Morning Reading Ritual
I woke up at 10:30 AM, savoring the sweetness of my bed and the gentle start to my day. There’s something about these mornings—moving slowly, staying mindful of every motion—that reminds me how far I’ve come since surgery. Transferring in and out of bed is getting easier, but I still have to be careful to avoid triggering pain.
Once up, I made myself a cappuccino and settled into my recliner with my book Cobalt Red. Lokah, my ever-loyal companion, curled up in my lap, and we spent about 90 minutes enjoying this peaceful moment together. There’s something soothing about these reading sessions, grounding myself in words while sipping coffee with Lokah’s warmth nestled against me.
Afternoon Therapy Session
Around 1:30 PM, I felt ready to push myself further, so I began my physical therapy for the day. I started with my Sadhu boards, turned on my sound system and my Ayahuasca playlist started playing out of the blue. What was supposed to be 10 minutes quickly turned into 30. The familiar music transported me, and with it, a deep emotional release. Singing along, I couldn’t help but reflect on how far I’ve come in this healing journey.
Just before my therapy, I had a text conversation with my friend Krysten, where I opened up about what this journey has meant for me. Here’s part of my response to her:
“The belief that there is a gift in this journey! There are many layers to it, as I am working through them all. I have five blog posts ready to go online, my hope is to become more authentic and transparent in sharing my journey with the world.”
I shared how much of my life has been spent presenting myself as “healed” when, in reality, the 2015 accident changed my life in ways I hadn’t fully acknowledged:
“Parts of my life have been inauthentic, in the sense of me acting and presenting myself at times, as if I was fully healed from the accident in 2015. The truth is, it has changed my life every day forward. My hip has never worked like normal since. Nor has my shoulder. These things can weigh you down, particularly if you become disconnected from them and your body.”
“This can consume your energy, and you become distracted, not sitting with reality. In the current moment, I have been asked to be still, to sit with myself. It’s been 60+ days. I have never spent this much time at home. It’s had its ebbs and flows, including complete feelings of hopelessness and physical pain. At times, just 7 days ago, I experienced physical pain on levels where I could see someone agreeing to die, in an effort to escape them.”
“I may have never taken this time by choice, although my soul has been yearning for it—to find clarity, peace, purpose, and passion!”
The conversation filled me with tears for a few minutes while standing, listening to my music. It’s moments like these, where the emotional layers are peeled back, that remind me how transformative this process really is.
Mini Milestone: Socks, Shoes, and the Longest Drive Yet
After PT, I took a moment to tackle what felt like a mini milestone—I put on my socks and shoes! It might seem trivial, but this was the first time since surgery that I managed it on my own. I couldn’t help but snap a photo to document the moment.
Later, at 5 PM, I drove to Morganton, my longest drive since the surgery. I was meeting someone to pick up an Apple Magic Keyboard for my iPad, which I found on Facebook Marketplace. By the time I arrived, I noticed some tenderness in my thigh and hip, likely from the pressure of driving, but I felt proud that I made it. The keyboard felt like a win in itself—it’ll allow me to get more done on my iPad while continuing to heal.
By midnight, I had worked on my blog and reflected on how much I had accomplished that day. It’s easy to get caught up in the pain and setbacks, but today was a reminder of how much progress I’ve made.
Tuesday, 9/24: Late-Night Movies and Emotional Reflections
Sleepless in the Early Hours
It was nearly 2:20 AM, and I was wide awake, unable to sleep. I had just finished watching Insurgent—the second film in the Divergent series. The movies have been a welcome distraction lately, helping me momentarily step away from the challenges I face. Once the movie ended, I let myself be carried away by music. The song “Krishna’s Dance” came on, and the peaceful melody filled the room, perfectly complementing the quiet early morning hours.
There’s something about those quiet hours between midnight and dawn that make me introspective. I found myself pondering my recovery. Yesterday, I felt optimistic, but today I felt even more reassured. It was a subtle shift, a growing confidence that my body is finally healing.
Morning Milestone: No Drainage
Later that morning, I removed the bandage that had been on for two days, and to my surprise, there was almost no drainage. This was huge! It felt like the healing I’ve been praying for was actually happening. I showered, and for the first time in weeks, I was able to get out of the shower with minimal support—only using my hands for balance on the bench.
Afternoon Walks and Functional Spaces
By mid-afternoon, I took some time to walk outside, practicing walking for 10 minutes with minimal support from my crutches. There was some soreness in my hip, but I realized that this is part of the process. I’ll continue to walk more, but I also know when to rely on the crutches to prevent over-exertion.
One thing I’ve done during this recovery is create functional spaces around the house. I’ve set up my recliner in front of the dining room window, a perfect spot for birdwatching or reading. I’ve repositioned my dining room table into a functional workspace where I can see the outdoors while working. And I’ve left chairs scattered around the yard for spontaneous moments of outdoor reflection.
Evening PT and Thunderstorms
In the evening, I did another hour of PT in the living room—10 minutes on the Sadhu boards, some light yoga stretches, and sit-to-stands. I followed it up with a cozy night of reading and a YouTube rabbit hole of documentaries. The rain and thunderstorms continued throughout the evening, providing a dramatic backdrop to my reflections on the day.
Tomorrow, I have a massage scheduled, my first in a long time. I’m feeling hopeful and grateful as I move forward on this healing journey.
Thank you for taking the time to read this. If you made it to the end, I would love to hear from you! 
Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu – May All Beings Be Happy and Free 