the new normal

ok, so.....i woke up today and for a moment i forgot that my foot/ankle is still in transition between broken and whole.....it only takes the flash of pain when my feet hit the floor to remind me that i have a long ways to go....lets go through the checklist....my big toe is still mostly numb...like it fell asleep and has not quite come back to life.....pins and needles.....quite disturbing....the notion that my doctor says that it may not get any better than this....on days when my foot is a bit swollen my other toes join the big toe in the pins and needles thing, but that happens less and less.....on to the ankle....it remains swollen...not like the goose-egg coming out of each side like it once was....but visibly bigger than my left ankle....as for pain, it has centered on the right side....the discomfort appears to be in direct proportion to how fast i walk....geisha steps do not register, but strides make me wince....gentle readers....walking fast and deliberate is my trademark....and for my doctor to tell me that it may not get any better than this is both discouraging and a challenge.....to prove him wrong...all wrapped up in one...i continue to swim laps at least 4 days a week...at least 30 minutes of laps before i practice standing on the broken foot and doing ankle lifts to strengthen it. I am considering an exercycle to increase the cardio workout without putting too much weight on the ankle.....and to jumpstart a bit of weight loss....i suppose my ankle would hurt less if i weighed less.....but that is a lament for another day....