I had my second post-surgical appointment this afternoon, and everything is looking good.

My doctor removed the stitches from my leg, and put me back in my familiar walking boot. So far, there have been no complications from the surgery, and everything seems to be on track. He examined the tendon and announced that he was very certain that the surgery was successful, and that it continued to heal well, though he cautioned me not to do anything dumb like starting to walk without my boot.

The big change is that I now get to start basic physical therapy, by removing my leg from the boot once per day, and flexing my ankle for five minutes (without bearing any weight). This is designed to restore mobility and improve functional healing. “But don’t do anything like leaving your boot off to take a nap. All it takes is for you to wake up a little disoriented and step down without thinking to suffer a major setback.”

I’m also allowed to put weight on my walking boot. I’ve been assured that the boot will protect me, so I can now use it to help stand, though it is still difficult to walk, given the number of wedges in my heel (4). It’s as if I’m wearing a super high heel on my right foot, and I’m definitely not used to walking in heels, let alone a single heel.

In two weeks, I’ll return for my next appointment and start the slow process of removing the wedges to bring my foot back to normal. Looks like it will still be quite a while before I can drive, though! Thank goodness for Lyft and Uber. If only SendaRide were available in the Bay Area!

I’m now fully outfitted with a knee scooter and a wheelchair, in addition to my crutches. A couple of friends have stopped by for visits, and wheeled me around Greer Park like I was Professor X. Maybe I should shave my head in honor of Patrick Stewart. Happy belated 79th birthday, Sir Pat! I enjoyed the company, and the time outside. It’s nice to see something other than my bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen table.

Tomorrow, I’ll even be going on an outing! Weeks ago, I agreed to give a blitzscaling talk for StartSe here in the Bay Area. Fortunately, it’s a fireside chat, which is delivered from the seated position. So I am going to try to take a wheelchair-enabled Uber down to PnP Sunnyvale for the talk, and the organizers will wheel me on stage for my appearance. Wish me luck!

Next week will be a bit sad, since I’ll be here, and my family will be in Japan on our family vacation (the good news there is that it looks like American Airlines will fully refund my expensive ticket), but I’ll continue the rehab and look forward to my continued progress. Plus, I’ve just received my temporary disabled person parking placard, so it will be easier to get out there.

I’ll be back with another update in two weeks, if not before. Thanks for reading!