Day 29 - this is getting old real fast.

I'm at the hump point of this whole thing. The tentative working out logistics is over and now it's just living each day with a weight attached to my leg. I will hopefully get the cast off in 11 days and then I can drive again, hallelujah! It's such a nuisance not being able to just dash out to get things I need. Any time someone offers to take me out I have to madly think of all the things I need to do on my day release.

I've got used to feeling like I'm wearing a thick sock and a gumboot 24/7 but there are times when I want to rip the cast off. The recurrent cramps are the worst! I haven't had too much itching, that may be due to the looseness of the cast or the cool weather. My left leg looks black and blue from whacking the cast against it while I sleep.

Very attractive!

I have been really sleepy lately and I think it has been due to me not getting outside as much due to a combination of the weather and the grazes from my cast making the iWalk painful. I had a shower today and rather than crashing out on the bed after I went for a walk with Millie and I felt tonnes better. I think my brain just associates hanging out on the bed with sleep and so shuts down. 

I've discovered 'Lost Girl' on Netflix and have been binging on it and 'Supernatural' - I try and ration myself but sometimes I go crazy. I really should be multitasking and doing all the knitting projects I planned to do. Maybe tonight I'll start.

The good thing about being over halfway through my non-weightbearing is I've got the hang of the various strategies needed to get things done. I know exactly where to put my toilet frame by the shower doorway so I can use it as a support getting into and out of the shower. I can cover my leg with a rubbish bag perfectly and never get a drip on my cast. I can use the shower with the head still attached to the pole - it's adjustable height, direction and angle-wise, that's great because it gives me free hands rather than trying to cope with the shampoo lid single-handed or having to drop the shower head and risk being hit in the face with a wild torrent of water or turning off the shower and freezing. I can clip into the iWalk at speed. I can get up and down stairs at a good rate. I can hop really well. I can clean my toes with cotton buds and not crack up (almost). I still struggle to balance cleaning my teeth for the whole 2 minutes the electric tooth brush runs for and my moisturiser still hasn't made it out of my bag I took to hospital.

Crossing my fingers and toes that come the 12th of August I'll be out of the cast and into a boot. Every time I jar the foot and hope I haven't done any damage. That would just suck!

Day 25 - sanity restored.

For the whole weekend I haven't been able to use my iwalk and I have been going insane. I even resorted to using my crutches to go up and down stairs. It was awkward and very tiring, especially literally hopping up the stairs holding the handrail like grim death. It also meant I couldn't carry anything so I was stuck in the kitchen if I wanted to make myself a drink.

I was starting to feel really down. I put the iWalk on this morning to just try it out. I padded up over the sore areas but they all oozed and it was too painful. I had to tiptoe on the iwalk. That movement made me think that a solution might be to move the resting point of my knee from the bottom to the middle. I padded up the foot end of the platform, covered my battle scars and tentatively strapped in. No pain! No pressure on the wounds. I celebrated with a cup of tea and some marmite toast. My independence is back!

I used a wheat pack and strapped it in position with the back strap. By making sure the other two straps were tightly done up I had no leg wiggle. Ah the relief.

Day 23

Yesterday I met with the New Zealand distributor of the iWalk2.0 (Proable) and was videoed talking about how well the iwalk works for me and performing on it. She has given me some cards and brochures so I can give them to interested people and hopefully get some into the orthopedic outpatients clinic.

My cast is causing me a bit of bother, I may have to get a new one. I've got a number to call but it's weekdays only so I'll see how things go over the next two days. It's loose and my foot can move up and down. This means the cast scrapes up and down my shin, resulting in a set of nasty blisters.

 I've had blister blocks on them but they have gone really nasty. I guess it was bolting the stable door after the horse had bolted. Now I'm just trying to dry them out for a while. The most annoying thing is I can't really use the iwalk while I wait for them to heal because it means kneeling on them and that is very owey. 

I also don't think my heel is getting the support it needs since it can float around inside the cast. 

I've also had cramps in the calf which is nasty. You just have to ride them out and hope for the best.

In case you were unaware, using crutches depends a lot on good balance. I got up during the night for a bathroom break and someone had left the landing light on so there was a glow to guide me so I forgot to take my torch. I turned it off before returning to bed. I found myself wobbling all over the place and ended up falling over backwards because I seemed to have a distorted centre of balance. I must have been leaning backwards when I though I was standing upright. The husband turned on the light and I crawled to the bed to get myself upright again. So here's a hint - always use a nightlight or a torch!

