My Bionic Ankle

I was going to begin this post with a cliche such as "I can't believe it's already been three months," but that isn't exactly true.  In some ways it seems like the ankle replacement was so long ago that I am surprised it has only been three months.  I've been complaining about my lack of progress, but my doctor and his teaching fellow both said that "I've come a long way, baby!" The appointment started with x-rays in a variety of stances, including the one above that shows the ankle replacement as well as the arthroplasty or fusion of the heel.  When the fellow (I regret that I do not remember her name; she was also present at the operation, but I slept through our introductions) listened to my concern about my progress, she was the first to tell me that the fusion would prolong the recovery time.  The swelling of the ankle is evident in the x-ray, but she also said that the inflammation was as expected, and, in fact, it was relative...

My ankle replacement was originally scheduled for June 24th, the week after my daughter's wedding. However, as my post-traumatic stress arthritis worsened and walking became almost impossible, we decided it needed to be moved up.  My primary concern was being able to walk my daughter down the aisle.  In the Jewish tradition both the mother and father walk the bride down the aisle; the groom's parents do the same.  My surgeon, Dr. Nunley, assured me I would be able to join the celebration, although he wasn't sure if it would be in a boot or a shoe, although certainly not in heels.  Since I never wear heels anyway, that was good enough for me, and I rescheduled the date of my ankle replacement to March 30. Although my recovery was going very well, it was also evident that I would not only be skipping the heels, but I would also be limited to sneakers.  In an earlier post I shared my glammed-up sneaker project, and they were perfect.  Ironically, th...

It's 10 weeks and 2 days since my ankle replacement, and, although the original prognosis was that I would still be in a boot and not driving, being in a shoe and driving short distances doesn't make me any more patient.  My daughter's wedding is a week from today, and, although I am ready with my glammed-up pink Converse sneakers, I bemoan the fact that I cannot dance at her wedding and that simply walking her down the aisle will be a bit difficult.  I practice every day, concentrating on putting equal weight on each foot as I walk.  No longer relying on other people to walk Zora, I primarily let her do her business in the backyard, perhaps getting one or two short walks a day.  I can make it about two blocks or halfway down the mulch trail before we have to turn back. I also wasn't supposed to travel for three months, but for several reasons it was important for me to go as the group leader with the CreekSide Travelers on our first trip to Charleston.  Si...