Today’s Daunting Task… Sunday, November 3, 2024

Sunday, November 3, 2024.

There’s a famous line from the movie “Dirty Dancing” I think we all know… “Nobody puts baby in the corner.” That movie line came to mind as I was in the downstair guest bedroom for the 3^rd day in the row… slightly modified in my head to read “Nobody puts Ken in the downstairs bedroom… time to make a move!”

Being downstairs and basically shuffling between the bed… the bathroom… small desk… and back to the bed… I felt my sanity was slowly drifting away. A change in scenery was needed. Heck… more than needed, it was MANDATED!

However, nestled between my downstairs ‘purgatory’ and new scenery ‘nirvana’ were these… today’s daunting task. 

If you’ve ever been on crutches, you clearly know that stairs and gravity are certainly not your friends.

I stood at the base of these stairs looking upward… wondering how I can most efficiently, and more importantly, SAFELY, traverse these stairs and in the process, EXPAND MY WORLD.

“Crutch-Walking” up the stairs was out. I was barely keeping my balance while ‘crutch-walking’ around the downstairs’ bedroom floor. My goal was to safely traverse these stairs… but how?

BOOT SCOOT TO THE RESCUE!

Picture this:

• Crutches laid upon the stairs lengthwise.
• Me sitting on the second step from bottom with my back facing the upward climb.
• With my 2 arms extended toward the back, my hands grab the next upward level stair and lift myself up to the stair.
• I grab the crutches with my left hand and carefully scoot them up to the next level- hopefully avoiding any scratches on the wooden steps.
• Repeat… repeat… repeat until I reach the top of the stairs.

Mission ‘almost’ accomplished.

Now I must somehow raise myself to my feet while not placing any weight on my right leg. 

I have run 36 Full Marathons and well over 100 Half Marathons… I don’t think I’ve sweat as much as I did that first time ‘boot scooting’ up those stairs.

Finally upright… on the crutches… exploring the second level… life expanded.

There is a saying that we don’t know what we have until it’s gone. Having my ‘easy mobility’ gone is another humbling experience. I quickly become VERY FRUSTRATED in my inability to do simple things I could have easily done just a week prior. 

It takes virtually all my inner strength to keep my temper in check… and I must admit I have failed doing so multiple times. I have yelled, screamed, shouted, cursed… and such releases become only a temporary respite as my obvious situation remains… and will do so for many more months.

I hadn’t realized part of my total recovery would be me also needing to practice my self-control and keeping my temper in check… until now.

Comments? Send me a note at: RupturedRunner@gmail.com.