Throughout the month of March, I am participating in the annual Slice of Life Story Challenge, and even hosted by the team at Two Writing Teachers. Every day in March, I will share a story and comment on the stories of other participants. Please join us in writing, sharing, reading, and commenting!
"Ten minutes. Three times a day. The most important thing you'll do."
Those were the words of my knee doctor. The one who replaced my left knee on Wednesday.
"Just lie on your stomach with your feet hanging over the edge and let gravity do the work."
Ahhh. The misuse of just.
There is nothing that is just about lying on my stomach with my lower legs hanging over the edge for ten minutes.
During today's third session, the sofa filled in for the bed, and Clare and Larkin joined me in the good times. (I've linked their blog home pages because they are also slicers, and I would not be surprised if this moment in time showed up in a future post for one of them.) Clare started in a plank. I appreciated that, although let me be clear... it is not the equivalent. Larkin kept time and cheered. I might have sworn at her when only two minutes had passed since it should have been twenty. Clare stopped planking at around minute #5 and then made it her business to distract me by kneading the knots in my back. She found it very funny when my moans changed pitches when she found an especially good knot to dig into.
"I'm distracting you," she said. "Making the time go by faster."
How could there be still another three minutes?!?
I thought about calling it a full session at minute 9. Isn't that a 90% and an A? But the daughters weren't going for that. You can do anything for 60 seconds, they told me. And I did.
This will be easier tomorrow.
Melanie,
ReplyDeleteKnee surgery? Ouch. Good to know that you have two daughters cheering you on in blogs and IRL. You got this!
You made me think of the times I run Grammarly on a text and it suggests removing the word “just.” I will think of you now every time it happens! I felt the discomfort in your words, but I also smiled, imagining those two cheering you on. 60 seconds is such a subjective measure of time, I think. But now, I will also think of this slice when I’m trying to convince myself I can go a bit longer on whichever exercise I commit to that day.
ReplyDeleteWishing you well in your healing process!
Oops, my comment went as “Anonymous”
ReplyDeleteSorry!
I wish you a speedy recovery. A few months from now hopefully you will forget about how hard these days are. I am glad you have your daughters cheering you on! I laughed at You can do anything for 60 seconds. I tell myself, I can do anything for a year. I like 60 seconds better!
ReplyDeleteI have a bad knee (no surgery, yet) and no one has ever suggested this as a therapy. But, I guess it stretches out the joint? No matter what, you are doing the work and the rewards will be worth it!
ReplyDeleteYou are strong! It was interacted to read your girls’ posts yesterday. All the different perspectives but connections. I hope your ten minutes gets easier and easier. Sending you love and strength. ❤️Jess
ReplyDeleteSorry for your pain. I know what that's like - the doctor saying, "just." There is no "just" when you are doing physical therapy! Wishing you all the healing energy!
ReplyDeleteSo glad the daughters were there to cheer you on! And very glad you made it through the last 60 seconds.
ReplyDeleteWishing you a speedy recovery. Distractions help too. Well done for taking time to write.
ReplyDeleteMy new favorite phrase: "the misuse of just." Oh my, I'm pretty sure you could write a whole slice on "just" that phrase alone! It sounds like you have some nice distractions helping you on your path to recovery. Best wishes!
ReplyDeletea five minute plank lowkey impressive
ReplyDeletegosh who said that ^^
ReplyDeleteMelanie, I did not know how much I never want to have a knee replacement until I read your post. Bless those daughters. They know you well. They know you can do hard things.
ReplyDeleteMelanie, I wish you well with your PT sessions. I had knee surgery and it is not fun at all. In fact, when I first started the program, I was told to go on the bike. I started slowly then all at once I started to feel faint and off I went. I had to lie down on the padded areas to gain control of my senses. I wish you well.
ReplyDelete