Three Weeks After Surgery

Ah, three weeks after surgery.  I have a lot of videos and photos for you!

After the brace came off, I got a lot more movement - but I was still at practically no body weight (just dangle-weight pretty much) - so my right leg must be full of muscles by now.  

 I put my shoes on by myself (with a little pain, but not too much)

 I have been allowed to drive my car since the two week mark - which is very exciting because I love control and don't like that everyone has had to cart me around!  Now, I can cart them around!  I'm not quite able to "drive alone" because I can't get to/from my destination easily alone...but soon!

 I went to Best Buy with Bob and we played a funny joke on people in the store.  He was wheeling me around in my wheelchair (much easier than one leg walking with my walker with the no weight bearing restriction) and all of I sudden I stood up with my right leg to stretch my back and he yelled "PRAISE JESUS, IT'S A MIRACLE, SHE CAN WALK!" ...we got a huge kick out of it.  We're dorks.

I hopped up to the second floor (that was not easy...not much railing to support my jumping and it's sooo many stairs!) so I could see my Roxie.  She hasn't wanted to come into the basement to visit me for some reason.  But she loves chest/tummy rubs.

I made videos show the modifications I/my family has made to my workstation so that I can work independently next week when everyone goes back to work and I'm home alone.

(VIDEOS WON'T LOAD FOR SOME REASON - EMAIL ME FOR THE CLIPS)

SO - big news yesterday at physical therapy.  I can now put 50% body weight on my left (surgical) leg.  What does that mean really?  It's hard to describe.  They put in this super cool anti-gravity treadmill developed for astronauts that calculates my body weight, then I'm zipped in and it fills with air and lifts me off of the treadmill so only half of my weight is going through my legs.  It was the weirdest feeling in the world when my left foot finally hit the treadmill and started walking.  Afterwards, my calf was sore and my foot felt all funky, like it had just come back from being asleep.  But it felt so wonderful to get some pressure off of the right leg!  Here is some documentation from the anti-gravity treadmill:

First steps in the anti-gravity treadmill!!! (50% weight)

Balance board so I can know what even-balancing on both legs should feel like, because that is also 50% body weight if I'm just standing up

First time standing on both legs since surgery with even weight distributed

First step on my left leg outside of the anti-gravity treadmill, 50% of weight on leg, 50% on crutches

Stretching after first "walk"

Last but not least - some more picture from physical therapy exercises/stretches from this week:

Ball squeezes between my knees - this feels really nice because I can use my inner leg muscles again.  Can't do it at "full might" - they want me to do just do one-third of my strength.

Videos of anti-gravity treadmill to come!