Dropsafe

by Alec Muffett

shattered

It’s wednesday again, and i’ve been in the Priory for a week.

I’m shattered.

Today I got wheelchaired upstairs to physiotherapy for a wonderful bath in this big blue motorised side-opening thing; then Mandy arrived and pushed my wheelchair out into the garden for a while, then i spent 45 minutes on the CPM (continuous passive movement) machine, having my leg bent to 65 degrees without any effort other than reducing my calf muscles to dogfood. Then I walked into the corridor and back – twice – hanging from the pulpit, and I think I am beginning to see how crutches will work.

I have another session on the CPM box (ha!) tonight and will probably be doing 75 degrees by bedtime.

Mmmm… and whilst I’ve been writing, I’ve had my dinner and my anticoagulant shot delivered.

The net effect is that I feel like I’ve been in a bar fight; my ribs click and adjust with my breathing, the CPM has incresaded flexibility in my leg at a cost of motor control and muscle integrity, bits of me wobble, tickle and itch as my nerves heal and unswell.

Gradually I am getting there, normality is returning, but I feel like I’m taking a series of increasingly tiny steps, some of which conflict with each other.

It was so weird to see the sky, today, for instance. Or to be pushed along a corridor while sitting rather than flat-out on a bed. Or to try to bend my toes upwards only to find that although I could do that fine, three days ago, it’s become incredibly hard due to CPM.

Yesterday was the biggest catch of visitors EVAR – PJ, Haroon, Dave Darren and Cynthia. I’ve got a backlog of fine chocolate – no more, please! I have beyond sufficient in the sweet stakes – and am really buoyed up by it all, especially since I now have G3 networking c/o Haroon.

So, in summary: I persist in improvement, but it’s shattering. The big vision in front of me is to get home and see the cats, but I suspect that that is when things will get really hard, and if you’ve visited my house you’ll know why.

But that’s the future. We’ll see.

⊞

Comments

8 responses to “shattered”

  1. Stephen Usher
    re: shattered

    It’s a good thing that you clarified what CPM meant otherwise I thought you might be talking about an old Z80 based microcomputer! (CP/M :-))

    It’s good to see that you’re getting there, if slowly.

    I see that rac sent out the full address of your hospital, which definitely increases the possibility of a visit from myself.. especially as it has a postcode which I can shove into Google Maps/Earth.

    Are there any times (during the weekend) when a visit would not be a good idea? (<pedant-defence>Other than at night</pedant-defence>)

    Reply
  2. brand
    re: shattered

    Yeah, recovery’s a bitch, but it is steady progress. By this time next week, you’ll be doing laps around the corridor, not fast laps, but laps.

    I don’t know how bored you are, but you might want to try out some Sudoku puzzles if you haven’t already. It’s the kind of thing you can pick up and put down and not as physically demanding as crosswords. I think you’d enjoy them, but I warn you, they are addicting.

    Reply
  3. alecm
    visiting hours

    there are no fixed visiting times, but after 11am is wise as that gets morning physio out of the way. prior warning is useful, in case i am being hauled off to xray or something.

    Reply
  4. Katz

    You’re communicating! It’s great to read an update and to hear that you’re making progress.

    You mention the nerves healing and bruises and swelling around them. I flash back to the problems I had with my hand a few years back after a car hood slammed shut on my wrist. A nerve was severed and the surrounding tissue was swollen and prevented it from growing back quickly. Minute in comparison but I can relate to odd sensations that aren’t supposed to be there and know that this can be difficult. I remember how frustrated I was for two months with solely a malfunctioning hand and I can’t imagine what you’re going through. It’s tough but you’ll prevail. We’re all here for you and cheering you on.

    Reply
  5. Weez
    re: shattered

    Nice to see that you are worried about things like how/what you’ll do when you get home and see the cats–quite a change from the things you were worried about 10 days ago, and on the whole, a great improvement, methinks!

    I must say, you have an absolutely stellar group of friends, at both near and long-distance. Hope I can meet some more of them one day.

    Frank and Sam send along their greetings, all is well here, we’re thinking about you. Will give you a call in a day or two. L

    PS–if there’s any spare chocolate, I’ll never say no . . .

    Reply
  6. rac
    re: shattered

    It’s good to hear of the progress since I saw you at the weekend, and being able to sort of visualise it too.

    Eventually the muscles will get the new ideas sorted and stop wobbling so much. In the meantime, be patient with them but percevere. (sp cronic but you get the gist)

    I obviously started something with the chocolate – hey guys you likes grapes too, don’t you Alec?!

    Suspect we won’t be able to check up on you now for a week, but we’ll probably text you something annoying at some point from somewhere in Africa.

    Love to all the friends and family all over the place – keep him motivated folks and bring him home to Hampshire in even better shape than he’s in now!

    God Bless and keep you Alec – you’ll remain in our prayers (I know, but it won’t hurt at all, I promise!)

    Reply
  7. Nik
    re: shattered

    Get well soon; cat therapy will be the best medicine!

    Reply
  8. Dave Walker
    Cats

    Buster has made his return from who-knows-where, and was stretched out on the lawn being solar-powered while Suzy had her breakfast this morning. Both appear in a thoroughly sound state of health.

    I expect to be dropping by Edgbaston sometime on Sunday (and have some instructions about what to take with me), and am thinking that when I’m over to see to the cats next, I might take my camera with me and get a couple of pics. Also, recalling the Python “confuse-a-cat” sketch, I wonder what their reaction will be if I give Alec a call and put the ‘phone on loudspeaker mode when they’re nearby…!

    Reply

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