18 Weeks...back to work

I returned to work on the 19th for a 48-hour shift. Finally.

I was definitely lost when it came to my routine and rhythm of firefighting. The first time I went to put on my bunker gear, everything felt "off." It took me much longer than the other guys, and my gear did not fit! I had gained some weight during the injury, and my bunker pants were still set for my pre-injury abdomen. Man...was that tight!

The only other issue with the gear....I could not get my boot off! The scar tissue is so thick, that it change the shape of my ankle. Now, I struggle to get my fire boots off. I could get in them easy enough, but getting out I actually needed my Captain to help me get the boots off! Embarrassing, but that's the way it's going to be for a long time.

My foot got tired the first day of the shift, but felt pretty good on the second day. I forgot how physically demanding the job is. My first day back and we had 3 hours of vehicle extrication training in blowing snow and wind. Wow! When we finished, I felt exhausted. My ankle hurt and my cardio was screaming at me. I'm definitely out of shape for my return.

The second day I was able to get two solid workouts in, and we did not run a bunch of calls. So, I was able to rest the ankle and foot throughout the day and had a better day because of it. We ran a medical and and a car fire, and I felt good on both.

I need to get back to where I was fitness wise prior to getting hurt. Overall, it felt good to be back hanging in the house with the guys.

I'll keep writing about my comeback up until the 1-year anniversary of the injury.