There is now less pain when I do the toe exercises, which is a good thing. I've now been able to go out a little more so it has been fun, enjoying time with family and friends, eating more yummy food, and sightseeing. The only issue when I go out is that I don't have the opportunity to do my toe exercises in between since I don't want to do this in public, especially at a restaurant (gross!). I can see Dr. Wu's disapproving face (:-P) so I need to find ways to still do my toe exercises even while I'm out. Maybe put my jacket or towel over my feet while I'm doing the exercises?
This past weekend, my family took me to Sai Kung and Ocean Terminal to people watch and see the sights. One might worry about lots of people being around, but it is interesting that I actually walked less when I was out, than when I just stayed at home. This is my normal way of transport when I'm out. We're fortunate enough to have access to a wheelchair and my family take turns wheeling me about.
Being transported in a wheelchair gives me a different perspective on life. I always took simple things for granted - like being able to walk to/from the parking lots, being able to walk the stairs or take the escalator, going to the restroom, or catching a taxi on the streets. All of this has now been more difficult because of the recovery process. Wherever we go in HK, we have to make sure that the car we take can fit the chair in the trunk and there is handicap access available wherever we go (ex. Handicap elevator, handicap drop off point, etc).
Not all of HK has this capability so going out needs some logistical planning. Back in the US, there is a requirement for handicap access to be available so I probably will not have to worry as much back home. Even being wheeled to a table inside a restaurant has it challenges and luckily most people have been accommodating. You might ask why not just walk to the table? Well its because it takes an eternity to walk even a short distance because of how slow you're supposed to walk. On the other note, some people are very oblivious to you being in a wheelchair and walk right into you or use the handicap bathroom/elevator. For the person in the wheelchair, it is annoying when people accidentally bump into your feet or use the handicap facilities. Because some people don't pay attention, you have to watch out for your feet and make sure they're protected. When I'm fully healed, I'll be sure to be more aware of my surroundings and not use handicap facilities. It makes such a difference to the person in the wheelchair and I'm fortunate my situation is only temporary.
Of course being in a wheelchair too long is not always a good thing either because I'm not keeping my feet elevated, so there may be some minimal swelling and discomfort in my feet. The solution to that would be to find opportunities to keep your feet elevated when you can. At restaurants, coffee shops, etc, find ways to keep your feet propped up. Even better if you can keep your feet hidden underneath the table, but here were some ways I accomplished my goal.
For my recovery, I had also purchased a basic FitBit pedometer to use to track my steps. The funny thing is that I walk so slowly and gently that the pedometer does not even register my steps. Lol! It's pretty much useless now, but I could try to use my iphone as well, which also tracks steps using GPS. Unfortunately, I don't always carry my iphone so I'm also not accurately tracking my steps using my phone. I have an idea of how much I walk when I'm at home because I counted my steps. Dr. Wu never gave me an exact number of how many steps I should/should not walk, but I'll try to keep it at a minimum for probably the first month or so.
I'll finish this blog with more pictures from my trip to Sai Kung and the wonderful food we ate. Sai Kung has piers where you can buy fresh seafood from people in their boats. You call down to them and let you know what you want. Then the transactions all take place using a basket or net that is brought up/down. Pretty cool! We also got to try one of the famous pineapple buns at the bakery in Sai Kung. It came out fresh from the oven and was delicious. On the other days we were able to enjoy Thai food at Ocean Terminal and then Indian food in Kowloon City. I'm halfway through my stay here in Hong Kong so let's see what other adventures I can have before heading back home.
Sai Kung:
Thai Food and Indian food:
No comments:
Post a Comment