PT for Me

Did my first physical therapy session courtesy of Samantha Strickland yesterday at Ultimate Therapy. (Samantha is Darline Madjeski's daughter.  Very small world right?)  Samantha and all of the staff at Ultimate are great to work with so I'm very fortunate to have hooked up with them for the next stage of my recovery.

Earlier in the week I checked in for a post-op visit with Doctor Turner who installed my new hip two weeks ago.   Dr. Turner noted that I was doing ok, all looked good and suggested I do some therapy to make sure I got everything synched up and  working as smoothly as possible.  So my next stop was Ultimate Therapy located in the Blair Building in Leonardtown Shopping Center.  

When Dr. Turner discharged me from the hospital, she told me that the two biggest things I had to worry about were blood clots and another fall that would mess up everything she had done installing the new hip. 

To address the blood clot issue, I now wear these compression leggings which are basically medical panty hose.  I've always joked that I could never be a cross dresser because those panty hose would drive me crazy.  Turns out now after a couple weeks of wearing them 24/7, the panty hose are  not so bad.  Getting the one on and off my "bad" side is a little painful still but otherwise I got 'em on and may even swish every once in awhile because they feel that good.

Dr. Turner's second caution about not falling has made me a little paranoid about taking another tumble.  It reminded me of something my aunt Sister Lorraine said after she broke her hip when she tripped over a tree root.  She said that she was so afraid of falling again that she would never again go outside the convent house there in Bensalem, Pa.  I remember teasing her that she shouldn't let that stop her from going outside and she said simply "J. Scott, I'm not going thru that again.  I'm staying inside and not taking any chances."  As far as I know, Sister never once left the convent house after her hip accident.

Sister Lorraine, Buzzy and Me - 2008

I don't plan to be as cautious as was Sister Lorraine but I am taking care to do everything in my power to try and stay upright.  The other component of the physical therapy is to walk as much as I can.  That I can do, hopefully without falling again.