Good morning! I wanted to give y'all a quick update on my progress. I've graduated from walking with the big, clumsy boot on to wearing a brace around my ankle and fits inside of my tennis shoe. It's much easier on my hips, my back and my foot.

I went to my first outpatient PT appointment on Monday, and I was just certain the therapist was going to be very impressed with how well I am walking. Not so much. He noticed all kinds of things that I didn't realize, like....I'm taking one long stride, then a very short one. He said that is due to my hip flexor being super tight because I was non-weight-bearing for so long. He also noticed that the scars from the incisions are very stiff and "gummy." They will need to be worked on so that my ankle will bend correctly. The thought of him scraping them or even touching them to break up the tissue makes my stomach queasy. He also said I needed to use a cane to stabilize myself because he noticed that I was unsteady when I walked. He's just so picky! Anyway, he said I will need to come for 10 to 12 weeks to get everything working correctly. And here I thought he was going to tell me I didn't even need therapy. Bahaha!

I'm sorry to report that I'm still having a great deal of trouble sleeping at night. I fall asleep around 9:00 PM, then I wake up around 12:00 AM. The rest of the night is a huge struggle. I get up, readjust all of my pillows, put Voltaren and ice packs on my ankle, the heating pad on my back, BioFreeze on my neck, essential oil on my head to help my headache, and I take Tylenol for the break-through pain. I go through all of this rigmarole before I go to bed, but it has to be repeated sometime in the night. By morning, my room smells like a hospital, and I look like I've been in a fight with a rabid animal. I used to wake up with my hair looking just like it did when I went to bed. Now one side looks like it's been smacked with a cow patty, and the other side looks like a squirrel built a nest in it. I just have to laugh when I see myself in the mirror each morning. Seriously though, I would appreciate your continued prayers that I will be able to sleep through the night.

I'm so grateful for the way the Lord knit my bones back together so quickly and so perfectly, and I'm thrilled to be able to walk again. I just need some sleep. Love from a very tired, but super thankful Sandra.