Well, things have moved along pretty well, and I am quite close to my return to work and normal life! I am currently going through a bunch of red-tape regarding my returning to work, and no doubt you will run into similar scenarios when it is time for you too to return to work. My employer is quite large, and I have to be cleared through their medical unit before they will allow my return. They can see from my doctors list of restrictions and limitations that I won’t be able to do the job I used to do, but they don’t really have anything available that fits my criteria. I have to go on a month-to-month basis based on my doctors recommendations and do “light duty” at work until I can return to my prior position, or hopefully bid on the rare opportunities of a sit-down job. I will likely also be able to consider retiring on disability if there is nothing to accommodate me. It’s complicated and frightening, but take it one day at a time, and try not to let it get you depressed!
My physical therapy is going well. I’d almost decided to not attend my last group of sessions because I was finally walking without the cane, and about to return to work, so I wasn’t able to see the point. But I spoke to my therapist, and he convinced me to continue because I still need help with balance and walking without a limp. He’s super cute and we have a lot of fun in therapy, so ok, it wasn’t a hard decision to continue! Lol! I really do have to work on my walk…I have noticed that it appears as though I am drunk at times, like if I slow up, and start off again, there is a little side step, thing, (I don’t know, hard to describe), but it looks like I am teetering, or stumbling a bit. Kind of embarrassing! And I have a lot of fear to place all my weight on the foot when taking a step, which caused me to pick the foot up earlier, and this creates a limp. But, I know that in time it will work itself out, because just in the last few weeks my balance has improved and I think the limping is getting less. I really would like to find some kind of exercise I could do that will allow me to drop these excess pounds, but that won’t strain my foot. I think a stationary bicycle might do the trick.
Well, just be aware that even with your Charcot Foot improvements, there are still always going to be some set-backs, or bumps in the road. Try to stay positive and have a healthy outlook about your situation, and try hard to work around whatever obstacles are in your way!
-Cassandra, Charcotchacha copyright 2016