Chapter 4: The healing Continues...both mind and body!

Check it out: I started walking again! After a 7 weeks of intense relaxation and recovery...my left foot touched the ground again. Woohoo! No, this doesn't mean I'm training for a triathlon, crossfit, or even summer. It just means that I'm officially putting weight on my left leg and learning how to walk normally again. Its the small things in life that make it all worth while. 

My 6 week follow up with Dr. Shubin Stein went great. She was impressed about how I was doing and how strong my leg was after 6 weeks of shutting it down. This picture below to me looks so sad about how atrophied my quads have become, but have no fear because they are still firing! I was instructed to start putting a certain amount of pressure every two days to eventually return to weight bearing with the brace and crutches as support. So far so good: I just take 4x as long to get places. Just when I had the left leg swing non weight bearing gate down, I now have to change it all up! I was actually getting so good that I would walk as quickly as my friends...on my mobilegs. Not normal. 

The last thing I'll say about returning my left foot back to earth is this; I had this revelation that I grew taller. No, really I had to raise my crutches up another notch because my posture had changed! I'm back to the 5'3 I always was! 

6 week check up: check out THOSE screws!

 Along with my physical rehab, I had to mentally check in as well. I went to Baltimore/DC/State College to visit my sisters and Parents. Met up with a few friends along the way. Even had a taste of old bay and Natty Bo in the 410. 

My younger sister has a heart of gold and gets to hang out with this little munchkin all day. How I wish I was 4 years old again...laughing, doing hair and nails all day, and hanging out with my sister...this girl lives the life! Melli and Emily took care of my 'boo- boo' on my leg for a couple days while we made mac and cheese, played princesses and waited for our princes to arrive. Even though they didn't come, we realized that all we needed was each other to be happy!

I then went to Penn State to hang with my parents for a couple days. I'm still rehabbing and taking care of my leg by seeing Saz in the training room at PSU. Home away from home...but this time I'm on the other side of the table...being treated not treating. Penn State will always be a part of me. Sitting outside in 65 degree weather watching the Men's Lax game with my Dad...these days I feel pretty blessed. 

I woke up this morning to the smell of freshly cut grass, sunshine and my Mom! I'm back off to the training room to do rehab...I actually got on the bike yesterday for 20 minutes. besides being out of breath after the first 10, It felt amazing!

Something about taking care of yourself mentally while going through changes physically makes these times a little easier. Thanks to the people in my life and where I've been....who knows where I'll go next!

(no worries NYC...I'm still coming back!)