I Can Walk!! (a.k.a., Man, my butt is HOT!!)

Well, I fell behind again, after working so hard to get caught up on my progress.  I just got so excited last Wednesday when I was given clearance to walk AND drive!  My days quickly filled up with all the things that had been neglected while I was busy laying down and not walking.

So, last Wednesday I met with Sam, who had put me on one crutch the Monday before.  He took my one crutch from me and asked me if I wanted it back.  I didn't play along, and told him he could keep it.  I'm no fun, I know.  ;-)

I walked around the gym for a few minutes, and then Sam introduced me to a whole new set of rehab exercises.  No more isometrics!!! Woo hoo! I was so tired of counting to ten 360 times a day.  We kept the squats, internal/external rotations, leg lifts, quadruped rocking and external leg fall-outs.  And we added:
1. weighted leg extensions
2. weighted hamstring curls
3. toe tap-ups (marching in place and tapping each foot on a step)
4. step downs ("bad" leg on step, good leg steps up and down)
5. hip hiking (kinda like belly dancing without the forward rotation)
6. "marching" while laying down (lay on back with bent legs, then contract abs and "march" in place)
7. clamshells
8. aqua walking - normal walking in chest-high water

I also only have to do one session a day, instead of 2-3 each day.  That is good, because this all takes about an hour, not including bike and commute to the pool time.

I was so excited that as soon as I got home, I started to clean the house.  Nothing major, just walking a glass from the family room to the kitchen, and wiping dust off a tabletop. Nice, easy, movement.  That night, I slept for 10 hours.  The next day, I did what I could to help my dear husband out around the house.  I also focused on improving my sitting times, in preparation for my return to work.  I can sit for 1-2 hours at a stretch, but then I have to ice my hip.  That should make a 9-hour workday pretty tough.  Hoping it gets better!  We went out to dinner, which was nice, but the chairs were too uncomfortable to stay long. 

Friday brought a bizarre household accident.  I was heating up my lunch in the microwave, and when I hit the start button, the cabinet below the microwave opened up and spilled its contents all over the floor.  Said contents were serving bowls and platters in a variety of materials.  We had two casualties (one a favorite serving dish, the other a 10-pound ceramic chip bowl).  The 10-pound bowl landed on my foot, causing lots of pain and cursing.  Luckily(?), it was my right foot, which meant I was good if I had to go back on crutches.  Life is so fun!  After rest, ice, and elevation, I developed a nice knot on the top of my foot that made wearing shoes difficult.

Saturday I went with my husband to run errands and see how long I could last out and about - I drove!  I made it 3.5 hours before the couch beckoned.  Later that night, we went out for dinner, and about halfway through, my butt starting burning.  Just a little at first, then it got really hot.  Then a line of fire started going down my hamstring.  I have no idea what caused it, but my skin was on fire, too.  We left and went home to ice down. 

Yesterday was Father's Day.  In the morning, we went over to my husband's parent's house and made them breakfast.  Then I iced.  We then went downtown to a lakefront art festival and walked around for a few hours with my parents.  I had to sit a few times, but it all seemed to go ok.  At dinner, though, that burning started again.  I had no choice but to put up with it, and it eventually passed.  I iced as soon as I could, and slept 11 hours last night.  Anyone else experience a hot butt and excessive sleeping after they started walking? 

I have a session with Sam tonight, so I'll ask him about it.  And we'll see if I get any more exercises to get me back in running order!