Day 113: Overdid

Well.... I got cocky.... and the results were pretty disastrous..... or at least pretty painful. Yesterday at the pool, it was like I was just back to normal. So in my ultimate wisdom I decided I was ready for more. I went to Walmart all by myself. I shunned the embarrassing little handicapped person scooter, opting to just lean on my cart as needed.

My first mistake was in grossly underestimating how long I would be walking around Walmart. I started a timer to count it as exercise. I figured I might get in almost 30 minutes. When I got back to the minivan, the timer said 1 hour and 16 minutes. 😨

My second mistake was in thinking that because I could walk from my chair to the pool I was ready to walk around the entirety of Walmart. I. was. not. ready. 😣

The problem, as I explained it over and over again to those who glared at me because I overdid it, is that you don't really know you are in the process of overdoing it. You can't know until you've overdone it. That verb tense right there is my entire struggle right now.

These tragic mistakes set me back several days. I had to really up my icing game and sit my big butt back in my recliner more often. But I learned a valuable lesson:  one hour of walking is a no no.

Day 112: Reunited and it feels so good

Today I headed back to the pool.... and for the first time this season we were "reunited and it felt so goooooooood."

Because of my new found, barefoot freedom, I was able to hobble over to the pool steps and actually go in the water! It was divine.

Day 109: Tired foot

Well the therapist said I could walk SHORT distances without my boot (like to the bathroom), and I could ditch the boot while sleeping. So I kicked that thing to the curb!

I'm doing petty well, but my foot is TIRED. One step closer to FREEDOM! #eyesontheprize

Day 108: Demoted back to the recliner

So on Monday, I graduated myself to an office chair🎉🎉🎉,  but by Wednesday I was demoted back down to a recliner ☹

My foot has to be elevated or the swelling is UNREAL by end of day.  Also when I'm in the recliner I ice more often.

So I've given up my dreams of an office chair for now. Recliner all the way baby!

Day 101: Kinesio Tape

This post goes a lil off topic, but it is related tangentially. With my left Achiles injury, my right leg is bearing the brunt of the work these days.  Which would be fine except that I have bone-on-bone arthritis in that knee. So my knee is INFLAMED beyond description.  I'm trying to teach my left foot to walk again with little to no support from my right knee.

I started googling and stumbled upon kiniseo tape. I've used it before and it was nbd. Didn't change my life, but didn't hurt anything either. But this time was different. 

I followed a video at the manufacturers' website and a MIRACLE happened.  I cannot overstate how well it worked.  IMMEDIATELY, I felt incredible relief and since then the swelling in my knee is almost non-existent. 

This tape is a bit pricey, but one application lasts for about 3 days so there's that. All I know is this tape is helping my knee feel better so I can concentrate on rehabbing my Achilles.  This. Stuff. Is. Great.

Day 100: My own plan

So much of my day is spent on my rear end working at a computer. I decided that even if I leave my boot off all day long, I wouldn't spend more than a couple hours actually walking anyways. So the second day, I developed my own plan.

When I get up in the morning, I take off the boot. When I walk around, I wear two shoes. When I'm sitting at my desk (still in my recliner with my foot elevated), I take the shoes off and for the first 10 to 15 minutes of sitting there, I have ice on my Achilles.

As the day draws to an end, I just pay close attention to how my leg is feeling. If it is feeling fatigued or at all painful then I pop that boot back on. I'm also sleeping in the boot still to keep my foot in a good position all night long.

Day 99: Walking again

I'm walking! On two Skechers-clad feet! It feels awkward. I walk SLOWLY and gingerly. My calf muscle is pretty tight so it doesn't like passing that 90-degree position. But walking doesn't hurt!

My biggest worry is my stupid bone-on-bone arthritis in the knee of what is supposed to be my "good" leg. That is a bigger hindrance to my walking than my Achilles is.

Making sure to ice and elevate frequently, I started out with the 1 hour in the morning and 1 hour in the afternoon weaning out of the boot plan as instructed. Initially I used crutches, but by dinner I was confident enough to give it a go without them.

Day 1 of walking = SUCCESS!