monday musings #3
I started PT last Thursday! It feels so good to be doing things! Yet – it is also hard to do things when the only thing I’ve been doing is keeping my foot elevated for the last 6 weeks. I had read so much of this is mental and that really is true. My first PT activities have included doing the ankle alphabet (literally drawing the letters with my big toe) and dorsiflexion with a band a few times a day to increase mobility and TAKING 20 STEPS AN HOUR!! (in the boot) (on crutches) (at 25%). The steps took me on a journey. First, it’s hard to step down when the whole point wasn’t to step down for weeks and weeks. Next, it’s hard to recognize what 25% pressure feels like. I did the whole thing with the scale and figuring out what it feels like, but it’s hard to know in the moment if I’m putting enough pressure on it. But, all good steps (haha) in the right direction and I’m excited to do more at my 2 PT appointments this week!
Lil Momma had a tween sass-induced tech break for 24 hours this weekend and she and I took it upon ourselves to clean out our main bathroom closet and drawers and redo the organization. She actually enjoys cleaning and organizing when it isn’t her bedroom and we just chatted and cleaned and decluttered and made so many plans for all the fun things we found buried in the mess of the closet. We have cleaning/decluttering spaces weekly on our family’s Summer House Rules and I’m excited we can do this together and have it not be a drag.
We are officially entering “Recital June” and start this weekend off with LM’s voice recital Saturday am and dance pictures both Saturday and Sunday pm. I feel ok about dance pics (even with forgetting a costume last year – oops, sorry tap!), but my stress is all around how I am going to get to her voice recital. The building is not accessible except for either A. a tall, wide staircase (at least 25 small steps) that enters from the street, which is what we are supposed to use OR B. a narrow 15 taller step staircase within the building, which I have special permission to use. Right now in my house, I go up and down the 12 steps between floors on my bottom. For the 3 steps to get on and off our deck to the driveway, I go up on my bottom and down by holding on to the 2 walls and hopping. None of these sound like a dignified way for me to get to this voice recital. But, there’s no way I’m not going. Right now, I am leaning towards the inside stairs and going up on my bottom (hopefully early before anyone sees me) and slowly down hopping…
PS: She is singing “In My Own Little Corner” from Rogers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella and “My Grand Plan” from the Percy Jackson musical.
I’ve been taking this Alzheimer's prevention/nutrition/habits class and had one of the “nuggets” really blow my mind over the weekend. For my vegetable consumption, I am a fan of roasted veggies, raw bell pepper and carrots, etc., but at this point in my life I am not a huge leafy green salad person. They just aren’t my jam. So, in the past, when parts of eating plans and best practices have to do with “have a salad before dinner” or “get your greens in with a salad”, I just become a mental toddler and refuse. “No greens for this girl!” However, what I learned was it’s ok to give myself permission to just get the greens in in a way that feels right for me – even if it’s like a dinosaur grazing and just grabbing a handful to chew down here and there. What? I can do that? See, we have an Aero Garden where I grow herbs and salad greens. Now, every time I walk/crutch by, I just cut off a handful of greens and eat them. It’s a little ridiculous AND I’ve honestly tripled my intake so I am ok with it!
Have you ever given yourself permission to do something you had blocked off as a no in your mind? Is your June calmer than May or just building on the chaos?
Hey, whatever works, in terms of the greens! If it works for you it works for you!
ReplyDeleteYour PT sounds so challenging - like, yes, what IS 25%? Although I'm here for the toe alphabet.
I'm surprised there isn't some other accessible way to get in the building - honestly, that sucks! I'm sorry to hear it! But I'm sure you'll figure it out.
My May and June are all pretty much the same, completely unchaotic! Just a lot of gardening added in the mix, but that's not exactly stressful.
The last few weeks have been busy, busy, busy but things will be a bit calmer the next little while. School's not out until the end of June, so we still have a while to go.
ReplyDeleteI love that song from Cinderella! In my own little corner in my own little chair, I can be whatever I want to be...now I have it going on repeat in my brain :)
Keep up the good work. Though agreed - what is the 25% and how can you gauge that? It's an art, not a science, I suppose.
I had to take a minute to do big toe alphabet. It's pretty entertaining. I guess we know what I'll be doing the next time I have a Zoom call for work.
ReplyDeleteIt's exciting that you're on to the next phase of recovery! Hooray!!!
The end of the school year was a doozy and everyone was busy, busy, busy. It's so nice now that it's over.
Yay for PT and some weighbearing! Did they explain how to know what is 25%??! In whatever case it's a great step (literally) forward for you! And, time passes quickly, even if it may not feel like it right now. I also did may of those exercises when I was still in the boot, and my personal trainer told me to do the alphabet (even way before the stress fracture, for general ankle mobility).
ReplyDeleteI love your way of sneaking in the greens! Leafy greens are great... some are useless but luckily the most nutritious ones (the dark green ones) are the ones that actually taste something.
For now it feels like June will be a calmer month than May, not because of chaos in May (I don't have kids) but because I've done some good reflections during the end of May and come to some conclusions about why I so easily stress out over things, and I have a different focus now.
I remember that the toe alphabet was part of my PT exercise after breaking my ankle. I was supposed to continue doing those exercises to strengthen my ankle... and YET.
ReplyDeleteWhen my friend Bri broke her ankle and had to be non-weight-bearing for a long time, she talked about how scary it was to take that first step in the boot! After not using that leg for so long, it's scary to finally be able to put weight on it. (But 25%?! WHAT?)
I hope you're able to attend some of LM's shows and can figure out an easy way to get inside. That sucks that it's so inaccessible!
Well, your recovery is much harder than mine, but I did the toe alphabet to start with after I sprained my ankle. I would say that since 25% is so vague, it's okay if you just hit around that pressure, using your best judgement. If it were imperative that it be exactly 25%, they wouldn't have sent you on your merry way to figure it out.
ReplyDeleteGood luck to LM and you for the voice recital! All it takes is something like this to realize how important accessibility really is. Can you imagine if this were a permanent situation for you? Anyway... I'm sure you'll make it up, and if someone sees you scooching up on your bottom you can say "hey, it would be nice if this were more accessibly, wouldn't it?"
So happy to find your blog
ReplyDelete... ANDDD thats my boost to get more greens in my daily diet too!!!!
Welcome, Rebecca Jo! I see you in the comments on some of my favorite blogs - thanks for dropping by!! Sorry for the late response, obviously a wild month over here, haha, sigh.
DeleteOooh, you have an Aero Garden? I'll be texting you about that!! :) Also, PT is great but I swear, most of them can't translate what they mean (25%??) to Normal Person Speak.
ReplyDelete