Post-Op 21 weeks - The End is Near!

I'm happy to say that it has been a little over 5 months since my surgery and I'm so happy my 6 months is almost over! Granted, it probably will take some more months to re-gain FULL strength in my feet (so no intense workouts just yet!). I will judge how I feel month by month, but for now, I am just happy to be getting back to my normal routine, pre-surgery.

I sent Dr. Wu another X-Ray on March 9th. He said there was indeed a slight increase in spacing again, but I am still less than the upper normal limit of 9 degrees. You can see the comparison Dr. Wu made, of my last two X-Rays. 

Since I am progressing well, Dr. Wu now says it is safe to get back to normal walking, as tolerated by my feet. It is very interesting how as each week passes, I can feel my feet getting stronger and walking comes back easier as well. My pace has increased and I have gone back to driving and taking the train. The one caution I have about taking public transportation is to make sure you give yourself enough time and to not rush. People cannot see that I had surgery and have pushed me around if I walked too slow. You have those few who are not considerate of others and are so focused on getting to where they need to, they don't see who they affect. 

I am still instructed to continue my big toe ground-pressing exercises. I feel how important these exercises are to rebuild my strength. I am also continuing to place emphasis on my big toes as I walk. This will take months to fully adjust so that I learn to walk correctly. I haven't tried any running or intense exercise yet, and will probably wait until after 6 months to explore those options. I want to be able to walk my normal pace without any feeling of discomfort. Some of the discomfort I currently feel is a slight pulling sensation (periodic) and also inadequate strength at the bottom of the big toe area. My feet will also "tell me" if I've walked too much and need to rest, which now doesn't happen as often.

My next X-Ray will be mid-April which will be a little past 6-months! I cannot wait to see what other progress I've made and also, see my scars diminish over time. The end is near and looking forward to a vacation in the summer :-)