Monday, December 20, 2010

Another hurdle down

No food featured today, but instead a mini goal as far as movement was achieved. I was stable enough to be able to get out of the house for the first time in 30 days !  After lifting a bag of groceries and running the vacuum I felt secure enough to attempt the trip outside and to the car. Secure enough, but still very scared  ! We have had snow and there is ice on the ground in spots , and I kept having images of stepping on a patch of black ice, slipping and re- injuring myself all over again . Normally walking is something you just do. After an injury or with aging, walking requires thought as well as movement. How to step, how to step with the terrain involved, how to shift your weight to be stable and secure- it is a phenomenon that you never realize exists  until you find yourself there. And then once you are there you suddenly understand the slow movements and great cautions of some people. However, the only way for it to get better is to face the fear and discomfort and get moving. The first is the worst, so I decided to tempt my brain with the carrot of a Dunkin Donut Gingerbread Latte as the goal. Getting to the car was nervous , achy , but I did it. Then I discovered that I still cannot bend my knee enough on my own to get my leg in the car ( what is that about ????). So my hands helped to get the leg into position ( accompanied by a lot of verbalization of OUCH) , and off we went. I was shocked to find this great big bright thing in the sky as well- I hear it is called The Sun.

Today I will be doing a lot of cooking for Yule/Winter Solstice, and so there will not be any more excursions. The first hurdle has been overcome, and now it's just press on. I am mentally calling this my Couch to Fully Functioning Human Being program !

3 comments:

Leslie said...

Glad you finally got out in the air! I hear you about how deliberate you have to be with walking and moving after an injury. I've found my body kind of is in perpetual cringe/fear and I step like an old lady!

Just breathing fresh bracing air after confinement must have expanded your spirit immeasurably! And I've never had a gingerbread latte from DD but had my first from Starbux last week and was in Heaven! Hang in.

WWSuzi said...

Girl you need some yak traks to put on your shoes/boots!!
Glad your doing more and more everyday.

blessedmama said...

Good job getting outside! What happened to the post I commented on earlier? It's gone and done a disappearing act! Take care. :-)