Slow and Steady... Or Something Like That

I am not a patient person.  I have a habit of pushing too hard, trying to do too much, etc. and the same can definitely be applied to healing from an injury.  Thus far, I've been lucky in life and haven't had to endure any major injuries.... though I've probably jinxed myself now!  Broken bones have been limited to fingers and toes, I've yet to have any major surgeries, and though I was a sickly child, I haven't had to stay the night in hospital for almost 16 years.  So in short, I got off pretty damn easy.  However, I think my relatively injury-free life has made taking things down a notch and letting my foot heal all the more difficult. 

To be perfectly honest, the hardest part by far has been learning to ask for help.  I'm stubbornly independent (or perhaps just plain stubborn) and learning to accept my limitations (and ask favours of others when needed) has been quite challenging.  However, the next most challenging thing would have to be just plain slowing down.  Having to sit still, not go outside to run or ride, not being able to hike, play with my dog, feed the chickens, etc. has been painful, and I think to an extent put me in a bit of a depression.  Even riding lost some of its luster, and when I had to reschedule a barn trip it was an 'oh well' versus 'Oh my god, its the end of the universe'.

However, over the past 72 hours my foot has improved leaps and bounds.  I've ridden WITH STIRRUPS for 3 days in a row, I can now fit my foot in a shoe (with the laces loosened) and I can actually see and feel the blood vessels in my foot.  Yay!  The improvements that have been so slow up to this point are finally starting to show up.  Here comes the hard part though: not rushing it.  For with improvement (at least in my case) comes the tendency to push for more.  Alas, as Karen O'Connor's orthopedic surgeon wisely noted, you can't make bones heal faster, you can only slow them down.  So tomorrow, though the temptation to walk is definitely there, I'll once again be on crutches as I trek from class to class.