Time Marches On

Time Marches On
Well, time marches on.
The doctor called with his first opening, July 13th. If an earlier date came open, he would call me.
July 13th, a Friday was the day of my surgery. The soft cast had done its job and protected my foot and ankle until the operation. The doctor had decided not to do this as an out-patient surgery, but felt I would need to be in hospital for a few days.
He was right.
My biggest fear was the lost of my ability to dance. I knew that my foot after surgery would be flat, thanks to the pins, screws and plate in my foot. This would finish my ministry as a worship dancer. I couldn't face that and prayed; G-d, if there is any way to restore my foot to full use, please do so...."
My friend Ann got me to the hosptial and I went through prep. Dr. Agnew came in about 45 minutes before the surgery to inform me that a fresh tissue graft had came in and that it would be used to rebuild my achilles' tendon. Dr.Agnew said this would-if I was willing to do the painful PT to get back upon my feet-give me full use of my ankle and foot. Praise G-d! I would indeed dance again!
The surgery took longer than the doctor thought it would. He had to cut my now hair thin tendon and using a soft skin graft, rebuilded my tendon. Also I would be on a morhpine drip for pain. Since I have asthma, the morhpine could trigger an attack, I would have to be closely watched.
The surgery floor send word that there were no rooms. I heard Dr.Agnew yell; "find one! she isn't going home until at least Sunday!"
The next I remember is the orderlies moving me. One told me that thanks to my doctor, I was being placed in a room that is used only by V.I.Ps. WOW!
Well, it is a good thing my doctor insisted I stay, because I was in so much pain I was in tears. And I am not one given to tears. The morphine had to be increased.
After a few days, I was up and about. Slowly. For the next four weeks I had to use a wheelchair. I had already rearranged my apartment so that a temporary water closet was made in my storeage room. By Sunday, I was feeling so much better, in pain, but I still needed the pain medication, but not as much.
Once I was permitted to start using crutches, I went through PT. My therapist decided considering my life style, it would be best for me to go my first eight weeks of PT in the pool of the YMCA. Then the last four weeks at the PT Center. In most cases, aquatherapy is a relativley cheap form of therapy. Unlike massage therapy, traction or electronic stimulation, doesn't just relax the muscles, it helps to condition and strengthen them and also improves flexibility. On the other hand, it is much gentler than standard physical therapy and relaxes and massages the muscles as it restrains them.
Water doesn't have the shock valve as cement, tile and wood and because there is no weigh in water, you are able to workout with injury. Unless you drown....
http://www.aquawellness.com/Neue%20Website/englisch/index.html
So for eight weeks, I would work out three times at the pool. Then after that, four weeks at the gym. Because I was recovering from surgery, I didn't see Mark and because he was getting his life together (finding a job, apartment, getting settled in school) we weren't in contact. To be honest, I did think about him from time to time, but my forcus was recovering from tendon repairment surgery. And I was beginning to think Mark thought me just a nice lady, recieved the imformation he needed and moved....
Or for I thought.