Tuesday, November 2
Didn’t sleep much last night, and I had to rise early for an appointment. We did laps on Costituente, nothing remarkable, my ankle loosened as we went. I napped briefly before and after lunch. Overwhelmed with trying to plan a hot springs trip for tomorrow – in part because typing is horrible, in part because I feel rather awful, in major part because the website is confusing and doesn’t match what is actually available – after several hours I decided that to get the package we wanted, the trip was best moved to Monday. But all the planning in Italian left me really shaky and tight by the time Roman got here at five. We walked Constituente again, but this time the downhill sections I did without the benefit of Roman’s arm and the walk as a whole was good.
Wednesday, November 3
We walked indoors because of rain, at least half of that without Roman’s arm. I was exhausted afterwards. Had a wonderful nap, one that left me slow but not uncomfortable.
By evening the rain had abated (we could see stars) so we did laps on Via delle Costituente, me without support on the decline, with support on the incline. The painful foot worked its way towards freedom, the body began to exhibit a healthy sway. I felt good.
Thursday, November 4
The annual certification of my heating system happened this morning, and immediately after that, a pedicure, so except for incidental walking the morning went by without real exercise. Unless you consider reserving and paying for a spa day in Bagno Vignoni physically demanding, and given their rambling website and a rather antique method of payment, it was at least physically draining. A nap will take care of that.
But before I napped, my doctor Leonardo stopped by to give me a flu shot. It’s always good to see him.
Despite my having gotten nine solid hours of sleep last night, I napped 45 minutes (in two sections) and it although it was delicious, it left me limp and sort of empty inside.
Come evening, my feet hurt too much for a good walk. The left ankle loosened in four laps, but the aforementioned limpness signaled an early end.
Typing was really quite good pre-nap, post-nap it’s been a disaster (until this line).
Friday, November 5
Not having a real walk yesterday took its toll last night. Whereas I’ve been falling asleep relatively early and without ceremony, I started getting restless while trying to watch television, and spent the first hour and a half in bed a mass of tightening muscles. So, I paced the hall for thirty minutes and could feel the body relax as I was doing it. Sleep came easily after that, but the quality of my walk seemed a throwback to several months ago. Until the day before yesterday I was experiencing a sharp and steady improvement generally, so I guess the two steps ahead one step back rule is playing itself out again, and on a grand scale.
This morning’s stroll was better than nothing, but just barely.
I expected little from the evening stroll, but was surprised with how silent it was, how controlled, how independent, and how therapeutic – the left ankle hurt less as we walked.
But the evening of television was made difficult again by uncomfortable and twitchy legs, and had to be interrupted several times by pacing. Sleep was sound but also needed to be interrupted twice to pace the hallway. Pacing always works, but resigning myself to the need sometimes takes more time than the actual exercise.
Intuitively I feel that all of the above is part of a healing process. Healing is seldom along a straight track and often involves discomfort along the way.
Saturday, November 6
I had great hope for my ankle during morning prep, but as soon as we took our first steps on the sagrato I knew I was in trouble. Katrin gave me a remarkable and powerful physiotherapy session yesterday, and its benefits were felt last evening. But as often happens on the day after I get slammed with the more rigorous effects of the work. I’m super limp and regards the two steps forward rule, I feel like I’ve plummeted back by two months. This morning, my left ankle was so sore I could barely walk, and movement helped but only a little. We got six painful laps in before I threw in the towel.
This evening, it was raining lightly with a chill wind by the time we arrived at the Duomo, and my ankle wasn’t going to sustain a walk, so we chalked it up to a good diversion and fresh air and went back home. I felt better getting out of the house and can pace the hallway later for exercise.
Sunday, November 7
I slept well, again, with small difficulty getting to sleep, quickly resolved by pacing. I’ve been turning over in bed at night, something I’ve not been able to do in some months; it’s not easy but I often wake up in the morning in positions I don’t remember taking before sleep. Also the swallow reflex is functioning again which means drool collects only when, due to nasal congestion, I sleep with my mouth open. There are other improvements too, harder to describe.
I start with the positive because my left ankle hurts badly and walking continues to feel more or less like it did two weeks out of the hospital, and I find that very frustrating. But I meditated just now and feel better for it instead of coming out psychically beat up. And evening discomfort watching television was less extreme yesterday than is was the day before.
Typing is very much improved, but only in spurts.
It is important to focus on gratitude, and I’ve much to be grateful for.
I am extremely limp today, which viewed as limpness (rather than weakness) means a strong recovery symptom.
And in the spirit of focussing on the positive – tomorrow we go to the hot springs at Bagno Vignoni!
Monday, November 8
The Etruscans took the waters at Bagno Vignoni. So did the Romans. The hot springs have drawn Italians to the site for hundreds of years. You can feel it in the air, people have come there to relax for millennia.
I worried about what we would do for seven hours, so I ordered packages to include massage, sauna, and pools. That was nice, but the view across the valley was almost entertainment enough, and the waters were wonderful. Next time I’ll save the money.
What was especially delightful to me was that walking in the pool was smooth and without pain. But getting out of the car in Orvieto my legs felt better and my ankles much worse. I have no idea why.
Still the only bad thing about our day there was that we had to leave. Hotel Posta Marcucci, if you’re looking.