It’s Been…

…one week since I got my foot. Strapped that sucker to the stump and started walking.

So, how’s it been?

Some good, and some bad, to tell the truth. Standing up to do stuff is actually pretty great. But it’s been a journey trying to figure out how it fits, and the right socks to wear, and how many ply I need, and whatnot.

It’s…a process.

And there are some things I didn’t expect.

My back is a little sore. I suppose that’s from standing a bunch, but, to tell the truth, I’m not sure. Luckily, I have a meeting with my prosthetist on Friday, so I can ask.

Another thing I’ve learned is that Jimmy is different every day, and at different times of the day. Yesterday, I wore the foot for almost eight hours, and didn’t sweat at all.

Today, a much different story.

There are gels to add to what they call ‘hot spots,’ which are areas where Jimmy might be hurting, to give them a little extra padding.

We’ve set up a foot station in the bedroom, where I can do all of the pre-foot and post-foot administration, including dish soap to wash the gel that I wear every day.

I have gotten to the point where I can do all of this stuff in about five minutes, which is good, and I’ve been spending more time walking with just the cane, to various results.

I’m not yet feeling confident enough to try and walk without any assistance, but I can sort of see what it might be like to do so.

But, I feel like I’m still a ways away from being able to walk in public, or on terrain, or in some difficult situations, and it is a relief to take the foot off and just be me and Jimmy at the end of a hard day.

I can only imagine it’s a lot like taking off a bra when you get home from work.

But, I am standing and walking, and it’s so good. It’s nice. It’s…normal. And I really like it.

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As always, if you have it in you, please give a thought to donating time or money to Hospice Austin. They do amazing work for people who are going through the hardest thing a person can face.

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