Sometimes life throws us curved balls and these unexpected events can turn our world completely upside down.
Certainly, it looked very bleak when I slipped down a muddy bank and broke my leg. Fortunately, it was at the very end of our walk, and close to home, but it did necessitate an urgent trip to Alnwick Infirmary for an X-ray, and I was given a rather fetching moonboot to wear until I could start bearing weight on my leg again.
I have to confess that our two dogs, Bruno and Shep, are a bit of a handful at times, and I knew that Antony was definitely not looking forward to walking them all by himself.
However, he needn’t have worried – I had no intention of abandoning the dogs’ walks – After all, the break was completely stable, the bones were not at all displaced, and I knew that I would go completely mad if I didn’t get out of the house and have some exercise – no matter how little.
However, we live on a hill and that means that walks from home are either up or downhill,
So, for the first fortnight Antony drove us out to local ‘flattish’ beauty spots at the beginning and the end of his working day. We didn’t have to drive too far to find somewhere where we could all exercise at our pace. We walked by the river, in the woods, on the moors and at the beach. Bruno was always keen to play ball with Antony but Shep, faithful to the last, was my constant companion.
Every day I found that I could walk further. At first, I wore the moonboot supported by a crutch, then I just used the crutch by itself and finally, today, after about two and a half weeks, I didn’t use either.
I didn’t rush my recovery. I listened to my legs and adapted my walks accordingly.
Most importantly, I embraced everything that life had to offer - I even danced at my niece’s wedding !
I am not completely healed yet – I find stairs awkward – and slopes a bit of a chore – but I am improving every day.
I have no doubt that my speedy recovery is due entirely to having my two special dogs to walk with.
Come rain or shine, there is nothing more mentally uplifting and physically more healing than a walk in the great outdoors – and if you have a furry friend or two to share it with, so much the better.
For so many of us, the great outdoors is right on our doorstep and not even a car journey away. It is fantastic to know that it will always be there, as a deflection from all of the curved balls that life throws at us!
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