Yearning to Live

Okay From Here

It had now been a slow four months since the accident. Today I learned to walk. I found out that my concussion had been more serious than previously thought. It had made me understand some things better, but I got worse at others. Like learning to ride and walk. Maybe it was my mood or my brain damage, I don't know. But it was difficult for me to comprehend that I could walk again, maybe even ride. But I knew it was going to happen whether I could comprehend it or not.

I sat in what looked like a beach chair with mahogany fabric upholstering the metal frame. The physical therapist named Joey walked in soon after I sat down. She closed the door softly behind her and got on her computer. She asked me basic questions about pain and such and then she scooted her computer to the side. She then made me lay down, bit made the chair thing prop up so u could rest my back against it and still see her. She examined my foot and felt for pain. She then grabbed a weird set of crutches. They had velcro loops at the top, a bar to put your hands that was 90° to the pole holding it all together. She handed them to me and she made sure they were the right height and the straps and such were in right. Then she told me quickly how to use them. Joey then summoned me out the door into another room down the hall. It looked like the room had a dancer and gymnast occupying it all at once. In the middle of the room was a slightly elevated platform with a gently sloping ramp. On either side of the platform were parallel bars. The room had a couple of mirrored walls. Then the rest of the non mirrored walls had a railing almost across the wall even with your hips. I crutched forward to the ramp which was where Joey had led me. She told me to leave the crutches behind and hop onto the platform and use the bars to steady myself. She told me to set my foot down and simply walk. I glanced at her like she had grown another head. I don't know how to walk! Joey told me some not very helpful advice, " Just like you remember." I told her starting to panic a bit, " Since the accident, I've had bad memory of basic stuff like that. I don't remember!" She just started at me a second, " Well, then just watch what I do." She started walking and I stared at her legs. She walked back over to me and encouraged me to do the same. I out my left foot in front and the brought my right leg forward. And then I clicked. I was walking. I walked to the end of the bars and turned around and walked back to Joey. We just looked at each other for a moment. I knew in that instant that we night just be okay from here.