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

------------------------------

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.


-----------------------------------------
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...

Day 210 (350): 30/50 Week Update + NYE

*Right: 30 week surgery anniversary*

*Left: 50 week surgery anniversary*


30 weeks and 50 weeks!  I am knocking down time like it is a pin at the bowling alley.

2 weeks until my one year for my left foot!

--------------------------------

My mom and I went walking again today.  We love going walking together, and this break is the first time in over a year that I have been able to enjoy being active with her.


Walk
Duration: 00:35:46
Average Speed: 3.50 mph
Distance: 2.09 miles

It was a short and sweet walk.  It was my first time back on a trail that I used to train for marathons on.  It was the same trail that I ran 10 miles for this first time on.  That was Christmas Day, two years ago.  It was rather eerie going around the turns and up and down the hills.  It was as if I could remember every step of my former runs.  It was a huge déjà vu moment for me.  It also prompted me to realize that I have gotten good at just feeling numb through experiences like this.  Don't get me wrong, I was happy to be back on the trail and happy to do a measly 2 miles...that is a huge success for what I have been through.  But I can't help but flashback to my former life and remember the feeling of running and being so committed to my fitness goals that I woke up early on Christmas Day, stuck to my running program,  and completed 10 miles in preparation for my first half marathon that I had coming up a month later.  Today, It seemed like I felt small surges in my heart, the feeling of it shattering to pieces, but ultimately I kept myself together, not feeling too happy to be back on the trail and not too sad to not be back to running.  Like I said...numb, I didn't even cry.  That is how I have learned to deal.  I know it is only temporary and I'll go back to feeling the full impact of the ups and downs of life, but not yet.  I am not through this, but I will be someday.

-----------------------------------------
New Year's Eve Summary

No heels, no sparkles, no killer outfit, sober New Year's Eve.  Also a good one, because I spent it with my family.   And the most important part, I made it to New Years.  There were days this year that I didn't know if I would live to see the next year.  So this day is also a victory...and I'm almost to the one year mark for my first surgery.

Just after counting down to midnight and taking a ginger ale toast with my family (lame, I know, especially considering I am the youngest at 26), I went up to my bed and did my normal nightly PT exercises.

The grind continues...

Day 203 (343): 29/49 week update

*Right: 29 week surgery anniversary*

*Left: 49 week surgery anniversary*

Nothing new other than that I added hiking to my list of "I CANs"

I am really enjoying relaxing with my family and taking a brief break from being so seriously committed to my surgery recovery journey.

Merry Christmas!!!

Day 196 (336): 7/12 month update + Swim

*Right: 28 week (7 month) surgery anniversary*

*Left: 48 week (12 month) surgery anniversary*

Update:  My feet are responding well to more challenging workouts.  I have even been taking the stairs in and out of my apartment daily.  I live on the 5th floor of my building, so its a serious challenge to get up and down them.  I am getting better and more comfortable with the stairs day by day.  I can also jog slowly, but I am backing off for now to keep working on the basics.  I want to make sure that I have the functional strength and fitness level to truly return to running again.  I don't want to force it.

By the way, I am at 12 months for my left foot by 4 week per month standards, but we know that our calendar doesn't work out quite that perfectly, so I still have 4 weeks to go for my real 1 year surgery anniversary.

------------------------------------

I swim by myself often, but today was one of the days that I had plans to go swimming with a few other faculty members. When I found out that everyone bailed on me, I really wasn't going to go.  I just didn't feel like leaving the comfort of my home today.  Then, I snapped out of my funk, and realized that I couldn't afford not to go.  I want to be back to TRI again next year, so I have to keep going.

Swim

I swam before doing drills today.

Swimming
100m warmup
200m technique drills

After warming up and working on my technique, I decided to do some timed swims.  I wanted to have an objective marker of where I am.

200m- 5:00
2 x 100m- 2:30
2 x 50m- 1:10
4 x 25m- 0:27

Total yards: 900 m

Where am I? In a really good place!  These times are pretty close to where I left off...two summers ago.

