6 weeks post-op tomorrow and I am headed HOME!

Much as I love my parents and their relatively handicapped-accessible digs, it's high time I return to my own sweet sweet Montpelier home. And so I am on this drizzly day, though they're pretty much convinced I'm insane to do so. "Brave soul," my dad said, "at least here you know mama and I are here to help if you need it," conveniently forgetting that they just returned from 2 solid weeks on vacation, during which time I was left completely to my own devices. So I'm not too terrified, though a bit about dealing with having a car (and no parking spot) and stairs, of course, and being able to feed myself in a kitchen where the refrigerator is nowhere near the counter. (Something I never would have thought of at all were it not for the crutches in my life!)

Last Friday I had my one month post-op appointment with Dr. Kim and finally got to see his handiwork.



(This pic I took with my phone when left alone in the office - if the copies of the x-rays I ordered for myself are significantly more impressive, I'll be sure to post them.)

Everything seems to be healing nicely - my incision is down from a gory bumpy gash to a semi-lumpy vibrant purple line and I've been cleared to put 60 lbs. of weight on my op leg. I can't say enough about my fancy Millennial In-Motion Pros (Yao Ming's crutch of choice, I've just learned - woohoo!), which have kept me very comfortable, not to mention impressed even medical professionals, lo these many weeks. I haven't flung myself down the stairs ONCE (knock wood)!

I've been off pain meds for awhile now and am surprised to find that, for probably the past 2-3 weeks, I've been in less discomfort now than I was for nearly 2 years before surgery. It's pretty mindblowing. Really the only hurdle I need to clear now is strengthening my thigh muscles, which are still fairly weak and, because of continued immobility, haven't moved much past the nerve sensation level I had when I first got out of the hospital. I had a wonderful massage last week, though, and when Jennifer was working (gently!) on the back of my op leg I started to get a bit of pins and needles in areas that've been numb for over a month, so I'm certain with time the sensation will return fully. Thankfully my return to Montpelier also allows a return to the therapy pool where, amazingly, I CAN WALK! Oooh I'm so looking forward to it!!

And... what else? I went to my first show (the incomparable King Sunny Ade & His African Beats) on crutches and THAT was frustrating, but I'm still so glad I went. In a couple weeks I head down to Northampton to see THE AVETT BROTHERS (and probably cry from joy) and that one I'm swinging alone, which should be interesting. Generally people are pretty respectful of the crutches, though, with a few notable exceptions... but I suspect those people would be inconsiderate assholes crutches or no. :) All in all I'm definitely feeling good about the decision to go ahead with the PAO and, general inconvenience aside, am so thankful to be coming out on the other side of it all better, stronger, and decidedly less limpy than ever before!