The Healing Process

When reading this article in the Washington Post today I really connected to the reporter's feelings about healing from an injury.

I had double arthoscopic surgery (both knees) on the 12th of January. I was feeling relatively upbeat about my recovery. After a week of couch rest with lots of icing of the knees and gentle hobbling, I was slowly getting back into activity - with gentle modified yoga and then eventually being able to handle some easy biking.

Then on the 23rd of January, I got hit by a car as a pedestrian. Yes really. I was crossing the street at 10 Pm or so in Bethesda - focused on the walk signal to make sure I had enough time to cross. I was moving slowly because of the pain in my knees. And I got hit by a BMW Z3 going about 20 mph. Luckily my knees seemed to have faired the impact well, but my left arm took most of the damage, and I sprained my left wrist (potentially broke a bone in the wrist). There goes being able to do downward dog pose and using yoga as a movement therapy. I officially only have one good limb left.

And now my knees are recovering, but slower than before. I can't just do some yoga to get the endorphin high, to keep the fluids moving in my knees, to reduce the pain. Sure I have other activities that I can do, but considering I can't dance for 6 weeks, it was nice to be able to move to music by doing yoga poses. Now I'm modifying my exercise and recovery yet again. Not including the days off from recovery and work as I was drugged with painkillers and muscle relaxers because of the accident.

Anyway, the article talked about how to handle therapy as set backs happen - often not within my control - how to keep moving forward without guarantees about recovery, and how it feels to be sidelined from the sport or activity that you love.

It's been a challenge, and continues to help me learn patience and have faith that the process will result in be being able to dance again - the one thing I love more than anything else in the world- at some point this spring.