The Good News #2: Getting better!

Another brief update on my recovery from surgery and its impact on my blogging.

It's been 19 weeks since my ankle fusion surgery and I've been out of my walker boot for 6 weeks. During that time I've started to walk again - with aids - and quite slowly for the most part.  I've used my carbon fibre rollator, my stick and walking poles so far!

Below is me about five weeks ago - on my first outing with my rollator! (The background is the old graveyard which is now a nature reserve where I now walk most days). It was so nice to be outside and in the fresh air - and actually moving on my own, albeit with the help of the rollator!

For those who've not seen me for a while
I lost 7 stone before surgery!
(and didn't put any back on afterwards!)

I'd had some inkling that ankle fusion surgery was a lot more challenging than a hip or knee  replacement - mainly because of not being able to walk for so long. 

What I hadn't quite realised is recovery takes up to 12 months! 

I managed to extract some exercises from the physio people and they helped a lot with getting ready to do more walking outside

However, walking after being in bed or sat in a chair for a while is very slow and painful. I can only approach normal walking after a 5 minute warm-up! Plus I've learned that sitting at my desk is still a total non-starter - my foot just ballooned for two days!

So, it looks like I'm going to be having to:

• allocate constant and consistent time for recovery for the next 6-8 months
• do regular physio exercises for my foot for quite a while and 
• undertake daily / regular exercise to 
• try and contain the contraction of the soft tissue structures and associated swelling.
• learn how to walk with a better gait - and stop "hip hiking"
• do lots of elevation and apply ice packs when the swelling starts because I've done too much.
• PLUS start physio exercises for a hip replacement - as my dodgy hip is not at all happy about all the extra exercise!

I do videos of how I'm getting of for myself so I can see the progress.

a still from the latest video where I'm actually managing to
walk at a respectable speed in a more or less straight line

The good news is I've actually made it to one exhibition - at Kew Gardens. By far the furthest I've walked so far - and, of course, I couldn't move much the next day. However I was elevating my foot on the seat of my rollator all the way back on the tube!

I think I'm going to be OK for getting to the Mall Galleries and intend to be at the Preview of the Plantae exhibition of the Society of Botanical Artists at the Mall Galleries in mid June.

HOWEVER finding time for the physio and the exercise is time-consuming. 

Plus all the effort employed is also rather tiring 

- which is why blogging has become very sporadic.

I'm trying to get back into a routine but it's slow going.....

But I have done two Zoom Talks for clients - which actually seem to be an easier way to communicate oddly enough!

I'm thinking about maybe doing more.... 

Previous posts

• Get ready for surgery: Update #1
• SURGERY UPDATE #2: Still prepping with a steep hill to climb
• SURGERY UPDATE #3: I've finally got a date!
• Surgery postponed - my list of exhibitions in London to visit
• Just a few problems
• The Good News