Physical Therapy continues - three days per week - even now. My therapy consists of 15 minutes of electrical stimulation with heat; deep massage of the ankle - specifically the incision sites; resistance band work; 5 pound weight sequence; Pro-Stretch; the half-ball; rocker board; treadmill; and elliptical machine.
I was officially down to one crutch by mid-August and by the end of August had "graduated" to a cane. I now walk more like "Igor" than a drunken chimpanzee.Now, at almost the end of September, I use the cane when I am out, but around the house, manage to do without.
There is still considerable pain in and around the ankle. The last visit to the surgeon, he again talks that nothing was guaranteed (which I knew) and perhaps we may have to do Cortisone shots to the ankle, or lubrication injections to see if that helps.
While my therapist is happy with the range of motion, he says I need to build more strength. I feel both are lacking. I tried to teach a simple jazz run last week and wasn't able to even demonstrate it.
I am at a point of mixed feelings. Some days I am glad to have had the surgery and "fixed" the problem. But there are more days than not, that I question why I bothered - before the surgery, even though I had pain, I could do things that I still can't do - almost 5 months since the surgery.
I think right now, I would be very happy to be able to move gracefully again.....
