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!