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Holiday time and status update


heathber

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Hi all, just a quick status update before I go off on a months holiday. I'm not expecting to have internet for most of it, and where I do it'll be on the smart phone, so not easy to do, I don't expect to be checking in here.

 

I'm heading off on a 3 week cruise from Sydney to Perth - over the top. Then a week in Perth before I fly home. Jade will be staying at home on her own, with the cat sitter coming in every day. She'll be so cross with me but she'd hate being in the boarding cattery even more.

 

I'm progressing well with the exercise routine on the affected leg post surgery. I still can't hop on that leg or do single leg calf raises on that side, but I'm back to double leg jumps, and stepping up and down from steps and taking stairs properly, even if slowly. I can go up without a rail now but not yet game to come down no hands. I still glare at the people who run up and down the stairs in the office :crying: Mostly because I'm jealous.

 

I'm hoping that once I get back from the holiday and have my next rehab specialist review I'll get the approval to go back to the running program. They wanted to get basic function and strength back before attempting to restart it.

 

The leg surgery has made a huge difference to my gait already even without having full function back yet. I no longer hitch my hip to get the foot through, my knee bends normally again,. and the flexor muscles in my calf and foot are starting to wake up (before surgery the assessment was that they were never going to be functional) but since the surgery they are trying to fire, they are not yet fully coordinated and tire very quickly, but it's now clear that I'll probably not have to have an AFO again. yippee :yay: The only down side has been that the toe curl is back with a vengeance, but I conquered that once I can do it again.

 

The hardest part has been unlearning the movement patterns that got me through the last 5 years, I only slip back now when I'm tired. And with the more normal walking pattern a lot of the lower back muscle pain has gone.

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I just realised what I forgot to add to this.  I feinted the weekend before last.  That was a new trick for me.  Went through a battery of tests last week and got final results on Monday, they could not pinpoint any cause.  So it's on the lets not do that again list, but with no real cause found no way to know how to achieve that. Other than the usual stuff.  The final opinion is a momentary drop in blood pressure, possibly because I'd been sitting in front of the fire. And given the loss of one carotid artery, I could be more prone to feint without the usual dizzyness warning.

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Any kind of heat can do that, over hot baths or showers, sitting in front of the fire, sitting in the car with the sun beating in, so always keep a glass of water by you to rehydrate. You don't necessarily think of that mid winter do you?

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Exactly Sue, I'm usually pretty well hydrated, but I also have naturally low blood pressure. It's been like that for years (nothing significant, just on the lower side of "normal") So I'm being a bit more aware/vigilant about the fluid intake again and hoping it was a one off.

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Yippeeeee NO AFO!!!!! All is smooth swinging for that leg What a nice celebration and no better place to show off that new gait with some dancing on a cruise, Have fun and hurry back with more stories of your adventures.

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You're probably in the middle of the cruise as I write this -- hope you have a marvelous vacation! We fly to Cuba every Feb/Mar to get away from the harsh winters here. But I'm afraid to go this year due to fear of it being to tiring (airports, Customs, etc.) even though I'll be pushed around in a wheelchair. Plus the horribly high heat which hovers around 30C day and night.

 

Also, I know what you mean about the stairs -- going up is fine, coming down is scary!

 

You're walking looks to be coming along well. I envy you, maybe, not needing an AFO. Mine gets so hot on my leg, and I have to wear hot knee socks so the "plastic" doesn't sweat to my legs.

 

Have a grand ol' time, enjoy, and come back to us refreshed and, hopefully, renewed. :D

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Hope you had a great trip and many marvels.  Keep us informed of your escapades and that you are still of good health and no more fainting spells.

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