It’s been five months since I borked my leg, so now’s a good time for a leg recovery recap! Since that time, I’ve been trapped in my apartment like a modern Rapunzel, received frequent help getting into bed for sleep, had food donated from lots of super-nice people, slowly maneuvered down stairs to return to work, and conquered physical therapy with the help of Flutterz the cane.

An accurate doodle drawn after several days of pain pills and using only one leg to get around.

Over the last two months, I’ve mostly gone back to normal. I had my last physical therapy appointment last month, and another follow up with my surgery doctor a week afterward. The gist of it is that I’m essentially healed as much as I can be for now, although my bones are still flattin’ out from bubblin’ up to seal themselves back up (Weird, I know, right? I really need to ask them for copies of those x-rays for my scrapbook). However, the doc let me know it will still take around a full year to get my leg back to where it was as far as muscles and endurance goes. The evil compression sock is still a thing; I don’t have to wear it every day, but I still shouldn’t burn it in a fire just yet. When I attempt to run, I look like a toddler.

I also learned pets get super-upset if you mysteriously are gone for 2 days and your husband only appears briefly during said time, as illustrated by this picture he took when running to our apartment to get some things after my surgery.

“Human, where did the lady human go? Also: Meow.”

I’ve decided my titanium rod’s name is Rufus; since it’s a permanent addition to my leg now, it’s only fitting for me to name it. Truthfully, I name a lot of things (the name of my crutches was Mortimer), but this seemed like an exceptionally important instance that needed a name applied. Now if I have bad leg days (which happens because barometric changes messin’ with metal implants is apparently indeed a thing and not a myth), I can specifically state that ‘Rufus is giving me trouble today’.

Godspeed, Flutterz, to whomever you’re assisting now.

Flutterz deserves all the glittery rainbows that ever existed.