First Phase????

Well I am back from the orthopedic surgeon's office. I had new x-rays taken and everything is healing nicely.  In fact the surgeon said - the first phase has gone well.  First phase?  As in more than one phase???  I wasn't aware of additional phases. In my mind....my cast would come off and I would walk out of there a happy woman free and easy and able to carry a cup of coffee!!!!!!! Not so fast.  I have merely graduated to a walking boot cast.  I have to use the walking cast and crutches for the next week or two.  I was also fitted with a brand new awesomely attractive ankle brace!  OOOOH.  I have to wear the ankle brace for the next month all the time, and then the following month I have to wear it any time I am exercising or walking a long distance.  Evidently this beautiful ankle brace can only be worn with a lace up sneaker.  Guess what I don't own? Yep. I don't have a single sneaker!  I know you are thinking HOW can that be possible! Well in the summer I have my most awesome and well loved walking sandals. I LOVE my walking sandals.  I wear them all the time. I wear them hiking. I wear them in the woods. I wear them when I do my 3-5 mile walks.  I love them.  In the winter I wear boots.  See?  No need for sneakers!  Now I need sneakers. I have to wear sneakers for the next TWO months.  NO other shoe is allowed!!! Hmmm. This is not how I envisioned the day going. I also didn't envision that when I stood up when I got down from the examining table that I would almost fall over. I mean in my mind - my leg would hurt and I can deal with that. What I didn't plan for was my leg NOT TO WORK.  I literally lost all my muscle mass in my leg so I have to wear the walking cast to build up some muscle. I also tore the tendon that attaches the Achilles tendon to the calf muscle which still is not healed. I have to use crutches and slowly increase the amount of weight I can put on my leg.  Once I can support my weight fully, then for the next week I have to use my walking cast without crutches and move on to using a cane.  Then I get to graduate to my ankle brace while using a cane for the next 2 weeks and then after that - just the ankle brace for the next 2 months or so.  Does that sound like someone carrying a cup of coffee today?  Does that sound like someone who was ready to throw the crutches up in the attic FOREVER? Hmmmm. Also - remember how I was going to wear REAL JEANS?  Not with the walking boot cast.  Argh.  More skirts. More crutches.  More time.  I had to turn in my fancy knee scooter and say a tearful goodbye.  Now it is just me and my boot and my crutches.  Hobble Hobble Hobble.  PHASE TWO BEGINS!!!!!  I guess I am ready. One two hobble hobble......one hobble at a time!!!!