Progress

No blog yesterday, as I'm not feeling the most energetic nor creative these days. I spent most of yesterday sitting as comfortably as I could on the reclining love seat amidst all the amenities my wonderful wife set before me, from magazines, to medications, to drinks on ice, fresh fruit, blankets, laptop computers, remote controls, and telephones. I DID have to get up to go to the bathroom, however. It was there I mostly read while doing small exercises with my leg, like muscle clenches, bending exercises, isometric contractions, and those infamous leg lifts. Who ever knew such basic things could constitute exercise, much less be so difficult and uncomfortable.

What has been annoying through this whole infection process, other than my inability to walk or be comfortable, is the constant sinusoidal ranges of my body's temperature. Continuing from my hospital variations, they are continuing here at home, likely because the the internal battle between good and evil, antibiotics and biotics. At one time, I'm freezing my butt off under three blankets with my teeth chattering with a temperature that has never exceeding 100.1 (Fahrenheit, not Kelvin), then a few hours later, my fever breaks and it feels like I'm in a sauna beneath soaking wet, stinking blankets. The cycle happens at least once a day. It's AFTER the breaking of the daily fever that I, after drying off, finally feel a bit "chippery."

Yesterday, after my wife came home just to make me some soup (she really is the BEST), I was not only very cold, but I was very tired and exhausted (perhaps too many morning leg lifts?), so I decided to take a nap. Three hours later, I woke up as beads of sweat were running into my ears and closed eyes. Both sides of my pillowcase were so wet I could have rung them out. By then, my wife and daughter came home and we had a little family time and a little dinner before they were off again to meet my son at church. I spent the rest of the evening reading and watching an all-new "Ghost Hunters" on the Sci-Fi Channel. By 9:00, I was getting tired again and again starting feeling cold. I didn't argue with my body, so I joined my wife in bed, who was ALSO very tired, for very different reasons.

So that brings me to today, Thursday. My morning today began similarly to yesterday's: waking in pain and discomfort and drenched in sweat. I have, though, already made some good strides today. I actually "snuck" out around 6am in the dark down the long driveway to retrieve the morning paper. For the two deer in my yard where were watching me, it must have sounded like a scene from a horror movie (do deer watch them?), as the awkward cadence of my feet followed by the clicking sounds of my crutches and an occasional moan as my bad leg "stuck." The whole trip took about 6 minutes. Back in the house, I read the paper in only 5 minutes, including the crossword--kind of anticlimactic--but it was still worth the excursion in my book.

After that, I decided to start trying to put some weight on my leg. Yesterday was the first time I was able to put ANY weight on it whatsoever, I'm talking ounces, and today I thought I could build upon that as the antibiotics continue their battle 24/7. As I stood at my little command center in the living room, a crutch under each arm, I slowly began switching weight to my right leg, more and more. I felt my knee lock into place--discomfort but no pain! Pretty soon, I had equal weight on each foot! Woo Hoo! Maybe tomorrow I'd be able to lift my left foot, but for now I was elated. I then tried walking from the living room to the kitchen and back, walking like a normal person, still with the safety net of the crutches beneath my armpits. I made it!

Next, I found my cane. I did the same small familiar route again with only my cane for support. I did it, albeit slowly, without much difficulty. Additionally, I was free to wave to the walls, pick my nose, or pick up my coffee mug with my free hand. Oh, the liberation! Although it's barely 9:00am, today has already been a success in my book. Now I think I'll celebrate my increased mobility independence by sitting down at writing the six letters of recommendation for students who were expecting them this week, letters I expected to write last weekend.

See you tomorrow.