February 7, 2018

This Boot is Made for Walking?
OR
Love Leg Hurts!

Today I progressed from being prohibited to putting weight on my
right leg (for four weeks),
 to walking in my boot (for another four weeks).
This photo was taken just after arriving home from the doctor today.
The crutch is keeping me stable, today, until I get used to walking again.

Welcome to the second installment ( or should I say the next STEP? hee hee) in my broken leg adventure.  I write my broken leg adventures, not to garner your pity my dear readers, but to encourage any of you who might be navigating through a similar experience.

Philadelphia Eagle’s Quarterback Nick Foles,  summed it up after winning the Super bowl  this past Sunday.

 I think when you look at a struggle in your life, just know that it’s an opportunity for your character to grow.”

I playfully balance a football on my walking boot, atop my trusty Knee Scooter. 
(The rental company will pick up my scooter on Friday.)
Considering how close Knee Scooter and I have become this past month,
it is sure to be a touching scene when we say our good-byes.

See the video of Nick Foles quick inspirational thoughts about life, here.   

The Doctor’s Visit

A colorful get well balloon adorns my kitchen counter.
A gift from my sweet neighbors.

It had been four weeks; four non-weightbearing weeks.  I had remained, with foot propped , in the safety of my cozy house for the duration, away from the treacherous ice that had initiated my calamity.  Secure, I had blanketed myself in the joys of watching classic TV and movies, reading, and laptop time.

My reliable laptop

Today I would leave the house, and see what the doctor had to say about the status of my leg. Ironically, today it was raining, and again the rain was freezing into a slick crystalline mess. (Shades of when I broke my leg, falling on the ice one month ago.)
My hubby carefully loaded me into the car, handicap decal in place ( I am so thankful to have this decal!), and off to the doctor we went.

I am so thankful to have a handicap parking decal!

Walking into the examination room, I was met by the sight of a cute mini-boot on the floor.  It seems that the patient before me, a young boy, was so very excited to be rid of his boot forever, that he bolted from the room leaving his boot behind!  I smiled.  This “tale of two tootsie” had filled with me with optimism for my own examination. I could relate to this youngster’s eagerness to be back on two feet once again!

The X-ray

I was escorted back to x-ray.  The kind technician instructed me to remove my boot,
(a boot that I had been wearing for four weeks on a foot that I had not walked on for
four weeks), and walk up two stairs to be x-rayed vertically. It sounded simple enough. Boot-bare, I gingerly stepped down on my right foot. It was at that precise moment that I let out, a loud, in-pain, involuntarily, embarrassing, blood-curdling scream; a scream so loud, in fact, that my doctor heard me from across the hall!.  Immediately, the x-ray tech  reanalyzed the situation ,and an adjustment was made.  I would now recline on the
x-ray table. X-rays complete!

 I let out, a loud, in-pain, involuntarily, embarrassing, blood-curdling  scream!

The Prognosis

The x-ray looks good!   I am progressing as expected.  My leg is healing.  My splint-type boot would now become my walking boot. It seems that the scream-inducing pain that I had felt is a result of my leg’s non-use for a month, and the tightness of the boot around it. Unfortunately, my next appointment is now scheduled for four weeks, rather than the two that I had anticipated.  On the positive side, I can, again, begin to walk on two legs !
I, also, no longer have to wear the boot to bed! (Sleeping with a boot in bed has been like sleeping with a bowling ball strapped to my leg!)  Hooray! 

Walking Boot, My *@#^Apple Blossom,
Right now it is more like a shuffle boot!

At home, the images that I had, in my fantasy-filled mind, of my easily maneuvering around the house today, have been replaced by reality.  It soon became “painfully” apparent that this walking thing was going to take a little time.  You know what?
The movie Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory lied! There is no way that Grandpa Joe, after lying in bed for 20 years, could suddenly hop out of bed, dance, and accompany Charlie to the factory, after Charlie found the golden ticket!

