I’m getting around better these days, though it is with an interesting combination of appliances and strategies.
I have devised my own version of physical therapy techniques that I have gleaned from extensive research on the tubes.
I have discovered something called hydrotherapy, which consists of dunking your foot in hot water for so many minutes and then cold water for an equal amount of time back and forth. This is supposed to stimulate circulation. I think it is helpful. I’m doing that twice a day. for about half and hour each time. This is followed by stretching and then I massage the strained muscles and tendons rather aggressively at least once a day.
When I want to really get around and get a few things done in the house or outdoors, I’m using the walking boot and a shoe that I have that is very similar in heel height. In this get up, feel that my ankle is fully protected. Though I cannot take a natural stride in it and this worries me. So when I am finished with the laundry and the dishes and the straightening up, I take that stuff off and walk around barefoot using the wheelchair as a walker. I don’t walk fast, but I am flexing my ankle in its natural mode, even though it does hurt, it hurts in a good way. [No, I am not a masochist]. Then when I feel like I’m starting to put too much strain on it with bare feet, I put on my Doc Martin’s and walk behind the wheelchair practicing walking as normally as possible.
Though as the day wears on, my ankle gets tired of all of this and tells me enough is enough and sometimes I get back in the wheelchair and scoot around in that again giving my foot a total break.
It was during one of those times of the day yesterday when I decided I needed a serious snack. I wheeled myself into the kitchen and foraged.
I got a yogurt out of the fridge, then found a spoon in the drawer and scooted my way along the counter, trying to avoid standing up. Hmmm, what do we have here? Ah cashews, of course they are at the back of the counter, reach... got ‘em. Whoppers? Oh, why not? Snag. Oh look, dates, I need one of those too, scooch over, reach... and suddenly it dawned on me.
(Oh no. I have a bad feeling about this...)
I felt like a baby elephant walking around the kitchen snuffling and grabbing things to eat off the counter with my ‘trunk’.
That mental image lightened up a few weary moments during the hardest part of the day.
(Certainly. Imagining and elephant is lightening up. Of course. That’s totally logical.)
Well, it worked for me ....
(This comes as no surprise either. Your standards for what ‘works’ are quite low. I hope you are aware of this.)
I hang out with you don’t I?
(What did you say?)
Never mind.
The Hen still hasn’t come back into the house, but I think she can hear the washer and dryer going today and I’ll bet she won’t be able to resist coming inside to tell me how to fold clothes.... AGAIN.
(If she won’t help you, get the short elephant to do it.)
Oh shut up.