The Legless Lizard

Dr Chu suggested to Matt to have some leave this coming Sunday, for an entire day, to see how he copes at home with the possibility of sending him home mid/late next week.  Yes, this means he'll come home without a Prosthesis because he is still compression bandaging to shape his stump & also in the healing process. So, as you all know Matt, he decided he'd come home for a few hours on Australia Day.   I arrived with coffee, pre Physio session, watched him do his thang and then by the end of it all & being ready to go, he signed out with a return time of 8pm!  8pm is curfew.... so funny, that he has a curfew, never has been a rules kinda guy ;) The animals were so happy to see him and Rumble seems to have taken a liking to rubbing on Matt's stump (obviously a cat fetish) and he shocked the hell out of Katrina, who just dropped by because my car was home when she was passing! After a bit of a family day indulging in some good food and a few bevvy's and a vi...

Time seems to have moved quickly - well probably for the girls and I, but not so fast for Matty!  This week it's been amazing to watch him progress with physio and fly through his therapy with increased weights and intensity.  He's so focused and dedicated to the cause, it gives the 'wow' factor every time I watch him.  He may not see the difference himself, but because I don't watch it every day (he's doing at least 2 hours per day in the gym and then some) it's such a notable difference!   The hospital is so quiet and small there, it is mainly elderly folk doing rehab however he's the only amputee in the place.  Matt's positive attitude will hopefully flow on to everyone there, even if they don't share the same sense of humour..... So here's some pics of Matty smashing his physio! PS:  You'll notice Matty's man bun has been lopped by our dear daughter ;) 

Matt says it's hard to describe the pain.  He still has pain, but it's different pain.  The more time goes on, the more 'different' the pain becomes.  When he's up and about, there seems to be more pain and a throbbing sensation.  Stitches are out and it's a neat zip up!  Matt  says  he can feel the back of the top of his leg now, where over the past years he could only feel very small spots on the back of his leg. Physiotherapy is 2 sessions each day, hourly.  He's smashing it!  He also does physio whilst he's hanging out in his room just to pump the process along.  Sleep deprivation is an issue, even on Tarjin & Endone!!!  Me, I'd be in a Coma for a week (which I feel like I need at the moment ha ha ha). Matty's had a number of visitors at the Rehab facility in Minchinbury, which is great as it keeps him focused on other things rather than pain.  Aside of physio and visitors, he's rocking the sketch pad again which is ...

So this was what I wrote for the beginning of the blog, but alas, it was too long.... This page was created to share Matt's Amputation Journey. A little history, a little humor (how could there not be with Matt around?) but mostly his day to day progress for those who are interested in staying in the loop of this leg (pardon the pun) of his life! A huge humble, incredible thankyou to everyone who has been part of this time in our lives - 5th September 2011 to the current time.  We have been blessed with so many great friends in our lifetime that are like an big extended family yet this past 5 and then some year, has defined this to great depths.  Humans can be so incredibly amazing, and we are lucky enough to have been shared with some awesome ones!  Beyond this recent fundraiser, there are a good number of people we love dearly, who have just been there.  Not just even through the initial trauma, but throughout the years. They are busy people, like most of us ar...

Time is moving by fast.... Matty is settling in to Rehab alot better, doing his 2 x 1 hour sessions in the gym daily and reinforcing that work in extra time in his room.  Some light compression bandaging so far to help shape the stump and he sees his surgeon on Monday, and will probably get his stitches out then too. Today we took some 'gate leave' as they call it!  Matty was assessed to get in and out of a car and we escaped for an hour or so.  Many moons ago it would've been off to the pub I'm sure, but today it was off for coffee then some Op Shopping at the massive Salvo's store in Minchinbury.  A few T-Shirts later, exhaustion point arrived and we headed back to base. Patience is a virtue they say..... Patience is the only thing to get him through this stage of the game. He's waited for at least a year to get to this point, now the healing, the shaping, the increasing pain with compression bandaging etc is taking its sweet arse time in preparation for...

So today Matt moved to a Rehab facility.  So, so different to all the things on tap at North Shore Private and quite basic compared to what we've seen at Northmead with our good friend Leah and her rehab (as in it was more modern and at least there was a coffee shop and decent sized rooms)  Anyways, It's still early days, but the shock seems to have set in.  Matt's pain levels are changing, things are more intense, he is shorter fused.  It had to happen at some point as he's been incredibly amazing!!!!  Still the pain levels are better and different to what he's endured for the past 5 years which is a huge positive! After coming from everything being at your fingertips with the press of a button, the harsh reality of rehab is that you have to think and do, rather than it being done for you (or that's the jist I'm getting and I'm sure the experts will correct me if that's not the case!!!!).  So instead of someone coming with your meds, Matt's to...

