Turning Points

By jove it's finally happened! 

The turning point I've heard over and over since May of last year. 

"You'll reach a turning point come June!"  "You'll see, come August you'll start zooming along with recovery." "By November you'll be back to a normal healthy person's 100% and find you're able to see a major turning point."

This phrase, which had become dreaded to my ears,  I dare say has finally happened!

I think this photo was taken the first week of March last year.  All I remember of that day was every single bump in the sidewalk.  The belt around my waist is called a gait belt.  Whomever was assisting me would have a hold on that if I started to fall forward or to either side.  I can't imagine that helped the pain or healing process yanking on my waist like that, but I suppose it was far better than falling!

The turning point:

THIRTEEN months later....

This photo was taken last weekend!  For those of you who have walked with me through this process, notice the turned torso...pretty exciting eh?  Even better, as I turned I distinctly remember thinking "I'm not in pain!!!"

I went to my always-up-for-a-challange chiropractor four days later and was met with a much enthusiasm and caution.  I'm going to say there was more enthusiasm than caution.

My report: "I was able to cross country ski on easy-to-difficult trails two days in a row for a total of about six miles!!!  I couldn't believe it!  I was planning on being able to be out for maybe an hour total one day only!  It WAS SO EXCITING!!!!!"

He just beamed along with me saying congratulations as he proceeded to put me back together.   It occurred to me, as my time on the table grew longer and longer, that perhaps I'd messed myself up.  Thankfully, he said it was just lots of "tune-ups" and he's seen lots of progress in the last couple weeks in particular.  Turning points.

Naturally I took all this positive feedback to mean I could go downhill skiing this week in celebration of my birthday (it was another goal I'd wanted to reach.)  Finally, after a back and forth discussion, I relented after he told me I could go if I can do 50-100 turns (to practice exactly what it would be like turning one way then another while going down a run on the slope) in a row.   Bummer.  Just watching him jump, bend, and turn made me cringe!  So next year it is folks.

As I left his office he told me with equal enthusiasm and caution:  "Remember, you've JUST completed the recovery process in the last week and a half.  Now you are entering into the rehab phase."

Silly me, I figured since I've been able to get out and be more active it meant I'm past the rehab phase too! 

Maybe since I still have to take advantage of naturally icing my...um...backside while out, that says something?

Even so, this major turning point is certainly well received and I can finally say what I've wanted to regarding rehab:

BRING IT!