Status Check

What if this, my current mobility and balance, is as good as it gets?

This past winter was hard in that I didn’t gain any ground. I was going gangbusters in November—able to walk farther, with less tippiness and pedal on the elliptical longer. Each week, seemingly, I hit a new high. I figured I was only a few months (tops!) away from ditching the rollator and just using a cane.

December came and knocked me way the fuck down. I had to work extra intensely hard to keep from losing every last one of those hard-won November victories. In January and February, I snatched back some, not all, of November’s progress. March and April were better still. May has felt like another colossal, disappointing struggle just to stay on this meager plateau.

I just checked the How’m I Doin’ step app on my phone and got a wicked surprise. Yes, this past December was not stellar and my assessment of January and February is accurate. In March though, I actually hit November’s heights again (YEA!) and May? Despite how it’s felt, I’m actually walking/pumping more than I did during November and March’s peaks.

So, apparently I’m back, Babies! I can start dreaming of getting around with a cane versus walker again. YIPPEE! While my strength and endurance is improving, I need to do more about my wonk-ass balance. Perhaps, Doc Plotkin can prescribe another round of outpatient physical therapy with equilibrium improvent as the main focus.

Two years ago, I was in a wheelchair—couldn’t walk at all or climb stairs. Even rolling over in bed was a challenge. My bean surgeon told me that my brain wasn’t communicating with my left leg anymore. I needed to get them talking again. Seemed impossible and yet…here I am.

Here’s more good news—I got weighed at my last check in. I’ve now lost more than 30 of the motherfucking pounds I put on while I was in hospital/rehab hell. I want to shed another 15. As long as I don’t give in to my tempura, lasagna, CAKE, ice cream and fried food (fish and chips,mmmmmmm) cravings, I’ll get there.

But, but, but I WANT cake and I feel like I deserve some. Don’t you?

Lastly, to answer my what if  question—NO this is not the best I'll ever be. It's devastatingly unlikely I'll ever climb Kilimanjaro or run a 10k but, seriously now, was there ever even a wisp of a chance that I'd do either. I mean, honestly, why sweat and struggle to hike up a mountain when I can look at a bunch of lovely pics without tripping over rocks and creating stinky perspiration? And running? For Bast's sake, the lime wedge will fall out of my martini glass if I do that!