Despite suspicions of many a colleague, the timing of my FMLA leave for knee surgery was not planned to coincide with the March Slice of Life challenge. Everyone from the mailman to my regular cashier at the grocery store would ask when that knee was going to get better. The surgeon even gave me stink eye when he found out I was using just my own two legs to walk around the last six months. So it was time, and it just so nicely fit in for me to slice the world away from my couch. Or so I thought.
I’ve been looking forward to this first day of March and getting to embark on this writing extravaganza. The comments. The posts. The community. The stories. It will keep you floating through the month. If you have done this before then you know how different you feel the month of March. How your world gets simultaneously so big and yet so small. If you haven’t done this before then we will talk later. Enjoy it.
So I’ve been envisioning that I would have all this time to be laid up, leg elevated and icing, writing and commenting away. Humph.
I awake in the morning and test if the waves in the head from the meds settled. If so, then it’s a good day. I might get some writing done.
Then it’s time to hobble down the hall and without revealing TMI, let’s just say balancing through your morning routine takes a while.
I then proceed to follow the routine of the day:
- Eat
- Meds
- Physical Therapy exercises
- Get crunched into the machine that bends my knee for me (can’t do that on my own yet) for 2 hours
- Ice
- Physical Therapy exercises
- Leisure activity (if the waves are quiet I read. This month I shall write and comment.)
- Eat
- Meds (not the hard kind but the get you through to the hard kind)
Rinse and repeat a few times. Three times a week I throw in a physical torture session that leaves me feeling like I need to invest in one of those ice bath tubs.
While I’m losing a whole world of slices from being a functional working member of society, I’m gaining a lot of slices with this new temporary lifestyle. I spend a lot of time with the husband, the daughter, and the physical therapist. That’s about it. So far they are providing a wealth of material (I’m sure they’re thrilled).
I look forward to meeting new friends through their stories and touching base with old friends through theirs.
Here’s to March.
Live, Love, Teach 
Where do I begin my love for this slice? I totally get that you think you’re going to have all this dedicated time to slice and the voila! Gone! Two big moments for me as I read….First – the line about your world getting simultaneously bigger and smaller when you slice. So. True. Wow. Second – LOL when you spoke of your husband, daughter and therapist giving you a wealth of material to slice about. I wonder – do our people know that we’re watching them closely during this month of March for this very reason? So funny. So true. Keep up the therapy (both the writing and the physical!)
Here’s to a speedy recovery!
It’s fun to click on a slice and then recognize a familiar face when I arrive at the blog. I’ve always loved your dangling worm. Happy healing and happy slicing!
Ouch! I can feel those crunches and knee bends. Pain has a way of consuming time, and recovery from surgery isn’t like it was in days of yore when nurses and doctors encouraged the patient to languish in quiet repose. Now you’re barely out of the operating room before they have you doing jumping jacks! Meanies. Every. One.
Best wishes for a speedy recovery.
I know about that leg crunching machine! My daughter went through this a few years back. There is light. I’m so glad to see you and will be checking in on your progress. Love to you!
I think I may have teased you a time or two regarding this very thing. I love this so much because it puts everything in real perspective.
Quote….”
1,Eat
2.Meds
3.Physical Therapy exercises
4.Get crunched into the machine that bends my knee for me (can’t do that on my own yet) for 2 hours
5.Ice
6.Physical Therapy exercises
7.Leisure activity (if the waves are quiet I read. This month I shall write and comment.)
8.Eat
9.Meds (not the hard kind but the get you through to the hard kind)”
That’s the real deal. Love your slice…..get well soon PLEASE.
I can’t wait to read your slices this month! It will be inspiring to hear some “home” stories! We will hobble through this fun month together (see what I did there…)
Feel better!
I will be checking back in to see what else your forced couch sitting is revealing to you. It’s amazing what these kinds of situations can teach us.
Kim: this is great! Didn’t know you had a blog. Hope your days are getting better and following doc’s orders, etc. I know Brian and Maddie are taking good care of you. Of course Xenia is hovering about, I’m sure! Love you, dear heart! xoxo
So funny! I first saw your name and thought, it couldn’t be. Forgot I put this out into my “other” world. Thinking of you and as soon as I can hobble on my own a road trip will be bringing you a big old hug! xoxo
You are going through a lot right now. I hope that writing can be a good therapy for you. Hope you heal quickly.
Ohhhh that couldn’t have worked out any better for you to be able to spend this time recovering and also blogging! Hope you get better real soon, but for now enjoy your rest and relaxation as much as you can!
Oh, so glad to see you again. Glad you have more time to write and respond this month. There is just a tad of jealousy on my part. Healing of a knee and emersion into writing and responding–not too bad!
Kim, your surgery and recovery sound horrific. I’m sorry and hope you heal sooner rather than later.
I hope each passing day is a little bit better.
Hang in there, sis! We love you — and you’re doing GREAT!!! MUAH!
Come back to me soon. I need therapy of my own and you’re the one that supplies the antidote 🙂 You are a big part of my world, Kim!
March certainly does feel different! I’m sorry you can’t just read and write all day, but I hope that once you’re done with this recovery your knee is as good as new. I look forward to reading more of your writing!
I so relate to having to do the physical therapy thing. It does get better. I promise. Soon you’ll be back and running around the building again.
Cheers to new experiences. New inspirations!
^^posted too quickly!!!
Good luck with recovery and with writing! Interested to see how the two collaborate this month for you. Stay positive and strong!
“How your world gets simultaneously so big and yet so small.” LOVE.
I just asked you how your knew was doing on my blog, and then hopped over and read about it on yours. So much pain. I’m sorry. If you ever need a Starbucks delivery to get you through, just let me know. Rumor has it you are within delivery range. 🙂
Yikes! And here I thought you’d be kicked back on the sofa reading. Hang in there, Kim. Hopefully your recovery time will be faster than anticipated. Looking forward to reading your slices!
Your list is hilarious, yet awful. Sucks to hear your laid up but great recovery month, indeed. Nice to see you here again 🙂