I made it to 10 weeks of recovery. I don’t even remember the surgery and the first days following it….actually I do!
So what can I do 10 weeks later? I can walk quite comfortable in my boot with 2 crutches. I can with 1 only too! I am able to walk small distances without crutches…like from the kitchen to my bedroom, which is around 15m…. only…..what can I say? Big house I have really. I even walked a few meters without my boot on, holding tight on my crutches….but I am not supposed to do that just yet. I can have showers on my own, even able to get into the bath. I can vacuum the whole house (207 sqm that is 2,228 sqf). I also cook every lunch and dinner and believe me when I am staying that I am a gourmet cook. I bake cakes standing up and leaning on one crutch or sitting down in my wheelchair. I can do the washing, but not able to hang them outside. However I fold every item and put it back in the right place. I make the beds and change the beddings in all my 4 bedrooms….it takes me ages but I do it with pleasure. I pretty much do everything a normal person does, but much slower. The only problem is that having to use 2 crutches doesn’t leave me any free hand to carry things around. So I have a little bag I carry around the house with what ever I need. That saves me time and energy, also it made me feel a little bit more independent.
10 weeks post surgery I have no pain. I never had real pain anyway! Also only a slight swelling, nothing much, but I still elevate my leg whenever I remember. My incision is only just visible and nobody would say that I had a major surgery. I however feel the screws when I massage the area around the incision, but there is nothing much I can do about it. I don’t plan having my hardware removed. I can leave very well a bionic life!
So what’s next? In 2 weeks time, on 22nd June, I have my 12 weeks follow up appointment at the hospital. If the X-ray shows further healing, I may be released of wearing the boot. So perhaps a new stage in my life wearing shoes again and starting to walk with 2 crutches until comfortable, then leaving one behind and finally walking unattended. I see a small light at the end of the tunnel. To be honest, I always knew it was there!
My life after ORIF ankle surgery 