Just thought I would check in and let you know about the progress I’ve been making for putting in all the exercise and hard work. Today I walked for 2 hours outside without my walker (held on to husbands arm admittedly ). I am utterly exhausted and rather sore. lately I’ve been pushing myself extra hard bc I want results from all I am putting myself through.
my left thigh’s neuropathic pain is diminishing, and my leg muscles are (very) slowly getting stronger. Still weak, but improved. My back is in less pain, but the worst pain is actually not the spine, but the muscles around the spine. They cramp up and they spasm terribly and the muscle relaxer I take for it helps some but puts me right to sleep so I dont take it as often as prescribed. What can you do? I have been titrating off of the opioids slowly, but I think that by May I will not b on any of it. Hopefully just Tylenol.
One of the PT exercises I really have to work on is for flexibility. I am doing a lot better than I had been, but I am still needing help getting dressed, taking a bath, etc. I can only bend over to reach my knees (I used to b able to touch the floor with hands down flat)
AS far as my Diabetic management has been going, it has been a huge challenge. I often am not able to sleep at night, and often I am very tired from the days before workout, or I am not eating properly (lack of appetite), etc. so I am kinda like a bouncing ball. I am trying very hard not to over-judge myself for losing y former very tight control. But I have to leave that to the powers above and just know that I am doing the very best that I can and then let go of the results.
so thats that. The bases of my post is that I am thrilled about my walk today. I wouldn’t risk doing it alone, but I am glad I took the chance and put in the effort.
Slow steady progress . and I have little doubt you will be in the pool by May. Congratulations on your successes and please keep us posted on your continued battles against the forces of “I can’t do this”.
I am praying that I will b in the pool by May. Today I did another 2 hour walk without even holding my husbands arm. I wobbled all on my own. my husband noticed that I am walking a lot straighter than I had been before the surgery. he was very impressed by all those titanium rids holding my spine together. as I have said before, I grew an inch since the surgery
I have continued to titrate down on the Percocet, and I am now taking only 3 pills a day and 1 and a half of the Tizanidine muscle relaxer (im supposed to b taking 3).
Yesterday I only walked for an hour before I was too pooped to stand up anymore. Its such an odd feeling to be like an infant whose muscles are still growing. When I was swimming nothing ever felt this hard!!!
signing out,
DM
PS: I meant to include that the pool recently reopened for lap swimming, so my plan is to be back in there doing my thing by May. Fingers crossed.
my husband is away on business, so I have the health aid coming over to help me out a couple days a week.
I let my BGs run a little higher than normal bc I didnt have the patience for a lowered TB and I wanted to feel beyond confident that I wouldn’t go low; I had BIG plans in store for myself today ( and the weather definitely agreed with me!)
I decided to leave my walker at home and just to have her walk beside me in case I fell off balance and needed to be caught. We walked all the way into town (at least a mile), and the first stop was a girly thing: gel manicure. Felt so pretty after that, we went grocery shopping. everything I wanted to buy was in different locations, so we were walking all over the place in the village. I wore a knapsack bc the surgeon’s PA said I could carry up to 10 pounds now, so in case I needed it, I was prepared (the health aid ended up carrying everything, which was a lovely treat).
we came home briefly to put the groceries away, have a bit of an afternoon snack, and then went out to the park where they have a runners’ track. We walked for 2 hours! I actually walked for 2 hours without the walker!!! I am soooo sore right now, there are no words to describe it. but I feel wonderful. It feels like it did after one of my really good swims. Total runners high.
Its expected to pour tomorrow (97% chance) so I’ll have a nice recovery day. Next week is expected to b beautiful, so when she comes bk, we can do another long walk. And I am building my confidence, which is a wonderful benefit bc I feel less and less dependent on others to do everything for me. The independence I am gleaning is priceless.
My next recovery stage is getting limber again. I am not looking forward to that. It still hurts like hell just to get a sock on ( but two months ago I couldn’t do that myself, so its progress not perfection, and for that I am grateful!)
. and I have little doubt you will be in the pool by May. Congratulations on your successes and please keep us posted on your continued battles against the forces of “I can’t do this”. 
