Today is day 26 of being broken.
I’m learning lessons in patience and slow movements as my healing bones allow. Was there something else I’m supposed to learn from this experience? Is there some deep meaningful life-lesson that I am supposed to learn from this accident? Well, other than if you ride too fast you’ll get hurt or break some bones. That one I got.
Everyday I can do something that I could not do the day before. On Saturday, I laid out my yoga mat and tried some poses gingerly. I can do a slow sun salutation, sort of, and child’s pose. Some poses work, others don’t right now. I can sit cross-legged on the floor now. From not being able to turn in my bed the first night following my accident, for me to be able to sit down on the floor with crossed legs is such a big achievement. Maybe the big lesson is that I appreciate my body’s amazing ability to fix itself?
Each day I navigate the stairs a little easier. Yesterday I walked laps between two light poles on the street with one crutch. I’m sure the people that passed me wondered why I was beaming with pride when I was limping along from one light pole to the next. Maybe the big lesson is to appreciate the view from my sidewalk?
My best adventure so far has been going to the pool. Any escape from Cripple-Ass Island is a thrill for me, but going to the pool is a whole new level of freedom. In the water I can walk unaided, and I’ve been able to swim the width of the pool. The broken side can kick, but more like a little flutter than a real kick. I can tread water and when I’m standing in waist deep water, I have almost a full range of motion on the bad side. It’s pain free to test that range of motion and work the muscles to restore it. Maybe the big lesson is that I need to get back into the pool?
I also learned some human nature things yesterday. At the pool, one lady helped carry my bag and then came back to check on me again, to see if I needed a hand or if she could do anything for me. Another lady sighed heavily behind me as I hobbled down the passage to the change-room. I stood aside to let her pass, and she pushed past me impatiently. I hope the big lesson was not for her to learn patience because she just flunked out, big time.
Other things I’ve learned:
- Crutches are great for extending your reach and they double as a weapon
- Being stranded on Cripple-Ass Island, is very cheap. I have spent absolutely no money this month – no coffee money, no bus money, no lunch money, no MEC fix, nothing!
- The sadness I feel in the morning when I see people taking the bus to their regular lives dissipates quite quickly as I spend the morning reading or crocheting.
- There’s a great delight in having the time to watch the leaves fall from the tree outside my window. Each leaf twirls and turns down from the branches in its own, unique dance and I watch them gather on the grass below.
- Not all the cyclists cruise up the hill outside my window: when you look long enough, you also see the ones that are dying climbing that hill.
- Napping every afternoon is truly one of life’s great pleasures.
One of the things I haven’t quite figured out is why people keep asking if I’m bored. Bored? How? I have books and a journal and my computer and at a number of craft projects and Facebook and Twitter? Who has time to be bored? So, no I’m not bored.
The other question people keep asking me is if I will ride again? Will the sun shine again? Of course I’ll ride again – I suspect there’ll be some trepidation at first, but yes I’ll ride again. Whether I’ll forever be a pansy on my bike remains to be seen, but remember I’ve always been a pansy. So really, nothing’s changed.
My inability to do anything akin to a workout (except swim I found out yesterday – yippy!!!) means I sit around a lot dreaming of what it will be like when I can exercise again. It will be so good to move, but it will be so frustrating to be starting from scratch – AGAIN. But then, it will all come back and I’ll be so stoked to train. Am I allowed to use stoked at 44? Probably not, but saying “I’ll be so enthused to train” just isn’t the same. Hopefully remembering the weeks I was unable to move will be great motivation when I’m lazy to exercise. Maybe the big lesson is that I am never allowed to ditch a workout again? OK, who am I kidding? I know this motivation from being broken has a limited shelf life.
I’ve had two adventures to the Quay this week. There was sunshine, pleasant company and good coffee involved on both occasions. So really, I have nothing to complain about. Broken bones are healing, mobility is improving, independence is increasing and my relationship with painkillers becomes more strained all the time. I can see us breaking up soon, but for now, I’ll keep them around on as-needed basis.
I still don’t know yet what the big lesson was, maybe this is one of those situations where I’m getting the test before the lesson. If this healing and mending is the test, I like to think that I’m acing it.