PT drills
Walking
Heel raises
Running (not long because my feet were sore)
Lateral squat walks

----------------------------

Hiking?

While at the pool I ran into a faculty member unexpectedly.  She happened to be talking about her plans for going hiking this week.  The next thing I know, she asked me to go with her!  I was hesitant, because all I could think about was if my feet are ready for the challenge.  Since I can comfortably walk 4 miles now, and I can also go up and down stairs pretty well, I decided to take a leap of faith, and said Y-E-S!  I have been wanting to explore the area in my new city more, so I am really excited.  I AM GOING HIKING!!! (And I hear there are waterfalls!)  If I didn't push myself to get out and go swimming, this opportunity wouldn't have fallen into my lap.  What a nice surprise!

 Judgement day for my feet is tomorrow...

Day 189 (329): 27/47 week update + Why TRI?

*Right: 27 week surgery anniversary*

*Left: 47 week surgery anniversary*

Update: It took me until after my workout today to figure out how far I have come. See the Reflection section.


Swim

100m warmup

PT drills
walking
6 shallow lengths (half the pool) of running
50 single leg heel raises
30 squat jumps
Side to side over lane line (to practice rapid change of direction)
Cariocas (grapevine drill)
high knees
walking

Swimming
2 x 100m
4 x 50m
4 x 25m
Cooldown

Total yards: 600 m

---------------------------
Reflection

Today I felt not only like an athlete, but like my old self.  My stroke is smooth again. I can feel my whole body in sync. My shoulders and arms are stronger.  My core is stronger.  I can feel the power coming from my legs again, and my feet are no longer sore with kicking.

The way I felt in the pool today led me to the discovery of another silver lining to this journey.   Not many with my training background have had what I call, "the opportunity," to go from negative, as in lower than untrained (since I had to go through two major surgeries) to a trained state again.  I have lived in a trained state almost all of my life.  I can't remember ever being untrained.  As such, I have never noticed major progress physically.  Sure, I have shaved seconds off my race times, and lifted more weight, and been so close to obtaining my lifelong goal of having rock hard abs, but still, the changes are so small, almost untraceable.  It is discouraging if you don't have the mental fortitude to stick with your training.  I am not back to a trained state yet, but I am heading there.  Every day I can tell that I am getting stronger.  My small efforts are adding up to major progress.  [More Evidence: Stairs no longer frighten me.  I am not concerned about not being able to dodge obstacles or flee anymore.  I know that if my life depended on it, I could run at this point.  I am intentionally holding back to give my feet ample time for their comeback.]  Things are falling in to place.  I am going to keep working hard the rest of December on basic skills, and in January I am going to start TRI (swim-bike-run) training again.  I may be the slowest one in my first race back, but with endurance training, I have learned that:

Thinking about TRI training and the possibility of racing again made me ponder exactly why I love to TRI, so here it is:

Why TRI?

