Yearning to Live

Two Months Ago...

It has been two months since the accident. I'm done with therapy, but I can't walk. Yet.
Benny stood up and stretched beside me. He jaws gaped opened into a massive yawn. Then he started to groom himself. I watched him, we had been growing closer to each other despite our differences. But today, I felt that something big was going to happen. But I couldn't tell what was going to happen, or at least until four figures walked into the stall. Natasha, Mady, the therapist, and the vet all came in at once. My stall started to become crowded, but I stayed on the ground, patient. They started talking when Tom walked in, " You guys ready?" Tom was answered by Natasha, " I think so." I pricked my ears, wondering what they were talking about. Mady started talking in a hushed whisper and Tom came over to silent my questioning. " You gonna learn to walk." I flicked an ear dismissively, and Tom joined the hub of people chatting in my stall. When they finished talking, the vet got his caddy and they were down to business.

They adjusted my wrap, making it tighter. Then Natasha stood by my head and started gently stroking my neck. Tom stood behind Natasha stoking behind my rib cage. Then the therapist (her name is Jenny) started coaxing me to get up, while the vet and Mady supervised the event. I started to get up, and Tom and Natasha helped by pushing me up. Finally, I was up on three feet. They were a little wobbly, and I was hesitant to put my injured foot down. Natasha and Tom stayed by my side putting a gentle pressure against me in case I started to loose my balance. The vet walked over and patted my neck. He then bent down toward my leg. He massaged my shoulder, which in turn, my leg started to gravitate toward the ground. When the tip of my hoof hit the ground, he kept massaging, but I didn't move. He then applied pressure as he moved his hands down my leg. Then my whole hoof was on the ground. I was standing. He then pat me again on the neck and went back to where he could supervise us. Then Mady took his place, and Jenny was across from Tom. Then Tom and Jenny nudged me forward. I put a little less pressure on my injured foot as I took my right hoof and lifted it off the ground. I set it down in front of me and my back left leg followed suite. Then I gingerly moved my bad leg and set that leg down. My back right leg followed suite of that. And I took my fist step. I let out a sigh of relief and found out that I was holding my breath. But before I could savor the moment, Tom and Jenny were nudging me forward again. More wobbly then a foal just starting to walk, I slowly made my way around my stall. I stood there a moment. The vet the opened the stall door and walked outside. He left the stall door open. I felt another coaxing nudge from Tom and Jenny. I took a deep breath. I took my first steps outside my stall since the accident two months ago. Now, I could walk, I knew that it could only get better from here.