*Left: 27 week surgery anniversary*
Made it 7 weeks! Today, I was inspired to look back at my blog and see where I was with the first surgery at this point.
Day 48:
First Surgery (1): 1st PT session, barely PWB in a boot with the walker
Second Surgery (2): 6th PT session, FWB in a boot
Day 49:
1) Teaching meltdown, painful PWB in a boot with the walker
2) Packing in my tennis shoes with my ankle brace on my right foot, pain free.
Day 50:
1) 2nd PT session and my first time meeting my current therapist, barely doing ROM exercises in therapy, PWB in boot with walker
2) I will have my 7th PT session, FWB in tennis shoe with ankle brace
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New PT Clinic
I also got set up with my new PT clinic for when I move. The new clinic has entirely different staffs for different injury classifications/needs of the patients (general orthopedics therapy, hand therapy, neurorehabilitation therapy, pediatric therapy, spine therapy, and sports therapy). I will be going to their sports therapy clinic. My new therapist is a competitive runner who is highly requested. Luckily, I was able to work my way onto his schedule. My first appointment is next Wednesday (July 31st), which means that I will only "miss" one appointment by not having therapy on the Monday directly after my move. After that, I will be going on Wednesdays and Fridays for the next few weeks at 8:15 am!!! Those were the only days and times he had available. I don't mind because I am extremely lucky to even be able to work with him right away on such short notice. I am interested to see how their clinic runs compared to my current clinic. I also wonder if I will like my new therapist's treatment style.
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Reflection
I am really far ahead of where I was last time. For that I am happy. What disturbs me is the thoughts I had today, when I walked a few blocks from my apartment to get some takeout. On my way back, I was hit with physical exhaustion. I was out of breath. I thought to myself, this is so uncomfortable. It is so much easier being lazy. What would make anyone want to be so active like I was before? Will I ever have the will to train like that again? Will I be able to get over the psychological hurdles (trusting my feet, getting over my fear of re-injuring myself) to allow me to return to high impact activities?
As an exercise physiologist who specializes in obesity prevention and health promotion research, it is literally my job to encourage people to lead active, healthy lifestyles. I never understood, until now, how someone could be so unmotivated to change their behaviors to improve their own health. It has been difficult for me to find meaning in everything I am going through. All the time, I ask myself, "why me?" and "how did this happen?" Now I know that what I have gained is perspective. I have had the fortunate/unfortunate opportunity to experience this world not only as an elitely fit and extremely capable person, but as as a disabled person, as a physically inactive person, and as a person apathetic about their health. Fortunately, I know that the thoughts and feelings I am having now are just a phase, and I will get over this as I have everything else.
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