Thursday, November 30, 2006

accident

i walked down two flights of stairs today, by accident. i didn't realize what i was doing till i reached the bottom step and reached down with my right leg, supporting my full weight through my left leg. walking down stairs is a "week 6 at the earliest activity" my physio said. i don't really like her, she it too scared to work. Im not saying push my leg, i don't want to push my leg, i want to heal, i don't need to be in the olympics in august (though it would be cool). im saying work at the level my body is wanting to work at. I didn't even realize i left my cane at physio today till i got to the bus stop (5 min walk) and had to walk back to get it. I walked down two flights of stairs not thinking, okay lets see how we go but thinking, okay i can go the the grad house drop of my bag, then go pick up some dinner, then work on the couches manuscript. I do think its amazing, we measured this morning: 134 degrees flexion -3 degrees extension (im already hyperextending my knee) and tomorrow ill be three weeks post semitendenosis ACl reconstruction. My incisions are completely sealed, and scar tissue is starting to breakdown. inflammation is almost back to normal. There was some serious atropheeing of the quad and hamstring, but they are already coming back...the calf too. i can leg press 50 lbs 3x10 reps. balance on a wobble board on my operated leg. its been over a week since i took my last pain killer. i can bike to school. What a team i have in this healing. From the pre-op with all its positive energy, the team that had nothing but solutions and ideas. To my surgeon and his operating team. To the post op nurses who let my mum stay and help me through the hardest night of the whole process. To my brothers for providing a fabulous football game while I was to drugged to watch tv. To Nathan and Sean who came from Windsor to babysit, and Michelle who came for a sleep over. Julia, who provided my post-op on-call nursing. Margeurite, my amazing energizer, Healing Touch theraphist, who energized my body and environment, reminding me to stay centred calm and at peace. Dani for doing an application that prolly would have taken a week in one day. Nombuso and Annette for writing letters of ref with 3 hours notice. Mum and dad for driving me back to windsor. And here, my teachers for being patient with my convalescence, everyone for their love, support and get dancing soons. Its really just been a whole bundle of support for this poor little acl. its funny last june when i hurt it, its seemed like this would be a battle, an ordeal, and yet here i am healing as though im getting over a cold, not a surgery. anyway. Thanks everyone, i guess. Gotta pack up. its home time. lady m

Friday, November 17, 2006

Injury, recovery and patience

It seems that like you my faithful readers, i am learning about patience very quickly. Last Thursday I finally, thirteen months after initial doctor contact, had my ACL fixed up nice. The hole experience was exquisite. the doctors, nurses and various caregivers at the Wellsley Orthopedic hospital were just amazing (well not the post surgery nurses on the floor...they were nice but not very good...but thanks to my amazing mum they didn't have to clean up buckets full of vomit they induced). I'll talk about them later. But post op at home has been fabulous, mum and I have been up to all sorts of mischief, making hats that are too small for anyone, doing physio on the kitchen floor, going for very slow walks to the end of the drive way and back, teaching Shihera to appreciate laser technology, going for walks to the bathroom and up and down the stairs, and watching British comedies about widows doing things like opening theaters and growing pot. There's been tones of narcotic induced nightmares, hallucinations and other scary stuff. I think tylenol will give me nightmares for the rest of my life. Mum says it's like when i was a baby and never went to sleep...well i go to sleep now but i wake up about 70 minutes later each time. and do that about 12 times a day. Well last night i had a lucid dream and slept nearly 5 hours straight. I thought i was going to do that tonite too, but mum just made me an icecream sunday (yea sugar high) 
 But let me tell you, everything happens very slowly right now, sometimes i get excited and ahead of myself and am constantly have to remember, slowly Roo, be patient. Patience is a virtue that i only have for other people, but am quickly learning with myself. I have a healer in my care team (well my whole care team is made up of healers) but i have one in particular, who is giving me healing touch therapy. Wow. what an amazing talent she has. She has taught me so much about listening to my cells and body and talking with them. She has energized me so much to aid my healing at all levels from the inside out. But lots has been up, today i had an amazing show of support from Dani and Nathan to finish my JET application, as well as by Dr Dufresne from the CMHA and Nombuso in supply me with letters of support with 2 hours notice (thank you thank you to both wonderful women). I am so nearly graduated. Sigh. I am gearing up for a new edition of Generation. And Sebastien is playing in the Grey Cup on Sunday (17 BC). I touched base with a love from high school today, oh miss jack beautiful to chat again. See you Dec 8. And hmm i suppose thats enough for now. Have a night all (and not a nightmare)

so long a silence

man im just exhausted. Post to follow