Raising Cane

Well, I must say—physical therapy is one major pain (literally), but it sure works. All the heat/ice, massaging, and ankle exercising has brought my swelling waaay down, and I can move my ankle more. One fine day I shall have complete range of motion and strength. Oh, for that day.

Turns out my physical therapist is a Christian. Didn’t know that until the fourth time I went. This is because the first three times I was too busy saying, “Ow, ow, ow”—loudly. The PT actually told me (I swear this is a direct quote):

“I will hurt you, but I will never harm you.”

I was not in the finest of moods when she said this, seein’ as how the statement was in the middle of one of the “Ow” sessions. I gave her a look and told her my most evil bad guy on his worst day couldn’t have said anything more diabolical. I mean, really. Can’t you just imagine a chilling, psychotic smile with those words?

Some day I shall use the sentence in a book.

At any rate, I’ve graduated from hobbling in the boot with two crutches (trying not to use my right arm too much), to one crutch—to none. Major accomplishment. I get out of the boot three weeks from tomorrow. Supposedly then I can hobble without it. Might need a cane for awhile. Next up in June—surgery to remove the longest of screws in the ankle. No doubt I shall regress for a time after that. And in July I have to travel to the ChiLibris retreat and ICRS in Atlanta. Lots of walking. I shall need a cane.

Not just any cane will do.

I used a cane four years ago—when I had Lyme. Well, when I walked at all. It was the basic brown hooked kind you can buy at Walgreens. Not this time. I plan to cane around in finery.

Naturally I first looked for bling. Amazing, but you just don’t find many canes with sparkles. I managed to find this one from Fashionable Canes, but it wasn’t enough bling for me. Besides, black is not my color.

So I looked at site after site. Found this really cool one—Creative Canes—where a gal makes customized canes. Only problem is they can get pretty expensive (up to $250 for the one I’d choose), and they have to be made, which takes awhile. The most gorgeous one—a peacock—I’d love to carry, but it’s only for cane collections. (I didn’t know people collected canes.) The handle, with plenty of bling, isn’t made for real use. But isn’t it a beauty?

I found other interesting styles on Fashionable Canes like this exotic wood one.

I finally settled on this one from Fashionable Canes. Not exactly bling, but handpainted and with mother of pearl in the flowers. And the price is right.

Here’s to raising cane at ICRS.