I never was much for symbolism, which explains why all the posts about Mr. Food Musings' recovery have all-too-obvious shots of spring flowers in blossom. (I majored in Russian, not English, so what do you expect?) Still, as tired a symbol as these lilies may be, they are a fitting one.
I wanted a break from the eating local theme that's been consuming my blog lately, and I noticed it's been about a month since I posted about Mr. FM. But more than that, I finally have some good news to share!
(Aside: I know you're thrilled not to have to endure another weepy, depressing post. In exchange for that kindness, I reserve the right to be pissy and sad and temperamental whenever I want to, and to remind you from time to time that life isn't perfect. Deal?)
The doctors said that around the 3 month milestone we should start to see some big changes. We kept thinking that they'd happen over the first 3 months, and by day 90 we'd be in the clear.
Ha.
Ha.
Ha.
(...laughed Fate at our naivité.)
Instead, it was more like nothing happened until we hit month 3. I'd try to create celebrations around things like "you haven't thrown up in 2 days!" but really, they were half-hearted. As sickening as it may be to us cynics, just about the time the rains fled and the sun came out over San Francisco, things in the Food Musings household started to mend.
I'll spare you some of the gorier details, but recently Mr. FM has been doing all of the following:
~ going for walks by himself, something he hasn't done since he fell 3+ months ago
~ going to the gym and doing the Stairmaster (he hangs on for dear life lest his bad balance send him sprawling, but so far so good)
~ walking without a cane when we're together
~ going out to dinner and to friends' houses regularly
~ looking up (and I mean actually turning his head up) when he walks without falling in the middle of the street
~ graduated from walking on a treadmill in a harness at physical therapy to kicking a soccer ball
This very morning, he went to acupuncture by himself, and he decided not to take his cane. I feel a bit dorky admitting it, but I was a little proud and a little scared. What if he falls? What if I should be there to help him? What if he hurts himself?
But then I thought, What if he doesn't?
"Call me when you get there?" I asked before he left. Keep in mind the acupuncturist is 7 blocks from our house on a residential street. I sounded a little pathetic and needy, even to me, but old habits die hard.
He looked me straight in the eye and said, "I'll call you when I'm on my way back."
I opened my mouth to say something, but then I thought -- hey, he just got sassy with me. And that is a very good sign, maybe the best sign of all. For 3 months he's followed my cautious instructions on everything from going down the stairs one at a time to not spending too much time looking at the computer, which can make him sick. So if he's starting to ignore me (again) then things may be even closer to normal than I thought.
Hip, hip, hooray!!!! And so it begins...& continues!
Posted by: Mom | May 09, 2006 at 12:53 PM
Wheee!
Posted by: Little Sister | May 09, 2006 at 01:42 PM
excellent - very glad to hear - and i know exactly what you mean!
Posted by: Alison | May 09, 2006 at 01:48 PM
Fantastic! Glad to hear that.
Posted by: Karen | May 09, 2006 at 01:50 PM
*sniff* [tearing up at desk]
Posted by: KarenH | May 09, 2006 at 02:54 PM
Woo hoo! So glad to hear all the good news and sassiness. May there be much more of it.
Posted by: Tea | May 09, 2006 at 04:40 PM
(From a fellow Russian major) So happy to hear the good news!
Posted by: Davina | May 09, 2006 at 04:49 PM
I'm so happy for the both of you.
Progress is a wonderful thing.
I hope to see you soon, now that I am working in your neighborhood again.
Posted by: Bill | May 09, 2006 at 05:07 PM
That's awesome. Woohoo. Let's paaaarty.
Posted by: Reema | May 09, 2006 at 05:36 PM
Let's hear it for normality!
Posted by: Amy | May 09, 2006 at 10:44 PM
Hooray! Hooray! Hooray!
Posted by: Joy | May 10, 2006 at 06:23 AM
This post makes my day. Hooray for you and Mr FM!
Posted by: Robyn | May 10, 2006 at 08:01 AM
Although we've never met, I've been reading your blog for awhile, and all I can say is - fantastic! May the progress continue, with great strides. Or even teeny strides. Just yay for y'all!
Posted by: Tricia | May 10, 2006 at 09:18 PM
I've been so busy lately I hadn't checked in with your blog recently (I try to check it every day, but it's been tough the last month), so I just read the news and I'm so happy for you. And trust me, it will get better. When my dad had the same accident, he saw great improvement at 3 months and also at 6, and now, just over a year later, he's fully recovered. Keep the faith Catherine.
Posted by: susan | May 11, 2006 at 02:41 PM