Wednesday, July 09, 2008

Cane You Help Me?


Okay so the title of this blog is a play on words. It’s actually an update on the progress I’ve made since hip surgery and the complications that arose. I now have a new fashion accessory, a cane. To be honest most of the time around the house and the radio station I don’t use it and have been walking around in public without it most of the time.

The cane has become my security blanket. My balance and stride are much better, but at times when I really push myself during a long day I get tired. About a month ago I fell in my home and landed knee first on the leg I had the surgery on. No apparent injuries until the next day after work when I tried to pull my shoe off that foot and found it had swelled up a bit and I had a slight sprain to a finger I apparently suffered that when I tried to catch myself on the way down. I didn’t go to the doctor for the fall.

Since then things have gotten much better. Now I’m to the point where I wonder just how much I need the cane. The folks at therapy told me when I ended therapy that I’d know when I no longer need it. Since I still have some doubts I’m guessing it’s still required.

One thing I have found is that the cane elicits sympathy. People are more courteous when they see a cane being used or in your shopping cart. It would be easy to use that sympathy to my advantage, but I haven’t been. It’s not right. Once I’m rid of it I’ll have to get used to being treated as just another person on the street. I can hardly wait.

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