There is no way that Grandpa Joe, after lying in bed for 20 years,
could suddenly hop out of bed and dance!

Read more about Willy Wonka in my previous blog post, here.

 I am getting there!  With the aid of one crutch, I am, at the moment, more or less shuffling. (Think of Frankenstein’s distinct walk.) For now, I set the timer on my phone for every thirty minutes and do a walk around.  I will get better!

 I set the timer on my phone for every thirty minutes and walk around.

The Mickey Mouse hip pack  (Hip pack sounds so much better than fanny pack, doesn’t it?), that I purchased last year, came out of its wrapping today and has come in handy, holding my phone as I walk about. Besides, it makes me smile!

A “You Can Begin Trying to Walk on Your Mending Leg”Gift
from My Hubby

I got a gift on the way home from the doctor.  My hubby ran into Walgreens (to get batteries) and bought me a present to keep me in good cheer.  He presented me with
my favorite, Dark Dove Chocolate. Yum!  He also bought me this sweet Disney
Lady and the Tramp Valentine mug. :o)

My gift of Dove Dark Chocolates and a Lady and the Tramp mug.

Love

The Lady side of my Valentine’s mug.

Recipe

In honor of my cute Lady and the Tramp mug,
and the romantic spaghetti meal that Lady and Tramp share in the movie,
I give you this recipe.
It is a family favorite.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

photo to be here at a later time

INGREDIENTS:

Meatballs

1-11/2 lbs. ground round

1 handful of dried bread crumbs

                                   2 handfuls of ground Romano, or Parmesan cheese (Fresh cheese is best)

1 egg

Sauce

2 -12 oz. cans/jars tomato paste

2-15 oz. cans/jars tomato sauce (Save cans to measure water)

¼-1/2 teaspoon of the following spices:

Basil                

Celery salt

Italian seasoning

Marjoram

Oregano

Fresh parsley-optional

Rosemary

Summer savory

Thyme

Lesser amount of black pepper (I use fresh ground) and salt

1+1/2 heaping teaspoon sugar

                                             1 bay leaf (Remove from sauce before eating.)

Optional: mushrooms, onion, garlic

Garnish/Topping

(fresh) Romano and Parmesan cheese

Mozzarella cheese

 

Pasta

1 16 oz. spaghetti, or thin spaghetti noodles

Directions:

Mix together

the first four meatball ingredients with half a 15 oz. can of water together.

Form into meatball. Set aside.

Combine the sauce ingredients, including spices.

Add 1-2 15 oz. cans of water, and stir.

Let simmer for 15 minutes with the lid off, stirring often.

(Do not use a plain metal pot, as the tomato can pick up a metallic taste.

I use a Porcelain-on-steel graniteware pot, or Corning ware 5-quart.)

Put lid on, turn heat on low, and cook for two hours, stirring occasionally.

Test a meatball for doneness.

 

Fifteen minutes before serving, boil water for pasta, cooking per directions.

Drain.

 

Mix garnish cheeses together in amounts desired.

 

Place pasta on individual plates, then ladle on sauce with 3-4 meatballs.
Garnish with the cheeses.

 

Serve with hot Italian bread and butter, or garlic bread.

Enjoy!

Read my previous blog about my broken leg adventure here. 

Your continued prayers for my recovery are appreciated.

Thanks for reading,
Annette

To enjoy any, or all, of my past blogs and photos, click here, or go to imannette.net, selecting the posts that you desire to see in the Recent Posts,
or “search” in the Archives sections, on the upper right-hand side.

I’m Annette usually posts every other week.
Look for my next post on Tuesday, February 13.

I would love to hear your kind comments!
Please post yours in my comment section.

Want to be an I’m Annette follower?  It’s easy!!!
Receive my blog via email, FREE, (yes I said FREE!), immediately upon posting.
Sign up now, on the right-hand side of this page, or click here.

A little bit of wonderful.

SaveSave