I Can Walk !!

 
Yes, it's in German, but it doesn't really matter.

The first clip (2:20 minutes) is all you need to watch.

I can walk!

I can walk!

I am permitted to walk and I can do it.

I was worried about both of those things as we drove to see Dr. Boaz this morning.  We were 5 minutes late, which never happens with us.  There were no examining rooms available.  That was unusual, too.

We waited next to the neighbor of another patient - she'd answered the door to find the patient, new to the area, asking for the phone number of a cab company.  Where are you heading? turned into Oh, dear, of course I'll drive you there.  She didn't recognize me until TBG gave me up; suddenly I was awash in blessings and smiles.  

Is there any wonder that we love Tucson and Tucsonans?  We care about one another, friend and stranger and new neighbor alike.

My x-rays were taken and reviewed and brought up on the monitor in the exam room where TBG and I could study them until the doctor arrived.  There is a lot of hardware inside me, denizens.  A lot of hardware.

I have screws from pelvis to pubis.  I have plates held in with what look like garden stakes, those curved ones you use to hold the irrigation tubing in place.  I have flat spots on the right side where the left side has curves.  We saw no crazing, no cracking, no obvious imperfections and then Dr. Boaz joined us and pronounced me fit to walk.

Just like that.  I see no reason why you shouldn't start to walk.  Over our hooting and hollering he smiled and continued to give me instructions: Use the walker at first.  Graduate to a cane in 2-3 weeks.   

After he examined me, moving my femur in my acetabula, I sat as he watched me move my leg from side to side and my foot up and down and left and right and pronounced me fit to drive.

Driving...... freedom..... independence......just thinking about it makes me smile.

And then he was gone, looking forward to seeing me in 5 weeks.  Gone.  Leaving me and my fears and the walker and TBG's face wreathed with joy and concern. It's a look he's perfected over the last 12 weeks.

Slowly, carefully, gently, I put my whole right foot on the ground.  I pushed off with the toe.  

My hip did not disconnect itself from anything.  I did not fall to the ground.  I didn't scream in agony.  I just pushed off with the toe and I was walking.  For the first time since January 8th I was bi-pedal.  

I cried.

TBG still brought the car to the entrance of the building for me.  He still put my walker in the trunk and watched to be sure that my injured leg got safely into the car.  I'm still not strong enough to lift the leg from the ground into the car without my hand or my left toe for assistance.  My glutes and hip flexors and quads and hamstrings are weaker than they need to be.  My aductors and abductors are still enjoying their vacation.  My body/brain connection is wondering what is going on.  

But I am using my leg. 

I have to remember to move carefully.  Dr. Boaz looked me right in the face as he repeated that fact.  I can ease into my mobility without jumping off a cliff on the very first day.  I'm trying to do what needs to be done and to do that well.  I am trying to avoid doing anything extra.  But it is nice to know that I can take better care of myself than I could yesterday.

I can lean over and pick up the remote control from the middle of the bed while I'm standing at the edge.  I can reach the toaster, sitting up there on the 2nd shelf.  No longer can I excuse throwing my clothes on the floor of my closet; I can walk over to the bar and hang things up without worrying about falling on my face.  

Best of all?  I'm driving myself to get a manicure this afternoon before watching the NCAA finals.  All by myself, I'm going out into the world.  

Of course, TBG is coming back from the gym to supervise my departure.  This independence thing is hard for both of us, it seems.