A lot of people ask “So when were you back to normal?” and it’s more like a continuum of essential tasks vs. nice-to-have abilities.

First milestones are things you have to be able to do before getting released from the hospital to go home. Standing up with a walker. Taking a step with a walker. Using the toilet. Going up a few stairs. Basic self-care includes showering, dressing, food. Getting into and out of a chair. Getting into and out of bed. Getting into and out of a car.

Walker to cane in about 7-10 days.

One-month milestones:

• Around 3 weeks, I could walk half a mile to the Coliseum BART into San Francisco, and ride the #1 bus to see my doc for a follow-up visit. Note: a cane alone doesn’t rate a seat on this bus.
• After the first month, I didn’t need the cane anymore. I could carry light things like groceries, do stairs using both legs, hands-free, and put on on a sock without a sock aid.
• At one month, I could get down and up off the floor without posting off a couch on the way, and I could drive. Probably could’ve done it sooner but why bother when Lyft is so convenient?