I’m learning lessons in patience and slow movements as my healing bones allow. Was there something else I’m supposed to learn from this experience? Is there some deep meaningful life-lesson that I am supposed to learn from this accident? Well, other than if you ride too fast you’ll get hurt or break some bones. That one I got.
Everyday I can do something that I could not do the day before. On Saturday, I laid out my yoga mat and tried some poses gingerly. I can do a slow sun salutation, sort of, and child’s pose. Some poses work, others don’t right now. I can sit cross-legged on the floor now. From not being able to turn in my bed the first night following my accident, for me to be able to sit down on the floor with crossed legs is such a big achievement. Maybe the big lesson is that I appreciate my body’s amazing ability to fix itself?
Each day I navigate the stairs a little easier. Yesterday I walked laps between two light poles on the street with one crutch. I’m sure the people that passed me wondered why I was beaming with pride when I was limping along from one light pole to the next. Maybe the big lesson is to appreciate the view from my sidewalk?
My best adventure so far has been going to the pool. Any escape from Cripple-Ass Island is a thrill for me, but going to the pool is a whole new level of freedom. In the water I can walk unaided, and I’ve been able to swim the width of the pool. The broken side can kick, but more like a little flutter than a real kick. I can tread water and when I’m standing in waist deep water, I have almost a full range of motion on the bad side. It’s pain free to test that range of motion and work the muscles to restore it. Maybe the big lesson is that I need to get back into the pool?
I also learned some human nature things yesterday. At the pool, one lady helped carry my bag and then came back to check on me again, to see if I needed a hand or if she could do anything for me. Another lady sighed heavily behind me as I hobbled down the passage to the change-room. I stood aside to let her pass, and she pushed past me impatiently. I hope the big lesson was not for her to learn patience because she just flunked out, big time.
Other things I’ve learned:
- Crutches are great for extending your reach and they double as a weapon
- Being stranded on Cripple-Ass Island, is very cheap. I have spent absolutely no money this month – no coffee money, no bus money, no lunch money, no MEC fix, nothing!
- The sadness I feel in the morning when I see people taking the bus to their regular lives dissipates quite quickly as I spend the morning reading or crocheting.
- There’s a great delight in having the time to watch the leaves fall from the tree outside my window. Each leaf twirls and turns down from the branches in its own, unique dance and I watch them gather on the grass below.
- Not all the cyclists cruise up the hill outside my window: when you look long enough, you also see the ones that are dying climbing that hill.
- Napping every afternoon is truly one of life’s great pleasures.
One of the things I haven’t quite figured out is why people keep asking if I’m bored. Bored? How? I have books and a journal and my computer and at a number of craft projects and Facebook and Twitter? Who has time to be bored? So, no I’m not bored.
The other question people keep asking me is if I will ride again? Will the sun shine again? Of course I’ll ride again – I suspect there’ll be some trepidation at first, but yes I’ll ride again. Whether I’ll forever be a pansy on my bike remains to be seen, but remember I’ve always been a pansy. So really, nothing’s changed.
My inability to do anything akin to a workout (except swim I found out yesterday – yippy!!!) means I sit around a lot dreaming of what it will be like when I can exercise again. It will be so good to move, but it will be so frustrating to be starting from scratch – AGAIN. But then, it will all come back and I’ll be so stoked to train. Am I allowed to use stoked at 44? Probably not, but saying “I’ll be so enthused to train” just isn’t the same. Hopefully remembering the weeks I was unable to move will be great motivation when I’m lazy to exercise. Maybe the big lesson is that I am never allowed to ditch a workout again? OK, who am I kidding? I know this motivation from being broken has a limited shelf life.
I’ve had two adventures to the Quay this week. There was sunshine, pleasant company and good coffee involved on both occasions. So really, I have nothing to complain about. Broken bones are healing, mobility is improving, independence is increasing and my relationship with painkillers becomes more strained all the time. I can see us breaking up soon, but for now, I’ll keep them around on as-needed basis.
I still don’t know yet what the big lesson was, maybe this is one of those situations where I’m getting the test before the lesson. If this healing and mending is the test, I like to think that I’m acing it.
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