What Recovery Looks Like

​It has been about 2 months since my bicycling crash. These are the injuries I am recovering from:

• 2 pelvis fractures;
• fractured sacrum;
• fractured L5 vertebra (transverse process);
• broken left thumb;
• concussion;
• separated abdomen muscles (diastasis recti)
• multiple abrasions and contusions;
• and right shoulder, right rib cage trauma;
• and limited mobility and fine motor skills with right arm and hand.

 
Initially, I spent 3 days in the hospital.  I was send home and on bed rest until this week.  At first I wasn’t able to get out of bed on my own.  I then progressed to moving with a walker and talking walks down the sidewalk in front of my house.
 
I had a follow up appointment with my ortho MD 4 days ago.  I had more x-rays.  The good news is that I’m healing.  The bad news is that I am not fully healed.  I was given the OK to weight bear on my right side and I could ditch the walker and use a cane for stability.  A few days later I had my first physical therapy appointment.  I was told I could walk without the cane.  I now walk without the cane at home but I find I still need it in public for stability and safety.
 
Both the ortho and PT have given me the ok to “Push It.”  I REALLY clarified what they meant and what my limits are.  I am to avoid sharp pain.  And I was told that I’m going to hurt and be really really sore.  They were right.  The physical therapist also told me I was going to have to learn to walk up and down stairs without the cane.  I came home and practiced immediately.
 
The weird thing about removing  some of the movement restrictions is that I have to learn to do certain movements all over again.  It took me about a week initial to pick up my leg and take a step up a stair.  I would stand at the base of my staircase and try to will my leg to move.  The only way I could move it initially was to pick my leg up and move it with my arms.  If you’ve seen the movie Kill Bill vol. 2 it reminds me of when Beatrix Kiddo (Uma Thurman) is in the truck after her coma willing her big toe to move.  www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNg6v-mL_o0

I am about to walk around my neighborhood very slowly.  The pace is made even slower because I have to be very deliberate in my body’s movements.  I have to keep my feet pointed forward.   My feet cannot point out or in as it will irritate my fractures.  I have to keep my core engaged to support my back as my muscles are separated.  I think about keeping my shoulders back as they want to roll forward.  I suppose I could move a bit faster if I didn’t have to walk so intentionally.  But, body alignment is crucial.  I also have a series of isometric strength exercises from my PT that I am to do 6x a day.  I also have mobility work that I do to open my shoulders and restore proper core function.
 
I do hurt.  I am really sore.  If one more person tells me to take it slow I might hit them with my cane.  I would NEVER deliberately push it.  I will not set back my healing.  But, at this point I need to move my bones, muscles, fascia, and connective tissues to heal.  Yes, some things still really hurt.  When I feel this I stop.  But, I won’t know what I can’t do until I know right?  And those limits change every day.