Well let's start with the most important part first, shall we? At my first physical therapy session (today) my therapist told me I did not need crutches at all. I've been using 2 for long trips and 1 for short, and nothing for really short/around the house. She said a cane was probably just fine and to let pain be my guide.
Woohoo! That's a recommendation I am happy to take to heart.
She measured a whole bunch of things, like strength and range of motion. I heard her say "normal" a couple of times. Normal! I've never been normal in my life, and now I'm becoming normal. Or normal'er.
That doesn't mean there isn't a lot to work on, and I have home exercises to do, but not overdo, as she was quick to warn me. I think these people are all on to me ... they realize that I will do as much as they will let me as soon as they will let me and that patience is not one of my virtues.
I am clearly limping but my gait isn't as bad as she would have expected. I walked up the stairs like a normal person (right foot up then left foot up) without crutches. She finally got a little scared and asked me to please hold the handrail, but I didn't feel I needed it. She said she would have expected my right thigh to be more atrophied (well hey, it was huge to begin with). My right calf is very atrophied.
We talked about flexibility, turnout or lack thereof, my ticklishness problem (caused perhaps by all the "guarding" my muscles automatically do, perhaps due to dysplasia), the limitations given by my surgeon, and how right now I am compensating all over the place just to be able to walk, which is normal. She does think I will see fast improvement and that this is going to be "fun."
Well, fun for HER.
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