Ultimately, you are racing yourself.  I want to race again for the thrill of competing...against myself.  I love that fierce determination and commitment are minimum requirements.  To TRI, you have to follow a training plan for months and months.  During training, you have to make sure that you have all the necessary skills to succeed and that you have practiced every phase of the race, even when your bed is calling your name.  For TRI, you not only have to practice the three sports, but also the transitions.  Alongside the training, you have to monitor your food intake closely to make sure you have enough calories and the right calories to sustain the training.  And that you have practiced your race day nutrition.  I love the gear.  You get to wear brightly colored, skin-tight, water-repellant singlets with padding in the butt area for the bike leg. Who wouldn't want to wear one of those?   And don't forget the goggles, swim cap, helmet, sunglasses, cycling shoes, running hat, and tennis shoes (and that is just what you wear, not including all the other gear that you need to make racing happen).  It takes quite a while to get packed up the night before race day.  I love the excitement of race day. The tossing and turning in anticipation for your alarm to go off at 4 something so you can get yourself to the start line on time.  Going to get marked with your race number.  Setting up your transition station.  Lining up at the swim start with your swim cap and goggles in tow.  The rush that goes through you when you hear the sound of the start horn.  Seeing the buoy marking the end of the swim and realizing you made it through the swim without drowning or getting knocked out by a competitor.  Climbing out of the water, and racing up the shore to the transition area.  Changing your gear and hopping on your bike.  Fighting through the mid section of the bike leg when you start to feel some real fatigue.  Seeing the last cone on the bike course pointing you back to the transition area. Dismounting your bike (takes serious skill when your feet are clipped to the pedals) and haphazardly running in your cycling shoes back to your transition station.  Changing into your running gear, and heading out to the course for your last leg.  Checking the clock over and over again, making sure that you are on track to set a PR.  As long as you're close, you will give it all you've got on the run to beat your former self. I love crossing the finish line. You've made it and you're happy, you feel like you are on top of the world. You realize that you just pushed the limits of your capabilities higher.  Then you rush to get your official race results, celebrate what you've achieved (by pigging out on all the post race food), and then you just....GET BACK TO TRAINING.

Day 182 (322): 26/46 week update

*Right: 26 week surgery anniversary*

*Left: 46 week surgery anniversary*

Update: Nothing new with the feetsies.

Today is a "reading day," so I am working really hard preparing for finals to start tomorrow. I'm finding a quiet peace in where I am in my life and so happy that I am not the one taking finals for the first time, rather I am the one giving them!

Day 175 (315): 25/45 week update

*Right: 25 week surgery anniversary*

*Left: 45 week surgery anniversary*

Update: Feet are good.  And...I'm off the rest of this week for Thanksgiving!!!

This year, I am thankful for making it through my surgeries, for my career success, for the opportunity I have to rebuild my life brick by brick, and appreciative of all the people that helped me get here.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Day 168 (308): 6/11 month update

*Right: 24 week (6 month) surgery anniversary*

*Left: 44 week (11 month) surgery anniversary*

Update: Both feet are feeling really good.  My right heel is bothersome at times and that foot is tighter overall than my left, since it is the "newer" foot.  Otherwise, nothing to complain about.

New improvements:

~CAN walk 4 miles
~CAN walk at a 4 mph pace for a mile and over 3.5 mph average over multiple miles
~CAN jump carefully (best with something cushioned to land on)
~CAN ride my road bike with my clipless pedals out on the road
~CAN do walking lunges
~CAN navigate better in crowded places
~CAN walk on beach sand
~CAN sleep without elevation
~CAN skip icing some nights without waking up with achy feet


---------------------
Refection

The tides are turning my way again. I think I have weathered the storm for now and will keep working towards making myself stronger in preparation for the next one.  The most important change that I can see in myself lately has been getting my optimism back.  Some people don't understand how I find ways to be positive and enthusiastic most of the time.  Maybe some think I am "childish" or "girly" in ways.  My optimism has carried me far in this short life of mine as of yet and I think it is my secret weapon.  

I whole-heartedly believe in the following quote I found randomly:

"The mightiest works have been accomplished by men who have kept their ability to dream great dreams."- Walter Bowie

Dream on people, dream on, and...

Day 154 (294): 22/42 week update + Too cold

*Right: 22 week surgery anniversary*

*Left: 42 week surgery anniversary*

Continuing to make progress, my left foot is only 10 weeks from being 1 year!

---------------------------

This morning, I leisurely cooked myself breakfast, went to work, taught my classes, and also got a lot of work done during my office hours.  I planned on going swimming, but when I got ready to go (around 5 pm), it was way too cold and dark outside for me to go.  I swim at an indoor pool, so the weather isn't a problem, except for getting out of the car and walking to the building and walking back to my car afterwards.  Today, I was cold down to my bones.  I have formerly spent a serious chunk of my life in a tropical climate, so this whole "winter" thing is something I haven't experienced in quite a while.  Going in to swim wasn't the problem for me, imagining changing from my warm clothes into a bathing suit, and also myself with wet hair walking out to my car was where I draw the line.

