Today was another physical therapy day and we headed off expecting a rather routine session. Stand up, do the 'stutter walk', do the same ol' exercises, and spend some time on the stationary bike.

Well, it didn't quite turn out that way.

First, Scott had me stand without my boots (the ones my brother calls "Klingon mukluks"). Well, OK. That's a little different.

Then he told me to start walking. Without the mukluks. So I figure we'll just take a few steps to test the waters a bit. Boy, was I wrong! That dude had me walk around the ENTIRE PT room! OK. So it's not a 5 mile hiking trail. Heck. It's not even a 1/4 mile track, but it's a pretty good distance for me! And without the mukluks!

So we're strolling along with my "stutter step" where I move the walker forward, step 1 foot and then the other up to it, stop, then do it again. All of a sudden Scott tells me to try to walk normally...flowing my steps 1 after the other without pausing. After a moment of sheer panic, I give it a shot and I did it! At first I could only get 3, maybe 4 steps in a row, but pretty quickly I was able to just keep going!

Sure, I still had a little balance trouble, my depth perception was a bit off so I could not always tell where the floor was, and Scott was still holding onto me just a little, but I was getting it done!

So we get back to the table and I get ready to start the exercise routine and I get told we're upping the weights. As it turned out, that was no big deal, either. I was able to complete all reps of all sets without difficulty! Sweet!

So we get done with those and they tell me to get into my chair and roll over to the stationary bike. Ummm, no, I don't think so. I tell them I wanna WALK over! So they agree, and I do. And even better than before!

Now all I have to do is be able to walk with my head up instead of watching my foot placement and without Scott spotting me and I can start walking at home! You KNOW what I'm gonna be trying REAL hard to do Thursday!

Another Milestone Falls!!!

Yes, the next milestone falls. In fact, a couple of them!

See that pic to the left? I'm not just standing there. I'm walking!!! In fact, I was walking pretty darn well all things considered!!!

We finally got the walker yesterday and they told us to bring it with us to PT as soon as we got it. And boy, they meant it! The very first thing we did today was put it to use! Scott checked it out, deemed it a good walker, set it front of me, and told me we were gonna take a few steps and that we did!

After that, we did the usual exercises, then Scott had me walk about halfway across the room to the stationary bike!

Next I was given the go-ahead to sleep without those darn boots! So now the only time those boots are on are when I am standing or walking!

And to top it all off, my brother and his wife, who had just gotten in from the Seattle area and I only get to see every 2 or 3 years, had met us there at the rehab facility so they were there to see me take my very first steps since January 6th and share in the moment!

Wow! What a day! Praise the Lord!

It is so exciting to knock these milestones down and all with minimal pain to boot. Sure, there is some discomfort and a few muscle aches, but I can't say that the PT has really caused me any undue pain. I simply cannot understand why the Lord is smiling on me to such a degree, but I'm sure not going to question His judgment!

Now on to rebuild my sense of balance, leg strength, and coordination. Then after that, I dump the boots and start walking at home.

I think I can FINALLY see the light at the end of this long, dark tunnel!

PT Follow-up

Another round of PT today and I just thought you may want to see me standing up (with the aid of Scott, of course).

As you can't see, Scott has his knees bracing my right knee and he's holding onto a web belt that is around my waist. I've got a death grip on his arms because my knees are always trying to buckle, my feet hurt like mad, and my sense of balance is completely whacked out.

You may notice that my back is NOT to the chair. That's because I have already stood up twice and this time I took shuffle steps to get turned around so I could sit down on the exercise platform. When I'm done with the exercises we do there, we then do this little dance again to get me back into my wheelchair. From there I go to the stationary bike and then I'm done for the day.

Another Milestone!

Today we went to physical therapy expecting more table exercising work and then moving on to the stationary cycle for the first time.

Well, that was mostly true.

So, sporting my new Crocs (I swore I'd NEVER wear them, but they were the only thing we found that would fit over all my swelling.), we were off. We got there and the therapist we had originally wanted to see was back. His name is Scott. We said hello and asked how his vacation went. All very civilized. But the chit-chat didn't last long.

First he started working my feet like the other guy did. Well, no, that isn't exactly accurate. The other guy used lotion and did more of a deep tissue foot massage. Scott didn't bother with any lotion and he acted more like he was taking a detailed inventory of every part of my feet. He was finding stuff to hurt that I didn't even know existed! He alternated between doing that and stretching my ankles, calves, and knees to the point that I thought I was gonna be the rubbery guy in the next Fantastic Four movie!

