So I've been re-reading back over my first post for this thing, and just wanted to clear some stuff up - the worst part of everything is the first month or so. When your daily adjustments are being done and you're still trying to get dressed with this thing on your leg and oh, could you carry only everything for me because my hands are supposed to be holding my crutches?
That stuff doesn't last all too long. After the first couple of months, you settle into your frame more and life kind of returns (somewhat) to normal. In the end, it became about as annoying as having a sprained ankle. The last three or so months I was even able to walk (read: shuffle) around the house/backyard without any crutches at all and before my cast, I was back driving again. With the frame on my right lower leg. In a manual (stick shift, for the Americans playing along at home) car. And it was fine. Oh, well...I'm kind of a bit sort of fairly sure you're also supposed to get the all-clear from your insurance company once you prove that you can pull off an emergency stop, but...y'know. Yeah, you should probably get that out of the way before you get back in the drivers seat...
With my cast on now, I'm not driving anymore because my foot is pretty much covered and I don't have any range of motion in my ankle, obviously. Means it's also a bit hard to walk as much as I'd been able to with my frame. But that besides...yeah, life went on. I got rid of the bikini bottoms as quickly as I could and returned to normal underwear, just had to navigate bits and pieces of clothing over and around the frame.
I will mention a couple of things that drove me absolutely crazy over the whole thing, and they have nothing to do with being in a frame myself...I've been dying to say this for MONTHS and I'll probably get flamed for it, but I don't care. This is my blog. Don't like it, don't read it.
1. I get that not everybody has the greatest strength of character, or best willpower but never, and I mean NEVER underestimate the power of a positive attitude. Even if it's forced. Just keep telling yourself that everything is going to be okay, and you'll pull through. I've come across so much negativity from people in different "support" groups, I ended up doing away with them altogether. In fact, one of the group descriptions was something along the lines of "to recognise the pain it brings us daily". Admittedly, I should have known from that not to join, but alas, I learnt my lesson. Ever heard that saying, "Misery loves company"...?
Yes, you will have some mother b*tches of days. You've got a broken bone that you're manipulating, you're doing some very naughty things to your skeleton - it's going to hurt. You're allowed to have a bit of a whinge every now and again. But as soon as you've gotten it out of your system - chin up! I did much better, was much happier on my own than talking to the majority of people in groups who liked to focus directly on their frames and HOW it was stopping them from everyday living. Distract yourself if need be. TV shows, reading, scrapbooking, take up the guitar, whatever you need to do - do it. It's there. No amount of complaining is going to change that. At least you actually have a leg that it can be done to. At least you're not one of the unfortunate souls spending their days lying in an oncology ward. Even they try to stay positive. Talia Castellano, anyone? In the words of this 13 year old girl, "When people ask me [how I stay positive], what do you want me to do, be depressed?"
I have only met one other person that was as positive as I was, and they also left the group extremely quickly. They never even had my choice of being in a frame - they were involved in a particularly nasty motorbike accident and had their frame on much longer than I have (and obviously under much, er, grosser circumstances). And I can tell you for sure that we kept in touch and I actually enjoy talking to them, though we talk more about cross-country treks and gym than we do about our frames, haha.
Life goes on and it's up to you whether or not you're going to have fun during it, or sit around being miserable and wallowing in self-pity.
This kind of leads into my second point...
2. More than once (sooooo much more), I would come across people in frames who would claim that this whole thing "proves who your friends really are!" because they would stay home and they wouldn't get the amount of visitors they expected. Or maybe they really did just have bad friends? The point is - just because some things in your world may have forcibly come to a stop, don't expect that anybody else's will. And if you're being consistently negative, then frame or no, nobody is going to want to spend time with you.
Once you're alright to start leaving the house and getting about, then do it. Don't wait for people to come to you. Just because someone hasn't visited you since you had your surgery does not mean they consider you any less of a friend. This should just be common sense, but it hasn't proven to be all too common. Life gets busy. Maybe not for you, but it certainly does for other people.
Oh, man. That feels better. I could have expanded greatly upon that rant, but I got the main points I wanted to cover out of the way.
If I have offended anyone, I am genuinely sorry, but I really can't stand negative people and I won't have them in my life.
On a lighter note - 26 hours until I get my moon boot! HELLS YEAH!
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