Hey everyone, thanks for tuning in! This week has been a bit of a rollercoaster, with some wins on the physical recovery front, but also a heavy dose of reality. Let’s dive in, shall we?
Thursday started strong with physical therapy. I’m happy to report I breezed through everything with minimal discomfort. Victory! My PT team seems to think I’ll need 8-12 weeks of sessions, but I’m aiming for a speedy recovery and hoping to wrap it up in about six. Fingers crossed! Later at work, I got a call from my dad who is starting his journey to Alaska tomorrow. And then, while I was in a meeting, I received an unexpected call from Dave.
When I returned Dave’s call, he delivered some incredibly sad news. Our old neighbor, also named Dave, had passed away. It was a real shock. He was only ten years older than us, incredibly fit, lived a healthy lifestyle, and had just retired last year. Heartbreaking doesn’t even begin to cover it. I called his widow, Laurie, to offer my condolences. There are no words that truly suffice in moments like these.
In Dave’s memory, I want to share one of my favorite stories about him. One night, our neighbors had a bonfire going in their backyard. Dave was happily feeding the flames, but Laurie was ready for bed. She declared, “One more log! Then you’re done!” Dave, with a mischievous glint in his eye, headed behind the shed, giggling, “I’ll show you ‘one more log’…” He reappeared, practically rolling a massive tree stump towards the fire pit. We all burst out laughing! It took over an hour to burn through that “one more log,” and we had an absolute blast that night. I truly hope Laurie finds comfort in memories like that. Their love was so obvious, and his loss is devastating.
Dinner was easy – leftovers from the previous night’s feast! While Dave made some calls, Albus, our furry friend, was busy barking at absolutely nothing. It’s become a favorite pastime of his lately. I suspect he just needs more exercise, but I’m not exactly in prime dog-walking condition at the moment. However, I’m planning to work on the Fluent Pet button system I bought for him. It’s a button that plays recorded words. A friend told me about a dog that uses hundreds of these buttons to have full conversations. I’m cautiously optimistic that Albus can at least master “outside” and “play.” Wish us luck!
The next morning was my follow-up appointment with the orthopedist. It was time to ditch the summer sundresses! Since my injury happened at the beginning of summer, I’ve been living in those cheap, comfy Amazon dresses. They were perfect for recovery! But fall is arriving early here in Connecticut, and the mornings are getting chilly. So, I broke out some leggings and a top, strapped on my medical boots, and headed to the doctor.
I arrived at the orthopedist’s office in Waterbury (the one with the locker room route to the elevator), and for extra fun, the elevator doors opened *before* we actually reached the second floor. The orthopedist took some X-rays, and while I’m still healing, I got the green light to start walking around with just ankle braces and normal shoes! The braces are mostly for my own peace of mind. Even better news? I’m allowed to drive! Short distances to start, but still, HUZZAH! And it turns out that the unmanned desk with the holiday lights we always pass is actually the medication equipment dispensary. So, they sent us there to pick up the braces on our way out. Unsurprisingly, nobody was there. Dave left me in my wheelchair and went back to the office to see if someone was coming.
While I was waiting, a lady with a walker came out of the elevator. To give her room to pass, Dave had to push me into the nearest corner. Even then, I had to pull my feet back off the footrests to give her the extra inches she needed. Seriously, do architects ever consider accessibility when designing these places?
Anyway, that’s the update for this week. A mixed bag of progress and sadness, but that’s life, right? Thanks for reading, and I’ll keep you posted on the Albus button experiment and my continued recovery!