7/21 - New Cast, New Workout, New Horizons!

Stitches removed, hot blue cast on!

I'm at the start of week 4 post-op, and things have been going well.  I got the splint and stitches removed last Wednesday.  Dr. M says it looks like I'm on track, and after checking the achilles and maneuvering my foot a bit, he said I'm ready for the cast.  I remembered to bring some hydrating lotion this time, in hopes of avoiding the "dry-skin-under-the-cast-leading-to-itching" scenario, and lathered up before he applied the cast.

Wearing the cast gave me some renewed spirits.  While I'm still cautious about my movements, the cast is much more protective than the splint so I'm not as paranoid moving about the house after my previous scare when I fell.  My biggest complaint about the cast is that, in spite of my efforts to prevent it, it's incredibly itchy under there.  Sitting out on my back deck in the summer heat doesn't help, I'm sure, and I've resorted to using some, ahem, *questionable* means to scratch that hard to reach itch (no, I'm not carrying that skewer around in hopes of grilling my meals 24/7...).

Shopping at Costco

My parents stayed through the end of last week and took me out to Costco to get "out" finally, and it was nice to actually move around somewhere other than my house or deck for once.  I wasn't thrilled with having to use the automated rolling cart but necessity won over and it made for an easier, independent shopping experience!

Unfortunately, I've also had a few days in a row of feeling down.  While I don't consider myself an athlete, per se, I do consider myself fairly athletic, and the dormancy I'm experiencing as a result of this injury is making for a tough mental exercise in resilience.  Additionally, anyone who's spent more than 5 minutes with me knows that patience is NOT my best virtue, and as such, I tend to like to do things myself so I'm not waiting on anyone else.  Learning to ask for others to help me - let alone wait for them to do it - is a challenge.  I'm completely dependent on others, and in the past few days, that means basically relying on my kids and husband (who's already working a full time job whilst chauffeuring the boys around to their baseball practices/games).  Now, don't get me wrong.  My guys are all stepping up to the plate.  But it's frustrating when all I want to do is make a coffee and I can't reach the coffee container so I have to wait until my husband is off a conference call.  And it's a little demoralizing to have to be lifted up over the bathtub edge just to get a shower.  I'm incredibly fortunate to have the support I do, but there have been times I've just felt down.

Luckily, the type-A planner and problem-solver in me took over the self-pitying part of me and decided to kick-start a workout regime to get back on track with feeling in control, positive, and focusing on what I CAN do, instead of what I can't.  While Covid has depleted every store from Dick's to Target of their free weight supply, good ole' Amazon had a nice little dumbell kit I was able to purchase that arrived today.  I also put together the pedal exerciser my sister had gifted me at the beginning of this journey.  And finally, I decided to start my day today with an actual "walk" around the block with my husband, using my rolling scooter.  While the walk wasn't exactly a workout, it felt great to get out and moving!  Plus, it was great one-on-one time with the hubs, while the kids were playing with their sitter. 

Getting my workout on!

My new exercise station

When I got back from the walk I put the dumbells and pedal exerciser to good use, and ended up working up such a sweat that my Apple watch actually pinged and thought I was running indoors!  Today was the first day I actually closed all my exercise rings since the surgery!

Feeling pretty good about things now, and hoping these endorphins last!!!