Spot the 'Not'

What's [probably] not supposed to be in this photo of my office?

....I'm not sure.

But focusing on the more important thing in the photo is...


My bike!

FINALLY, I am biking to work!

What was a 35 minute door-to-door trip by Metro --OR-- a 45 minute door-to-door trip by bus, is now an 11 minute door-to-door trip by bike.

And while I can't say that uphill inclines and hitting potholes and speed bumps are the most pleasant feeling in the world for me, but I can say... Bye bye, broken ankle!

Beyond Bootleg

I had a follow up appointment with my surgeon Dr. Douoguih yesterday and finally got to see post-surgery X-rays of my ankle...

[Click on photos to enlarge.]

For a man who gets paid so much money (after all is said and done, the surgery and follow up will total out around $19K), you would think he'd have more to say. Nope. After about three minutes in the room, Douoguih left me with an ankle brace (much smaller and less heavy than the boot -- photo below), and some short, simple words of advice that I think go beyond a healing ankle...

"Do what you want until it hurts."

(My new ankle brace and my view yesterday sitting on the steps of Cardozo High School overlooking the city.)

Global Cankle

[Click on image to enlarge.]

In case you haven't noticed, I've considerably slowed my roll on blog posting over the past few weeks. Mainly because I have nothing new to report. And since getting off the crutches almost two weeks ago, I've seen little-to-no improvement... even after attending physical therapy twice-weekly.

...Needless to say, it's discouraging to continuously post discouraging blogs about being discouraged...

So enough about me, here's something about YOU...

Through the magic of Google Analytics, I've been keeping track of the number of people around the world who have read, glanced at, stumbled upon and/or accidentally discovered my blog.

Whoever you are... Thanks for keeping me amused at your interest in my temporarily disabled life.

U.S. Blog Circulation/Number of Visits:


Global Blog Circulation/Number of Visits:

[Click on images to enlarge.]

I'm also able to do a breakdown of visits per town/city globally.

And with that being said, I'd love to know who from Plano, Texas is consistently reading the blog. Shoot me an email or a blog comment. And thanks again for your interest!

Electric Feel

Not much has changed... I've been going to physical therapy twice weekly for the past two weeks now.

I can tell it's helping, but have heard from several of the PTs at the rehab center that this is not going to be the speedy recovery that I had anticipated [and/or that I was led to believe by my doctor who said I would be running 6 weeks after the surgery... Right.]

Perhaps if we can't speed up the recovery time, maybe we could speed up the amount of time I spend at the end of each session hooked up to the electroshock machine while my leg spasms and the electric currents flow through my ankle "to get the blood pumping..."

It'sGettingOld.

[[And now I insert one of my old favorites by MGMT- "Electric Feel"]]

Staples instead of stitches

Sunday I decided to get out of the house and venture into downtown DC for a much needed change of scenery and some quality people-[i.e. tourist]-watching time.

After making the trek down by bus and hobbling around for a couple blocks, I became extremely exhausted and realized the only benches to sit on were occupied by unfriendly tourists and the sleeping homeless.

Tired and sweaty, I decided to hobble to the nearest metro and head home, passing the [above] sign/store/mirror along the way... I wish everything could be so easy.

A brief hiatus

It’s been almost a week since my last post. Delayed from a series of ups and downs, here’s an update on my progress:

Friday marked the first day of my physical therapy. If I could sum it up into one word it would be -- frustrating.

My therapist showed me a series of seemingly effortless things to do using my good ankle, and then he told me to do each exercise with my bad ankle.

Seeing how easy something is on one side and how challenging it is on the other is the most testing thing I have been through since the first few [painful] days after my surgery. Not to mention, the repetitions from each exercise pulled and strained my ankle so much that I felt sick to my stomach.

I also found out that, because of the position my ankle has been inside the boot, I have a build up of tetanus, in which my muscles have been contracted for so long that my lower leg is starting to spasm and assume the position that it’s been kept in [for almost a month now]. Added to my list of exercises, I have to roll a tennis ball around on the ground several times a day using the bottom of my foot so that the ball will help move/reshape the bones and muscles within my foot.

I left the appointment tired, sore, and frustrated, with exercises as homework and with the realization that this is no short process. Appointments will be two to three times a week for the next six weeks, and all notions I had prior to the appointment [that I was healing and would be back to normal in another two weeks] went flying out the window.

Originally, my surgeon insured me that after the surgery, I would be running in six weeks. Well, it’s been four weeks now and I can hardly walk.

Rehab resumes tomorrow...

Comparing Calves

A weak calf...

vs.

A weak calf...

Overdue and Overdone

I'm overdue for a blog entry, so here's a recap on the past few days...

Dr. Douoguih said that two weeks after my surgery I could start putting weight on my right leg. Well two weeks have come and gone, and I've finally started limping around with the boot and no crutches.

So when the nurse took my stitches out at my appointment yesterday, I thought my down time was coming to an end. I also thought from there on out I would be able to hobble around DC, to and from work [and play], and slowly get back to my normal life. Nope.

I can't say the doctor was thrilled to see me in his office without my crutches: "I said you could start putting 'a little weight' on it, not all 123 pounds." (<-- yep that's my weight.) Not to mention, Dr. Douoguih said I have no muscle in my lower right leg and that I'm going to end up getting hurt [again]. How lovely.

And after hobbling from my appointment, to the metro, into my office, then to the bus stop to head home, I realized he was right -- I overdid myself.

[Feeling like the metal pins are rubbing marks in my ankle bone.]

...I was asleep by 8PM last night, and I'm pretty sure I could have kept hitting 'snooze' when my 6:40 alarm went off this morning.

