Today I left the wheelchair in the trunk of the car and just used my walker at church. I felt pretty confident that I could get around with out too much trouble, but I definitely over did it distance-wise. My ankles, knees, hips and back are protesting, and I'm sure it will be worse tomorrow.
A few people have asked me if I have any pain when standing or walking. In case you're wondering, but are too nice to ask, the answer is no, not really. My feet are still pretty numb, so when I stand up I can feel pressure in my heels but not in my toes. It's a very strange feeling, and it makes it hard to balance or tell where my feet are in space.
Getting around in the walker is definitely a sign of progress, and this week my therapist had me do a walking test to see how fast I am in relation to scientifically established averages. I had to stand up, walk 10 feet, turn around, walk back and then sit down. This took me about 50 seconds. The average person can do this in about 10 seconds. So I'm currently five times slower than you.
Even though I was worn out from my exciting morning, Jim and I took the wheelchair off-road to go fishing at our friend John's house. Well, Jim tried to do some fishing, but Ruth Ann had other ideas. Jim let her off leash, and she had the most wonderful time running around with the neighbor's dog. She also discovered how to dog paddle and how to jump in the water and retrieve. I had a great time sitting by the lake, enjoying the beautiful view and watching Ruthie splash around.
This week I start aquatic therapy! In addition to my regular PT, I'll be adding one session a week in the pool. It's nice because you can work on stretching, strength training and endurance all at once.
