Addie
Chef Extraordinaire
After having lost my leg, and a short recovery I am now in the process of learning to walk again.
Thanks to Cheryl, this thread will tell on my successes and failures.
Losing a limb is a huge major change in someone's life. What you learned as a one year old, you now have to attach a heavy piece of machinery to your stump and learn to walk all over again.
I went into surgery July 26th weighing about 160 pounds. Ten days later when I was allowed to come out of the drug induced coma, I weighed 69 pounds. A lousy way to lose unwanted poundage.
When I was finally allowed to come home, I cried for two day feeling sorry for myself. Well, that didn't give me back my leg, so I decided I had better get a new one. And that is what this thread is going to be all about.
I have what is call "My Chart." It lists all my appointments, tests, and other pertinent medical information. Physical Therapy (PT) has me book right up to the end of December. They think it will take me that long to learn to walk on my own without a walker. I intend to show them just how wrong they are.
I AM GOING TO WALK AGAIN ON MY OWN TWO FEET! Or at least one foot of my own and one made just for a legal 4'6" midget. I intend to keep my sense of humor. It is my very best asset.
On Thursday (5/23) I went to PT on my own even though I wasn't scheduled. I was in the building, so why not start. It was my first time and I got to
sit there with the artificial one on and practiced just trying to lift my stump with it attached while sitting. That dang thing is HEAVY! When I lost all that weight, a lot of it was in my leg and stump. So lifting that leg was so painful, but I kept at it. For 25 minutes. The one lesson I learned that day, that this is not going to be easy, no way. I also learned to stand up straight that day. To bend over for an extended time, will bring on a fall. Lesson learned? Improve my posture. No, I didn't fall. My worker Karen was right behind me. Bless her. I also took two steps on my own.
May 28- I had to put the leg on all by myself. Getting it on was easy. Attaching it was another whole story of total frustration and tears. There is the first strap that goes through a hole at the bottom. Trying to find that dang thing was almost impossible for me. Finally after ten minutes, I got the strap through. Dang!!! It was twisted inside. Start all over again. FINALLY! I had it on and every thing was right. All the time Karen was sitting there just watching me. "Okay Addie, take a couple of steps." Just a couple? There were other patients there doing their thing. With my walker in front of me, I walked around the whole room and to each patient. "Hi, how are you doing? My name is Addie. What is yours?" When I sat down I started to cry. Karen thought I was in pain. I was. But that is not why I was crying. I had just walked around the room to talk to about eight patients on my own without any help from Karen. I can walk again.
May 30 - Have a miserable cold and stayed home. I don't want to pass it on to any of the elderly folks there. Will go back next Tuesday. I am scheduled for to visits a week. Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Cheryl, thank you for the suggestion. I have the feeling this is going to also be therapeutic for me.
Thanks to Cheryl, this thread will tell on my successes and failures.
Losing a limb is a huge major change in someone's life. What you learned as a one year old, you now have to attach a heavy piece of machinery to your stump and learn to walk all over again.
I went into surgery July 26th weighing about 160 pounds. Ten days later when I was allowed to come out of the drug induced coma, I weighed 69 pounds. A lousy way to lose unwanted poundage.
When I was finally allowed to come home, I cried for two day feeling sorry for myself. Well, that didn't give me back my leg, so I decided I had better get a new one. And that is what this thread is going to be all about.
I have what is call "My Chart." It lists all my appointments, tests, and other pertinent medical information. Physical Therapy (PT) has me book right up to the end of December. They think it will take me that long to learn to walk on my own without a walker. I intend to show them just how wrong they are.
I AM GOING TO WALK AGAIN ON MY OWN TWO FEET! Or at least one foot of my own and one made just for a legal 4'6" midget. I intend to keep my sense of humor. It is my very best asset.
On Thursday (5/23) I went to PT on my own even though I wasn't scheduled. I was in the building, so why not start. It was my first time and I got to
sit there with the artificial one on and practiced just trying to lift my stump with it attached while sitting. That dang thing is HEAVY! When I lost all that weight, a lot of it was in my leg and stump. So lifting that leg was so painful, but I kept at it. For 25 minutes. The one lesson I learned that day, that this is not going to be easy, no way. I also learned to stand up straight that day. To bend over for an extended time, will bring on a fall. Lesson learned? Improve my posture. No, I didn't fall. My worker Karen was right behind me. Bless her. I also took two steps on my own.
May 28- I had to put the leg on all by myself. Getting it on was easy. Attaching it was another whole story of total frustration and tears. There is the first strap that goes through a hole at the bottom. Trying to find that dang thing was almost impossible for me. Finally after ten minutes, I got the strap through. Dang!!! It was twisted inside. Start all over again. FINALLY! I had it on and every thing was right. All the time Karen was sitting there just watching me. "Okay Addie, take a couple of steps." Just a couple? There were other patients there doing their thing. With my walker in front of me, I walked around the whole room and to each patient. "Hi, how are you doing? My name is Addie. What is yours?" When I sat down I started to cry. Karen thought I was in pain. I was. But that is not why I was crying. I had just walked around the room to talk to about eight patients on my own without any help from Karen. I can walk again.
May 30 - Have a miserable cold and stayed home. I don't want to pass it on to any of the elderly folks there. Will go back next Tuesday. I am scheduled for to visits a week. Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Cheryl, thank you for the suggestion. I have the feeling this is going to also be therapeutic for me.
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