The week of steps, the journey back

4/9/07, Monday's journal gripes: My joints hurt, A LOT, like I've sprained my ankle, but I don't remember falling. Up and down I've hiked, from the car, to the tent (this was actually a long way and completely vertical!), from the tent, to the car, final settings to the tarp, collecting food, supplies, crazy creek, work gloves..... We're here to start a cabin, hot and heavy in the dreaming phase, lots of fun. But it's been a while since I've trekked anywhere past the bathroom. Here looking for a fast recovery, jonesing for strength, struggling with desperation, not sure how this will go....

4/10/07, Tuesday: surprisingly bouncy, strong, strange lack of structural pain, suspicious.

4/11/07, Wednesday: Made it to the top without stopping! Trip record (for me)! My average still stands at 3 - 4 bend overs, tree leans, chest clutches, head poundings, near pass-out breaks per assent. But the line has been crossed, now I've made it non-stop. All by simply adjusting my speed, down, to a steady chest pound, thud-thud, thud-thud.... tiny steps, mere momentum, inner focus, burning desire.

4/12/07, Thursday: Donned my pack, full and heavy, 3 trips up, to move camp to cabin site, urge to do it followed, accepted, challenged, non-stop, very slow, proud, strong, steady... Discovered a few gifts of treatment today: the ability to slow down, watch the leaves, the wind, with contentment, to consciously choose patience, to maintain, sustain, celebrate my body.

4/14/07, Saturday: (Morning) Woke early wanting to walk, in Pensacola, chased early from Arkansas by weather. The hike I missed, muscles twitched, pushing pulling forward. So I go, through neighborhoods, step and step, past sleeping neighbors...

(Afternoon) First Bike Ride:
With nephew
Daughter
Borrowed bike
fast
smooth
joy
up high
lean hard
to the left
bump, little jump
laugh, swerve
around the curve
back again
round the bend
lets go again
I'm back my friend!

4/15/07, Sunday: Running log - 200 yards, back at home, daughter can walk as fast as I can run, extremely fun.