Another Accomplishment on Day 25

I tried something new today, and I liked it!  I walked outside on the sidewalk in front of the house - just using my cane for stability!  I went down the driveway and turned to the west - past our yard and to the neighbor's driveway.  Then I turned 'round and came back again, and on to the east past the other neighbor's house and to the corner, and then back again.  So with the returns, it was a total walk the width of 6 yards.  I could easily have done more, but it was starting to rain a little and Hubs was getting ready to go to the other house.   I think I am going to add this to my daily routine, weather permitting!

Overall today, I feel the most stable that I've felt in the last 25 days!  During exercises this morning, I told Hubs that I felt I was sort of on a plateau with the exercises.  I haven't seen much notable progress in what I can do with leg-lifts since I was able to lift Bessie off the bed earlier in the week.  But I think that overall stability is noticeably improved.  I have actually been walking around the house today without the cane, and at times, I don't even feel like I'm limping.

I've also seen progress in pain-management.  One of the prescriptions that I was given when I came home was 600 mg Ibuprofen.  I have tried it a few times, and I never felt that it really did anything for me.  That, in fact, is what I'm supposed to take for "mild to moderate pain" whereas, the Vicodin (or Percocet) is supposed to be for "moderate to severe pain".  I've been using the Vic because I can tell when it's working, and the last 2 nights I've taken that at bedtime, and it has helped me go to sleep.  Today I decided to try the Ibu again and see how it worked - it is supposed to help with inflammation as well as pain.   So, far I think it is working better than the Vic in some ways.  I feel much less stiff, so I think it really is helping with inflammation.  So, maybe I have turned the corner in that regard as well!

I believe I mentioned in my entry last Wednesday when I talked about my PT visit, that the PT had manipulated my knee/leg vigorously.  I sort of feel that his doing so set me back in my stability.  I think it has taken me until today to recover from that experience, and get back to where I was before I went to that appointment.  I think on Monday I am going to call Kristen and talk with her about this procedure.  I want to find out what the purpose is and if this is something that is going to keep being done.  I also want to express my feeling that this may have been more of a hindrance than a help.  I'm not ready to say I don't want it done again, but I do want to find out what it is supposed to accomplish and let her know my experience with it.  I will endure it if there is long term gain to be gotten from it.

Well, it's time to exercise yet again... so I hope all my readers are enjoying a lovely weekend! Which reminds me,  here is a look at one of my favorite Maggie Smith moments on Downton Abbey:

Thanks for reading! Talk to you again soon!

:)Amy