Today is officially 8 weeks since my foot surgery, and it's surprising to me how fast it's gone by, and the progress I've made. At 6 weeks, I was given go-ahead to begin partial weight-bearing on my foot. Here I am, my first time on two feet in 6 weeks:
Dress: Dress Barn
Leggings: SWAK Designs
Boot: Kohl's
CAM Walker boot: Aircast ;)
So I've been walking - first, with a rollator walker or two crutches, and now with a single crutch - for the past two weeks. What a relief that has been, just to have more balance! Today was my most active day yet, where I didn't use the walker at all, mostly single-crutched, made it across my work campus and back for lunch, ran two errands, and pumped my own gas. All of that doesn't sound like much for a person with normal mobility, but it felt great to achieve that much on my own today! I have about two weeks left in the boot, transitioning to a surgical shoe or a regular shoe, depending on the swelling I have, in week 10.
One of the more interesting things about this experience has been seeing first-hand just how inaccessible the world is for people with mobility issues, instead of considering their difficulties in the abstract. Accessible ramps are frequently far away, if they even exist, and exterior ramps can be tricky in winter weather when businesses don't clean up the snow and ice. Even those places that are technically accessible via ramps often don't have enough space between tables (restaurants) or racks (stores) for mobility aids to get through. Access to urban shops and restaurants is often difficult in the snow, as corners are not always dug out and snow can be piled up at the curb. Parking, bathroom access, even just getting in and out of a chair, all come with challenges. I won't be sorry to leave those challenges behind and get back to my normal mobility. Unfortunately, that's not an option for most people who need accessibility, and I will definitely be more aware of their trials from now on.
Of course, not everything has been difficult. I've been pleasantly surprised at the kindness of strangers and offers to help me with carrying things, putting my walker or bag into or getting it out of my car, opening and holding doors. Given all the horrible things we regularly see in the news, it's nice to know most people are not awful and are actually interested in helping their fellow citizens of the world.
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