The Green Horseman

It seems to me like yesterday that I had the accident with Stanley. It was June 18th (A Great Opportunity and A Great Lesson Learned). Before summer even officially started.

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On July 24th I underwent surgery to repair a torn tendon in my foot. Three screws were placed to stabilize my foot while the tendon could repair. Two weeks in a splint. Four weeks in a hard cast. Two weeks walking on my heel in a boot. Seven more weeks walking in a medical boot.

On November 6th….15 weeks after my first surgery. TWENTY WEEKS after the initial accident…I underwent a second surgery to remove the three screws now that the tendon has had so much time to repair. It was less invasive than the first because I was allowed to bear weight as soon as my nerve block wore off 8 hours later. I had to keep my surgical wraps on for two more weeks. Then, this week, I had another appointment to remove my stitches.

For the first time in over 5 months I can wear SHOES again.

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The first thing I’m asked is “how do you feel”?

Mentally I feel amazing…I feel FREE. I see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Physically I am ok. Walking is still difficult. I can FEEL how much fitness and strength I have lost in the last five months. I fatigue easily. I can’t use my foot well yet and putting weight on the ball of my foot hurts.

That’s ok, REALLY. I expected this.

This is the final push, and mentally I have everything I need.

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I got on Stanley (WITH stirrups) for the first time the next day after my stitches were removed. He was so happy, so relaxed, and surprisingly so soft and willing. It feels like he hasn’t missed a DAY, not a single one.

I kept at mainly a walk. I asked him for flexion. I was very mindful about my seat and my hands…my posture overall. We did some walking bending exercises.

I asked for a trot and the first few strides weren’t just uncomfortable they were painful. My foot in the stirrup and the twist of my ankle and leg were the perfect storm and it felt like the tendons and ligaments in there were entangled and pulling in all directions. I came down to a walk and tried to reposition and prepare myself mentally.

We trotted a few laps around. It was uncomfortable but manageable. I transitioned back to walk before it could cause pain. We trotted a few laps in the other direction.

Stanley brought me back to the barn, about a quarter mile walk through the woods. It was very dark and he was completely content walking along.

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My first day back to work onsite was Thanksgiving Day. The few days that I’ve been there I have walked more than I have during my recovery and I even went to the onsite gym. I couldn’t spin just yet but I did a very slow 10 minutes on the lateral elliptical machine followed by 15 minutes of circuit training with 5lbs dumbbells. Very slow. Very light. Just moving.

My body told me how long it’s been since we could do all of this. Even taking it slowly it was sore the next day (but the right amount of sore). The next day I did 50 minutes of slow pedaling on the recumbent bike. At least with this bike I was able to put weight on the foot but not standing/impact type movement.

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Working with horses has taught me to be happy with 1% improvements. I don’t expect my recovery to be instantaneous. I am ecstatic with the progress I have made already.

I now have a GIGANTIC to-do list ahead of me…now THAT is the daunting part. I’m beginning to make progress on that too, so with the Universe allowing I think we are on our way towards the next step of this journey.