SAT 03/30
I made a minor sink repair which involved kneeling on an area rug. That allowed the exposed velcro on my boot to “glue” me to the floor! It was an interesting moment when I tried standing up using only one leg while the other was not simply passive, but fighting my efforts.
SUN 03/31
Don’t use your nice sheets if you’re sleeping in a boot. I noticed today that the velcro has begun to catch and “pick” the material.
MON 04/01
I mistakenly thought the swelling was behind me. Icing got it under control, but overnight it got uncomfortable again. And it doesn’t help that, under the right conditions, using the iWalk will work the inflation button on the boot! I guess I should have doubled-up on the custom foam insert to prevent the boot controls from making contact. I added just one layer to prevent a pressure point, but the motion of walking must press the inflate button a little with each step.
TUE 04/02
Swelling continues to be the biggest discomfort, which is impacting sleep, which means I’m tired. Since the prescription pain meds aren’t helping with sleep, I’ve switched to over-the-counter pain and sleep aids, which produce an equivalent amount of mitigation without the dangers of a narcotic.
WED 04/03
Since nothing is really helping with sleep, I went without any medication. And while that didn’t solve the issue, it didn’t get worse, and I think I slept a little bit more than before.
THU 04/04
It’s strange how soft, fluffy, cotton bandaging chafes the top of my toes in the night. But in the day, it’s not an issue in the slightest.
FRI 04/05
I had my first “fall” although it was more like a slow slide. Just before attaching the iWalk I got off balance and slowly slid down the side of an armchair and ended on my knees. The only pain was to my dignity. This happened in my small office, where there’s a chair, desk, door jamb, etc. usually within arms reach. But I happened to be at such an angle that I couldn’t stop my descent, but I was able to do a controlled, slow, gentle landing to my knees.
SUN 04/07
Instead of just another sponge bath using the sink, I had a real shower today. The Seal Tight Freedom bandage protector worked perfectly. It’s a long thick vinyl bag with a rubber gasket at the top that seals the interior. During the pre-op they warned me that no device would prevent the bandage from getting wet, but it proved them wrong. Today was the safest day to experiment, because I’m getting the bandages off tomorrow. No water from the shower made it past the excellent seal. A bit of condensation was the only moisture on the inside and didn’t impact the outer ace bandaging at all.
Standing on one leg for the duration was a challenge, but it was well worth the effort. To scrub my lower leg I did get on my knees for a bit and realized it would have been good to have a few washcloths to kneel on as the hard tile was uncomfortable. To aid my entry and exit from the shower, I had staged a metal folding chair just outside the stall, with a towel draped over it so I could dry off while seated.