Once Upon A Time...

...in the middle of the 'hood, I had a garden.  The love of my life filled it with flowers and fish for us to enjoy.  It was peaceful and beautiful.  

Happy Dance

I am doing a happy dance!  Had a great visit with my surgeon yesterday, and he freed me from my Velcro prison - as I see fit to do so.  I came right home, stripped off the blasted boot and tried to take my first steps in over three months.  Yeah, that didn't work out so well.  I psyched myself totally out and ended up doing a half shuffle thing for two feet.  But, I guess I set myself up for a mini-fail.  I was in a sock on a not very padded Oriental rug that sits on a ceramic tile floor.  A couple of hours later I put on both of my trusty old Asics and walked around the house.  It was the weirdest sensation that is difficult to describe, and my foot felt as light as a feather.  Today I woke up, put on my shoes and haven't been in the boot all day.  I have also spent the majority of the day sitting around doing some work for the family business and haven't had to walk a ton.  I definitely see myself continuing to use the blasted boot for a few more weeks when I have to do a lot of walking and while working for the majority of the day.    


We did take a trip to the post office and to Publix for some ice cream.  I parked in my gimpy spot, walked in the door by the ice cream aisle, walked down the aisle, picked out my Starbucks ice cream, checked out and walked back to the car.  That was by far one of the hardest parts so far.  I have lost so much muscle mass over the years with all of my ankle issues, and now even more with this latest surgery.  I have very little control over when any type of nerve pain strikes, and there are all sorts of little nagging pains in ligaments, tendons, and very, very weak muscles.  I am also very aware that my walking will be a lot different than before.  I had the large up and down joint in my ankle fused 6 years ago, but still had that next joint down that was able to give me movement and give and take in my walking.  Now I have nothing there.  I'm totally fused down to my heel, and I fear this is going to make learning to walk normally a little more difficult for me this time.  I plan to push myself though - I have to or I fear going down the rabbit hole of the ultimate pity party.


I finished my USF course this week!  Yay for me!  All I have left is my case study and my final exam.  I should have the case study completed by the end of the weekend and then get that final done next week.  Once this class is over, I can dedicate more time to making something out of this blog, because it's quite boring with me just rambling on all the time.  


I haven't ventured out with my camera this week as I had planned.  We had some massive rain the first part of the week and it was just too hectic.  Maybe tomorrow morning while the light is good I can get something in.  Speaking of tomorrow,  I am really looking forward to lunch tomorrow!  My bestie and her husband are coming up and we are planning lunch with her parents on the water!  Should be some fun laughs and a great way to spend a hot, Florida summer afternoon!

Another Week!!!

I am happy to report that I actually followed through and accomplished a couple of my goals from last week.  I totally ditched the crutch AND the cane.  The cane was just not working for me, and I ended up carrying it like little old ladies do and not using it for what it was intended.  I'm able to really get around well this week.  Had some pretty bad nerve regeneration pain this week which I haven't had in awhile, but that just means I'm healing.  I will see my surgeon this Thursday, so hopefully I will be booted from my boot.  This thing is literally a drag.  


I found my desk - for about an hour on Wednesday, but unfortunately lost it again.  It's better than it has been in the last 2 months since returning to work, but still not my normal OCD standards.  I guess I'm destined to be one of those messy work desk people. 


I did not finish my USF course, but I have actually been really sick - still.  So sick that I dragged my ass to the doctor on Thursday morning.  My little allergy attack turned into a nice little sinus  infection.  I'm now taking Amoxicillin and praying my intestines don't turn inside out.


I am figuring out my new phone.  


Spent a few hours checking out some local yard sales yesterday.  Came away with a cool vintage necklace and some clamp lid mason jars that I've been wanting for my buttons and a gift idea for the sister of the love of my life who turns 50 in November.  Today was a lazy day.  We were supposed to hit the Tampa ComiCon, but due to my illness and gimpyness, we settled for Gone With the Wind.  The love of my life has never watched it, so while we still have streaming Netflix, he indulged me and checked it out.  I never get tired of it, but am certain he'll never watch it again.


So for the upcoming week I want to get that USF course completed, get de-booted, start photographing my thrift and yard sale hauls, and get a little better at this blog thing.

Bad Blogger

I've been a bad blogger this week, because I haven't updated with all the exciting milestones and the exciting life I have been leading.  Where the hell is that sarcasm font when you need it.


I've graduated to using one crutch exclusively.  I am really, really wanting to ditch the crutch and use that fancy old person cane I have sitting by the door, but I am using that crutch as a crutch.  It makes me feel safe.


I drove for the first time in almost three months this week!  I am no longer requiring the use of my Sherpa on a daily basis.  Now I get to schlep my own shit into the office every day.  I only hope that the afternoon rain showers stop at 4:30 for at least 3 minutes, because that's how long it takes me to get to my freaking car.   Oh, and I saw the inside of the grocery store for the first time in 3 months - thank goodness they didn't change the layout on me.  


I had another successful company management meeting. I threw an awesome day of education and exciting benchmarks for our over 60 strong management team.  Great fun and laughs were had by all!


I had the BEST weekend with the love of my life.  It doesn't matter what we do or where we go, I just love spending my free time with him.  We had a great day yesterday zig-zagging across the county checking out some yard sales.  We met some very interesting characters, a few of which will certainly make it into my book one day.  Oh and found some really cool vintage stuff!


My goal for the week is to ditch the crutch, use the cane, clean off my disaster zone of a desk, finish my USF course, and keep trying to figure out how to use my new Android phone (I swear if I don't figure it out, I'm going to hang it all up and just get the Jitterbug and some Depends...).

Just Not A Good Day

I don't know what sucks more:


Still being dependent on crutches to walk.


Having a two day allergy attack that lowers my already low immune system and getting a        major cold that has put me down.


Getting stung by a freaking scorpion at 1:30 AM  


OR!!!  


All three!  Yeah, that pretty much sums it for me the last couple of days.  I don't know if I want to laugh or cry or rip the sinus cavities out of my head.

Small Steps

I took small steps today.  


I made the bed without my crutches. 


I walked Murphy out to pee on his favorite tree with just one crutch.  That was kinda scary, and won't be trying that again.


I worked in the kitchen and was able to move around without any crutches.  Same thing with the laundry!


It did not kill me, it did not make me cry, and it didn't really hurt all that much either.  


It was scary as hell, but I did it, and I am proud of me!

Put One Foot In Front of the Other

I was given the clearance to start the walking process on Monday - holy hell is it ever a process.  I guess after not putting any pressure onto an appendage for over 10 weeks that it would take a little while to get used to the walking thing again.  
I do okay with the crutches and a little weight - not enough to really hurt, but enough to know that I'm putting some pressure down on something that is completely different than it was a couple of months ago.  I keep reminding myself that it's not going to happen overnight and continue being patient.
I am so anxious to ditch the crutches, because there are so many things I want to do.  I want to dig out my sewing machine, I want to photograph my flowers and the beautiful tortoises that hang out in the front yard every day, and I want to walk my wee little furry friend Murphy.  It's been so long since we walked together - longer than I can remember.  
I want to stop looking like a dummy at the thrift shops with hangers hanging on my crutches.  I want to get back to making my bed every day and helping the love of my life with house chores and dinner.  I want to drive again and I want to stop my daily fight with the restroom door at work. 

Slow and steady, push myself, but know my limitations, right? 


I think I'll sing some Chubby Checker this week when I practice!