email: Mihal.Freinquel@gmail.com

Friday, June 28, 2013

weight-bearing, day 13...AKA SECOND SNEAKER DAY

Yesterday in PT I put on, AND WALKED IN, my second sneaker...a first for me. My ankle feels so weak and trembly outside of the boot, but happy and eager, like it really wants to get strong. It's like the scrawny guy at the gym...a guy I've always had a fondness for. Another thing I have a fondness for is these shoes, the Nike Roshe Run's. I've had/loved them for about a year, but on the sensitive foot they're especially amazing...here's why:
  1. The soles are like clouds - they're so cushiony and soft and light
  2. The entire shoe is really flexible, so for walking practice - going from heal to toe and really articulating every part of the foot - they're ideal.
  3. The sole is pretty thick, so when you're walking with the boot - which has a relatively tall platform - you're not TOTALLY lopsided. You're still kinda lopsided, but it's hard to avoid unless you go buy some Danskos which my doctor recommended (but I don't plan on being in that fucker for much longer so I'm not gonna go buy ugly shoes just to accommodate it).
Anyway, now I've also gotten the ok to walk in the boot only as much as possible - inside and outside - using 1 crutch only when going longer distances (the 2 sneakers with crutches is only an exercise). So the video includes my boot progress as well. Enjoy!

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

weight-bearing, days 7 & 10

I told you little curious monkeys I'd keep you updated on my walking progress! I'm still mostly doing 1-crutch walking (as seen on day 7), but on Monday in PT I got to try zero crutches, so I've been playing around with it just a little bit (it's relatively painful so I'm not doing much).


I hope you guys enjoy these weird little videos...it's quite a slow process on my end so I'm trying to just give the highlights.

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

insurance blues



The insurance system is not built for any normal person to understand. It's so frustrating, all of it. The back and forths between the insurance company and the doctors' offices...the he-said-she-said...ugh. I had a big freak out yesterday because I found out my physical therapist isn't in-network...and I've already had 9 sessions. Nobody felt compelled to tell me that - granted, I could have dug deeper than I did, but nobody told me to do that either!! If you haven't been in the medical system before, you're basically fucked. It's kind of like getting a second opinion - if nobody is on your side telling you what to do, you can be totally taken advantage of. 

Anyway, it all ended up working out ok...kind of...I'm still going to end up paying more than I would if I'd switched to an in-network PT, but I love my lady so much (Cindy at West Portland Physical Therapy Clinic), I simply can't stand the idea of leaving and starting over with somebody new. So whatever, I'm eating it - but it's obviously not gonna stop me from flipping off photobooth.