First off - thank you again to all the well wishers after I posted about my enforced absence from the forum. The sheer number came as a total surprise to me.
Anyway things are moving forward. My first go with a temporary leg was nothing short of a disaster. When I got up to 6 foot for the first time I suffered severe hypotension (nearly passing out) and reopening part of the wound. So it was a week's timeout while the doctors adjusted my medication, and I focused on strength and flexability. The muscle loss in five weeks is incredible particularly around the left hip (the side of the amputation.
Anyway walking physio started in ernest last Tuesday. Yesterday after a week (we had a bank holiday weekend with no walking physio) I had hit all targets for moving on to the next stage. This included forward walking, backward walking and sideways walking (apparently quite a few amputees find this quite difficult). The hardest test is to stand on the spot for ten minutes.
I now have an appointment with the Limb Fitting Service in just over two weeks. Being me I am disinterested in cosmetics but highly interested in functionality. In the meantime it's just a question of focusing on improving flexability, strength and stamina. Oh, and gaining weight - the official total weight loss (leg adjusted) is 12 kg! If I was not diabetic they would have prescribed Ensure but the sugar in it would play havoc with my diabetic control.
P. S. I am determined to snap the exercise band! 😁
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MichaelJH
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What an inspiration you are. Good luck. Don't be too hard on yourself though just enough to get improvement and progression. I look forward to reading more about you. Write a book! X
Wow what will power you have got, don't do too much too soon. A hell of a way to lose weight, have your leg off I think I will stick to the diet. Good luck and take care. Ruth
Sounds like your recovery is going well Michael and you'll soon be up and about.Keep up with the exercise and I hope they manage to sort your bp out too.
Fantastic news that things are progressing well. I’m sure the physios are amazed with your positivity and willingness to work at it. Hearing it’s your L leg to be ‘fitted’, is your jag automatic, if not could you have it adapted ?
I had to change my car to an automatic of necessity, and find it great.
Yes you are an inspiration to all of us, and I’m sure to others in rehab as well.
Are you type 1 diabetes Michael? If so hope you are on the pump?
I was a diabetes specialist nurse many years back, when the pumps were just coming in. It’s an individual choice of course according to how it suits, but when it does it’s great!
Thinking of legs brings back memories as a youngster. My granddad had lost his legs due to some reason or other - never did find out why and he had a pair of leather legs parked in his bedroom. If any of us grandchildren misbehaved then the punishment was to be sent to granddads room to sit in front of the legs to await what was coming. For a 7 year old it was frightening experience and even now 60 years later one I have never forgotten.
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My Numbers - An Update
Leg pain 
