I'm a bad crutcher.

I took yesterday off, which was a phenomenal decision. I went to the pool in the morning and did my regular routine, albeit a bit slower, with some added arm stretching and just plain floating. Rebecca, my original pool PT (though I've been independent in the pool for some time now) noticed that I was struggling with my crutches and, when I got out, had one of the other ladies there give me a little tutorial and fit them better to my height. Yet again I felt a ripple of the dry-land versus aquatic therapy turf war - everything is politics! But I'm definitely glad they took the time to set me right - took the pressure off my ribs and (somewhat) off my shoulders and put it more into my forearms where it belongs. Today at school I made it all the way to the Main Office and back (a distance of approximately 17 miles)! It only took me... a very long time. :)

It seems pretty much impossible for people to not ask what happened - I'd put it at about 7%. As such, I've developed a series of one-liner responses, the easiest of which (that I'd resorted to by the end of the debate last night) is "I have to stay off my bum leg for awhile." Also pretty much the most honest answer I can give - I don't even know what it is that's paining me, really. People have been so so nice, though, offering any sort of help I might need, and for once I'm going to be taking it! My usual staunchly-independent "Oh no, I'm fine" is out the window!

Doing stuff around the house is a real challenge. For the first time I'm cursing the shotgun layout of my apartment, though I'm getting really good at thinking ahead (I've got plenty of time on my hands!) about what I need from where and how I can get it there. My bed has become the way station for everything, since I can toss things onto it from any room. Brilliant! The ladies of hipwomen were kind enough to suggest a walker (which hadn't even occurred to me), which you can hitch baskets and holsters and such to, for stuff around the house, especially meal preparation. I'm looking forward to a non-sandwich-based meal for a change. What I'd REALLY like (and what Van Deren also thought of, since we're both such great minds) is one of these!



Yesterday in the shower I involuntarily made what can be best described as a James Brown Sound (as in, "UNH, git back!") and giggled hysterically for a good 20 minutes. You have to laugh!