PROGRESSING BUT WHAT'S THAT PAIN?

I am working pretty hard at all of the physical therapy stuff. There is a sharp pain if I tweak my foot inward or it is bumped in certain positions. This pain is very sharp, like a 9 on the 1 to 10 pain scale. It has me a little worried. Other wise things seem to be going predictably.
Today I rode the stationary bicycle at physical therapy. Only for 5 min. But next time longer I am sure. I can walk with out the boot but at some point my ankle feels strange. Hard to explain this feeling - like it might just buckle, not a pain.
Consequently, I stay close to walls and things I can grab on to. I can stand up in the shower and my shower time is cut about in half.

Last night I took the bus for the first time since the accident. I went downtown by myself. Unfortunately, my bus line has changed its schedule stopped running into the evening so I had to take a cab home. It was good to be independent, non the less.

I CAN WALK

Dr. W says my bones have healed very well. I cannot hurt them. What a relief. I can walk as much as I want.
Of course, I could not get any clunking out of my ankle to show him but he says that there is not a tendon going over the metal plate. I can even get out of my big black boot if I want to, depending how things are feeling. First around the house then if I want to go out to dinner or something and wear shoes. Apparently, Dr W does not think the big black book is a fashion statement.

I walked around the park. I can't believe my good fortune. I keep looking for my crutches when I get up from a chair.
I think my work and probably pain will really start now. I was talking to a woman in the doctor's office and she had broken her ankle years before and said it was about a year before it was really normal. That seems to be a typical response. But right now it is just such a luxury to move around with my hands free.

When I took the above picure, our crow was on the wire in our back yard. We could only tell because she sits differently and when looking through binoculars we could see that one foot is a slightly different color. It was odd that she was the lone crow out there, sort of like she was welcoming me home.

IMPATIENCE, NERVOUSNESS AND , YES, PAIN

I had a few very low energy days, Friday thru Sunday. Tired, headachy and generally sullen.

Yesterday, felt good. Today, I realize that my ankle hurts on the inside if I move my foot sideways or bump or twist it (even in its boot) at all. In physical therapy it was making a clunking sound that therapist wasn't quite sure about. She thought the clunking and pain might be from tendon over the metal but really did not know.

Tonight, I couldn't study but did manage to do my homework. I am anxious for Thursday to come, my next doctor's apt. (also my birthday) I hope the pain isn't from the bone not healed properly. Husband expressed irritation at my fussing and worrying about this.

I hate to admit it but I really, really want to get in a car and drive myself somewhere. Shop by myself. Leave the house by myself, just for the hell of it or a cup of coffee. That freedom of getting in a car and doing my stuff , biking and walking being out of the question. This is such an awful American spoiled obnoxious thing but there it is. Look for little old and automatic cars on Craigslist several times a day but don't move on any.

A LOT OF CAWING

This afternoon I fell asleep reading and was awoken by many, many cawing and unhappy crows.

It seemed to go on for a long time. After about 20 min. or so of this Husband looked out the window and there was a red tailed hawk in the top of a tall tree right behind our house.

He looked pretty calm with all that racket. The crows were dive bombing him as well.

He finally moved to another tree, crows following. Around the neighborhood he went.

When we lost track of him we just looked to see where the crows were shooting for and there he was. This went on for quite some time and was a treat for us. We are used to coopers hawks but rarely see a big hawk in our yard.

I like to think that our girl was up there defending her territory with the rest of them.

I started physical therapy this week and will go twice a week for a couple of months.

Work is on my ankle of course, flexing and rotating but also have started stretching my hips.

The good as it is getting out of whack and the bad legs hip to strengthen it for the time when I will be really walking.

I am attending the local community college which is the largest institution of higher education in my state. The bathroom that seems to serve several buildings I believe has one handicapped stall and push buttons to open outer doors. After the first day of school the handicapped stall toilet has been out of order (it has an official looking out of order sign) and the push button for getting out of the bathroom has not worked at all. Glad I am not in my wheelchair anymore.

I have been feeling trapped lately. I would like to just run to the store or the post office or walk to the park with the dog. Husband is very good about taking me places but I would just like to go by myself and be on my own time. This weekend children and grandchildren visited and I went to the store with them. I cruised the isles in one of the little automatic carts, granddaughters assisting and that was fun. I didn't feel like I had to hurry. Those carts are fun and people should but don't always get out of your way. I am going to be much more afraid of those people in those carts in the future.