College Memories and Braceless Walking

This is a quick post tonight. I planned to write something earlier but the library was calling and after picking up over a dozen children's books, I no longer had any real desire for writing. Instead I sat on the couch and drank endless cups of coffee and read children's books. It was a good day.

I figured I had a nice quiet evening to work up some children's book posts for the other blog, when Jeff came down the stairs and made me an offer I couldn't refuse. He had his final in night class tonight and asked me if I wanted to have dinner with him. Like I'm ever going to turn down dinner out. Ha! The catch was that we would either have to drive separately or I would have to go down to Drake with him and sit down there for a half hour or so while he took his exam. I opted to go with. I haven't been down to Drake in years and wanted to show him a secret section of the library that I'd discovered (ah the privileges of a librarian).

So after a tasty fast food Chinese dinner we headed down to Drake. He headed to the exam and I found myself a quiet table up by the library to sit and write. At first it seemed like any other place I sit and write but after a while I began to remember things. It's been over ten years since I graduated from Drake. And the memories just came flooding back. It was odd to sit there on campus and think about how young the women and men (and I use those terms loosely) were who walked by. I could almost be their mother. And I thought about how things had changed for me since I was a young college student. I've lost days, weeks, years that I know are not coming back. I've lost a bit of my innocence from that time and I've definitely become a bit more cynical. But I've gained a lot too. I have a new perspective on life and love and work. I've grown to understand a bit more about how the world works and what my place within it is. I've gained experience and knowledge and a bit more calm. And all this came to me as I sat at a table at my alma mater watching the college kids walk past.

It was a good experience and although I felt old sitting there, I was still a bit disappointed when it was time to go. I miss college (I'm an academic at heart) but I think more than anything I miss the freedom and innocence I had back then.

On a completely different note I'm on my second day of brace-free walking and am so incredibly happy that I'm glowing. I spent all yesterday with bare feet enjoying the sensation of carpet under my toes. It's something that has been missing from my life for the last four months. I went to therapy this morning (yes I apparently wasn't finished) and am finally starting to feel normal again. I don't have a lot of pain and so far my walking doesn't seem much different. I've even been walking on grass quite a bit today. So far no issue. I don't think I'll miss this brace.

Bracingly Good News

I meant to write yesterday. I had time to write in the morning but wanted to wait until after my doctor's appointment to do one last post about my recovery. After my appointment I had errands to run, new shoes to buy, and some friends I was meeting for dinner and drinks. I didn't get home until late and after the beer I had with dinner I wasn't feeling very writerly. So no post. And in some ways I'm glad I waited until this morning. I wanted to talk about my appointment but wasn't really sure how to explain the excitement and disappointment it had elicited.

I'm not sure what I was expecting. I hoped to get my boot off. I hoped to see some good healing. I got some of my wishes. I'm mostly healed, mostly. There is still a big gap in the ankle bone that the doctor has decided is either probably not going to heal or will take a good year to heal. But he's not worried about it either. No further corrections needed on that. I also still have a dagger like bone fragment that will probably always be a bit ajar in the back of my foot. But no worries on that either. So I'm healing and stable.

I got rid of the boot only to trade it in for a brace which I'll wear for another month. I'm not to take a step on the foot without the brace and a shoe on. I can sleep with it off but the rest of my walking time I must have it on. I'm not sure how I feel about this. The brace is painful in ways that the boot never was. It's an added element that complicates dressing in the morning or late night bathroom visits. But it also allows me to wear real shoes again. And more importantly it allows me to walk like a human again. I can now walk with a bend to my ankle. I can go up and down steps like a normal person. I'm finally able to really start rehabilitating that ankle.

The big news for me though was that in a month I can get rid of the brace and be fully healed. I can start returning to all of my old activities. I can hopefully stop thinking about my ankle, stop worrying about it. And more importantly I don't have to go back to the doctor. No three month follow-ups. No yearly visits. Done! That may be the best sign I could ask for that I'm healing. I've been released by the doctor. I'll still do Physical Therapy for the next month (only because I begged) but no more x-rays. No more waiting rooms. Done! Three months has never gone so slow and so fast at the same time. Now just one more month to go.