No swim today.

When I got home I caught up on some more work.

---------------------------
Reflection

I know that I am going to have to figure out a way to motivate myself to train in these cold and dark conditions, but today was not that day.

Day 147 (287): 21/41 week update + PT Session #31 + Clipping out

*Right: 21 week surgery anniversary*

*Left: 41 week surgery anniversary*

My feet are still steadily improving.  No complaints or major updates at the moment.

PT Session #31

5 mins elliptical, lateral squat walks with 150 lb bungee cord, 3 x 15 seated heel raises, 4 x 10 single leg trampoline ball throws while balancing on a foam pad, Manual therapy: knuckles on calves + combo ultrasound/estim treatment

During the session, my therapist asked, "Have you been practicing clipping out from your bike?" I said, "NO...with the reasoning that I try to avoid doing things that I can't do.  I want to avoid the frustration trap, especially since this is something that I did so easily before." He dropped the conversation after this, but I was still panged with guilt that I haven't been practicing it.  The only way to get better is to practice.  I am sabotaging myself!

During manual therapy, he said that my calf/achilles incisions have a bulge of scar tissue.  He told me that I have to rub them a few times daily.  This sucks!  There is always something new wrong.  Fix one problem, and here comes another.

Work

At work, I had my lab students do wingate testing, which is a 30 sec maximal anaerobic test.  My students were really engaged this week so it made me happy.  Back in my office, by random chance, I read a school newspaper article about this research grant that my school received.  I realized that the principal investigator (PI) is in my department, and the project is directly in my research area.  I emailed the PI, and the next thing I know, I am in her office, and being offered a spot on her research team.  Yet another research project added to my load.  More projects= more publications.  This makes me happy!

Clipping Out

After work, I thought more about my therapist and how he asked me to go back to practicing my clipping out.  As soon as I got home, I set my bike back up on the indoor trainer and changed my pedals from the flat ones to the ones that I can clip into with my cycling shoes.  I strapped my cycling shoes on and climbed on my bike.  I clipped in, and pedaled a few circles, and then...like a flash, I clipped my right foot out!  With EASE!!!  I did it a few more times before trying my left.  My left foot is a little more challenged at the moment than the right, but it is ok, because my main clip-out foot is my right.  I clip out the left second, after I have already stopped.  I practiced 100 times with each foot.  I will have to keep this practicing up if I want to be able to wear my cycling shoes out on the road.

-----------------------
Reflection

My friend sent me the link to the speech I gave this past weekend, and I know why everyone was so inspired.  I was inspired watching myself back!  After giving that speech, rolling in to two straight days of making major progress in my research, and also with my feet (realizing that I can clip out now), this may possibly be the best week of my life.

Day 140 (280): 5/10 month update

*Right: 20 week (5 month)  surgery anniversary*

*Left: 40 week (10 month) surgery anniversary*

5 months and 10 months!!! Oh how time flies.

My feet are doing well. I'm just continuing to stay focused on my recovery.

Walk

Distance: 3.24 miles

Average Speed: 2.53 mph

Duration: 01:16:37

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Reflection

I'll say it again.  I.  WILL. NOT. QUIT.  I know what I want and I am willing to put in the work to get it.  The journey continues...

Day 133 (273): 19/39 week update + Walk

*Right: 19 week  surgery anniversary*

*Left: 39 week surgery anniversary*

Feeling a little bit better today.  Good enough to get out of my bed, get some work done, and go for a walk.

Walk

Distance: 2.50 miles

Average Speed: 3.10 mph

Duration: 00:48:16

---------------------
Reflection

It always happens to me that when I slow down just a little, I get sick.  I function so well with a large workload and many competing demands on me.  Of course that only works for so long until my body crashes on me.  I don't think my body knows how to relax.  With my new job, and my ongoing surgery recovery journey, I have run myself back into the ground.   I'm going to have to work on cutting out time for myself again.

