As I journey through two to three weeks of my post-surgery recovery, my story continues to unfold.
This week has been a tapestry of small triumphs and stubborn challenges, each day bringing its blend of hope and fatigue. From the exhilarating moments of walking confidently on two legs to the unexpected emotional dips, this part of the journey is teaching me more about resilience and the art of patience than I ever anticipated.
Below, I navigate this rollercoaster, sharing the honest highs and lows and uncovering the strength that comes with each step forward.
Day 14 – A Breakthrough Moment
Today was a game-changer! I felt surprisingly strong as I headed to physical therapy. Joseph, my new physical therapist from HSS in Uniondale, had me working on my range of motion exercises, and he was quite pleased, mentioning I was nearly at 100 percent. Talk about motivation! He also challenged me with a five-minute bike ride, and guess what? I powered through it without a hint of pain. Happy dance?
But here’s the twist—when I got home, my energy just vanished. I wasn’t in pain, just overwhelmingly tired. I mean, tired like I’d run a marathon in my dreams. Where’s that second wind when you need it?
Day 15 – Small Wins on a Wednesday
Guess who walked for five whole minutes today? Me! I know it sounds a bit absurd, but when you’ve been couch-bound, popping pain meds, and icing like it’s an Olympic sport, it’s a major win!
Oh, and then there’s this delightful rash on my shin. It’s unbelievably itchy like I’ve got ants in my pants, and sleep? Forget about it. I called the surgeon’s office, and they said it had nothing to do with the surgery. My daughter had the same rash post-epidural, so maybe it’s a family thing? My husband brought home every anti-itch spray in the store. It was a temporary fix, but, I’ll take what I can get.
Day 16 – Stepping Up
Big news: I climbed the stairs using both legs today! Honestly, I felt like Rocky reaching the top of those stairs in Philly. I even hopped on my trainer for a leisurely five minutes and, surprisingly, it felt pretty darn good. These little victories are adding up, and I’m thrilled!
The rash got worse so my husband took me over to urgent care where they gave me an antibiotic cream. This better help or else, I’ll be scratching the skin off my leg!
Day 18 – Two-Mile Triumph
What a day! The rash started to improve and my husband and I strolled nearly two miles. It was delightful.
We came home to a surprise visit from my daughter, son-in-law, grandson, and granddog. After some playtime with the baby, we made an impromptu trip to Eisenhower Park to wander around a craft fair. I admit, afterward, my legs were screaming “Enough!” and I was utterly wiped out. A painkiller and some gabapentin later, I was ready to hit the hay.
Day 19 – Morning Motivation
This morning, I woke up with the birds and decided to challenge myself to a solo two-mile walk. Was it ambitious after yesterday’s exertions? Absolutely. But it turned out to be quite manageable. Sure, my legs felt a bit achy, and that pesky Baker’s cyst was making itself known, but overall, I felt pretty okay.
It was a delight to see my running buddy, Dawn, and her daughter, Danielle, today. They brought over bagels, lox, and coffee, which made me smile. We enjoyed a lovely chat before they headed off. Afterward, I went upstairs to connect with a sponsor and organize my books for my new accountant.
Tuesday, Day 21
Today, I decided to wear my Go Sleeve compression sleeve on my knee. Go Sleeves incorporates kinesiology tape, and since I’ve had positive experiences with the Go Sleeves in the past, I figured it was worth a try.
As soon as I put it on, I felt a noticeable support in my knee. However, due to swelling, it was tighter than usual. After my walk, I returned home to prepare for physical therapy at HSS in Uniondale.
I haven’t been able to sleep well, which has been a significant issue. My leg and ankle are swollen.
At physical therapy, they introduced me to Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) training. This method has been reported to significantly benefit local skeletal muscle by increasing muscle mass, strength, and endurance while exercising with lower resistance. As a result, patients who are unable to perform traditional resistance training may find this technique beneficial.
Later, one of my oldest friends, Elena, came to visit. She’s an artist from Jersey and brought me a stunning painting of sunflowers. Her visit was a beautiful surprise and brightened my day immensely.
Day 22 – Wednesday – Three Weeks Since Surgery
Three weeks post-surgery and I find myself getting up early, driven out of bed by the relentless pain that makes sleep an elusive comfort. Tossing and turning through the night has become the norm, and today was no different. I layered up against the biting 35-degree Fahrenheit chill and set out for my morning walk. As I stepped into the brisk air, I couldn’t help but feel a bit down about the beautiful weeks I missed while recovering. Now, with winter nearly upon us, the scattered leaves remind me that there’s only a little time left before the real cold sets in.
I managed only 1.5 miles today. The cold seeped in, and with motivation dwindling, I decided to cut it short. On my way back, I ran into Rich, my neighbor and friend. His comment, “I guess the recovery wasn’t what you thought it would be,” lingered with me. It’s true, the first two weeks were brutal with pain, but now I’ve been walking almost daily and even doing some strength training. I’m making progress. I’m hopeful that within the next week or so, I’ll be able to hit the pool again—fingers crossed I still remember how to swim!
Tonight, I’ll be teaching in person, which brings its own challenges, especially with parking. But it’s a challenge I welcome as I gear up for my trip to Austin next week.
Despite these hurdles, I’m determined to keep pushing forward and making progress every single day.
