MAY THE 4TH BE WITH YOU

It’s hard to believe it’s May 4th, which is a very significant date for me.  It has been three years since my three spinal surgeries (ALIF, XLIF, and PLIF) happened on May 1 and May 4.  If you’ve been reading my blog you’ll know what I’ve gone through in the years leading up to my surgeries.  As long as I live these dates will always be a reminder of what I went through and how far I’ve come.

Every day when I tie my walking shoes and head out the front door I’m reminded of why I’m so dedicated to my exercise routine.  I absolutely love taking my morning walks!  This is the reason I had my surgeries - so I could walk and enjoy life once again.  I feel so very fortunate and grateful that I feel as good as I do.  But that wasn’t always the case.

While I was out taking my hour-long walk this morning I was thinking about how much effort I have put into my recovery.  The first year my main focus and goal was to learn how to walk again.  My 3 surgeries were a huge success, but my right leg had suffered severe nerve damage from all my spine issues and couldn’t support my body after the surgeries.  That first year was doing lots of physical therapy and doing daily walks.  I started out using a walker and walking in a park that had a paved path around it.  Little by little my endurance improved and I could add more laps around the park.  

Eventually I was ready to leave the park and start walking around where I live, which is somewhat hilly and has more ups and downs.  At that point I was using a cane to walk. I finished that first year post op walking 30 minutes 4-5 times a week.  My right leg and drop foot were continuing to improve and eventually I retired my trusty cane.  By the time I finished my second year post op I was walking 45 minutes a day 4-5 times a week.  

During those first two years post op I continued to do PT exercises at home and included stretching exercises as well.  My goal for the third year post op was to start walking an hour a day, 5 days a week, which I do.  I’ve now reached my 3 year post op anniversary and I couldn’t be happier as I’ve accomplished the goals I’ve set each year.

Now as I start entering my fourth year post op I’ve set new goals for myself.  I’ll keep my walking schedule the way it is, but I’ve added strength training with light weights and bands, plus a lot more flexibility and balance exercises.  I’ve just started being able to lower myself onto my mat and get back up again without holding on to a piece of furniture which pleases me greatly.

What I’ve learned from this whole experience is to keep moving as best you can.  Even if it’s chair exercises or bed exercises, (I’ve done both) just keep moving and watch what happens and how you feel weeks and months later.

 

ONE PERSON’S TRASH IS ANOTHER ONE’S TREASURE

Recently the mailbox at my house stopped working.  It was one of those large combination/key lock mail boxes on a metal post.  When the combination function eventually stopped working we just started using the key to open it.  Finally a part in the key function stopped working too and we could’t open it one day.

My husband went to Home Depot and bought another mailbox very similar to the one we had.  Since it also came with it’s own metal pole we had no need for the old pole since they were different sizes too.  So he sawed off the old mailbox to recycle it and capped the old pole that was cemented into the ground.  

He was in the process of cementing the new pole into the ground in another location and I was recruited to hold it steady while he did this and also installed the new mailbox.  When I was done I noticed the styrofoam pieces that had surrounded each end of the mailbox when it was packed in the packing box. I asked if I could have one of them and I took it up to my sewing room.  It was a 10” square styrofoam frame with sides that had surrounded the end of the mailbox.  It was the perfect size to pin my latest 10” quilt onto the end.  I then used a couple of pushpins in the wall and mounted the styrofoam frame.  I quickly went down to the garage and retrieved the other styrofoam piece that had been on the other end of the mailbox.  I know this second styrofoam piece will eventually end up hung on my wall with a small quilt pinned to it too.

So my husband’s trash became my treasure!  (Not exactly treasure but definitely useful to me :)