But to make my morning sound even more charming than an alarm clock...

I left my house early, so I would have enough time to 'one-crutch-it' to the bus stop to get to my office by 8:30.

Let's just say the bus was overdue, as well... and it stopped at --every--single--stop--along--the--way. Such a long ride, and in the end, and as much as I'm an advocate of being environmentally friendly, I hate public transportation sometimes.

Can I please start riding my bike to work already?!?

Did you know...

From my [long] morning bus ride...

"Federal law requires that these [bus] seats be made available to persons with disabilities and seniors."

Now I'll try to get a photo on the way home of how many young, physically fit people are sitting in said seats...

Slow, but not

[Update added on Tuesday, June 2, 2009.]

I've been slowly falling behind on blogging this weekend, but for an okay --i.e. good -- i.e. GREAT-- reason... I started walking without my crutches!

Yesterday I made it downstairs from my bedroom to my living room without my crutches. And after determining that the pain was tolerable, Peter and I got lunch near my house and I was able to walk half of the way home without the crutches.

This might not be a big deal to anyone, but it is to me. Feeling good.

My parents are on their way up to DC today. I'm sure I'll have more to come (maybe even a couple photos) after their visit.

UPDATE:

My parents made their way to DC for a visit... and to pick up my car that I can't drive because of my 'cankle' and because my new place in DC doesn't have parking. We got lunch, ventured around the city, I showed my parents my new office, and we metro'ed back to my house, where they put my car on a trailer and towed it all the way back to Yorktown.

I think that's the most movement I've done in weeks... and it was the first time I've taken the metro since the injury. And though a little blurry from the moving metro, but...

Thanks for visiting!

Tiny Tim-like Testing

I took a few small steps by my desk this afternoon and, excited by my progress, decided to take a short walk around the office... with only one crutch.

My boss is now calling me "Tiny Tim."

After Google'ing for an image, I must say it's fitting.

Did I mention I'M [kind of] WALKING?!?!?

Metro opens doors… but not for me.

After determining yesterday that I’ve already spent about $150 on cab rides to and from work, I decided to check out DC’s Metro Transit website to learn about some of my alternative options …or… lack thereof.

In what I consider to be a professional letter I wrote yesterday to Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), I explained my current situation and inquired about qualifying for a Metro Disability ID Card – including that:

“I work in the National Press Building at 14 and F Streets and the closest Metro to me is Metro Center at 12 and F Streets; however, there is no elevator at this entrance, and until I am able to walk without assistance, I am unable to ride the escalator. At the moment, my only option is to take a cab to the entrance with the elevator, which -as you might imagine- is becoming an unexpected out-of-pocket expense.”

This afternoon I received a response from a WMATA rep stating, “The duration of your disability must last a minimum of three months.” And because I stated that I will be temporarily disabled for 8-12 weeks… DENIED.

The rep included that I can find more information about Metro’s disability “requirements” at: MetroOpensDoors.com

…When one door opens…

It shuts right in front of my face.

Ensuing boredom...

I tried to cut my stitches out tonight.

They itch beyond belief. And it's too bad I couldn't figure out if there was one long- or two short stitches in each incision.

I guess I'll leave them in until Monday.

Ugh.

Cankle Calculations

FIRST & MOST IMPORTANTLY

[Insert profanity sensor for the would-be-offended readers here…] !@#$%*! I just took the bandage off… And for the first time since the accident... I’m starting to see the ball-looking bone return to my inner ankle! I know you see it too?!


And in other news...

Over the past two weeks, in my semi-stationary stage of trying to get up and get to work, I’ve been keeping track of the cost of cab rides, in addition to other things like: pill consummation and my dwindling reserves, terrible movies on TV that I am forced to watch because I can’t get up… you know… the typical things to think of when thinking is all you can do.

Eventually, when all-things-ankle are said and done, I’ll determine how much this whole ordeal sets me back. But out of curiosity (and cash) this morning, I decided to do an initial add-up…

I might as well have rolled it up and smoked it because… In the past seven days, I have spent $125 on cab rides to and from work.

And I guess if you add on the $30 parking ticket that I got last week (see story & previous blog entry here), that puts me at $155… Also not including the fact that I still have to get home from work today and for the remainder of the work week. I really need to look into the Metro handicap bus and what the service defines as being “handicap.” [Added to today's to-do list.]

Finally...

Monday is my follow up with Dr. Douoguih, whose name I can only spell because the stickers from the day of my surgery will not come off of my crutches...
The swelling and pain have subsided beyond any words I can blog, and I’m almost certain the doctor will remove the stitches at my appointment. (I had to put myself to bed early last night because had I had one more glass of wine with my roommates, I was certainly going to try to ease the itch and take the stitches out myself... with nail clippers. Lessons learned from my run-in-the-family, accident prone father.)

Five more days... Five more days...

Since I couldn't make it to the post office to mail the card...

Things taken for granted # 45

...Walking with an umbrella.

Open to suggestions on how to rig an umbrella to my crutches.

To grandmother's house we go...

You know how whenever you go to visit your grandparents, they're always sitting in their designated chairs, Lazyboys, rockers, etc?

Welcome to my life...

I just came to the sad realization that every time someone has come to visit me over the past two weeks, I've been sitting in this exact same spot.

Insert song:

Colorful cankle

...Compliments of sitting on the couch for the past 12 hours.

Really hoping someone can help me get outside tomorrow....

The dog whisperer

Even T-Bones knows I don't feel good.

Mouth-dropping moment of the week...

Just took a look at Trigon Care First health insurance account.  The cost of surgery, you ask...

$15,984.38!!