Well, I made it to the cast-free zone. It’s been 8 weeks since the break, and 7 weeks since the surgery. It’s been two paper maiche casts, 3 hard fiberglass casts, an auxiliary cast shoe, and the aircast. It’s been two crutches, one crutch and now just an occasional wall to be steadied. It’s been one plate and seven screws. It’s been 5 visits to the physical therapist and 10-15 more to go.

Good bye cast. Good bye crutches. My still crooked gait is now unaided. My slow roll to the right isn’t punctuated by vestiges of trauma. The nick-name “peg-leg” is being replaced by the sarcastic “speedy.” And I now have two shoes on my feet, and matching socks. I get to wear clothes without regard to how they fit over the cast.

I am making dinner again, going to the store, washing the dishes, doing a load of laundry and taking an extra up and down the stairs. And when the 13-year-old was screeching some awful “song” in the bathroom, I got up off the couch and walked over to request that he bring it down some decibels. He listens alot better when I make eye contact.

I am getting back to how I used to be. Not all the way–but well on my way.

I won’t miss the cast.