It’s been close to ten weeks since my surgery. I had a follow-up appointment with my surgeon yesterday. I’m happy to report that everything is going as expected.

I am stuck with this walking book for six more weeks, which takes me out to the very end of March. I have two heel lifts inside the boot, each one being an inch tall. Couple that with the boot already sitting up higher than a normal shoe… Yeah, it’s hard to walk when one leg is almost three inches longer than the other one. The doctor’s office gave me this thing called an “Even Up”, which attaches to the bottom of any shoe (except heels). It gives me an extra inch of height on my good leg, so if I wear an athletic shoe on the good foot, my legs are closer in length. I do still lean, though, so it’s a bit challenging to walk. One of the lifts can come out in about three weeks, so things will be easier then. I am allowed to bear as much weight on it as tolerated, so I’m hoping to work myself up to full weight before I return to work in three weeks. Right now, I estimate I can only place between 25 and 50% on it.

Monday is my first day of physical therapy; I’m so excited! I’ll be going twice a week for at least six weeks, but I have a feeling it will be more. My surgeon gave me a rehab protocol to give to the therapist that goes to 11 weeks out, so I really don’t know how long it will be for sure. It’s going to depend on the progress I can make. I’m certainly going to give it everything I’ve got; I can’t wait to get back to normal again. I’m ready to get back on my bike and get back to tennis, but in the short term, I’m ready to get back to walking normally. I knew it would be hard to start walking again, but I had no idea it would be so exhausting! It’s painful, but not too bad, and definitely not as bad yet as it was before surgery. I know that will diminish in time, but it seems so far away. I’m just going to keep my head up and count down the days until I can get back outdoors!