Garden Therapy

To be honest, I had absolutely NO intention of having a summer garden this year.

I thought maybe I'd start some herbs or flowers from seed, but that would be it.  The surgery and subsequent recovery had been tough and I felt that I had to devote all my energies to healing instead of planting.

But then I realized, planting IS healing for me!

So in February I started some seeds.

I wasn't really sure that I could give them the care they needed.

Some died, but most lived

And as they grew, I found myself dreaming about putting them out in the garden...

But I wasn't exactly sure how I was going to do that with mobility issues.

But I shared my vision with my boys and before I knew it, 

I had this beautiful tomato patch with an arched trellis for beans.

My dreams were becoming reality!

And then every morning and evening 

I was hobbling out to the garden in my walker.

Weeding, planting, even just sitting there soaking up 

the glorious sunshine!

It was becoming my therapy.

Something to look forward to every day.  

I truly think I was becoming depressed just sitting in the recliner all day watching TV day after day.

  The garden was making me move, think, and most importantly WALK!

It's still a challenge for me to move about the beds.  

The uneven ground seems to be my biggest enemy with my new bionic foot!  But I've learned to slow down, take my time and enjoy the process which is something I never really did before.

So for a garden that shouldn't have been this season, 

it has turned into my biggest garden to date! 

 I am so thankful for this little piece of earth 

and the healing it has given me!

Weeks 8-10 In My Recovery

I thought that physical healing from my surgery was tough, and it was, but entering into the rehabilitation phase of my recovery has been even tougher.  At 8 weeks post op, I had my Physical Therapy evaluation done.  My ankle could barely move, was crazy swollen, and two of my six incision sites had not yet healed.  

I was so scared of doing ANYTHING with my foot! 

But I was given a set of exercises to do at home and appointments for twice weekly therapy sessions.  If I was going to walk again, I had to suck it up, endure the pain, and follow through.

One of the first goals they set was getting me back into a shoe.

Pretty basic, right?

It actually took three sessions to get the swelling down enough to get my foot into the shoe.  And as you can see by the picture above, I got INTO the shoe but wasn't able to lace it up.  

It was still a HUGE accomplishment for me!  

I hadn't worn a shoe on my right foot since October!

The next goal was to be able to walk with my shoe on (still using my walker).  This was a scary step for me (no pun intended!).  

My boot keeps my foot and ankle stable.  It protects my still fragile suture lines and allows me very good mobility.  Having to give it up is very stressful and somewhat physically painful. This is the focus of my therapy to date, to gain greater strength and flexibility and to learn to walk with a shoe again. 

I am happy to report that as of yesterday, I was able to do these "hurdles" pictured above.  I still had to hold onto the counter to the left for support and use a cane for balance...but I DID IT...TWICE!

Two weeks ago I could barely even move my foot in any direction, and now I can step over obstacles.

It's a BIG DEAL, y'all!

I still have a little over a month in my immediate recovery.  I am hoping and praying that I am able to walk without any assistive devices by the end of May so that I can return to work.

Heck, even if I need a cane I'll still consider it a success!

Thank you, God, for blessing me

much more than I deserve!

Six Week Check In

Compared to my last two posts, I am a whole new person!

Somewhere between the five and six week mark, I finally made the turn in my recovery.  I no longer needed pain medication other than Motrin, my range of motion increased, and the constant "pins and needles" feeling went away except when something was touching my foot...especially my toes.

At my six week check up, the X-rays showed that I had healed well enough to have my cast removed.

CAN I GET AN AMEN?!?!

I got fitted with a tall CAM boot 

and received my orders for physical therapy.

And for the first time, in what seems a very long time, I have hope.

Hope that I will actually walk again normally and without pain. 

This six week mark was huge and life changing for me and it is only by the grace of God and the love of my family that I have made it this far.

The next six weeks of learning to walk again promise to be grueling, 

but the end is in sight.

And I'm going to RUN across that finish line!