I just came back from Walgreens Home Care. They got the walkers in this afternoon but they won't let me open one up just to try it. They said I have to buy it for them to open it up - same with the crutches which they won't have in my size until tomorrow. They told me some blather about sanitary issues but they could easily cover any handles with paper towels or clean it with alcohol. Tomorrow I go to the Visiting Nurse Service to see if they'll let me try out a walker and crutches to see which I want. Dr. Garcia says I can have either. I'm also going to call the Albuquerque toll free number for Walgreens Home Care to ask if there is not a better way for someone to choose between crutches or a walker. The employees at Walgreens Home Care are very nice and just doing their job but it's kind of like a Catch-22 situation in that how am I supposed to choose between the two without trying them out briefly in their office first?
I went to Medical Associates as they were closing and asked if they knew of any place in the hospital with crutches or walkers to try. They didn't but I saw that Dr. Church had just gone into his office so I asked if the receptionist would ask him which was better. His reply was to ask my orthopedist. The orthopedist said it was my choice but I have no experience on which to base my choice - Catch-22!
I get this bad feeling that I'm going to end up with a stress fracture in my left foot also because this afternoon, while limping around, trying not to bear much weight, I felt like I twisted my left foot. It's beginning to get sore from bearing all the weight.
I'm going to try to visit the LA Fitness Center tonight. I'm really discouraged right now. Maybe I'll feel better after some exercise.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Old Lady on Walker or Crutches
Dr. John Garcia looked at my right foot MRI and he feels that while the posterior tibial tendon looks inflamed, it doesn't look torn. He says my main problem is a calcaneal or heel stress fracture. He recommended non-weightbearing for 6 weeks. I'm going into Walgreen's Home Care at the hospital this afternoon to pick up a walker with front wheels. I'd rather try crutches and Dr. Garcia says he has no preference but they don't have medium crutches in until tomorrow or next week and I need to be NWB (non-weightbearing) NOW!! I, at first, wanted the walker but I think that I'll get more exercise and strain my back less with the crutches. I may try both. After the 6 weeks, I won't be able to immediately begin hiking long distances - I'll have to work up to it gradually. Therein will lie the potential for reinjury or new injury if I'm not careful.
I'm considering going to a water aerobics class but the thought of slipping in a wet shower or on wet pool deck is scary. The YMCA doesn't have as many recumbent cardio machines as the LA Fitness Center. I have a free one day pass for the fitness center. I will have to buy some type of membership as I don't plan to just sit on my duff for 6 weeks!
I left a note for Dr. Church asking if I still need to see Dr. Miller. He feels, as I do, that it's worth seeing Dr. Miller. Dr. Church believes that I shouldn't be having pain from a stress fracture all this time. I have an appointment for a bone density test next Tuesday. That's a prudent thing to do in any case.
I picked up some carryout for lunch at the Pyramid Cafe. I bought 3 salads - the Salata Bitenjene (grilled eggplant salad with grilled onions), the Salata Mishiya (charred green chile) and Salata Houriya (spicy carrot salad) and hummus. The carrot salad tasted a little old. The green chile salad was an especially tasty way to get my hot green chile fix and the hummus and eggplant salad were good. Overall, though, I don't like so much oil drizzled on the salads. I'm more used to eating less oil now. I wouldn't order the carrot salad again unless they said it was freshly made that morning. Also, there was something hard that I bit on in the carrot salad but no harm was done to my teeth.
The people at Riverview Pines, in Estes Park, CO, have been so nice in helping to change our reservation from 4 nights to 3 and changing us from an upstairs room to a downstairs room. We offered the Riverview Pines room to son in law and daughter but they couldn't get off work to go up there. Truthfully, I would prefer to stay at home but I'm sure I'll enjoy driving around to see the park and maybe taking a baby walk using the walker or crutches around Sprague Lake. I'll also check out the local fitness facility options. I'm still debating, though, if I really want to stop in Denver to visit spouse's cousins but I guess I'll have to.
I just now called spouse and said since I'm compromising and going to Rocky Mountain National Park, that I'd like him to compromise and cancel the Denver visit to his cousins and he agreed to do that. That means we'll arrive early evening at Riverview Pines and have 2 full days at the park and then drive back home. That will be enough for me. Being temporarily a physically handicapped person is going to be an interesting experience. It will give me greater understanding of those who are permanently physically handicapped.
I'm considering going to a water aerobics class but the thought of slipping in a wet shower or on wet pool deck is scary. The YMCA doesn't have as many recumbent cardio machines as the LA Fitness Center. I have a free one day pass for the fitness center. I will have to buy some type of membership as I don't plan to just sit on my duff for 6 weeks!
I left a note for Dr. Church asking if I still need to see Dr. Miller. He feels, as I do, that it's worth seeing Dr. Miller. Dr. Church believes that I shouldn't be having pain from a stress fracture all this time. I have an appointment for a bone density test next Tuesday. That's a prudent thing to do in any case.
I picked up some carryout for lunch at the Pyramid Cafe. I bought 3 salads - the Salata Bitenjene (grilled eggplant salad with grilled onions), the Salata Mishiya (charred green chile) and Salata Houriya (spicy carrot salad) and hummus. The carrot salad tasted a little old. The green chile salad was an especially tasty way to get my hot green chile fix and the hummus and eggplant salad were good. Overall, though, I don't like so much oil drizzled on the salads. I'm more used to eating less oil now. I wouldn't order the carrot salad again unless they said it was freshly made that morning. Also, there was something hard that I bit on in the carrot salad but no harm was done to my teeth.
The people at Riverview Pines, in Estes Park, CO, have been so nice in helping to change our reservation from 4 nights to 3 and changing us from an upstairs room to a downstairs room. We offered the Riverview Pines room to son in law and daughter but they couldn't get off work to go up there. Truthfully, I would prefer to stay at home but I'm sure I'll enjoy driving around to see the park and maybe taking a baby walk using the walker or crutches around Sprague Lake. I'll also check out the local fitness facility options. I'm still debating, though, if I really want to stop in Denver to visit spouse's cousins but I guess I'll have to.
I just now called spouse and said since I'm compromising and going to Rocky Mountain National Park, that I'd like him to compromise and cancel the Denver visit to his cousins and he agreed to do that. That means we'll arrive early evening at Riverview Pines and have 2 full days at the park and then drive back home. That will be enough for me. Being temporarily a physically handicapped person is going to be an interesting experience. It will give me greater understanding of those who are permanently physically handicapped.
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