3 Weeks Post-Op

Wednesday. Hump Day. Still have 2.5 days until the weekend. What a drag.
Well, not today!
This morning I had my 3 week post-op appt with my surgeon/sports med doctor. And I walked out smiling. A smile so big you would think someone hit me on the back so hard that my face stuck!
1. First and foremost, the wound is closed. No more bandages! The steri-strips will start to fall off in the next few days.
2. No more crutches! That’s right – no more metal apparatus to knock into everything. I can hobble around on my own two feet!
3. Next week…I can get back in the pool. Good thing I just ordered some new goggles; swim class here I come!
4. Since I can get back in the pool….I can aqua jog! Although this is not exactly an exhilarating form of exercise, it’s a big step in recovery. I have some new aqua jog resistance shoes and wrist weights to make it a little more fun. And thank goodness my brother got me a SwimP3 a few years ago to keep myself entertained. (SQ you know this sounds fun) I can work my way up to the elliptical – or as I call it, ellipticalizing! If I trained for the San Francisco marathon all on the elliptical, surely I can start my Ironman marathon training that way, too!
5. Not only can I get in the water, but I can get back on the bike!!! Not just the recumbent bike, but my very own bike! Granted it needs to be on a trainer or in spin class, but at least I am spinning away!
6. Weight room, do you remember me? Well you better because I am on my way.
7. Last but not least – driving. The concern with driving is a safety issue. I don’t have much dorsal flexion still. He said I can push the brake with my left foot, but should probably practice this in a parking lot first. Who wants to come?
I have been playing by the rules and my results show it! Although I still have “the cankle” it will go down more as I begin to more active, same with the numbness in my foot.
In five weeks (so 8 weeks post-op) I will go back to (hopefully) get the okay to start pounding the pavement in my running shoes.

I hope you are having a great day, too!