The Foot Diaries no 5 Food, Freedom.... and just Breathe.

The Foot Diaries no 5 Food, Freedom.... and just Breathe.

FOOD

noun

1.

any nourishing substance that is eaten, drunk, or otherwise taken into the body to sustain life, provide energy, promote growth, etc.

2.

more or less solid nourishment, as distinguished from liquids.

3.

a particular kind of solid nourishment:

a breakfast food; dog food.

4.

whatever supplies nourishment to organisms:

plant food.

5.

anything serving for consumption or use:

food for thought

 

This is day 25 post op ! 25 days already passed and 25 days into this 'journey' that is my rehab. I’ve learned so much during these past few weeks, learnt that it’s ok to slow down, to allow the body to heal, to nourish. It's ok to lounge in the garden and soak up the sunshine and vitamin D. It’s okay not to drive my car and rush off to another activity. It’s ok to accept and ask for help. It feels nice to be minded and looked after especially when you are hurting both physically and on occasion mentally. I’ve handled the 'cave' (as per Post no 4) but there have still been those almost teary occasional moments. It’s normal, to be expected. What is extra special is having someone to share those moments with and share the laughter with, usually ten minutes later. (I’m still blaming the lack of HRT ) I have that someone, a best friend, a hand to hold. Thanks.

I continue to witness so much good in people and continue to be bowled over by kindness and generosity. Most of all, I value my gorgeous family and incredible friends even more than ever before. I’ve also had more time to read, actually read the paper properly, not just snippets over a quick breakfast but actually read the Irish Times from back to front or front to back. I’m an expert on the local properties for sale (Thursday being my favourite IT ) and so many articles have had a profound affect on me since I’ve had time to rethink and think again. I see my friends exhausted from work and the craziness that is Monday to Friday to Saturday to Sunday and all over again …work ...exercise...family.... pack it all in ...rush… rush.  I’ve stopped, taken stock and observed. Interesting. Breathe, just breathe.

I’ve always been pretty savvy with social networking and technology ( subject on occasion  to  slagging an teasing from many friends who poo pooed over Facebook  back in 2007 and  my posting photos etc ...the same people who are now years later Facebook fiends ) I am really glad I'm ‘attached’ to my iPhone/iPad/iMac. I’m really grateful for that interest, especially now, as over the past (almost four weeks) apart from the continual Whats App messages, I’ve made videos, sorted out (my 7000 + photos) between my devices, discovered Apps that can make cool photos, photo magazines, books, more cool fonts, more cool photo apps, videos and of course Instagram, that world that brings you into “hash tag” land, a deep well of anything you want it to be, are interested in and need to know about. So many super Pilates video snippets, delivered by bendy beauts in black and white or colourful goddesses with flat abs and no belly dough, (so many that I’m  now unfollowing them  and looking for ordinary Joes Like myself.)  The one thing that is shouting out to me though is FOOD. Pictures of FOOD, beautiful bowls of food, plates of food, food bowl smoothies, nuts, seeds, carbs, fats, Protein, food for pre workout, food for post workout, clean eating, paleo, vegan, vegetarian hashtag every kind of eating and food.... Obsession with food or not? Are we food obsessed ? Hashtag -Thedurysstillouton thatone. I must admit, though, amongst the chaos of chia seeds and leafy greens, there is a lot of really good advice out there in Cyberland, ideas for yummy food, healthy food. Food that nourishes. I made a pre op plan to have healthy food during my Recovery Phase and it was a really good decision.  For two weeks post op, I ordered for 3 days each week , The 3 day meal Plan from Select Stores ( here in Dalkey ) for both my husband and myself . Delicious, filling and hastle free. No hunger , no snacking . No swollen belly . I felt GOOD.

The other bombardment is this obsession with ABS and muscles and strong bodies , taking photos of ABS, pre and post workout/ food programme photos of abs and  selfies of bellies and bodies and  more abdominals. When the 3 babies arrive, there may not be much time to workout every day or the €€€€€ to pay for that €150  a month gym .Will the photos be of bulging bellies and stretch marks ? I certainly wont be photo bombing my middle aged body. Getting to the kitchen is now a lot easier and I'm able to prepare food with my knee on my scooter but that also means the fridge is more accessible and so also the Lindt sea salt chocolate ! I’m definitely not Snapchatting or Instagrammimg my belly. Not this week anyway. I’ve got lots of Time. Lots of it. It's actually quite nice. I’m Never bored.  Thanks APPLE , thanks iphone, thanks ipad, thanks Macbook. I miss my cycling, swimming, Pilates, tennis, Killiney Hill and the rest that is my life but Cyberworld is my friend right now. My books, my newspapers, my garden, my studio, my reformer, all my Narnia. Just breathe.

Last week, since the crazy “electrodes in my toes feeling” had subsided somewhat, ( mainly due to exercising each morning ) it was time to leave my Narnia and bravely step into the big world outside and seek more new adventures . Who would have thought an outing to the Garden Centre or The market in the Park for Breakfast (Roy’s Sausages and Scrambled eggs with Spinach is divine ) would be so exciting. It is. It’s a bit of an ordeal, me, my kneescooter ( still my bestest friend ) my pillow and my basket, we come as a package and it takes quite a bit of maneuvering to pack us into the car only to unpack us at the destination. The swelling in the toes has subsided a little more this week and I can now sit with my feet touching the floor (still not weight bearing ) for short periods. Progress. I’ve become very apt at getting about from house to garden, from mat to sun lounger and hopping around my bedroom. ( Again due to daily Pilates practice ) Getting clothes out of the wardrobe is still a huge pain but I’ve devised a tippy toe hop to get at clothes on a higher rack. Pre op I got zips put in to the outside seam of the right leg in a pair of leggings, jeans and a few other articles. I put all the trousers with legs wide enough to accommodate a cast onto an accessible shelf. I was not contemplating Mediterranean style weather and so accessing the shorts and sleeveless tops also involve the tippy toe hop.

The ascent to upstairs, AKA the scaling of Dalkey Quarry is still as awful as ever but the knee shuffle is a new but painful option. Carpet burn ain’t nice. Last week my carer/ lover/ domestic God…hubby, was heading out to meet some friends. (It was his night off) and requested that I don’t climb the quarry on my own. By 12 pm I was getting a bit tired so decided I had to scale the dreaded stairs/quarry on my own, not involving the dangerous solo crutch hop but my new knee shuffle method. This involved flinging my “camp” up the first set of stairs. 2 pillows, bag of tricks, crutches up to the first return. Breathe. Next, on knees with right foot held high, shuffle up to retrieve the pillows, bag of tricks and crutches. Breathe again and repeat process to top of the stairs. Knee shuffle to bedroom flinging Camp contents onto the bed, using triceps to lever body up onto bed. Elation at making the journey of 10 minutes minimum. Retrieve crutches and after bathroom visit and de-robing, get into bed feeling very Independent.

I texted my man to tell him I was snuggled up in bed safe and sound and not to rush back from the City. 5 minutes later he opened the hall door having just got out of a taxi…..

Breathe. Just Breathe.