I went to lunch today with my friend Sangita and had almost nothing to say because a vast majority of my time is spent getting ready to exercise, exercising, and resting from exercising. Here are some new highlights and mileposts I've made with my ACL injury:
- I took a shower for the first time since my skiing accident on Dec. 19. Since the accident, I've mostly taken baths. I was afraid of slipping. This is a great topic of conversation. (Not.)
- I noticed I am limping, and I told Evan, my physical therapist, that I thought I was taking shorter strides with my left leg. I told him I hate to limp and he said not limping is a good thing. He said I could a) increase the extension of my left leg (not gonna happen soon) or b) shorten the stride of my right leg. I choose b. While I don't limp anymore (yay!), I am taking freakishly small steps. Small steps seems to be the name of the game here.
- I wore jeans for the first time today since the accident. Prior to today, I wore exercise clothes, a pair of wide legged corduroy pants, or a pair of pants I made for myself. I went to lunch with a friend and decided to "dress up." Yay jeans!
- I did my knee extension exercise with the large rubber band right for the first time last night. Both Jason and Evan from my PT team explained to me that I needed to flex my quadricep as I pull back the rubber band. I understood the concept, but my thigh did not. It was like trying to explain physics to a dog. No matter how well they described it, my thigh didn't get it. Last night, I did it! I felt how Anne Sullivan (me) must have felt when Helen Keller (my thigh) understood the symbol for "water." In that moment, Keller was able to communicate with other people. My thigh can now work with the rest of my body.
- I realize my favorite standing posture is similar to Michelangelo's David: standing straight on my right leg, bending the left. I wonder if David had a torn ACL?
- I went without crutches or a brace this weekend! My dear husband Jack and I have a mutual friend Daphne who tore her ACL a week after I tore mine. "Daphne isn't wearing a brace or using crutches..." he said two weeks ago. Fuck that. I like Daphne, but really Jack? Do you need to compare me to someone else? My friend Sangita tore her ACL years ago and she said I would carry a crutch when I am out in public so I can keep people away from me. After lunch today, she shooed a woman with a toddler away from me. Yay Sangita!
I felt better after my lunch with Sangita. She has a friend with MS who spends a decent part of her week in treatments and therapy. I guess having an illness or injury is a mini-job. I am lucky my injury recovery is a boring job-no chemotherapy or anything too complex--but it is a job nonetheless.
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