Today I had brunch with friends and that was nice - like being a normal person. The weather was lovely , a nice sunny crisp Winters day. It was lovely to be able to be out enjoying it. Now I'm back on the bed looking out at the clear blue sky. Yesterday it was pouring and gale winds and today it's beautiful!

Day 19 - still getting around.

I know you're probably sick of hearing me going on about my iWalk 2.0 but I'm still super impressed by it. I discovered today I could walk on rough uneven ground with the help of a walking pole, the ones regular people use for walking on rough terrain.

I've also had enquiries about where people can buy them. One couple queried me in Briscoes. Her father had had Achilles surgery and was stuck in a chair. I gave them the US contact because  I hadn't heard back from the New Zealand agent. I sent them another query today since it would be heaps easier to buy one here than have to pay overseas postage, as long as the price is not more. That often happens - it can be cheaper to buy things direct from the offshore distributor than the store or agency in New Zealand. Pam from Proable just got back to me so any Aussies and New Zealanders can contact her.

I have the date for my possible removal of my cast. It's August 12th, so two days short of six weeks. I'm looking forward to it. I get around fine it's the minor inconveniences that get to me. There's the occasional itch, the hard fibreglass tape edge that digs into the top of my leg if I bend my knee and the graze on the front where the inner layer has rubbed because it's a bit loose. It would also be nice to be able to drive, I'm reliant on chauffeurs. On the bright side, much money is being saved.

I've stopped propping my leg up. I had no swelling so I thought it was worth a try to see if no propping meant swelling. It didn't so that's good to know. I have transferred one of the pillows to under my derrière because I was getting severe pain in the butt sitting on it day in and day out. It seems to be doing the job.

I managed to go up stairs today using a crutch and the bannister so that was a major achievement. It left me exhausted though so I only plan to use it when necessary. The time saved by picking up crutches vs strapping on the knee crutch is very minimal and is probably lost in progress up the stairs anyway. I just wanted to see if I could do it. I could but I couldn't carry anything and that's mine main reason to be heading down stairs.

Day 16 - up and at em

On the back of my big walk yesterday I have been on my feet (or technically foot and knee) more today. I took my dog Millie for two short walks, which was nice. She was excellently behaved, walking at a sedate pace and walking beside me and keeping an eye on me going down our steep driveway. I took a walking stick as well for added stability on the hills. I probably didn't need it but it helps me feel more confident that I will make it home.

I also baked a batch of ginger nut biscuits because I really felt like something with a bit of a bite to it. 

I also ironed ten shirts for the husband while watching the shopping channel. 

Then we went off to buy some chocolate for the husband's birthday but I'm self-propelled in the wheelchair because sometimes it's just nice to sit down. No leg board but it felt fine.

15 days - no holding me back!

Today I went for a 3k (1.86miles) walk! I know, crazy! You wouldn't be doing that on crutches without sore arms. I really got the hang of the iWalk 2.0 and found holding the handle made tackling all but the steepest hill doable. Going uphill more pressure goes on the front pad of the foot and coming down more pressure goes on the back so it balances the wear out.

The only I'll effect I have is a bit of a rub from the top of the cast. If I had padded it like I padded the plaster cast then it wouldn't have happened but I know that now. 

It's just a little red and there's a slight lump where the bruising is. The rest of the leg is fine, no swelling, no pain.

It was nice to get out in the fine weather . I enjoyed it so much. It was a hilly route so I think I must have burned a few calories, definitely more than lying around on the bed or sofa. We are due for another dump of heavy rain over the next two days so I'll have plenty of recovery time.

Now, if I only had hand controls on my car there'd be no stopping me!

Two weeks! Woo Hoo!

Well, I've made it to two weeks without too many disasters, oo rah! Hopefully it'll only get better from now on in.

Today I have learnt two don'ts when using crutches.

Number one don't : Don't put off going to the loo until it is urrrrrgent. The rush can lead to missteps literally. I managed to miss the hand grip on my crutch after opening the door and slipped so I was hopping madly while simultaneously falling. Fortunately the bathroom vanity broke my fall - another bruise to add to the collection. Then I had to try and get all my equipment lined up and in the end thought "stuff this for a laugh." and just used the regular toilet seat. Bit of a mission getting back to my feet but at least I made it!

Number two don't: Don't get a cramp in your leg in the cast. I don't know how you avoid this but just do so. There is no way you can pull your toes back so you will end up in muscle tearing agony. I managed to slip my fingers down the back of the cast for a pseudo calf rub and that slowed it down but seriously, avoid if at all possible.