I want to talk to you all about something important that you probably take for granted: the shower/bath. Most people have no problem with this part of their daily routine, but let me tell you that the ease of it is something I can appreciate more now.

I’ve been non-weightbearing now for almost 8 weeks now, with 2 more to go. It’s been an adjustment to learn how to modify certain things. The hardest was finding a good way to bathe myself safely. The first six weeks were especially tough because I couldn’t get my splint or cast wet, so just sitting in the tub and using the detachable arm was out. I had to meticulously cover my leg from the knee down to ensure no moisture seeped in. The first two weeks I taped some garbage bags around it because I just had a splint covering the incisions; my leg wasn’t protected all the way around. Once I got my cast on, though, and things were more protected, I bought a cast cover from Walgreens. It’s basically just a durable plastic bag you put your leg in and it has a rubber seal at the top so water won’t drip down inside. It’s kind of like putting a big rubber band around your leg. The fit was pretty tight, especially with the swelling, but it was a necessary evil. It was so much simpler than wrapping my leg every time I wanted to shower.

Something else I’ve found to be incredibly helpful is a shower stool. It’s a lot safer than trying to sit on the edge of the tub. I set the legs of it at a longer setting so my bad foot can dangle with less fear of accidentally putting pressure on it. When I was still needing the cast cover, I set up a folding chair next to the tub to rest my leg on while I showered and draped the shower curtain over it for some extra protection. I’m so glad I don’t have to worry about covering my leg up anymore. It saves me a lot of time in the shower, and I can even fill up the tub and soak in it as long as I’m careful about raising and lowering myself. I keep all of my shampoos and soaps on the inside corner of the tub so I don’t bump them when I’m getting in or out. Of course, an extra rug on the floor is nice so my good foot is dry and no water can drip on the tile floor before I’m ready to hobble out of there.

I can’t wait until I can actually stand up and shower again. That’s going to feel like an amazing luxury. What can I say–it’s the little things that make me happy these days 🙂