Today's rambling: How long is too long?
Written on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2004 at 8:21 a.m.
while feeling a bit

How long do you think it takes before someone needs to become more self-sufficient with their crutches? If that makes sense...

My roommate broke her ankle two days ago. Yesterday, she tried going to class and was so sore and out of breath from using her crutches that she only got down to the bakery for breakfast and back (this took about an hour, and the bakery isn't that far away)...so she didn't go to her morning classes. Her dad called that afternoon, and she said the crutches hurt too much for her to go to classes today, and she wasn't going to go to Relaxation Skills, either. He told her quite firmly to go, and then made her hand the phone over to me to say that I need to make her use the crutches. After awhile, he said, they won't hurt so much.

And I know she definitely needs to practice with them. But it pained me to see her yesterday on our way to class, having to stop every so often to breathe and flex her hands. She got a ride home from the professor yesterday, and this morning she was desperate to find another ride to class.

Now I'm wondering if she's going to just kind of feel sorry for herself throughout this entire thing and not try to get used to her crutches. She's going to be using them for several weeks, and I know this is only the second day she's had to use them, so I want to know how long it'll take her to get used to them. In other words, how long should I wait before I suggest that she start doing some of these little things on her own?

I know it's hard for her. And believe me, I'm not trying to be an ogre or anything, because I'm more than happy to help her! It's just kind of weird to see proud, self-sufficient little Kristen reduced to asking people for help all the time.

But no matter what, I'll still carry her tray for her at dinner. ;)