The A.B.C's of Healing

A, for Adaptability, also see Achilles.

So you got your Achilles Tendon cut. Did you know it is the strongest tendon in a human body? Not when it is severed it isn't.

Which leads us to adaptability, the power to adapt to being dependent on the resources around you. You have only one foot and upper body strength, learn how to use the latter!
I strongly suggest if you ever find yourself in the position of having any lower body/leg/foot surgery to invest in some classes that strengthen your core and upper body.
Also, creativity is your friend. Did you know you can zip up your pants if you rest your forehead against the wall thus freeing both your hands? I'm all about the tricks at the moment.

B, is for Bed rest and Balance.

Bed rest (or lounging on the couch) is the main factor in recovery. You want at least 4 pillows for your back and if you have to elevate the injured leg after day 3 you get pretty good at what works.

Balance means to stay upright on one leg and not fall over while doing it. With only one working leg it's a must learn. Yoga never seemed so easy to me now, I might have to see if I can now hold that tree pose when I start going it again. I used to be more in a falling tree pose. Timber!

C, is for crazy.

I willingly let a podiatrist cut my Achilles, I must have been NUTS!

D, is for Depending on.

Up to week 2 my family had been pretty good in caring for me, payback for all the ER trips and the flu/ asthma middle of the night scares I've dealt with in the last 20 years with regards to various family members. However that bubble burst one weekend where not only my son closed the bedroom door ( a soundproofed door by the way) but my calling out wasn't heard.
At first I did a polite 'ahem, ahem' a few times. Then I randomly called some names out. Nothing happened.
It was 10 am and I was hungry!
Finally I called my teenager on her cell phone. Thank you Modern Technology!

E, is for Effort on my part.

Enough said.

F, is for Facebook

Who am I kidding. Farmville, Cafe World, Island Paradise, Farkle and Bejewelled Blitz have saved me from total and utter boredom. And kept my brain from being corrupted by daytime TV. Honestly, how much Judge Judy or talk shows should I watch?
So, YES, I'm coming out and admitting that I am a Facebook junkie!
Early on we bought me a MacBook Pro (insert hearts and smilies here) because I lost the battle over the "family" lap top gifted to the teenager last December. Now I can be online as much as I want.
To counteract Facebook I am blogging and watching back episodes of House Hunters and Food Network on Hulu.

G, is for Growth

I knitted a quite a few meters/yards during the last 4 weeks. I had great intentions to finish a project a week thinking it was do-able.
I assembled a basket, or two, full of unfinished items to sit next to the bed and all I did finish was a pair of fingerless mitts and the remainder of a sock.
I started on fingerless gloves for the Teenager called Knotty Gloves.
Years ago I started on a shrug, that has grown over the last weeks but is no where near to finishing.

H, is for Healing
 A chore that is the toughest, see Patience.

Who knew that by training for walking Half Marathons I'd develop a stronger level of patience? A much needed trait if you have no foot to stand on. Watching time go by slowly while resting is a lot like walking the mileage you need to train for 13.1 miles.

You can complain all you want, but ultimately it's time and no rushing that gets you where you need to be, healing is best done slowly as well.
At the start of this whole surgery/healing process it seemed unsurmountable to me but by taking it an hour/day/week at a time just like taking it a mile/hour at a time the last four weeks have gone by rather rapidly.

Coming soon, the rest of the Alphabet.