Four Weeks and Counting

Actually, it's been four weeks and a day since feeling the pop! A month ago today I could barely walk. Now I'm walking without a limp and have regained about 98% of the range of motion. The pain is no longer occupying my every waking thought. But, dammit, there's still some pain there, enough pain to make me know that I'm not ready to get back on the board.

I've finally reached the point where my patience is waning. Thankfully, the pain is stronger than my impatience. I continue to let pain be my guide. I'm able to use the kickboard without pain now, at least when I'm doing a simple scissors kick. There's still no way I can do a frog kick without yelping (which, I suppose, is better than the blood curdling scream I would have made a week ago). Flipturns? Forget about it. I'm afraid of the pain that kind of movement would engender. The bright side is I did consider doing one. Normal movements in the water are becoming less painful. As a result, I'm less fearful.

I'm thinking I will take a good assessment next week. I'll have had seven more days of strengthening and recovery. I just might be ready for a short, easy session. It's something to shoot for. My real goal is to be back on the board for the Doo Dah Surf. Regardless of what anyone says, it's way too much fun to miss. It's not about the surfing at all. For me it's all about the laughter. You see the damndest things when people paddle out in costume. Grand Poobah (Fred Flinstone). Marge Simpson. A guy with a lawn chair and umbrella on his surfboard! It's a riot. Throw the term "kook" around as much as you like. If you're living a life without laughter and fun, shame on you. As serious as I was when I was racing that bike, I still knew how to let go and have fun at times. That's what this event is all about. And I plan to be there.

(I'll have you know it's not easy to surf in pink fuzzy slippers!)