Not With a Bang, but With a Whimper

So. I'm done with physical therapy.

That's it. That's my news. It happened all-of-a-sudden, really, so quickly that I still feel a little disconnected from it all. When I last met with Dr. G in May, he told me to continue PT for four weeks at 2ce a week, and then four weeks at 1ce a week and then I'd be done, unless my therapist and I felt more was needed. Marching orders in hand, I continued therapy.

Last Wednesday (visit #2 in my "1ce/week for four weeks" phase) my therapist Sara told me that, as of this week (visit #3 in my "1ce/week for four weeks" phase), she would no longer be working with this therapy group. She, then, would be finished one week before I would, and I would have to have my last visit with another therapist.

I was torn. It just didn't feel right to end my therapy with someone else, and seemed kind of pointless for me to come in for my last session and have to work with someone who doesn't know me or my needs at all. I spoke with Sara and together we decided that yesterday was, indeed, my last day of PT.

I'm still using a cane and have a substantial limp so folks have asked me why/how I can be done with PT. The answer is that it's now all about pain and healing. I can officially do all of the exercises that I do at therapy on my own, between the tools I have at home and those at my gym. I have a limp because there's still pain, and the body won't let itself be injured -- it automatically tries to compensate for the pain so until I (A) get stronger (exercise) and (B) get rid of the pain (extended healing), this is as far as I'm gonna get. The work's not over by ANY means -- I'll need to go through my routines every single day -- but there's no reason for me to spend time and money on therapy anymore.

When I left RSPTII yesterday for the final time, I was in a really strange place mentally and emotionally. I hugged my therapist, said goodbye to Sam the Receptionist, and then took a moment to look around. It was like a graduation, a breakup, a relief and a sadness all in one. I'm glad to be done, will miss the people I've gotten to know there, am scared of whatever it is that the future might hold ... but the future will come, sure as anything, so my only choice is to stand up to meet it.