Day 126 (266): 18/38 week update + PT Session #27 + Gym

*Right: 18 week  surgery anniversary*

*Left: 38 week surgery anniversary*

PT Session #27

My therapist is back.  We picked up right where we left off.

5 mins elliptical, cone touch, backwards step ups with the bungee cord, baps board (level 3 ball with no weight), leg lifts all four directions with weight strapped to my ankle to focus on hip control, SINGLE LEG SQUATS ON THE BOSU (my therapist has had very few patients that have been able to do this!)

I talked to my therapist about the baps board exercises ruining my gait for days after, so we did it with no weight today.

When I got done with my appointment, I had to schedule more therapy sessions because I was almost out.  When I went to do that, the schedulers told me that my therapist was pretty much booked solid for weeks.  They had put all of these new patients during my times, without regard that I am returning and staying on my therapist's case load.  The way they schedule here is without regard for current patients, it is literally first come first serve for everyone.  My previous clinic had a system of reserving ongoing sessions for return patients, and booking the new patients around the return patients' sessions.  Needless to say, I am extremely frustrated because my entire schedule is messed up, for weeks!

After work, I went to the gym.

Gym

20 mins running machine (elliptical with a running motion)

2 x 10 step-ups on Rebok stability platform w/foam pad on top

2 x 10 single leg bosu squats

2 x 10: shoulder press, seated rows, lat pulldowns, leg extension, hamstring curl

30 seated calf raises, no weight

Ab/pushup circuit- 4 x 10 pushups/20 abs

Stretch

---------------------------------
Reflection

Still feeling like an athlete!  I am so proud of myself for being able to do the single leg bosu squats.  By design, those are really difficult.  It requires extreme stabilization and coordination of your lower body.  All these stability exercises for months and months and months and months of therapy are paying off.

What I am not happy about is the schedule.  For therapy to work properly, you have to be consistent.  Now that my days are all jumbled and there are some long stretches that I don't have sessions, I am going to have to work even harder to keep my recovery on track.

Day 119 (259): 17/37 week update + PT Session #25 + Swim

*Right: 17 week  surgery anniversary*

*Left: 37 week surgery anniversary*

Nothing new.  Feet are still progressing well.

PT Session #25

My therapist is out of town this week, so I am working with another therapist at the clinic.

6 mins bike, 4 x 5 cone touch w/ med ball, Weighted baps board TORTURE, side to side, and clockwise and counterclockwise circles (I also had to do front and back for the first time today),
Backwards Step-ups with the bungee cord, manual therapy (scars, anke ROM)

-------------------------

After work, I went for a swim.

Swim

4 x 25 warmup
2 x 25 right arm pull drill
2 x 25 pull
2 x 25 left arm pull drill
+swam 15 minutes continuous
+Kick drill with flippers.

-----------------------
Reflection

I limped around all day after therapy and I had serious cramps in the pool today.  My feet were really achy.  Minor setback.

Note to self: It is not good to swim on therapy days, especially after sessions where I have to do that horrific baps board exercise.

Day 112 (252): 4/9 month update + PT Session #23

*Right: 16 week (4 month) surgery anniversary*

*Left: 36 week (9 month) surgery anniversary*


My feet are tolerating less elevation (during the day and most importantly also at night!), my feet are feeling better (less painful and achy), and also stronger.  I am making a real effort to take the stairs in and out of my building at work daily and to stop avoiding manageable standing, walking, and stair situations.