And while he was doing that and I was doing my best to keep from jumping through the ceiling, he decides that this was a great time to tell me that we were going to be standing up today! Well, now, this is the thing that I've been the most frightened of in this whole physical therapy hoo-hah and I immediately went into "HOLY CARP!!!" panic mode. This was NOT what we were told to expect today!

Next thing ya know, Scott is putting a safety belt around me and telling me how "we" are going to be standing up together. I'm trying to determine the best way to escape! But I stayed calm (really, I DID!!!) and like the good Marine I've always tried to be, I followed orders.

He grabbed the safety belt around my waist, braced my upper body and my right knee, told me exactly how to brace myself and shift my weight, then up we went while Julie braced my wheelchair and held her breath. Piece of cake except that my knees wanted to buckle. There was absolutely no pain whatsoever! We stood there for a good 45 seconds before I just knew my knees were going to completely give out, and he helped me back down into my wheelchair.

I STOOD UP!!! I REALLY STOOD UP!!! HOLY COW AND PRAISE THE LORD!!! I STOOD UP!!!

He let me rest for a bit, then we did it again. This time I was able to stay up a little longer. Then we did it again, but this time he had me shift my weight back and forth. OK, so this time it started to hurt. Then he had me pick up my feet and shuffle to my left to get to the exercise table! This really hurt and I didn't do real well, but I got there. Then after my exercise routine, he had me stand up and do the shuffle back to my wheelchair. It still hurt, but I was able to do a little better this time. Then it was off to the stationary bike and then we were done for the day.

Now, several hours later, things are starting to really hurt and swell. We'll wait and see how things are tomorrow, but everything should be just fine. These aches and pains are all from parts being used that haven't been used in a while and the only way out of it is through.

With help from The Lord and "J", I know I'll make it. It's just a matter of time now!

MEDICAL UPDATE 5/14/08

Just a quick update after our visit with the surgeon as a follow up to the infection.

First, he is no longer concerned about the infection. We have a couple days of meds left and he thinks that will be sufficient. He know thinks it was just a common bacteria that worked its way in, not anything major picked up from the accident itself. So that's over with unless something flares up again later.

He also did a quick overall exam and has decided that, as far as he's concerned, I should keep the boots off as much as possible and start using my feet as much as I can stand! He says that everything looks all healed up and they should be able to take whatever I can throw at them (up to a point, anyway).

I may still have to have some of the metal removed, mainly the 2 screws going into the back of each heel, but we'll have to wait and see. If the metal isn't bothering me as we proceed, it'll stay.

(Thanks, D, for the toe cozies! They're comin' in handy!)

So How'd It Go?

I should have posted this sooner. I apologize.

The physical therapy (PT) went surprisingly easily, though I suspect it will get much more difficult VERY soon.

To make a long story short, they want me to start spending much more time with my feet out of the boots! This is great news! Of course, I still need to wear them at night and when moving around so that they are protected, but when sitting around the house, they come off! The main idea is that My feet will start getting recovered from being desensitized faster and just being out of the boots is a workout and help with flexibility and range of motion.

They also gave me more exercises to do at home and ideas for various techniques to help even more with many different facets of recovery.

They also talked about how we need to start looking into walkers! Wasn't expecting that one for quite some time!

The staff there seems to be a good group of folks that seem to really know what they are doing and take a genuine interest in their patients. It looks like we backed the right horse.

For a process that will take a long time, it seems we really got off to a jump start!

Here We Go!

Last Friday I finally made it to the physical therapy evaluation and I start the physical therapy tomorrow.

As usual with ANYTHING in this whole process, I have VERY mixed feelings about this.

Of course, I am very happy that I have hit this next milestone and I can FINALLY start working towards getting back on my feet, walking, and driving my X. All that is very exciting.

On the other hand, it is absolutely terrifying.

There are going to be aches, pain, and days that I'd rather stay in the wheelchair. We have even talked with the therapists and the pain management docs about what drugs I'll need to help keep the pain under control. That is not a good sign!

OK. So what am I facing?

Well, at first we'll have to do a lot of work to desensitize my feet. Right now my skin is extremely sensitive to be touched in any way. There are times that even the light touch of a cotton ball will send me through the ceiling and the skin always feels like it is burning.

