Cast off...woo hoo!

I am SOOOOOO HAPPPPY to have this cast off! I just can't tell you how good it feels. My skin looks very funky, though. It's shriveled and then very delicate and coming off the way sunburn peels in big sheets. Don't mean to be gross here but I was shocked to see the scabs still on the incision and was bummed for a minute about that, but when I got home and started brushing off the dead skin, that whole section on top of the incision came off, scabs and all SHIVER SHIVER SHIVER. But it looks a lot better now and I greased my leg and foot up real well with Gold Bond Softening Cream and that stuff works wonders on even the dryest skin.

Though I am elated to have that lump of concrete off my leg, I am a bit bummed because I envisioned myself walking around in the boot all independent and free, however, that's not the case. I can't step on the damn heel at all. It's excruciating, and I'm not exaggerating. I keep trying, and hubby reminds me that I'm not going to be able to walk normal on it in one day. I have four weeks of therapy ahead of me. The doctor says I only have to wear the boot for ten days, then he wants me in a gym shoe. That makes me happy, but I fear that I will not get rid of the heel pain with the screws in there. He told me and Jon in the office that sometimes it bothers people so much that they have to go back in and take them out. When I heard that I was like OHHHHH NOOOOOOO! I sure hope that doesn't have to be done. We will know in another couple weeks if I am still not able to put weight on the heel. I can step on the toe part pretty well, though the incision area is quite sore. But that will go away as I do my strengthening exercises. The heel is another thing, because it's bone.

I managed in this whole last six weeks of being in a wheel chair to not have to use the restrooms while we were out and about. I did my thing before leaving the house and all was well. But today, for some reason, when I was coming out of x-ray that I had to go urgently. Great. And the only restroom for handicapped was back up on the third floor, where we were heading anyway. So, I told Jon to hurry up and get me up there. Which he did. He knows how these urgencies are.

I was about to have my first experience using a restroom as a handicapped person. What a hassle! I got into the restroom and managed to lock the door then studied for a second how I was going to maneuver from the chair to the toilet. I didn't have the cast on at that time, and no boot either so had to be super careful. I did just fine, but takes such an effort. I really, really can emphathize with handicapped folks after all this. And I think now that I notice that there is only ONE handicapped restroom in the whole clinic, I am going to write someone about it.

That wasn't the only time. We went out and had some lunch at Badda-Bings here in town and afterwards we went to Lowe's to check out kitchen sinks. While I was in there my stomach started gurgling and I was like goddammit! So, had to have Jon hurry and get me all the way to the front right of the store (we were at the far left corner of the back of the store. Lucky Lowe's has a nice entrance with no doors to their restrooms and two very large handicapped stalls.

I will be a restroom advocate for the handicapped from here on out.