13 March 2021
Context
Welcome to Day 72!
Yesterday, there were so many questions going through my mind it was difficult to keep the excitement and anxiety in check. The visit to the physiotherapist proved to be an enlightening experience. She, the physio, advised that healing was progressing as expected. The swelling in both ankles isn’t unusual but not everybody gets it. The Physio concurred with the doctor on the swelling’s cause (humidity) and noted healing was still happening on the basis of the heat generated by the ankle.
When it came to the exercises following the Royal Berkshire Physio Recovery Plan for a Broken Ankle, was good. Because my knee was being affected by the moon boot, she added a couple of additional exercises to help strengthen the knee. Thank you, Royal Berkshire!
When it came to pain levels, I was to stick with levels under five out of ten (three and four out of ten), where level one was poking a bruise. Definitely recommending staying away from five and above there’s the risk of damaging tendons or ligaments. Tendons and ligaments take longer to heal because blood flow is less. Okay, okay. Listening.
The session involved some targeted effleurage around the ankle and the knee received with acupuncture. Walking out of the session was amazing. Pain free! Are physiotherapists angels? Leaving the session didn’t require me to use the knee brace because of the short trip to the car.
Being lunchtime, husband suggested lunch out. The food court in the shopping centre (mall) nearby seemed like a good idea. While in broken ankle recovery, husband had taken to dropping me off at the entrance to reduce the amount of limping required. This particular carpark has a complex road network that my husband disliked. So, instead of dropping me off at the entrance, his auto-pilot – an inconvenience avoidance technique – kicked in and he parked a long way from the entrance. In good ankle days this is not a problem, because we both enjoy the extra steps.
False guilt is six-tenths of regret. The other tenths are made up of assuming inconvenience to another, and ignoring instincts (don’t quote me, it just seems that way). Given the blissful state of play with my knee and ankle following physio, and not wanting to make my husband drive the mazy network he disliked, I went for the walk. Plus, my husband promised to collect me from the door when we left.
Part way to the entrance, my instincts and healing knowledge were telling me the walk was a bad idea. By the time we got to the food court, the knee had gotten to half its pain free state. You see, if you’re going to have a massage or acupuncture, it’s best not to go racing around immediately afterward. Usually, a couple of hours rest helps the therapy do its best work –a little longer is better. It gives the body, mind and spirit time to adapt to the new healed state.
To make the knee worse, after lunch having walked halfway back to the car, we remembered the arrangement was for me to wait and he to collect me. It was no longer worth the inconvenience, so we finished the walk together. It is so unlike my husband to not follow through – he really mustn’t like the carpark!
By the end of the day, my knee felt exactly like it had before the physio visit. It may have been half that bad the knee brace had gone on before leaving the physio’s office. But there was the hope to let the healing “set” before going to old habits. Nonetheless, there was a sense of sadness at the loss of the blissful state, all because of my own desire to get things back to normal, as well as get some exercise in which had been lacking. Now it’s time to pay the cost 😞.
It’s also not a good idea to have acupuncture sessions to the same part of the body too close together. Maybe I’ll make an appointment for next weekend and apply the learning from this weekend to that one.
Today's Cards
The Cards - Analysis
Firstly, let’s start by looking at the repeat cards and their respective positions. There’s the Postponement card showing up in the Others‘ Views position two days running. Others’ Views is difficult for me to confirm because it’s not possible to be other people and see how they see you.
The only person for which this continuation might apply is that of my husband. There are several things this could relate to, but I’m going to go with the tangents I go on when trying to sit down and write the posts at a time that isn’t 9:30 pm 🤔. But it’s so quiet then.
The Transformation, which yesterday I assumed was being on the precipice of going to physio follows through on this assumption by showing up in the Distant Past position. By the time I unveil the cards, this post and the visit will have happened, confirming it was related to the visit.
Transformation has triggered The Dream card sitting in the Now position. The Dream represents romantic and possibly unrealistic notions of the “happy ever after”. In this instance, I can confirm that the “happy ever after” feelings were from being pain free, leading me to believe that this is how it should be. Possibly, physios aren’t always angels either 😇.
The Dream is Influenced by Guidance which is certainly what was provided by the physio to encourage my now rose-coloured view for ankle recovery.
Yesterday, there was some freaking out happening on my part around the visit to the physio. The Goal being inhabited by the Stress card displays my feelings pre visit.
Transformation in the Distant Past, or the physio visit, developed the Recent Past card and emotions of Understanding. No longer worried about what a physio may or may not do, the visit provided me with a feel for their skillset and the way in they can assist recovery. The visit gave an Understanding that there was some mistrust in my stress.
It’s no surprise that the Sorrow card appears in the Future Energy position. Since the sadness felt for the loss of the blissful moments I had. The silver lining of the Sorrow card ties in nicely with the Feelings or Immediate Future position which is that of The Lovers, indicating that with mutual respect and teamwork the same state can be reached again.
Postponement in the Others’ Views position, as mentioned above is about delaying post writing until 9:30-10:00 pm at night rather than taking a few moments earlier to get something down.
Hopes & Fears has the Abundance card. The Abundance card is akin to someone having the Midas touch. However, in the Osho book instead of everything he touched turning to gold it would be “catching” compassion, inner wisdom and self-knowledge. Unlike Midas’ misfortune with gold, spreading compassion doesn’t have a downside. So, from this the Hope is clear; be in a mental and spiritual state well enough to help everyone. The Fear is that I’m incapable of such an ask.
From bliss to sorrow the Outcome of Compromise is the physio revisit next weekend. Not ideal but it will provide opportunity to reflect and continue healing.
References
- Osho, Osho Zen Tarot – The Transcendental Game of Zen, St Martin’s Press, ISBN 0-312-11733-7
- 2019, Burden Debbie, NHS Royal Berkshire, Patient information – Physiotherapy following an ankle fracture