PT Session #23

5 mins elliptical, 6 cone touch with a medicine ball, backwards step ups (a few sets regular, then with the bungee cord attached to my waist), weighted baps board eversion and inversion (this is really difficult for me and uncomfortable), manual therapy (joint mobility and scars)

Walk
Distance: 2.09 miles
Average Speed: 3.10 mph
Duration: 00:40:31

---------------------
Reflection

I made it to 4 months!!!  I did really well in PT this morning AND I was able to walk 2 miles at greater than a 3 mph pace!  I am getting much faster, my gait is looking better, and I have a longer stride length.  I can go up stairs fairly well and manage going down.  I have a lot to work on, but it is clear that I have come a long way.  I have 2 more months of work to do before I am cleared for any high-impact activities and running.  My time will come...

Day 105 (245): 15/35 week update + PT Session #21

*Right: 15 week surgery anniversary*

*Left: 35 week surgery anniversary*



Progress is still slow, but I am really enjoying training again.  I am getting better at walking day by day and am starting to feel stronger.

PT Session #21

5 mins elliptical, 5 x 5 cone touch, 10 bungee cord walks (front, and both sides), 3 x 10 squats on waffle board with 35 lb weight bar on shoulders (This exercise woke the athlete in me.  I was really proud that I was able to do this without much challenge.  It is not easy to balance on an unstable board, carrying weight on your shoulders, while doing squats...but I can do it!!!), manual therapy (scars)

Walk

Distance: 2.06 miles
Average Speed: 2.55 mph
Duration: 00:48:34

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Reflection

I am doing really well in PT and today was the first time I covered 2 miles in my walk.  It was a little bit of a struggle.  Notice the drop in speed.  I had to take a break for a few minutes around 1.7 miles, and then I finished up.  I only go as fast as I can go while maintaining a proper gait.  One of my old coaches once told me that "Practice does not make perfect, PERFECT practice makes PERFECT."  I keep that in my head as I do all of my PT exercises and workouts on the way to recovery.  The journey continues...

Day 98(238): 14/34 week update + PT Session #19

*Right: 14 week surgery anniversary*

*Left: 34 week surgery anniversary*


I woke up with unusually painful feet this morning.  So painful that I took a 600 mg ibuprofen before work.  I stayed off of them as much as possible while at work, in hopes that they would feel better for PT this afternoon.

PT Session #19


5 mins elliptical, bungee cord walks, step downs (3 x 15), trampoline ball throws while balancing on a foam pad (5 x 7 each foot), 4 cone touch (3 sets each foot), manual therapy (scars)

HW: work on scars, balancing on one foot, scar tissue on the bottom of my feet (roll feet over golf ball)

-------------------

When I got home, I did just over a mile walk downtown at an average of 2.8 mph.  My speed is slowly increasing!

-------------------
Reflection

Painful feet today, however, t's not going to stop me from making progress.

Day 91 (231): 13/33 week update + PT Session #18

*Right: 13 week surgery anniversary*

*Left: 33 week surgery anniversary*



Nothing new to report.  Still working on strengthening my ankles and improving my heel raises and walking tolerance.  My new goal is to try to return to meeting the minimum physical activity recommendation of 30 mins per day.

Business as usual in PT.

Workout (after work): 1.63 mile walk in 36:28 at a 2.68 mph pace (Note: First time over 1.5 miles!!!)

Day 84 (224): 3/8 month update + PT Session #16 + HEEL RAISES!!!

*Right: 12 week (3 month) surgery anniversary*

*Left: 32 week (8 month) surgery anniversary*


Today is my 3 month and 8 month surgery anniversaries.  The most important milestone is that I made it to the 3 month mark for the right.  3 months is the threshold between NWB/PWB/FWB with assistive devices to just FULL WEIGHT BEARING and returning to activity.  Next week I have my "3 month" checkup with my doctor.  I look forward to telling him all about how much progress I have made since he has last seen me, and of course since I moved away.

General updates: 

1) Both feet are tolerating much more standing and walking
2) They are doing well in "normal" shoes (Clark's flats)
3) Still elevating when I sleep and only when they bother me, but significantly less time than before
4) Still icing before going to bed every night
5) My shower chair is also still essential, especially for longer showers (like washing hair, shaving legs, etc.)  Shaving is still tough, because doing it standing requires you to stand on one leg for an extended period of time.  My feet do much better when they are sharing the weight between them.  I use a hybrid standing/sitting shaving system.
6) Let's not talk about stairs.  Those are just plain SCARY.
7) They are responding well to increased activity...other than the stairs issue
8) I can feel them getting stronger every day.

