Hi Everyone! I know it has been a while since my last post. I am officially 5 months into my recovery. Although, I haven't reached the halfway point yet, I feel much stronger and have felt some gains in my strength, mobility, and balance. It's easy to jump ahead, but looking back really helps to set up a mental picture as to how far I have come on this journey. Mentally, I feel a little bit more consistent with less road blocks based on the fact that I can do more, but by no means feel like I can do everything that I want to do. Missing out because of injuries is something that can be frustrating. Currently, I have a time limit as to how much walking and standing that I can do before my leg becomes fatigued and starts hurting. Knowing limits and setting realistic expectations has been something I have been trying to navigate. Balancing between strengthening and pushing yourself too hard so that you need to take time off is where I am at currently.
It seems like each stage of recovery poses its new challenges as well as mental and emotional barriers to overcome. Trusting your strength and ability in trying new challenging exercises is one. I recently have taken off my boot, which in ways has served as a crutch. Honestly, it was really terrifying and the fear of re-injuring myself was prevalent. I know that everyone at physical therapy is encouraging, but it is something that I can only overcome myself. The fear that you could end up re-injuring yourself is sometimes strong and prohibits us from pushing to the next level through wavering trust in ourselves that we are ready to perform the task at hand. It's a weird feeling moving or performing exercises that you haven't done in months. Especially with this particular injury, you can feel the tendon coming alive and it gives off a weird tingly sensation. Although, once you are able to overcome the different obstacles faced in recovery, it is truly a freeing and rewarding feeling being able to feel your strength coming back and regaining more independence. Letting go is definitely the hard part, but always proves to be worth it. It still amazes me how powerful our minds and bodies are and how much the link between the two influences our performance.
To change the subject, from experience it seems like negative things come in pairs. At least that is what this particular journey has felt like. Throughout this process, it has been difficult emotionally because I lost my dog Bella, who has been with me for many experiences, milestones, and wonderful memories. I miss Bella everyday and recently rescued another dog named Tank. Tank has brought some new life and positive energy into the house, but has been a bit of a handful as well, which has made it difficult to write. Blending two dogs together definitely takes time, patience, and awareness. Now that Tank has settled in his new surroundings and with Rocko and I have made some strides in my recovery, it felt like the right time to post. It is amazing how much our pets can influence our emotions and journeys. This new energy has provided me with another level of support and love that makes me smile and laugh everyday. Being able to keep up with both my dogs is a goal that I am striving to achieve. :) Finding something to alter your mindset and gain new perspective towards your journey can be helpful and rewarding.
"The ladder of success must be set upon something solid before you can start to climb."
Until we speak again! Ciao
No comments:
Post a Comment