turning corners

this morning when i got up and walked to the table in the kitchen for scripture study  and then breakfast my arch was quite painful and tender as is usual in the morning. but when i got up to go back towards the bedroom an hour later i learned a new trick.  shorter and quicker steps hurt way less.  i do believe this has helped me turn another corner.

today was another special day.  mireya picked me up around ten thirty and i went to work!  it all started because we were having scheduling difficulties and i told mireya hey, if you pick me up and drop me off i will work with you on wednesday.  but on friday she was like, i don't think you are ready and she felt bad about having me come so she asked hope to come instead.  so i thought i wasn't coming.  "it probably is too soon" i thought to myself.  but then this morning mireya texted me and said she could come and get me part way through the day.  later she told me that she realized maybe i wanted to come for a visit.  on my part i had a feeling that it would be good for me to walk more than i would otherwise at home so i said yes.

i did my first 40 minutes in a shoe, making sure to walk at least 2 times during shoe time.  the weird thing about wearing a shoe is how light foot feels.  and unfettered.  but also unstable and wobbly.

i gathered my shoes, and other foot things i might need, including tylenol  and a pillow, and i gave myself enough time to water plants on my way out.  mireya came around the corner just as i was watering the last plant.  i asked her drive straight down the grass and as she was doing that i made my way down the stairs.  when she backed in i noticed someone in the back seat but couldn't tell who it was.  when i opened the door i saw it was karim.  they both said "surprise!" and mireya handed me a mango smoothie from mcdonald's.  whenever they all get coffee, they get me a mango smoothie.  karim had been quite disappointed the day before when he found out that i wasn't coming and just happened to be walking by when mireya was leaving to come get me and she asked if he wanted to come.  he jumped at the chance and even gave mireya directions to my place.  he says when mom and dad move downstairs he's going to come over and do crosswords with dad. 

so we went on our way to pathways rejoicing.  mireya let me off at the front door because that elevator is the shortest walk.  karim came with me, carrying my pillow and bag of shoes.  we walked in, took the elevator up and rang the doorbell because my work keys are in my car which is with 'mighty h'.  hope let us in.  everyone cheered me on as i walked in and across the office to a chair.  barb took a video. and i worked.  and sometimes i walked.  other times i scooted in a chair.  i did my second shoe wearing which entailed walking to the washroom and back in a teetery tottery fashion.  i went upstairs for lunch.  i took a chair down to the elevator and walked from elevator to dining room and took a chair back.  i'm not sure if all these details of where i walked and didn't is super boring or not but maybe one day i'll look back and be glad i recorded it.  or not.  haha.

suffice it to say i did a lot more walking than i have been doing and i did it more confidentially.  and that is a good thing.  something about the good will of friends that really bolstered my spirits too.  i'm glad i had this day at work.

but by the time i walked out to mireya's car and up the stairs to my house i was beat.  and sore. but not a super bad sore.  so it was a good day. 

now i gotta wear a shoe for 40 min.