After not seeing Michelle for a couple of weeks, I was floored when I saw how much progress she had made!  I repeatedly wanted to ask her if she should be doing [fill in the blank].  But as I kept watching, she didn’t seem to be in any pain, or to be compensating in any way, so I thought “dance away!”

Here’s Michelle’s next Diary Entry!

Michelle with Shannon, one of our fabulous PTs

Michelle doing one of her exercises

Michelle doing one of her exercises that we are all probably quite familiar with

Michelle hard at work doing yet another of her strengthening exercises

“It has been too long since my last update. It is Monday June 15th, which means I am exactly 2 months from my surgery date. The recovery is going extremely well. I am still dealing with swelling, scar tissue, and am working to gain full flexibility and strength. To give you an idea about the strength I have gained I will give you an example. The day I got my hard cast off I could only pointe 2 pounds (my PT’s have this super cool device that you push on in any direction (pointe, flex, sickle, wing) and it will measure your strength). I think the last time they measured me I pointed 68 pounds. Pretty cool I think.

Anyways, I have been taking ballet class and I am doing almost all the jumps in class. I am still taking a lot of care for big jumps. Any jump landing on one leg is also an area where I want to make sure I am not overdoing it. I have been taking barre on pointe for the last 2 weeks and that has been going well. The first couple times on pointe it was very difficult to get over my box, but every day I gained more flexibility and more strength. Last week I started to do a few combinations in the center, and not too many turns right away. By Thursday of last week I did more turns and then needed to take it a little easier on Friday. There is a fine balance between needing to push it, but also wanting to make sure I am not causing too much swelling.

I have been doing physical therapy 3 times a week and of course doing the exercises on my own as well. Ice is still my best friend right now. I have started doing contrast baths before ballet class in the morning. Ice bath, hot bath 3 times. I am told this is another technique used to help reduce swelling. If I know that I am going to class or do something else physical, I will finish with heat, but if I am just going to be hanging out at home doing homework, I will finish with ice. In physical therapy we have been doing calf raises off a step with added weight (single and double leg), bosu ball, half foam roller stability exercises, ruber wobbly things, trampoline, wobble board, quick fire jumps and relves, tons of theara band exercises, manual stretching, pool jumping, and a lot more scar tissue massage. The one thing the doctor recommended more of when I saw him 2 weeks ago was working out that scar tissue. It is not fun, but it needs to be worked out.

It is nice to feel more like yourself again. I get excited every day, because I know that I will dance again. I think the day I got my hard cast off was the hardest day. That was the one day where I doubted my own ability and getting better seemed impossible. Don’t doubt yourself or give up, because those days will pass and you will get stronger. If you go through something like this don’t let those hard days bring you down. I’d say a positive attitude can improve anyone’s recovery exponentially.

XOXO,

Michelle”