Walking Status: Yes I'm walking! I would actually like to be running but we will get to that in a moment. On Tuesday, May 27th I saw Dr. Huang again because my leg was not improving at all as far as the discoloration, swelling and coldness were concerned. After some serious jumping through hoops, I saw a vascular surgeon the following day who didn't feel that there was anything critical going on with it. Dr. Huang made the decision to move up the timetable and pulled me out of the brace in case it was constricting blood flow in any way and gave PT the go ahead to start me walking at 50% weight bearing. Thanks to this awesome invention known as an anti-gravity treadmill--a treadmill with a sort of space suit wrapped around
it that allows you to be partially weight bearing without the crutches--as well as some serious motivation on my part, I went from starting to 50% weight bear to walking independently in only nine days. They expected it to take about three weeks!
Vascular Complication: My leg does still turn purple and can get cool, particularly when I'm sitting down, but the swelling has subsided for the most part. The biggest issue with it is mainly that it will ache and throb when I try to sleep, particularly after I work. I say try, therefore, because sleep doesn't usually end up happening except in 20-30 minute bits and pieces. My family doctor thinks that it's part of whatever collagen disorder I have and that if anything, it indicates I have one with more vascular involvement. Not something I want to hear, but I'm trying to just ignore that until the geneticist weighs in.
Ribs, etc.: My ribs have gotten a lot better now that I'm off the crutches. They still are a little stuck but I've almost gotten used to them and they don't bother me too much. My hope is that as I become more active again they will 'unglue' themselves. My lower back is extremely unstable now that it does not have the brace to support it. I had no idea how weak it had become until I didn't have the brace on and it's not uncommon for my right leg in particular to give out as I step forward getting up first thing in the morning (or evening) because my lumbar back spasms. As I regain my core strength and stability again, it should stabilize. The third issue and my biggest argument for getting back on the ice ASAP is my inability to keep my blood pressure up. I run an extremely low BP and without skating, I start blacking out going from sitting to standing, or even bending over and then standing back upright again. I've had a couple episodes of completely passing out, fortunately all were at home. It's really just very annoying.
PT Status: PT is becoming a full blown workout now. We are focusing on regaining my core strength and stability as well as my proprioception, which is in need of some work. I am now able to do the stationary bike with resistance, am up to 80 lbs on the leg press machine (individual leg presses), and can do lunges with side resistance, planks, clamshells with resistance and squats on the wobble board, to name a few. We have also started doing exercises that will help me return to the ice such as utilizing a slider board, these resistance ankle cuffs that sort of simulate skating on dry land, and bouncing a weighted ball off of a trampoline while balancing on one foot on top of a foam block (and yes it is as complicated as it sounds). My physical therapist is great and puts up with me wanting to run, jump and skate every day I go in.
Yesterday I had a check up with Dr. Huang. I'm currently 8 weeks post op. Although I completely freaked both him and his PA out when I literally jumped up in his office and told him I wanted my skates back--apparently they seemed to think that I was going to destroy the hip they put back together doing one little vertical hop--he was very impressed with my range of motion and the fact that I wasn't having any hip pain. After some intense negotiations, I was able to get him to agree to allow me to start skating again! Of course, this only came with a mile long list of stipulations of things that I am not allowed to do, and he reiterated that my skates were not allowed to leave the ice about a dozen times, but it doesn't matter. Just to be able to step on to the ice will be amazing! As this week is Broadmoor Open, a huge competition at my home rink, my coach is crazy busy so I'll have to wait to let him know I can start skating until after the weekend but I'm so excited. The rules look something like this for now until I see Dr. Huang again in six weeks, when he said he'll start to give me more leeway (hopefully some spins and single jumps!):
- basic stroking and skating skills only, 2-3 times a week, 20-30 minute sessions
- must be working with a coach
- absolutely no leaving the ground
- no spirals, no catch foots, etc.
- no spins, no jumps--see no leaving the ground, etc.
- no fast cutting or hip twisting action, (i.e. twizzles, rocker chocktaws)
- if anything hurts or pulls, stop
- no overstretching, no using the maxiflex, no laying your hands on the ground in front of you
- focus on core, glute, hamstring and quad strength
- no running until week 10, then 50% up to 80% weight bearing in the anti-gravity treadmill only
- if the running or skating is uncomfortable in any way back off
- continue to increase weight on leg press, hamstring curls, quad sets, and resistance bike
Honestly if he said to lay on the ice and that's it, I probably would have taken it. Just to get out onto the ice will be amazing! Remember, I haven't skated in 6 months. I see it as an opportunity to start rebuilding my strength and endurance again. Additionally, when it comes to skating skills, I tend to lack in that department, so it's also an opportunity to focus in on something I don't enjoy working on as much and need to work on. It will make me a better skater. So, skates and ice, here I come...hopefully this is the start of the climb down the hill that became a small mountain!
