My Recovery - 6 Month Update

As of July 8, It has been exactly 6 months since I had the accident.

I figured this was a good time for an update on my recovery.  It also might be the last big update unless I get a lot of people asking for another one.

Let's start with the big news...

NO MORE CRUTCHES

It's been a little over 2 weeks since my physical therapists switched me from crutches to using a cane. 

This probably would have happened sooner, but when they first gave me crutches I got a little crazy with my new freedom and went to the Makers Faire.  I spent all day standing and crutching around and probably did a couple miles in total.

This caused me to have sharp pains in my knee for a week and I was restricted on all activities until the pain went away.

My therapist reminded me of this when I got the cane.  :-)

So, no long time standing.  No long distances walking, until I get the thumbs up sign.

Life with cane is much better than life with crutches.  And my focus is on learning to walk correctly again.  Which for me means trusting the leg is healed enough to put full weight through full range of motion.

I've developed kind of a limp so I really have to concentrate to walk correctly.

It's getting easier now, but I'm also much stronger due to doing wall-squat exercises (we used to call these 'chair drills' or 'potty drills' when I played basketball)

I used to really dread these in practice, but now I look forward to doing them because it helps in building my leg strength and I can see daily improvement. 

My legs are almost the same size again.  No more skinny chicken leg on the left side.

As it gets stronger, my confidence gets stronger, I walk better and rely on the cane less.

Flexibility has been a problem too.

When my muscles atrophied, they also got tight as a rubber band stretched to it's limit.

So I'm daily stretching like I once did when I trained martial arts.

I can't help but wonder how people get through something like this, if they have never been a part of organized athletic activities.  My previous work out experience has been enormously beneficial to my recovery.

Plus, I have the self-discipline and self-motivation to get my butt in the gym everyday. 

My therapists love me because most people don't do much to aid their recovery.  Kevin, my main therapist said "with most people it's a struggle to get them to do even simple daily exercises at home, with you I have to remember to hold you back."


RECENT GOALS ACHIEVED

- Going to a Giants baseball game.

Since I got off crutches I've been out with friends more and even went to a Giants baseball game.  This was probably too soon, as my leg was really sore all the next day from all the walking and I had to ice it all day, but going to a game was another goal I had and I got offered a ticket to go with some good friends.  So, it was totally worth it.

And the Giants won so it was doubly good!

- Going to see live music

I went to the Fillmore Jazz Festival on my own and Yoshi's with Wolf in the last week.  First time hearing live music since last December.  It was good for my soul.

- Go to a movie in a theater

Made possible by having the cane, I went to see a movie this weekend with my friend Jim.  Saw Horrible Bosses. It's pretty damn funny. Recommended.

- Up to 20 minutes on exercise bike

Since the therapist told me to start doing exercise bikes I've been increasing my workouts.  I'm up to 20 minutes daily and up to level 8 out of 20 intensity.

I will continue to increase the time/intensity until I can do 30 minutes.


CURRENT GOALS

1) Go up and down stairs

I have already started going down the stairs in my building (I'm on the 3rd floor) but I need to hold the railing, use my cane and it's still not fluid.

Still, I made it down the stairs 3 times in the last week and that was a HUGE goal.

I haven't yet been able to go up stairs using the left leg to push up.  It's still a bit weak & wobbly for that motion, but I think soon it will be strong enough.

So the longer range goal is to be able to go up all 3 flights of stairs in my building like I did before the accident. I never took the elevator except when I had stuff to carry, so daily I would go up/down the 3 flights.


2) Walk without the cane

Not sure when they will tell me it's okay.  I can walk without it in my apartment, and do so daily as on of my therapy exercises.

And yes, it's pretty exciting to walk without anything to lean on!  It's like seeing the light at the end of a long dark tunnel.


3) Long walks in Golden Gate Park

Another activity I would do 2-3 times a week before my accident.  I think this one will be soon, but I'm going to get therapy to say it's cool first.  No more shooting knee pains for me.


4) Swelling completely gone

The knee is still swollen even after 6 months.  I'm icing a couple times a day and after any activity.


5) Tai Chi & other martial arts

I'm really itching to start training martial arts again.  I think I'll start with Tai Chi again and move to the more intense karate workouts from there.

Also since I am using a cane, I have a renewed interest in re-learning the cane self-defense techniques from my ju-jitsu black belt training. 


6) Intense gym workouts

I'll feel fully recovered when I can do the same workouts I was doing 6 days a week in the gym before my accident.


7) Adventure-travel outside the country

This was one of the things I realized when I was laying on my back for 22 days in the hospital, I would miss most if I couldn't walk again.

So this will be the big reward for having to go through all this trauma.


Common Questions:

1) How long will you have the cane?

Not sure.  The therapists will tell me when they want me to stop using it.


2) Will you have a full recovery?

Not sure on this one either.  Haven't seen my doctor for a while.  Last visit he was out of town and his substitute was pretty bad about answering my questions.

My knee makes some unpleasant 'crunchy' noises when I move it.  I haven't got a good answer as to if that will always be there or not.


3) How is your hand?

It hurts less every day, but certain movements still cause pain.

Now that I'm not putting weight on the hand on the crutches it feels much better.  I think post-crutches it gets much better chance to heal up.


4) When can you travel/fly?

Probably could do it now, but I'm going to wait until I can handle my bags easily and stand in long security lines without discomfort before going to an airport and subjecting myself to the TSA minions.


5) Will you ride motorcycles again?

No.  Only exception would be an emergency.

I don't think my knee can take another impact and I really appreciate the ability to walk.



THE WRAP

Things are progressing and though small changes, I get better every day. 

At the rate I'm going, I'm guessing I'll be working with the therapists through the end of the year.

Even though I've been motivating myself to do things, I actually have only felt 'good' in terms of energy very recently. like the last 7-10 days. 

Or put another way, I'm finally starting to feel like myself again.

I think walking, even with a cane, makes me feel better and more human again. Also I know working out is paying off too.

The challenge now is to get past fears of re-injuring myself and find out what the real limits are... at a reasonable pace and with guidance of the therapists.


TAKEAWAY FOR YOU

I have one thought for you, learned from 22 days on my back in the hospital which left me weak as a newborn.

Since the accident, the things you easily do every day became long range goals for me. And it was a big personal victory when I was able to make them happen. 

Things like taking a shower for the first time.  It took me over 3 hours from start to finish and I was completely exhausted when I finished.

Then more recently it was taking a shower standing up.

Also things like making coffee. Buying groceries. Going across the street to get a haircut on my own.  And going from the bedroom to the living room without a walker or a crutch or a cane.

I can remember vividly how I struggled to do each of these activities again, as I am currently struggling with stairs.

The mundane can quickly become your biggest challenges, and you will miss these things in a way you can't imagine till it happens.

Really appreciate the little things you take for granted daily.

Cheers,

Craig