One of the things the PT told me was that I don't walk properly. He said I 'peg along'. I don't use my whole foot. I don't walk heel-toe. So I am trying to focus on that. It is not only a bad habit but because of knee and ankle pain I find it quite uncomfortable. But I am going to slow-walk the hall for 10 minutes and focus on stepping along and not pegging along.
Also, the surgeon said that if I begin all my recovery exercises now the muscles will learn them and know how to do them after the surgery. He said I will recover more quickly. I have been doing them in AM and PM. Last night I added a new one. My body has been complaining about that so I will continue the movement but with fewer repetitions. I am finding muscles I didn't know I had!
I gave up my bike, my ice skates and skis. But I still have my snowshoes. I also have Brandon's as he accompanied me on many a foray in winter's smiling eyes. I believe I will get out on snowshoes again. They have been retired for about 5 years. I also have my old hiking boots. They remind me of Brandon, too. I wore them on all our camping trips. I believe they are good for a few more miles. I hope the PT doesn't tell me they are useless. He has already told me to stop wearing a certain pair of beloved old shoes because they give absolutely no support.

If you love me come to my apartment and wrestle them out of my hands. Then you must burn them... very quickly. Because if I find them I will bring them home. They are the shoes Laura got for me when I visited her several years ago. Annie calls them my gestapo shoes but they are my happy shoes. They still make me smile but they make the PT scowl. They have got to go.