Some good news for a change.....

[Flyinfool]

Well this has been the week of the Docs.

Tuesday I went in for my quarterly checkup with the cardiologist. He cheated! Hit me with an unexpected pop quiz that I did not have time to study for. I thought this would be the normal run a ECG talk for 5 minutes and wright a big check. That is my normal visit. But NOOOooo.... not this time, he sprung a stress test on me. I did not study for any tests. At least this was more of stress quiz than a stress test. Ever try running on a treadmill on crutches.................... So they had to do the drug version and there was no fancy xrays and stuff. They just used drugs to run my heart up to only 176 (they hit 198 on the last test). The doc said that my heart is showing reduced capacity from the first test, but I should not worry because my reduced capacity is still better than most people with a "healthy" heart. I started out this whole ordeal with a heart that was way more than normal capacity so I can afford to loose some with no issues. As a result of all of this he cut another one of my meds dosage in half and went from quarterly checks to 6 month checks. So I guess this is all good stuff.

 

 

Speaking of crutches.......

Today I went to PT first thing in the morning. the therapist was in disbelief as to how fast I am progressing. After just 3 weekly visits my range of motion is very close to normal. My strength is at about 50% now, 2 weeks ago my strength was at 10%. I am already doing exercises that are for much farther down the road, and doing them with zero pain. The docs orders were to do as much as I can but to NOT push thru any pain, stop before it hurts. To me that means that anything that does not hurt is OK to do. Doc agreed.

 

 

Right after the PT session I had an follow up appointment with the foot doc. She looked at the PT reports and did some of her own strength and range of motion tests and said that if someone had told her that a person "MY AGE" could heal that fast she would not have believed them. I still heal like a 12 year old. So as of today the boot is history. What was originally supposed to be 12 weeks in the boot has ended at just under 7 weeks. I am a full 5 weeks ahead of schedule already. The PT therapist has been looking forward to me loosing the boot so she can see me twice a week instead of just once and then she can really start to abuse me. For now I am using the crutches again for walking, but they are more for balance and safety than for support, In the last 7 weeks the muscles in my foot have completely forgotten how to balance and hold me up. by the weekend I should be done with the crutches and down to the cane and by mid next week I plan to be done with walking aids altogether. Then starts the long road of learning how to drive this newly rebuilt foot.

 

 

 

It actually felt weird, but at the same time wonderful, to use my right foot to press the gas peddle in my truck today. Mt instincts are still off cuz when I had to make a quick stop my left foot went for the brake peddle with no time to think about it.

 

 

So this has been my last 2 days............

[revks]

I remember PT for shoulder surgery in 2001.

I went to the county hospital close to where I lived and met with this tall blond Norwegian gal named Gretta. (Yes she was good looking)

She bent me in different directions till I moaned/screamed loud enough for everyone in the waiting room to hear.

[slowrollwv]

Keep it up Jeff you are doing great. You will be back on the scoot be mid March if the weather cooperates. :happy65:

[OrlinEngh]

That is a lot of good news:happy65:, keep up the healing you have a lot of riding time to make up this summer. Just stay away from that white wash machine we don't want you going out there and slipping and messing up all of the work those doctors did.

[cowpuc]

Sitting here waiting for a return call from my hand surgeon Jeff and needing a pick me up.. YOU SURE DID THAT BROTHER!!! YOU DA MAN - THANK YOU and

:ice_congrats-vi6886:ice_congrats-vi6886:ice_congrats-vi6886:ice_congrats-vi6886

 

The bumpy back road journey of life is a whole lot smoother when traveling with companions like you my friend!!!

[Flyinfool]

Keep it up Jeff you are doing great. You will be back on the scoot be mid March if the weather cooperates.

 

I am shooting for late April early May to get back on the scoot.

I can not get it out until my right foot is strong enough to get it up on the center stand so that I can change the front wheel bearings.

It is surprising just how hard it is to get it up on the center stand with no ligaments attached in the ankle.

 

Maybe when I do my March M&E I can get someone to help me get the bike up on the center stand so I can start my winter maintainance.

