Crutches and Knitting

Reasons why I like Knitting:

1. The sense of accomplishment you get when you finish something. This is sadly lacking in the rest of my life, especially since I can no longer mow the lawn.

2. The wool and possibilities for a new thing to collect.

3. The idea that you can do something with your hands to capitalize on "unavoidable delay."

4. Having a skill that you're good at (well, someday I will be) that results in these beautiful, handmade objects so that when you give them away as gifts, you give a bit of what is precious to you away--i.e. your time, you creativity, your industry, your positive thoughts for that person.

5. Knitters. Knitters are just unbelievably nice to other knitters, especially ones who are just starting out. The on-line community of knitters is the biggest group of People Who Get Along that I've ever seen. The people at my local yarn store, Hill Country Weavers, where I went on my first outing with crutches post surgery, were so incredibly helpful that first I thought maybe I looked really bad. Then I realized they didn't care about the foot--they were more interested in steering me to the proper sock wool and needles. I quite love them. It's a way of life, I think.

6. When in a pinch, you can use the needles to put your hair up.

Reasons I hate crutches:

1. They are slow and loud. My husband has taken to saying, "I hear the Captain coming" when he hears me thumping down the hall. I'd make him walk the plank but I can't carry a firearm.

2. When you finally get to where you are going on them, you have to do a Ryan Leech impersonation to sit down. (Watch the whole video, this guy is amazing.) Only, you know, it's more impressive when HE does it because he's balancing on a BIKE and you're just balancing on one leg, and not always successfully at that.

3. There are these stupid little suction circles all over my tile kitchen floor.

4. I can actually see the atrophy of muscles in my recovering leg. Okay, so I can't blame this on the crutches but I hate them so much, I just want to. My hip hurts from resting on it once I get to where I'm going --I'm blaming that on the crutches, too.

5. You can't carry anything. I've finally started putting my coffee in a travel cup and sticking it down the front of my pants until I get to where I'm going. (Did anyone here see "Spinal Tap?")

6. Using the method above, it is really, really inadvisable to carry your knitting while on crutches.

Comments

sheep#100 said…
I broke my left ankle in February and was shocked at how much muscle atrophy occurred. A whole inch on the circumfrence of the calf! After three weeks of PT (I am doing the ankle exercises as I type, too), I have regained 1½ cm and the leg is feeling much stronger. When you get out of the fiberglass cast and start using the muscles again, you'll be sursprised at how fast you will progress. Tomorrow is the eight week marker from the date that I fell and I am back in real pants and sneakers with an ASO brace. You'll get there.

If you want some sympathy stories, come visit me.