1 YEAR ANNIVERSARY!!!

*Left: 1 year surgery anniversary*

31,536,000 seconds
535,600 minutes
8,760 hours
365 days
52 weeks
1 year!!!

I am 1 whole year post my left foot reconstruction surgery.  My left foot and I have made it to our first anniversary.  Our lovely relationship has had its fair share of ups and downs, but I am happy to report that I am doing much better than I was pre-surgery.

All of the pain, suffering, struggling, tears, worrying, time, and hard work was absolutely worth it for where I am today.

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My Day

I stayed up late last night tossing and turning in excitement for this day to come.  I had a bundle of emotions swirling inside of me.  To be honest, I'm in shock to be here, to have survived 365 days of the recovery from this surgery, not to mention my other surgery thrown in halfway and the major life changes that I went through this year.

When I woke up for work, I couldn't figure out what to wear.  This was such a big personal day for me.  How does a survivor, rather CHAMPION dress?  Generally, during the snoozing game I play with my alarm clock, I envision my outfits daily, before getting out of bed, every piece, down to the shoes, and even the jewelry.  Today, I was stumped...

I finally put together a mega fierce outfit, to represent the battle that I have been fighting.  I wore my tiger-striped blazer, ready to "Roar" as in the Katy Perry song.  And...I also wore some baby wedges, Clarks as usual, for the first time to work.

I had two classes to teach.  In the back of my mind, the whole time I was teaching, I was thinking of how far I have come and how my new students and colleagues really have no idea of the depth of my struggles over the past year.  Now I can blend in...

The first thing people notice about me now is ME, NOT my weird footwear (boots, casts, braces, tennis shoes, old lady flats), NOT my assistive devices (wheelchair, walker, crutches), NOT my irregular gait, and due to the wonderful winter season and the invention of tights, NOT my scars!

After my first class was over, I was thrilled to be ABLE to walk across campus to teach my second class, and walk back at its conclusion.  That trek is all uphill and includes many many stairs (See my former post in December 2013 about walking across campus for the first time).

After work, I went for my first swim since the winter holiday break.  I was a little sluggish from being out of the pool a few weeks, but happy to be back at work on my ultimate goal of regaining my fitness, and of course, running again.

One of my colleagues and dear friends, who also trains with me, forced me to go out after for dinner and drinks.  She refused to not let me celebrate this day.  I can't thank her enough for making me pause to really take in how far I have come over the past year.

What are the highlights?

~ I SURVIVED 2 complete ankle reconstruction surgeries, which left me with 9 scars, 4 titanium screws, and 1 pin between my feet

~I LEARNED how to walk again from scratch, not once...but twice!

~I successfully COMPLETED my dissertation study, wrote it up, defended it, and GRADUATED with a PhD in Exercise Physiology, in a mere 3 absolutely insane years...and by the age of 26

~I LANDED my first full-time faculty position, and first "real" job after a 7 year college career

~I PICKED my life up and MOVED from the only place I have known in my adult life to return to my home state (and where my family lives) for my new job

~ I got PROMOTED to a Tenure-Track Assistant Professor faculty position

~ I FOUGHT tooth and nail through 8-months of physical therapy to finally get RELEASED from rehab "jail"

~I RE-GAINED the ability to swim, bike, walk/jog, and go to the gym for fitness, not just for rehab



How are my feet?

1) They are looking A LOT straighter from behind with normal arches

Left Foot

Left picture: pre-surgery

Right picture: 1 year post

Right Foot

Left picture: pre-surgery

Right picture: 7 months post

2) My scars are becoming lighter, softer, and more skin-like overall

Left Foot (1 year post)
 tendon transfer scar

Left Foot (1 year post)
 calcaneal osteotomy heel screw scar

Left Foot (1 year post)
 gastrocnemius recession/achilles lengthening scar

Left Foot (1 year post)
 lateral column lengthening and calcaneal osteotomy scars

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Right Foot (7 months post)
 calcaneal osteotomy heel screw scar

Right Foot (7 months post)
 gastrocnemius recession/achilles lengthening scar

Right Foot (7 months post)
 lateral column lengthening and calcaneal osteotomy scars

3) I can perform all activities of daily living without assistive devices, braces/tennis shoes, or chairs, including walking with a normal gait, going up and down stairs, standing for cooking, and shopping for hours, with minimal pain and soreness.  (I did keep my shower bench because my feet are tired at the end of the day, which is when I typically take my showers)

4) I can do double-legged heel raises, and can put some space between the ground and my heels on the single-legged heel raises, but can't complete full raises yet.


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Reflection

I feel at peace and whole again.

And...

And, my biggest piece of advice for others and my key to success:

Believe you can succeed, put in the work, and never, NEVER, EVER quit, because...

The fight for my dream of running again continues...