 

That is a lot of good news, keep up the healing you have a lot of riding time to make up this summer. Just stay away from that white wash machine we don't want you going out there and slipping and messing up all of the work those doctors did.

 

But walking thru snow is great exercise for both strength and balance.....................

 

I might have to upgrade the flux capacitor.

[bongobobny]

Sooo, I guess we will see you AND the scoot for Maintenance Day??

[Guest Jamsie]

Great news Jeff, hope the improvement in your foot continues to astound the docs

[StarFan]

Good to hear Jeff.

Now remember to follow doctors orders. Amazing recovery

 

Be safe, Jonas

[Goose68]

Great news Jeff. Stick with the PT and you will be riding in no time.

[etcswjoe]

Glad you are progressing well.

[Marcarl]

Good to hear this news,,, so prayer does work eh?

AND DON'T exercise you ankle on a center stand,,, there has to be more fun ways to mess things up again.

[Yammer Dan]

YOU CAN WALK?? WALK YOUR BUTT OUT THERE AND TURN THAT BLASTED MACHINE OFF!!!:backinmyday:

 

 

Good News Buddy. I remember when I healed like that.

[T.J.]

Good news for sure. Just don't slip and fall in the snow and not gonna say it.

[Yama Mama]

I am so happy that you had good news all around. Please try to stay on the right good health road this year and for always. We need you to be able to ride that bike and stay safe.

 

Yama Mama

[Flyinfool]

YOU CAN WALK?? WALK YOUR BUTT OUT THERE AND TURN THAT BLASTED MACHINE OFF!!!:backinmyday:

 

 

Good News Buddy. I remember when I healed like that.

 

Turn it off???

 

Now I can walk out there and refill the hoppers.................

 

I can't waste this blast of COLD that one of your buddies sent down from Canada.

[XV1100SE]

Glad you are healing quickly...just in time for riding season !

[JohnMidnight]

Good to read you're getting better. She should of been asking about what you been doin to keep the speed on your healing bits in top shape!

 

-Mobile Posting at its finest

[eagleeye]

Good news on your healing up Jeff, back in the saddle soon.

[Flyinfool]

Woo Hoo

I am now wearing a PAIR of shoes that actually match each other.

I am not using the crutches at all, and only using the cane for long distance walks. Long distance is anything over a third of a mile for now.

 

The ankle still will not hold my full weight up on my toes but I am getting closer.

A actually walked up and down a flight of stairs in a semi normal fashion over the weekend. I think that by the end of this week I might be able to tackle the stairs at work, It is about 50 stairs from the street level to my office.

 

Got to set small achievable goals to make it to the finish line.

[Yama Mama]

Good for you Flyinfool. I am so glad you are NORMAL again? I think I left this open for one of you very clever comebacks.

 

Yama Mama

[Flyinfool]

Not only will I never admit to being NORMAL, But I don't think that anyone has ever even accused me of being NORMAL.

 

I sure hope that all of these docs never find a way to make me NORMAL, what fun would that be....................

[eagleeye]

I've never accused you of being NORMAL.

So, are you now able to get down to your machines?

[Flyinfool]

I actually made it into the basement and saw the machines over the weekend. It will be a while yet before I can lift a vice or chuck into place.

[Flyinfool]

Things are still progressing at a blistering pace. The PT gal is having a hard time coming up with ways to challenge me. This week she had me on a weight machine doing leg presses. My reworked ankle was able to push 270 lbs with very little pain. my "good" leg can push 350 (machine max) I then was doing sets of 20 reps at 350 using both legs. Still a long way to go but this is definitely good progress for only 2 weeks out of the cast that was on for 2 months.

 

I am able to stand on the edge of a platform with just the balls of my feet on the platform, AND not fall down. The ankle is able to hold my full weight on just the ball of my foot.

 

I did go out and look at the bike, The ankle is still not ready to try to pop it up on the center stand. I think that bike still weighs more than I do..............

 

Now that I am getting more active again, I have dropped 10 of the 20 lbs that I packed on with 3 months of being a couch potato.