Passing time...

Another week gone already? Time seems to be passing much faster now compared to the first 6-7 weeks post-injury when it seemed to inch by as I crossed off each day to get closer to my weight-bearing date. So, let's maintain perspective: tomorrow is 13 weeks from injury, today marks 12 weeks from surgery, and last Friday marked 5 weeks of weight-bearing.

I can sum up the past week with one word - "down." I've definitely been on the low end of the emotional rollercoaster for the past couple of weeks. In part, I think it's because the gains aren't quite as big as they were initially - weight-bearing, getting out of the boot, losing the crutches, driving, climbing stairs all came pretty quickly in the first 2-3 weeks once I was cleared by the doc. Now, the focus has been on continuing to gain range of motion, rebuilding strength, and developing endurance. The progress is still there and is measurable (range of motion is approaching 10 degrees past 90; walking is up to 15 minutes on treadmill), but I'm not seeing the same kind of qualitative changes as I did a few weeks ago.

After weepy PT sessions last week, I realized I needed to refocus the situation. I was looking too much into the future (when are things going to be "normal" again? when can I run? what marathon can I train for next?), and the planner in me was getting frustrated by the unknown nature of it all. My PT told me in no uncertain terms on Friday that I needed to accept the fact that I had a traumatic injury and did some serious damage to my ankle. It won't be the same again. But, that doesn't mean that I shouldn't fight to regain as much of my former self as possible. Fight for the range of motion. Push for the strength and endurance. I realized that I need to focus on the here and now and what I can do today and what I need to do for tomorrow.

Talk about burying the lead here. My PT let me "run" in his office on Friday. Don't get the wrong idea. It was just a few steps, and it was painful. I'm not sure whether he allowed me to do it because he felt sorry for me in my discouraged state or whether he wanted to get a baseline of where I was (or for me to get the baseline of where I currently am). I've got a long way to go.

We have some exciting events coming up this week which I am looking forward to. Which means that it's time to try getting my foot in regular shoes again, as I really don't want to rock the tennis shoes with a dress look for RP's wedding. The swelling continues to go down, so it's just a matter of finding a shoe that I can get my foot in and walk in comfortably. Fingers crossed something works.

One positive thing that may come out of this whole ordeal is the opportunity to partner up with my PT to do some clinical work with his adult orthopedic patients who need the extra help. With my personal experience and professional skill, I think I can help make a difference for some folks. I know I could have really used a me to help me through this process. I'm by no means giving up my child and adolescent specialty, but working out of his office one day a week would offer good diversity to my practice. We'll see how things evolve over the next few months. I'm open for business as a private pay practice right now, and I am going through the credentialing process with several insurance companies. Hopefully that goes quickly, as it can really extend out up to 4 months. Eek.

On the house front, things have stalled out in terms of getting fully settled in. We've reached that point where the essentials are taken care of so the urgency isn't there. K's doing dial seems to be permanently broken which doesn't help matters. I know I'll feel better once everything is taken care of, but it's hard to do when I get tired so easily after being on my feet and when I'd much rather relax with K than work on the house in the evenings or weekends. So, that housewarming party may not happen until June at this point...