Recovery Update: 1 month in & kind of over it!

Better… but still far from perfect.

I’m not using the walker around my house much anymore, which feels like progress. But—because apparently we’re keeping things interesting—I did have a little fall last night. My head wasn’t involved (thankfully), but I did end up with a pretty badly bruised rib. Not exactly ideal when you’re trying to keep up with physical therapy.

Oddly enough, my left leg—the main issue in my recovery—felt amazing this morning. My left ribs, however, had other plans. I was honestly a little nervous about how PT was going to go, but all things considered, I did great. The only hiccup is that they’re holding off on training me to use a cane for now since my ribs are already so sore.

The biggest challenge at this point? The fatigue.

I was warned about it before surgery, but WOW… I had no idea how real it would be. I can handle one or two small outings, but definitely not every day. It’s got me thinking a lot about what my schedule will realistically look like when I’m cleared to come back. I’m not ready to fully commit to anything yet, but it’s looking like working every other day might be the move.

For those of you who already have appointments scheduled before my next follow-up on May 6th, I’ll be reaching out soon. We’ll either get you in with Jenn before she leaves or reschedule for a later date with me. If you’re booked after the 6th, just know there’s a decent chance we may need to move your appointment. I won’t have clearer answers until after I see my neurosurgeon, so it may end up being a bit last-minute. I hate not having everything neatly planned out (hello, recovering control freak over here), so thank you in advance for your patience.

Here’s hoping that follow-up goes well—and that I at least get cleared to drive again. I’m finally able to be left unsupervised, but I still can’t leave the house… which feels a little like punishment. I know there are people going through much worse, but this is easily the hardest thing I’ve ever been through. So I’m letting myself feel that.

This is also where Reiki has really come in for me. I’ve been practicing daily—even in the hospital—and it’s been incredibly grounding. It’s helped me feel what I need to feel without getting stuck there, and honestly, it’s stopped a few spirals before they could really get going. If you’ve ever been curious about Reiki, or think it might help you, please reach out. I’d love to talk about it with you.

And truly—thank you. To everyone who’s checked in, brought food (the MVPs), or supported me in any way… I feel it, and it means more than I can put into words. I’m working every day to get back to “normal,” whatever that ends up looking like now.

I’m doing everything I can to stay close to my original return-to-work timeline… but realistically, I already know it’s going to be pushed back a few days. I’m trying (maybe fueled a little by frustration) to keep that delay as minimal as possible.

Also—if you happen to be at Huey’s Germantown, look for Brian. He’s been getting all the check-ins about me, and I think he secretly enjoys it. If you see him, maybe tell him he’s doing an amazing job—because I know I’m not exactly the easiest patient right now. I honestly don’t know what I’d do without him… or my mom and sister, who’ve been here helping me through all of this.

I’ll be back next week to fill you in on my first week truly solo—my mom and sister head back to Illinois this weekend. Let’s all just collectively hope I don’t burn the house down.