Lately, it has been hot, so I decided to do something that would make life a little easier. I cooked a bunch of different meals in the crock pot, put them into containers, and froze them. That way, when the weather is hot, I wouldn't have to do much cooking. Then a flyer came in from the local Mexican market. They had pineapples, plantains, mangoes, watermelon, cucumbers—fresh fruits and vegetables at really good prices. They also had beef shanks. So after the gym, I had my caretaker take me to the store. I already had plenty of food at home. I had meals in the freezer, food in the refrigerator, and everything I needed. I wasn't going to the store because I was running out of food. But when I got there, something happened. I felt happy. The store was colorful and full of fresh food. I could choose one of this, two of that, three of something else. I wasn't limited to whatever quantity happened to come in a package. I could actually look at what I wanted and decide what I wa...
It's hard to believe it's been 10 months since my accident.
It's been quite a journey.
I went from the trauma unit to an acute care hospital, connected to more life support machines than I could count. One by one, I was able to come off each machine until I was finally discharged at the end of December.
When I got home, I spent about a month in bed. I couldn't do much for myself and had to slowly rebuild my strength. I started going to the gym once a week, and after a couple of months I was finally able to get a caretaker who could take me two or three times a week. That's when I really started making progress.
But recovery hasn't been a straight line.
My amputated leg had complication after complication, and the wounds wouldn't heal for months. Even though I received my prosthetic leg on February 10, I couldn't safely wear it until the very end of April because the wounds wouldn't close.
Just when I started walking with my prosthetic at the gym, I had another setback. I needed surgery to remove three screws and a plate from my left ankle because my body was rejecting the hardware. That put me out for another three or four weeks.
Now I'm finally back at it. I've started physical therapy and already have four sessions behind me.
Last week was another big milestone. I had my final follow-up appointment, and I finally got a clean bill of health.
The doctor examined both of my legs. They checked my left leg to make sure it was healing well after having the screws and plate removed. They also examined my amputated leg because some internal stitches that were supposed to dissolve never did. Instead, they caused an infection, so they had to cut them out, which meant I ended up needing stitches because of my stitches. They've been monitoring and treating both legs for months, so hearing that everything is finally healing the way it should was a huge relief.
The best news was that they told me they don't need to see me anymore. They also approved 12 additional physical therapy sessions, which I'm incredibly grateful for because I only had five visits left.
I know I'm going to need every one of those appointments. My property isn't flat. It's on a hill with multiple levels, stairs, and gravel. My goal isn't just to walk again. It's to be able to safely navigate my own home and property with confidence. That takes time, strength, balance, and a lot of practice.
One of the things I missed the most while I was in the hospital was home.
I missed my garden. I missed watching my flowers bloom and my fruit trees grow. I missed my meditation garden, the view from my property, and just being outside.
I also missed being able to eat the foods I enjoy. Hospital food was terrible, and I lost a lot of weight while I was there. Now, after spending so much time in a wheelchair, I've gained weight in places I never had before and lost a lot of muscle tone. That's frustrating, but it's just another part of the recovery process.
More than anything, I missed my cat and my dog. Being back home with them has meant everything to me.
This experience has taught me not to take the simple things for granted. A walk outside, working in the garden, looking at the flowers, sitting in my meditation garden, or simply being home with my cat and my dog are the things I appreciate the most now.
I'm still healing, and I still have a long road ahead. But after 10 months of surgeries, complications, infections, setbacks, and recovery, it finally feels like I'm turning a corner.
From here, it's onward and forward.
If you'd like to support my recovery and rehabilitation, click the link to my GoFundMe . Every donation, share, and prayer means more than you know. Thank you. ❤️
amputee recovery, car accident survivor, recovery journey, physical therapy, prosthetic leg, rehabilitation, healing journey, resilience, wheelchair to walking, recovery update
Comments
Post a Comment