The Crutch Dance

Since the accident one thing I hadn’t done was go out to a bar with large amounts of people and actually DRINK. This is scary to a newby on crutches for lots of reasons. 1) What if someone is drunk and knocks my leg? 2) What if there are stairs and its hard to get around? 3) What if my leg starts to hurt? Thankfully, last night I decided to do it anyways. As usual, I learned alot.

What can you do at a BAR on CRUTCHES?

1) Conquer the stairs before you have your first drink. And then it will go smoothly. Once you're settled, stay on one floor of course.

2) Your awesome friends can save you a seat, so when you get there you can immediately sit down

3) You can “crutch dance.” Takes all the awkwardness of dancing away because you look like a complete fool with your crutches anyways. Went the most smoothly to the song “push it”

4) Play the “What do you think happened?” game. Everyone, even strangers, asks. I get pretty sick of telling the sob story. I’ve started to make people guess. I always win.

5) Make other people carry your drinks. Note the picture.. he's not double fisting.

6) Take breaks from the crowds if you start to hurt a bit. Actually turned out to be a great opportunity to have a intimate conversation with whoever stepped away from the crowd to help you (I think we all know is that is)

7) Leave before closing when the rush of people leave to. Gotta be out there to get the first cab so you don’t have to hobble around searching.

8) Of course, don’t do it alone the first time. Have that person there to make sure you’re ok with it all before your try it by yourself.

6 weeks ago when I was in the ambulance on the way to the hospital all I remember saying was “how long is the recovery? how long is the recovery?” Apparently the complete disarrangement of my leg didn’t seem to matter at that point, just the recovery time. The paramedic never answered the questions of course. But I can guarantee you if he had said “ you won’t be out with your friends for 6 more weeks, and even then it will be big struggle” I would have started to cry. Heck, at that point I was still wondering if I was going to run my 20 mile training race that upcoming weekend.

As upsetting as that would have been to hear, no one could have ever explained the fulfillment and happiness I felt once I did it.

What I never stopped to think about before

Blogging? That’s not me, that’s not my thing at all. But… after going through a couple of surgeries on my shin I’m stuck on these crutches for the next few months. After 12 weeks I can start to take the time to learn to walk again. This left me feeling pretty frustrated and stuck. The one thing that does help is looking back over time and see the progress that I’ve made. Here I’ll take the time to track the little things I’m learning to do and also take the time so be thankful for the things in life that I never stopped to think about before…

Because this is my first post I have SO many things to be thankful for.

I’m thankful for the random man named Joel, who swooped me out of the road like prince charming.

Megan… I will never be able to repay for everything she did for me.

I’m thankful for my loving parents and grandparents who will stop their life at any moment for their children.

Pain meds..

My roommate who put up with a month of guests, a messy apartment, and many phases of an unpleasant view of my leg.

Comfy Lulu Lemon sweatpants

All my friends that came and laughed and sat with me.

Railings on stairs, how else would do you push yourself up?

Unlimited bottles of neosporin that get 50 stitch wounds to heal.

Snazzy blue pads that go on your crutches so that I don’t have bruises or calluses on my hands anymore

Leggings still being stylish as tight pants because they fit under my not so sexy boot.

Being able to open doors with my big butt, makes it much easier to get around on my own.

The “crutch jump” probably something my doctor would advise me NOT to do but it sure gets my heart rate up when I do it up and down the hallways.

Quad weights, they give me some muscle in my bum leg.

Last but defiantly not least my wonderful and supportive boyfriend who has been there every step of the way. Never saw me cry before the accident and is now putting out fires every night.

Of course I could do without the Neosporin and railings, but the people that are there to help, I could never do any of this without them.