Fettered Freedom

Over the past two weeks I have been gradually bearing more weight on my right leg per doctors orders. By Monday or Tuesday of next week I will be full weight bearing. Woo-hoo. Until then I can walk with the use of crutches to help me keep the full weight off my right foot.

I had another ultrasound today to check the breast that had all the problems (see posts from January or February if you want the gory details). Everything checked out fine, slightly improved. This time I don't have to go back for six more months - and if I'm good I will go in on time and not put it off like I did this last appointment that I was supposed to have scheduled for last month. I was just DONE with going to the doctor. I have to go for my foot and if Gavin needs something I'll take him but unless I turn purple or something looks like it's going to fall off I refuse to go to the doctor. Sheesh. I think I've fit a lifetime of medical visits in the first quarter of this year alone.

Are you curious about my freedom? We figured a way that I can leave the house with Gavin. Safely leave the house with Gavin. Now that I can walk down the stairs using both feet I realized I can put Gavin in the Ergo carrier and walk down the stairs, across the walk, down the second set of stairs, across the sidewalk and grassy strip to the car.

Ryan took me to the doctor's office today for my ultrasound and I was able to drive home - by MYSELF!!! To celebrate my freedom I went through the Starbucks drive-through for a single Americano and called my mom. When she asked me what I was doing I said, "I'm DRIVING!!!".

The real test for my freedom came when I arrived home.

Able to get out of the car - check

Able to get crutches out of the car - check

Able to put baby in the Ergo carrier - check

Able to carry grocery bag in left hand while holding left crutch - check

Able to carry coffee in right hand - No. I didn't even try. I left it on top of the car for a second trip.

Able to walk, crutch, carry baby and grocery bag simultaneously - check.

I did manage to carry Gavin and bag but it was a slow process.

S-L-O-W

Really, really slow.

After each step I stopped, centered myself and continued with the next step. Just as I reached the first set of stairs a woman scurried up to me and offered her assistance. I gladly handed her the bag of groceries as I made my way up the stairs; slowly made my way up the stairs. Even in my super slow-mo trek I still managed to lose my right crutch in a tangle of poppies that were trying to take over the staircase. The crutch fell and I stopped, the woman gasped. She picked up the crutch, I thanked her, and we continued up the stairs.

I thanked the woman profusely for her kindness and told her I would go put that baby in the house and come back out for the groceries if she would just leave them on the stairs - my plan the whole time. The woman was so nice - as I made my way in the house I looked up to see the woman get in her car and drive off. This woman pulled over just to help me. Isn't that so sweet!?

Once inside I put Gavin on the floor to play with some toys then I brought in the groceries and made a third trip for my coffee. Carrying coffee while using crutches is not the brightest thing in the world to do. At least the coffee had plenty of time to cool off while I made my way to and from the house so very slowly.

Before my bible study this evening I went to Westwood Village to buy some everyday drinking glasses as I noticed yesterday we are down to 6 tall glasses and 4 short glasses. Ryan loaded my scooter in the car so I could get around easily while shopping. Of course, getting the scooter out of the car in a tight parking space was challenging.

People don't know what to think when they see me scooting along a sidewalk or flying down an aisle in a store. As much as I am coming to loathe the scooter it is FUN to use at Costco or at the grocery store late at night when there aren't many customers. You can fly down the aisles. I feel like I'm 13 not 31 when I am zipping up and down the aisles. It is hard to maneuver on the sidewalks though, or on any sort of incline and going across bumps in the sidewalk hurt my knees. But it is worth it to get out of the house.

The Tonight Show is on right now; I look up every now and then and listen in while he interviews Jack Black and Clay Aiken. Here is a scary thought: I thought, "Hmm, Jack Black is kind of cute."

Ah! Jack Black!

Then I saw Clay Aiken and I thought, "Hmm, Clay Aiken is kind of scary looking."

eek - Conan O'Brien is up... he is just plain old funny looking. He's super rich, can he not afford to hire someone to style his hair more attractively? He and Donald Trump can start the Bad Hair Club for Filthy Rich Men.

That's all I have. I can come and go from the house as I so desire but won't because gas is freakin' expensive! It's over $4 a gallon! I am thinking if I want to leave the house I'm just going to take the bus. It will be a good reason to go to Pike Place and do some grocery shopping or get to learn the international district a bit. I need to find some good pho (pronounced "fuh") closer than Than Brothers in West Seattle or Pho Cyclo in SODO (south downtown).

Does anyone out there have a good pho recipe? Pho wha?

Pho is a delicious Vietnamese noodle soup. You can have it with chicken or beef or tofu and you add cilantro, basil, bean sprouts, hoisen sauce, hot sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce and/or jalapenos. It is so yummy. At Than Brother's they give you enough to feed an army with their small and it's less than $5 and they give you a cream puff with your meal.

I'm so hungry for pho. I had it last weekend when Ryan's dad was out helping in the basement since there aren't any pho joints in Wenatchee. I can't say I'm surprised Wenatchee is short on Vietnamese restaurants.

It's time for me to call it a night but not before I scavenge in the kitchen for something that will satiate my craving for pho.