AND....

Today, I WAS ABLE TO DO HEEL RAISES!!!!  (Story below)

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PT SESSION #16

PT started off as usual with an update to my therapist about how my feet are doing.  I was excited to tell him about yesterday's accomplishments of making it through the day without orthotics or tennis shoes, walking down and then up a hill with no pain, returning to the pool, being able to kick off of the wall, and practicing my heel raises in the water.

Then...

Elliptical- 5 mins

Bungee cord walking, 10 x all 4 directions

Heel raises on the leg press, 3 x 15.  My therapist said that I was actually going past horizontal today!

Single leg press, 3 x 10.  My therapist estimated that he set the machine for 90 lbs.  90 lbs for a single leg to press!!!  It was definitely difficult, but I did it!

Step-ups with the foam pad, 2 x 10 with a 5 second hold between each rep.

Step-downs from a low step, 3 x 10 (Simulating the movement of stepping down from a stair).  I could step down with my left foot, stressing my right foot calf/foot ROM.  When I tried to step down with my right foot, on the second rep, I felt a sharp pain in my left posterior tibial tendon.  I kept doing reps thinking it would loosen up.  Nope.  It just got worse.  I told my therapist and he had me try on a lower step.  Still painful.  He had me slide my left foot forwards until my toes were off the step and then try stepping down with my right again.  This was much better, but still uncomfortable.  Now I know that my ability to go downstairs is more limited by my left foot than my right.

Calf stretch with the angled stretching block.  My left calf was really tight and it was the one limiting the stretch today.  I think that the "stairs" exercise aggravated it.

For manual therapy, my therapist had me do a combo e-stim/ultrasound on my left foot today instead of my right as usual.

Strengths:  I am improving, getting a lot stronger.  I left sweating today for the first time, so I am finally doing some serious work.

Weaknesses: My left foot is struggling, compared to the right.  I think that it is now going to return to being the limiting foot since it was the one more injured originally and had the much more extensive surgery.  My therapist had me sign up for another solid month of PT 2 times a week, up through mid October!  The journey continues...

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HEEL RAISES

When I got home, I was messing around after kicking my tennis shoes off.  I said to myself, "You did the heel raises so well in the water yesterday, you did better with the leg press heel raises in therapy today, why can't you do that on the ground?"  I tried, yet again to do heel raises, a movement that I haven't been able to do on my left foot for a year, my right for the last 4 months.  Today was the day that everything clicked, and those heels came right off the ground!!!  It took getting both of my ankles reconstructed, months and months of PT and at-home exercises, and fierce commitment from me to accomplish this goal.  All that really matters is that I am here.  Being able to do heel raises means that I will be able to do the toe-off motion for running.  I still have a lot of work to do before I can think about even power walking or slow jogging again, but today I took a MAJOR step in the right direction.  As my former therapist always says, "The finish line just got closer!"

Look at all that daylight under my heels!!!

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Reflection

Words can not describe how happy I am to be getting the function of my feet back.  My life as it stands currently is the most normal it has been since I originally injured my left foot in April of 2012.  I have been through so much since then and have worked my butt off in and out of therapy to get here.  Where I am today proves that staying committed, keeping a positive attitude, dropping expectations, and taking everything one day at a time is really the recipe for success to overcome any obstacle.

Day 77 (217): 11/31 week update

*Right: 11 week surgery anniversary*

*Left: 31 week surgery anniversary*




Feet were still sore when I woke up.  It is mind over matter at this point.  I picked up my spirits and took myself to school with a positive attitude ready to tackle another busy day.

I made it.

Still waiting for it to get easier for my feet.