Progressing "Ahead of Schedule"

When my physical therapist told me last Thursday that, after just three sessions, he saw me as "progressing ahead of schedule", I felt like an elementary school kid who just got a gold star! Having never really made peace with my body for as long as I have been an adult, it felt nice to have a near-total stranger say that it/I had done something not only right, but "ahead of schedule". It's interesting how something a medical professional may say to dozens of people of week stands out to someone like me.

The countdown is on for when I am due to see my surgeon again (December 9th) and, if all goes well, be cleared to start working again, probably the following week. I am taking brief and careful steps around the house without the CAM boot on, but always with a crutch supporting me and it has been going just fine. Most of the time, of course, I play it straight and wear the boot whenever I am in motion and I still do wear it to bed which is always tempting to "forget" to do. What a mess it makes the covers after a night of flopping from side to side with the RoboCop Megaboot catching on everything!

Anyway, as the start of "back to my real life" gets closer, I find myself especially treasuring the time I have now to myself, to rest, to get things done I would usually put off for months, reconnect with people often and really enjoy these eight lovable creatures in my house: Angie, Jazzy, Little Girl, Winston (the lone male in the group), Gracie, Josephine, Catherine and Abby. They have all, in their own way, made this whole thing bearable and frequently let me know I am not alone. I have been so fortunate to have family and friends who keep tabs on me and a partner who puts up with idiosyncracies I let few people see. So, as we move ahead to the next chapter of walking without an assistive device and also without pain or a limp, getting back to driving again, working full-time, etc., I think I can honestly say there was a lot of good that has come out of something initially devastating. If only that could be true for everyone who goes through such an ordeal!