Tuesday, July 19, 2011

A little paint...a little wine...a little more wine...

I returned to Painting With A Twist tonight. I hadn't been in over three months because of the injury to my ankle. I couldn't stand that long without incredible pain and swelling so I waited until now to go back. It felt like going home again. I missed my painting...and my painting friends and family!

Tonight's painting was called "Wine for Two" except I made mine "Wine for One," or, as Kristin put it..."Wine for Me." Instead of painting two glasses of wine within the painting, I put only one glass because, quite honestly, I liked the way it looked better with just the one glass. That's the neat thing about PWAT...they recognize that it's your painting and you can make whatever adjustments you want to make. Tonight's artist, Brian, was great. He not only told you what to do but why you do it a certain way. I like that. It makes more sense that way.

Anyway, here's tonight's activity:





Can't wait to go back again!!

Monday, July 11, 2011

I'm no Superman...

All my life I have been "Ms. Overachiever." Some might have been known to call me OCD (my husband). I'm like a bulldog with a bone...I can't stop until the job is done.

Lately I fail to think how my accident two months ago has changed my life. It may be that I can no longer be Ms. Overachiever ::gasp!!:: I have to come to grips with the fact that I am not the same and might NEVER be the same. I may not be able to do some of the things that I have ALWAYS done...at least not in the same way.

Case in point: My daughter asked me to go to IKEA with her on Saturday. Her husband absolutely refuses to go to places like that on a day when almost everybody else is off work and likely to be there as well. I love IKEA so I readily agreed. Kristin knew what she wanted to get so it was going to be "a quick in and out trip." ::insert ridiculous giggle:: Two hours after entering IKEA we left with her purchases. (And I found some stainless steel wine racks that I am going back for!) Did I mention that all this shopping was done with me hobbling around in a fracture boot and on one crutch?? Thought I would get one of the motorized shopping carts when I got inside but they don't have them. What's up with that? Do Swedes not injure themselves and have difficulty walking so that they need a motorized cart? Whatever...no carts.

While shopping at IKEA alone would not have been a problem, I proceeded to come home and clean out the wine room. All the "extras" like bottles, wine sleeves, shipping boxes, packing peanuts, cases of bottles,etc., needed to come out of that room. It was looking junky. But where would I put all that stuff?

Cleaning out the wine room meant that I first had to clean out a closet that I would be using for winery storage. So off to the front bedroom I hobbled and began pulling junk...um, I mean collectibles...out of the closet and putting them in piles for donation, for garage sale and for trash. After moving all that...stuff...around I then trekked back to get the stuff from the wine room and move it into the closet. Once I was done with that I processed the next stage in three different wines.

Of course, I did all this rearranging after being on a step ladder the previous day and cleaning out my hallway bookshelves...three huge shelves packed with books. I stacked and boxed those books for donation and for a trip to Half Price Books.

All of this shopping, cleaning and rearranging on Saturday took me into the late hours of Saturday night. Literally...on my feet all day. While that would not have been a problem three months ago, the events of April 20th changed my life and it was a HUGE PROBLEM for me come Sunday morning. I literally could not put weight on my injured foot for several hours and when I was finally able to put some weight on it there was indescribable pain. This was a huge setback for me...both physically and emotionally. I have to accept that I am no longer physically able to be an Energizer Bunny. When I overdo it...I will pay for it. That hurts. It literally hurts and it hurts my heart.

I'm still a bit tender today. I have a wine tasting this morning and a doctor's appointment this afternoon. Other than that, I believe that I will take it easy today (this said after being up for two hours...unloading and reloading the dishwasher, mopping the kitchen floor, folding a load of laundry, taking Beau outside for his morning potty break,...you get the picture).

While I have to face facts and admit that I'm no Superman...or Superwoman...that doesn't mean I have to crawl in a hole and die. You never know what, or how much, you can do until you try. I'm gonna keep on keeping on...keep on trying. If that means the occasional "Bad Foot Day" then so be it. Somehow I feel that my crutch and I might be lifelong friends that get together occasionally for bonding time. ::sheepish grin::

Friday, July 1, 2011

It's the little things...

Sometimes the smallest of things...things most of us take for granted when we have them...can make the biggest of differences. I'll explain.

Yesterday I had an appointment with my orthopedic surgeon. He was very pleased with...EVERYTHING! My xrays looked good. I had more mobility and flexibility in my ankle than he thought I would have. I can wean myself off the fracture book within two weeks and don't have to wear it at home anymore. All I have to wear is a small ankle brace. I go back in three weeks and the doctor expects me to be walking on my own by then. But the best news of all...I can drive now!! I immediately drove home from the doctor's office. It was great. With the ability to drive comes freedom and independence. Something that I have not had for nine weeks. Plus...I get to drive my new car...one I have already made two payments on! LOL!!

Don't get me wrong. I appreciate my husband so very much. He took great care of me and took me everywhere I needed to go, but I had to ask him to take me places and I felt like a burden...my doing...not his. Driving represents the ultimate freedom. I can go where I want to go when I want to go and don't have to be concerned that someone is tired or has other things to do but is humoring me. Awesomeness!!

I knew I was better. On this last vacation I could actually use my crutch and get into the RV without having to sit on my butt and drag myself up the stairs. I'm so glad that my doctor order physical therapy for me because I truly believe that I would not be this far along without that help. Dr. Z has cautioned me that I will have relapses...that my ankle and foot will swell and be stiff for up to a year. At least I know what I am looking forward to. And guess who is driving herself to her PT appointment next Tuesday! Life is good.