Feet in the morning, feet at night

Happy Birthday, Mom!

I've now ditched the cane and am slowly building walking tolerance.  I went from leaning on the cane and using it like a crutch, to using it mostly for balance, to carrying it around more than using it.  It was a natural progression and I got to the point where it just didn't make sense to use it anymore.  It was actually hurting my shoulder because I didn't need it.

This week my doctor was happy about my nerve pain progress.  The shooting pains are almost completely gone.  I still have a constant burning sensation in an area on the top of my foot under my pinkie toe, but it's not painful enough to take meds.  I can now do laundry and fill my bird feeders, where just a week ago any weird stretch or movement would cause shooting pain.  I wear my walking shoes with orthotics whenever I'm doing anything other than duffing around the house.  I still can't walk or shower barefoot (I wear Crocs) but I can stand with minimal discomfort while I'm dressing. My incision sites are still tender if I touch them, but don't usually bother me otherwise.  Gene and I went shopping last night and after our first stop at Old Navy I still felt great.  We then went to Gordman's and even though I only walked maybe a third of the store, I was DONE for the night.  Still, much better than last week. 

I asked if I could start using an elliptical, but the doc only gave permission for me to use an exercise bike with no tension.  That seems like a waste of time, but I guess it will get me back into the habit of going to the Riverplex and working out. I'm planning on starting this morning. I also asked about physical therapy, but the doc doesn't want anyone "cranking around on my foot" until my nerve pain is completely gone. For now, he's giving me exercises and stretches to do on my own.  I'm not sure if I'll end up in physical therapy at all!  Yep, I imagine this blog is boring as heck, but I want this info in case I ever have to have my right foot done.

I've also been much better mentally because I've been getting out of the house. Tuesday, I went to lunch and the mall with a zoo friend.  Thursday I went to lunch and a movie with my aunt. Friday I went car birding with Meghan and we saw some great birds at Emiquon. (OH, CRAP! I just now remembered what's in my trunk!!!)  We then stopped at Banner Marsh on the way home, hoping to see an owl in the fading daylight, when a beaver swam up to where we were parked and walked out onto the bank to snack on some weeds right outside our car window.  We got a great view of its flat tail.  I'm not sure what it is with my close-up views of beavers recently...  If I could only find otters!

This week Kaylin got a new desk for her room.  Gene's been busy at work and I'm still very uncomfortable sitting on the floor, so Gene told her to put it together herself.  She did.  And when it comes to projects, Kaylin is just like her daddy.  Late Thursday afternoon Sharon and I walked in from the movie and chatted with Logan and played with the pets.  Kaylin didn't make a peep so I asked if she was at Kira's?  Nope, she was in her room.  I called back to let her know Aunt Sharon was here.  Response, but no appearance.  We finally went back to see her and she was busy with the desk.  I made dinner and called her to get it.  She came out and took her bowl back to her room.  At 8pm, she called me to come see the completed desk.  She was just then eating her dinner and admiring her work. She did it completely by herself and she built it well. It totally cracked me up that she was exactly like Gene- ignoring visitors, not eating and working until she was done.

I'm going to get off the computer and make a list of the things I want to accomplish during the rest of the time I'm off work.  I plan to clean and declutter the entire house.  I want to develop a fitness and diet program that will help me lose weight while not negatively impacting Gene and the kids' schedules and meals.  I want to go car birding in other areas around Illinois and hopefully take Logan on a birding trip to either Michigan or Minnesota.  I need to research some stuff for my zoo keeper group at work.  I basically want to make the most of my time off while at the same time making sure my foot heals completely.  I tried hard to avoid this surgery, but I had to have it done and I want it to work.  I'm not going to overdo anything and mess up my recovery, but I'm also not going to sit on my butt and do nothing but watch TV for the next 4 weeks!  But first I'm going to remove something from my trunk! Right now!