The weekend has been eventful, physio every day with a therapist then physio exercises numerous times per day.   Matt has muscle memory there where his left leg still feels like his foot is there; he wants to scratch it or moves it out of the way if you sit too close - because it's new and feels like it's still there!  Thankfully it's not the pain of the old, with the burning and intense pain!!!! A simple thing like bending your knee and lower leg coming up into a 90 degree angle is a challenge for Matt's in physiotherapy.  Keeping control isn't that easy for him.   Still doing incredibly well with really good humour.  He's amazing!!! AND of course, the Birdwood Cigarbox guitar goes everywhere with him!!!

Last night we organised a 'date' to go for a walk outside.  7:30am.   I arrive pumped.  Matt says, where's my shoe?  Hmmmmm.......  Back at the Hotel in the Car.  Trek back, get the shoe and his bag of clothes.  He gets the clothes out, he had jeans on before surgery.  Hmmmmmmm..... jeans??? They no longer 'work'.  So, satin boxer shorts serving as PJ's & a T Shirt, has to do. We took a longer walk than expected; surprising the girls whilst sleeping was his mission yet crossing the Pacific Highway was rather entertaining :)  Interesting looks from folk crossing our paths!!! We were about 5 minutes walk away so for Matt's 1st time outside since the Op, freaking amazing! Before that, some daily art therapy has helped :)

Removing the Backslab and heavy bandaging....  travelling lighter; more mobility again and a new world of physio (and pain).

I think Matt was so mentally prepared for this operation, it's almost like he's foreseen - or made the choice - to be in a completely positive and accepting state of mind.  Although he's on the good pain drugs, he's not zoned out or being over indulgent in them, which blows my mind.  I reckon most of us would be thinking of being zonked out through this but he's so alert and into each stage and process, it's amazing.  He paces the drugs so it's total pain management and staying on top of that; he's touching his leg (or stump as they call it - we haven't adjusted to that word properly yet) and in good humour.   Drain removed Tuesday Night; PCA removed Wednesday morning and physio followed!  Totally blown away that he started physio 48 hours after the Operation!!!  Meet Nicola his physio in the pics below with Matt.... she's amazing... these two were doing High 5's after the 1st session!! Apart from some skin abrasions from the casting,...

Some snaps of Matty within the 1st 24 hours of his Op....  

So to start the process, we jumped in the car around 9:30am for our drive to RNSP.  It was a intense to say the least.... trying to talk and just do the "norm" pfffft!  In pre admin, I took a pic of Matt's trusty boots.  He couldn't get out of bed to rush to the toilet like most of us may need to do when we arise, he's have to struggle to get up and sit for a bit, then put on socks, brace and these boots (they gave him ankle stability) before doing anything.  Not sure what we will do with these boots, they hold alot of 'stuff' within them I think!!! The build up to this operation was fairly intense for Matt, and in turn, for us. The inevitable arrived quicker than our minds could process it and the outcome for day one made us pretty stoked!  The crazy tension took it's course, yet the moment Les (surgeon) called while we waited patiently, everything relaxed and we were ready for the next leg! Matty was the classic jokester and kept everyone ...

Well legless really isn't the correct terminology I've discovered....  Matt has 'a good length' for an amputee I'm told by a fellow amp and to be honest, there's alot more leg there than I anticipated! Those of you who know us well will know that this amputation decision was not one that years and research and many appointments contributed to.  Matt's original surgeon who plated and screwed his pelvis back together and did his initial trauma work, referred him to a Professor who is one of the best nerve specialists in Sydney.  We were told by him that it would take at least 3 years to know what was going to happen with Matt's leg, because of the rate the nerve tries to repair and find alternate paths to the foot to connect again.  Every little bit of movement he gained was so exciting! But as the years went on & the excitement grew, his foot had other idea's and caused him more and more pain, less sleep, more sleep deprived insanity and a defo...

The time is fast approaching.  Every day he wakes up with the startling thought of "what day is it?"  "is today the day?" then reality sets in.  Yet, the countdown is still ticking away in his brain.   This whole week will be one of anticipation, anxiety, reliving pain within his mind and secretly over thinking whether this is the right decision.... even though we are sure that it is.  Pain will be more tolerable with the freedom of being hands free - eventually - and walking on a Prosthesis.  Not having to put on a brace and two boots and pick up crutches to move. Today we met with the NDIS to go through the application.  Developing the 1st NDIS plan.  It is a priority because the operation is in 6 days.  There are so many "unknown's", not just within one's mind but within this system.  It's rather bizzare, but knowing they are actually giving Matt the opportunity to have a 1st plan in play to assist him in the long term, is brilliant...