May 21 2008
Downshifting
Some of you may know that one of my less desirable traits is impatience. I generally know what I want and I want it as soon as reasonably practicable.
So, obviously, making the most out of our vacation while being unable to walk freely is an interesting challenge for me. If I believed in fate, I would say that someone is trying to teach me patience with this little injury.
After the crazed schedule of activities in Rome and Florence, and even the slower pace of Tuscany and Umbria, I’ve had to completely reset my expectations on what is possible to accomplish in a day. I considered it a major triumph yesterday that I took a shower (plastic bag covering the cast, of course), fed myself breakfast, got down a flight of stairs, took a bus down the hill about 200 yards, used crutches to go about 100 more yards to the Internet point, and repeated this outing in reverse direction. I was exhausted by the time I got back to our room. By the way, Dave helped me the whole time, but I still think it’s an accomplishment.
Today, Dave is out exploring the Cinque Terre (he’s spent the rest of our time here taking care of me; I thought it was only fair to give him one day to do a little of what we had planned to do here in four days). I did make it outside on my own to get a great take-away lunch of foccacia and farinata (both local specialties; both yummy). I brought my lunch back up to our room, ate it with some of the wine we bought while tasting in Chianti, and have spent my day reading a book and writing these blog posts (unfortunately, no Internet access in the room, but at least I have Dave’s laptop to write the drafts). Also, I successfully injected myself with my blood thinning medicine (it was easier after the wine I had with lunch 🙂 ). If I weren’t injured, I’d say that this was a waste of a day while on vacation in Italy. But since my expectations have been reset, I think it was a pretty good day. Especially since I haven’t managed to injure any other bones or tendons in the process.
– Meredith
One response so far
Poor Meredith! but, it sounds like you’re taking it very well. It’s at least a vacation that already had some time built in for leisure, not a whirlwind week through all of Western Europe or something! I hope the amazing food makes it that much easier to bear!
Thinking of you,
Kristin