“You’re healed!” That’s what the nurse told me when I walked out of the examination room at the doctor’s office.  I’m healed!  Hallelujah and praise the Lord! 

I’m not really ‘healed’ – I just don’t need to see the doctor again unless something goes wrong.  I knew this was my last visit to him and as I sat there for THIRTY minutes in the exam room, I thought of a really witty but sincere way to tell him that I think it sucks to keep patients waiting so long.  I was gonna tell him in no uncertain terms that my time is valuable, too.  But, alas…  I punked out.  I just sort of but not really glared at him to let him know what I was thinking.  It made a big impact on him, too.    Anyhow…  I’m done with the orthopoedist and I must say that I’m glad.  (Side note:  I got an EOB that states that my insurance has deemed over 8K of his services related to my surgery ‘unnecessary’ and ‘irregular’…  hmmm…)

So…..  I also had physical therapy today (I had to get up WAAAAY too early this morning)  and I RAN ON THE TREADMILL!  I was so excited, I was smiling the whole time.  It was really great.  I only ran for a little bit (you know, that whole finger pinch, squinty eye thing) but I am so glad.  It seems like there really is light at the end of the tunnel.  I ran for a total of three minutes, but it didn’t hurt at all and I really felt like I could have kept going.  (Yes…  I know that is a problem.)  I walked 3 minutes and ran 1 minute three times.  On Thursday, I will walk 3 minutes and run 2 minutes.  So, we meet again!  I am feeling hopeful, excited and relieved.

I planned to run a little bit over the weekend, but the days got away from me and I didn’t have the chance.  I was sort of scared that I would start running and it would really hurt and I wouldn’t be able to keep it from showing on my face.  So my plan was to ‘practice’ at the gym.  If it hurt, I was going to figure out how to make it look like it wasn’t really hurting.  (Yes…  I know that is a problem.  I’m misguided but still very self-aware!)  As it turns out, I didn’t need the practice and that, my friend, is a good thing.