My Achilles Tendon – Freedom

My Achilles Tendon – Freedom · 13 March 2009

It is amazing what you take for granted before you are sick or injured. I know that I took mobility and freedom for granted before I got injured. Now after a couple months of depending on other people to drive me to and from work and everywhere else. Of hobbling around on crutches. Of being more dependent on people for everything than I have been since I was a baby (maybe a bit of an exaggeration). Now, I am finally able to walk and drive again. I finally have a little freedom.

I think that mobility is something that most of us take for granted. We can walk, ride our bikes, drive, or even fly to places all around the world. I found out that those freedoms are really luxuries. At least when we can not do them ourselves. As much as I enjoyed getting to know some of my coworkers on the rides to and from work, I was on their timetables. This was just part of the deal and I was happy that I could get rides whenever my friends left. Still, it and being dependent were just something that I was not used to. I was used to independence and the freedom to come and go as I pleased.

I was also used to moving easily through the hallways at school and church. With crutches, I was limited to move through the hallways by the width of my body and crutches. I probably should have had a sign or even outriders with signs that said, “Wide Load.” I am sure that I took up double or more of my usual width which is problematic through crowded hallways. I tried not to go through the halls at peak times but occasionally I needed to do so. Thankfully, I did not cause any pileups at school or church due to my lack of warning signs.

When I got free of my crutches, I was able to walk (albeit at a snail’s pace) around. I found that freedom to be nice. But it was not until I was able to drive again that I felt truly free. Free to come and go as I pleased. Free to go where I wanted when I wanted. As long as I am home in time for dinner. True, I will miss my conversations with friends on the way to and from work, but I think that I am too independent and need too much freedom from time constraints to carpool on a regular basis.

I love it that I am free to not just walk up and down the halls free of crutches but to cruise down the highways and byways of the land. I must admit though that I will probably miss being chauffeured around by my wife when we go places together. As much as I like being able to drive, I like being driven around by her. Still, I would much rather have the freedom to drive than need to rely on anybody else for my locomotion.

I could say that I will never take the freedom to move about for granted again, but I am sure I would be lying. Right now though, I love the fact that I can walk and drive. I love my freedom.

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I doubt “R” would ever say that he likes to be driven around by me! Congratulations on your freedom to drive again.

— Sara · 2 April 2009, 12:57 ·

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