From the Back Porch

 It has rained for several days here in the East Tennessee Valley and while it has cooled down the humidity, it has only been temporary...  most of the folks in these here parts stay inside on the days like today, but I venture outside because of necessity...

A little over 4 weeks ago, I had 5 lower back disks fused together and for the next 3 months, I begin the slow process of learning how to walk again, unaided and without a limp...  or some might say that I walk like a penguin or a duck.  One month has passed and my progress, in my opinion, has been slow.

A week ago, I discovered that if I walked around the inside perimeter of our above-ground pool I could walk unaided...  as opposed to using the handrail when I walk around the track at the Community Center.  So, on days like today, I walk around the pool.

My new normal routine is to walk 10 laps at the Community Center in the morning and then walk around the pool for 40 minutes in the afternoon...  all total, I am walking right at a mile each day...  or at least 6 out of 7 days.

After 3 months from the day of surgery, I can see a physical therapist if my doctor writes a prescription for me...  He has never mentioned physical therapy...  just walking.  The literature I have read indicated that it could take up to 18 months before I return to normal although I may never return to the normal that I was before.

Still, I can spend my days in relative comfort cooking in the kitchen, exercising, and working on my blogs...  I was writing novels before, but I have yet to return to them and I am not sure why...

As I look out the window to the back of our house, a black cloud has been slowly approaching our location which means no doubt that rain is on the way.  On Friday when it rained, I had just finished mowing the lawn in the back;  ordinarily, this is not a difficult task with a riding lawn mower, but my lower did not appreciate all the up and down movements and when I finished an hour later and dismounted, it was difficult to stand straight for a minute.

This afternoon, I am cooking cream of mushroom soup (made from a starter kit) and have added to it chicken and angel hair noodles.  I am hoping that I did not make over 2 servings as I am getting tired of having to eat the same thing for 5-6 days.  I am not one to throw food away unless I absolutely have to.

Daniel is a friend of mine and lives two doors down in our community.  He is a Mexican American in case you are wondering and spent his entire life building houses with his crew.  Once he finishes this last house for himself, we will be getting together to play chess... neither one of us claims to be any good.  More about our escapades to follow...

Keeping the faith...