Or on the Upper West Side of Manhattan...
The phrase that keeps running through my mind is "take it easy."
Which is exactly what I didn't do in my quest to recover quickly. Since my recovery was going so well, why not push harder? I ignored common sense, my own long orthopedic history and kept pushing. Not a wise decision. Another lesson learned is to not try and push through pain.
About ten days ago I noticed that my knee hurt when I walked. One of my physical therapists diagnosed it as a shin splint and gave me stretches to do. I did them, but didn't cut down on my walking. By the end of last week, my right leg hurt from my knee to my ankle. I explained this to my primary physical therapist who diagnosed me with tendonitis. His prescription: ice my knee and "take it easy," which is how the Eagles came to semi-permanently reside in my head.
Three days later the pain has considerably faded, but I've also cut my walking down to an average of one mile a day and brought out my ice packs several times a day. As eager as I was to stop using my cane I've decided it's my best friend these days and I will use it as long as I need to. I'd forgotten that the primary lesson of recovery states that recovery is not linear and there are steps forward and steps backward.
I'd also ignored one of the primary lessons of life:
"the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong,"
Ecclesiastes 9:11
So I'm a little less swift these days. I'm listening to the Eagles and once again learning to take it easy. Honestly, I'm not sad about the setback. It's really a tiny one in the total arc of recovery.
The photograph above is from a mural done as part of the CityArts Program. It illustrates the poem, "Revolutionary Petunia," by Alice Walker. It's four blocks from where I live and it was part of my walk on Saturday.
I hope you're taking it easy, too, and enjoying the longer days and more light. As ever, thanks for visiting and take care.
10 comments
My siblings and I were actually ‘Standing on a corner in Winslow Arizona’.....last October. I lived under a rock and had totally missed all the Eagles music - until October 2018! Yes, keep that ‘take it easy’ thought in mind!
We have stood on that corner in Winslow Arizona:) Take it easy dear friend, HUGS!
Life does have a way of teaching us lessons and not all of them are easy ones for sure. I too have learned to take it easy, if I don't, I do regret it. So now I live life in the slow lane, but it's amazing how much more you see. We need to take advice from the turtle, slow and steady wins the way!
take it easy for sure. you don't want that pain to come back.
Sorry that you've had a setback, but happy to know that you're taking things slower now, and letting your body continue to recover.
Funny how our minds are full of confidence and then our bodies cry out and tell us to 'take it easy'!
Smiles :)
~K.
OUCH! Please take good care of 'Super Buttercup' and allow yourself a recess. (Please-and-thank-you!)
I know how hard it is to make yourself slow down. I've had to do that too and it goes against my 'active attitude'! Hope you heal and feel better soon. We'll go for a walk when you feel like it...a shorter and slower walk! And not every day! Sweet hugs, Diane
Love that verse from Ecclesiastes. I was happy to read it again.
And now I'VE got the Eagles in my head.
Its hard to take it easy when we are feeling so good, and recovery has been relatively easy. Lesson learned. You're doing great Carol.
Hope you are doing better.
I have a week of "taking it easy" ahead of me.
Enjoy your week.
M : )
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