Look Forward. Be Determined.

I keep looking down at this cast on my left foot, wishing it would disappear.

SPOILER ALERT: January 24th I had surgery to remove a bone spur from my left heel and clean up my achilles after “suffering” from insertional achilles tendinitis the last year and a half.  Dealing with plantar fasciitis for 15 years seemed easy compared to this little situation.

With that said, trust me, I’m not getting too into my feelings for sympathy — I know there are a lot of people who have it a lot worse. Please pray for those people and their families.  For me, ‘this too will pass’ as my mom likes to say.

But for me personally, I am independent and generally do what I want when I want (just ask My Man). I never realized how two legged I was. I love to travel, go for long walks, play tennis, cook, run up and down the stairs with laundry (I do love doing laundry!). Heck – just taking shower standing up would be nice (not sitting on a chair, needing help to get in and out!). (Wait, I just reread this — this sounds like a match.com bio!).

Right now I can’t do much without a scooter (my mom named him Stanley: he is heavy and has a zero turning radius) or crutches (I’m a SPAZ – God didn’t give me the coordination gene to use crutches). I don’t feel sorry for myself – like I said, many have it way worse.

It’s just so weird for me to not be out and about. Doing anything and everything. Maybe in the long run this will be good for me. I’m learning patience. I’m learning self-love. I’m learning that staying in my bedroom for eight straight days might seem CRAZY, but it’s how you heal your heel! I also learned how amazing my parents are and how funny they can be (that’s another blog!).

Looking back through my pictures from the last few years, I found the photo below from a weekend we celebrated our anniversary in Sarasota. I was paddle boarding out in Tampa Bay. That morning there were some dolphins in the water swimming near me; and I was so excited. I also remember at one point, I stopped paying attention and fell off the back – laughing.

Maybe I should print this photo and glue it to my cast with these words: Look Forward and Be Determined.

Ten weeks from now is a long time (another month in the cast, six weeks in a boot), but I promise when I can put two shoes on again, I’ll make it worth it! I will go workout out in the morning (no snooze button here!).  I will take the stairs.  I will park far away from a building; and walk some extra steps. I will hold the door for someone with crutches.  I will smile big at those in a wheelchair, traveling alone at the airport.  I will be a better human because I will have a better foot; and I will be happily using BOTH of them. 🦶❤️