For some time we will be working on joint flexibility, range of motion, and upper body and leg strengthening. Once all that is at a good level, then we'll start working on putting weight on my feet. Once my feet can bear my full weight (Thank the Lord I've lost quite a few pounds!), then we'll work on my standing and shifting my weight in all directions. Once I'm good with that, we start walking. Some time during all that I'll start getting weaned out of the boots I'm in and migrating from wheelchair to walker to canes and, hopefully, to walking without any assistance.

At this point, before we've really done any work, they are saying it will be about a year before I can just walk without any assistance on a flat surface for any length of time. Something like walking with J for a short jaunt through Wally World or something. It will be longer before I can walk down an improved trail and even longer, of course, until I can walk along a lightly improved trail. Odds are I will never be able to hike in rough terrain or do any bushwhacking to caches.

For now I'll be happy if God will let me get out of these boots, out of this chair, and start wearing real shoes again. That's all I can hope for right now. When I see that those will come true, I'll set my sights on walking unassisted. After that, I'll worry about the rest.

So, here we go. It'll be a lot of work, but it's for a BIG prize!

So What Have I Learned?

Today marks 4 months since the accident. Yesterday marked 3 months since I got out of the hospital. So in these months of periodic isolation and many nights of staring at ceilings, what have I learned?

First and foremost I had plenty of time to reflect on my spiritual life. Or lack of one, if you will. I had been searching for answers for several years. During my "down time", as I call it (the time I was laid up in the hospitals and then at home, largely immobile), I did a lot of thinking and taking long, hard looks at myself, where I was, and how I got there..and I don't mean just in regards to the accident. I also had some very enlightening conversations with a friend who, much to his surprise, helped focus some of my thoughts and clarified others. All of this culminated, about 2 weeks ago, in my accepting Christ. I did so publicly last Sunday when we all visited the church my friend attends.

Another thing I've learned is how much I love and depend on "J" and have taken that, and her, for granted. Through all of this she has been right there, more than willing to do anything that was even remotely necessary to help me recover. There have been many times when she could have (and maybe should have) told me to fend for myself, but not her. She stepped right up to the plate every single time. She also fought for me when everyone else wanted to treat me like a side of beef. She stood up to insurance, hospitals, doctors, you name it. I cannot begin to imagine having to go through all this without her.

I learned that I have friends. Not "myspace" type friends, but true friends. Friends that sit with you in the hospital all night so your wife can get a break. Friends that will drive an hour to come visit you just so you won't feel alone. Friends that come and do work around your house for you without even being asked. Friends who sit with you day after day for no other reason than they want to spend time with you. These friends know who they are and I thank them for all they've done and I want them to know I value them more than I ever thought I could.

I learned that I am not as alone and invisible as I thought. People were coming to see me before I was even out of the ER. Folks I'd never heard of were asking about me and sending me good wishes. And here I had always believed I was all but alone in the world and I was of little significance to any but a very few. Boy, was I wrong! This event has made me step back and take another long, hard look at my place in the world. It's all new to me so I don't quite know what to make of it, but I'll figure it out.

There are other things I have learned, but I think I'll keep them to myself for the time being. Maybe permanently. I'm sure I have even more to learn as this process goes on. I just hope I'm paying attention to the lessons as they come.

MEDICAL UPDATE 5/1/08

This morning was the critical "3-months out" appointment with the surgeon.

First, the infection. He says it's looking "good" so far. It still hurts and it looks kinda ugly, but apparently it's doing what it's supposed to do. Also, he said he was surprised at the results. He was expecting things to be worse. As it turns out all tests indicate that the bug did NOT attach itself to the metal and that it appears to be a completely localized situation.

Back to the original purpose for the visit. He looked at the x-rays and decided it's time for the physical therapy to begin. He says everything in both heels looks good and I can go start learning how to walk again and he was absolutely giddy. I take that as a good sign. It should take about a year before I am able to just walk normally like walking with "J" through the grocery store. I can also start weaning off the boots under direction from the therapists. Getting those off and starting to use a walker are the next big milestones.

So we are continuing on the antibiotics for another couple of weeks, we can go visit the physical therapists and decide where to go and then get that started, then go back to see the surgeon in 2 weeks to check on the status of the infection.

Beyond that, it's all physical therapy and working towards walking again.

Here we go!