Accident - 9/4.
Its been 5 weeks and a few days. Thought I'd offer an update to my SoCal homies.
* 3.5 weeks into this, I found I could walk. I use the term walk in the most liberal sense of the word. Essentially shuffled along sans Crutch support. Called the doc, he said get a grip, don't walk yet. Buzzkill.
* At about 4 weeks into this, I bought a cane. Not a cane with a sword in it, or a cane with some carved figuerine, or a flask - or anything remotely cool. Just a cane. Cheap. $12.95 at Sport Chalet. So I can get around with one hand now and carry stuff like almost like a normal person. Frosty Diet Pepsi in the left hand, cane in the right. Its just so beautiful, man.
* At about 4.5 weeks into this I donned the BP/W with about 12 pounds in the ACB. Figger if I can schlep around some weight, I'll get stronger. Called the DR. He said to knock it off.
* This weekend I brought in the drysuit. Tried it on. I've lost about 10 pounds since the accident, and about 20 - 25 since I bought the drysuit a couple of years ago. Its huge. But the neck seal will probably still work if I don't poke around too much. My objective is to do a couple of dives on 10/23 in the dive park. If I can. I gotta say, its looking pretty positive so far.
* Today - for the first time in about five and a half weeks, I wore a shoe on my right foot. Its still pretty Flintstone-esque (the foot), but this weekend I had a break through. The swelling is no longer limitless (balloon city) and although my foot still gets pretty big, there is essentially no pain and the swelling is no longer completely prohibitive to the extent is stretches and peels the skin. It gets big, then stops. Sunday was a major break through and the first time I could walk on it throughout an entire day (wif my not-so-Avengers cane, of course) - from church until dinner...didn't have to ice it or anything. Amazing.
Anyone in my age range (old) will appreciate this. I went into a local store today, and tried on about 10 or 11 pairs. The ones that fit: Earth Shoes. They lace down to the toe (essentially) so I can loosen them way up and jam fatty in there. I put a black boot lace on chubbers, so I can keep it super lose and still tie it. I look all 90's def on the right side, and normal 40's something on the left. Whatever. I can walk.
Dr. Appt is this Thursday 10/14. We take the first X-rays since the accident, he gets to see me walk and hopefully he'll say, "good job, way to heal up..." He may say stay off it another week... who knows.
I leave Monday for my first business trip - going to FLL for a couple of days and then New Jersey. Returning Friday, and then hopefully to dive on Sat 10/23. Couldn't go east without a shoe... a sock in Jersey in October is not recommended.
SO - I'm walking better every day (no free walking yet - although I cheat and do some times) and I can get TWO shoes on for the first time in over a month. Been a big week for me.
Looking forward to diving next Sat 10/23, and then joining all the SoCal's in LJ on the 30th.
K
Its been 5 weeks and a few days. Thought I'd offer an update to my SoCal homies.
* 3.5 weeks into this, I found I could walk. I use the term walk in the most liberal sense of the word. Essentially shuffled along sans Crutch support. Called the doc, he said get a grip, don't walk yet. Buzzkill.
* At about 4 weeks into this, I bought a cane. Not a cane with a sword in it, or a cane with some carved figuerine, or a flask - or anything remotely cool. Just a cane. Cheap. $12.95 at Sport Chalet. So I can get around with one hand now and carry stuff like almost like a normal person. Frosty Diet Pepsi in the left hand, cane in the right. Its just so beautiful, man.
* At about 4.5 weeks into this I donned the BP/W with about 12 pounds in the ACB. Figger if I can schlep around some weight, I'll get stronger. Called the DR. He said to knock it off.
* This weekend I brought in the drysuit. Tried it on. I've lost about 10 pounds since the accident, and about 20 - 25 since I bought the drysuit a couple of years ago. Its huge. But the neck seal will probably still work if I don't poke around too much. My objective is to do a couple of dives on 10/23 in the dive park. If I can. I gotta say, its looking pretty positive so far.
* Today - for the first time in about five and a half weeks, I wore a shoe on my right foot. Its still pretty Flintstone-esque (the foot), but this weekend I had a break through. The swelling is no longer limitless (balloon city) and although my foot still gets pretty big, there is essentially no pain and the swelling is no longer completely prohibitive to the extent is stretches and peels the skin. It gets big, then stops. Sunday was a major break through and the first time I could walk on it throughout an entire day (wif my not-so-Avengers cane, of course) - from church until dinner...didn't have to ice it or anything. Amazing.
Anyone in my age range (old) will appreciate this. I went into a local store today, and tried on about 10 or 11 pairs. The ones that fit: Earth Shoes. They lace down to the toe (essentially) so I can loosen them way up and jam fatty in there. I put a black boot lace on chubbers, so I can keep it super lose and still tie it. I look all 90's def on the right side, and normal 40's something on the left. Whatever. I can walk.
Dr. Appt is this Thursday 10/14. We take the first X-rays since the accident, he gets to see me walk and hopefully he'll say, "good job, way to heal up..." He may say stay off it another week... who knows.
I leave Monday for my first business trip - going to FLL for a couple of days and then New Jersey. Returning Friday, and then hopefully to dive on Sat 10/23. Couldn't go east without a shoe... a sock in Jersey in October is not recommended.
SO - I'm walking better every day (no free walking yet - although I cheat and do some times) and I can get TWO shoes on for the first time in over a month. Been a big week for me.
Looking forward to diving next Sat 10/23, and then joining all the SoCal's in LJ on the 30th.
K
!
