Sunday, September 19, 2010

Recovery: Day 11 - Arms Are Burning

Yesterday was my first full day back to my life in the city, and I jumped right in. I have no time to waste and this foot can't slow me down...or so I thought...

I was super excited to start helping at Nutcracker rehearsals with the group I would've danced with. I missed everyone and have really missed being around ballet in general these 2 weeks. It was my first time trying to travel on crutches on the MTA, and of course hardly any subway stops are handicap accessible. So until I'm off crutches, I'm only really able to take buses.

There are 2 buses at the end of our block here in Queens, but they don't really go to super convenient places in Manhattan. I got on the one that was supposed to stop just 4 blocks away from the studio where I was headed, but it ended up actually stopping 6 blocks and an avenue away. That sounds like nothing, but on crutches that takes like an hour, haha.

Not to mention the fact that this is in tourist-central. I tried to crutch in the lane closest to the buildings so people could get around me easily (when I'm healthy my biggest pet peeve is slow walkers taking up the entire sidewalk!) but people are just rude and not paying attention around there.

Dodging foot traffic was the least of my problems though. I seriously could barely make it a full block before needing a break. My upper back and arms were burning so badly with every step. I had to make a pit stop at Starbucks just to sit down for a minute. Ugh. I'm hoping it'll get easier as I continue (and I'm going to do all I can not to hike quite that far again...).

Eventually I made it to rehearsal, which I'll blog about separately soon.

After that I had to head uptown to class to pick up some paperwork from my teacher (and to say hi :). Another bus ride and crutching an avenue block (do those get longer and longer every time I try it?!) and I made it. I meant to just stop in and leave, but I needed a rest again. I watched pointe class for 10 minutes and was bombarded with ballerina stickers on my boot :)

After all that, which is maybe about 1/3 of my normal NYC day, I was dead tired and my body was all cramped up. But I was supposed to go see a performance that a few friends were in, and I was already not far so...I went. Of course I still had to crutch a few blocks - and uphill at that - but I got there.

I enjoyed the show but dreaded the prospect of the trip home. It took more than an hour and 2 buses (which always seem to leave right as I'm hobbling across the street to catch them...why do I have the worst luck? Haha). The last 3 flights of stairs were torture.

This morning my back and arms and hips are sore as if I had a 4-show day at Radio City. Ouch.

If I can get through 2 more weeks (or more) on crutches in NYC I think I can do just about anything. The foot CAN slow me down. But...it can't stop me!

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