and all over the children dance!!!

Ever have one of those moments where you pinch yourself to make sure that what you are seeing is real?

I haven't actually yet seen children dancing everywhere, but I did see Kathy walk a few steps!

I don't know if you heard me right.

I said, "I did see Kathy walk a few steps!"

She isn't supposed to be putting more than 70 pounds weight on her left leg yet, so my next reaction (after excitement) was to chastise her for pushing too hard too fast.
The result of rushing the healing process is more sleepless nights, but while her leg screams in protest, once again I am impressed with Kathy's determination.
The big toe on her left foot is trying to pull into a claw.
That makes it hard to go through the motions of walking because the tip of her toe presses into the floor and hurts.
The next step to help her next step is to surgically cut the tendon that is pulling down on her toe.
This is necessary because the tendon that countered the contraction was removed with the muscle loss in the front of Kathy's calf.
Still, with the cut relaxing her toe, Kathy should be able to walk fairly normally.

It's just a few steps now.

Kathy will push it into more than she should.

When a few steps become many, the dancing will begin!

Like a wilted plant watered

Sometimes I get caught up writing what I think, instead of writing how Kathy is doing.

She is doing great!

If you ask her on a bad day, in a bad moment, she may say otherwise, but truly, Kathy is way ahead of where I thought she'd be by now!
I don't know who said it, but I like the saying, "The lowest ebb is the turn of the tide".
Looking back on it, the lowest point will seem to be not as bad as it was.
Looking back, we already have to look down to see that point.
If you haven't seen Kathy in a while you will be surprised at how well she is doing.

We went out Saturday night.
Crashed a church service and grabbed a bite at Porters.
Stopped in and said Hi to our west coast swing friends and called it a night before watching some local bands (didn't want to press our luck, besides Kathy was feeling a little puny. See last blog.).

Kathy's leg is getting stronger. She uses crutches alot more than the wheel chair. I have a feeling that just down the road you will see Kathy out again, exercising her foot/leg, showing everybody that, despite the pain and frustration, she is as amazing as ever!

the day after Saturday night

I had the day we all think we want.
I stayed home and did nothing... with Kathy.
She's been ick lately with that sick that's been going around.
The only times I got up were to fix food for us or make room for more.
It wasn't eventful or productive or noteworthy in any way.
I had things that needed done, still have things that need doing, and did none of them.
My conscience didn't bother me.
I played video games, rubbed Kathy's head, watched movies, listened to Kathy sleep, ignored my phone...
I thought about watering the plants, pondered the complexities of so many channel choices, considered vacuuming, looked out the window at what was turning into a really nice day...
Somewhere around five-thirty I realized the day had gone and night was approaching.

It was the laziest day of my entire life.

I wasn't depressed.
I just felt like hanging with Kathy.
I did it like the Quaker Oats Man always said to; "Do it, because it's the right thing to do.".
It was right, and I did it.
By the end of the day, long after any chance of saving it remained, it sank in.

I chose this day, to be with Kathy, but Kathy, for months now, hasn't had a choice.
When I am ready to get something done I just get up and do it.
On the other hand, instead of giving in to frustration, Kathy is relearning the ways to get things done and doing it!
When something first happens we are inspired, at first we work too much, then later on we don't work enough.
In the days before and for the days following that wonderfully lazy day, Kathy is working hard to get it back!
I know that day was only because she was sick, and I'd rather have her feeling better, even if it meant doing a long list of things, but if I had to have a laziest day ever, that was a good one to have!

Because we've got it!

Wowsa!
(that's like wow, only better!)
I don't think I've ever said "Wowsa!" before.
I'm sure there are other times where I THOUGHT it.
Like the first time I saw Kathy!
That time though, it sounded in my head more like, "WowsabrakecheckOMGwouldsucouldsuStopthepressesWhoooo!".
Similar, but not quite the same.
If I tried to say it, it definitely would've came out sounding very unintelligible.
Which is why I can't remember exactly what I said that night.
I was speechless.
I think I was more worried about saying something stupid than trying to look cool.
Kathy had other guys chasing her at the time (no surprise there), so there was NO WAY I was going to kill my first impression by saying something like "Wowsa!".

Today though, is different.
I have married my dream, the other guys chasing her then have since gone on to settle for less (sorry guys, somebody has to win), and we have a solid love that keeps getting stronger.

Which is why I feel comfortable saying "Wowsa!".
Valentines Day was completely unexpected!
No, I did not forget, I mean, Kathy had an evening planned that totally changed MY evening plans for us.
It had everything you can imagine! Intimate dinner, romantic cards and gifts, flowers, candlelight bubble bath, sweet words and so much more.
We even had some hilarious texts that had us cracking up!
It was totally over the top!
You know that feeling you get when you love somebody and everything is perfect?
You either have it or you don't. You can't fake it.
We've got it!
THAT is why I say "Wowsa!"

Thanks for asking!

I have had more people mention my lack of blogging lately than I can count.

I exaggerate. In the last two weeks it's only been six... or seven.

Kathy is getting spunky again.
Has an adorable sense of humor again.
Is looking forward to going out again.
Is absolutely gorgeous as always.
If you haven't checked in lately you are missing out on an incredible comeback!

The best part is...
As Kathy's healing progresses, things will only keep getting better!

If I'm not being clear, aside from Kathy knowing all the songs to all the commercials on TV, I couldn't anticipate things being this good this soon after such a horrible injury.

I'll be better about blogging.
Talk at you again soon!

the hiatus is over!

Oh stop! You knew she would be back!

I'm just here to tell you about it.

Kathy has been putting the work in and it shows.

A letdown, shortly after the incredible benefit, was to be expected I suppose, but the bottom was short lived and not nearly as deep as it could have been.
In fact, it feels a little unnecessary to even mention it, except that (other than a large handful of Kathy's close friends) most who read this don't know what has been going on or why no updates have been posted in awhile.
If things are really good or really bad I tend to not write as much.

We went from a really great night at Rosco's, to a really bad time of Kathy not being able to see past the moment in front of her, to a really great rebound that I'm about to tell you about.

The pain has always been pretty predictable.
The helplessness and frustration of waiting for Kathy's left leg to heal enough to start working with it was the part that breaks down willpower.

Guess what?
It's over!
Well, not completely, but tomorrow is getting closer to being today.

Kathy has been given the okay to put 50 pounds of weight on her left leg.
That means she can use a walker to go through the motions!
I can't even imagine how great it must feel to "walk" for the first time in almost four months!
The leg still hurts, but what a relief for the hips and body.
It's pretty cute to see her jamming around the house all smiles!
What a difference for all of us!
Still a long way to go,
but it is So Beautiful to watch her get her glow back!