Walking Spirit

Jeremy Warriner had a great fall. Well, it wasn't really a great fall but, it did finally happen. I've been expecting this for sometime now. My old friend Mark Hatfield and his wife Lauren were in town this past weekend so Jamie (roommate) and I got together with them and our old friend Nathan and his fiancee Dina for a cookout on Saturday. Mark has been here twice since the accident but had not actually seen me walk yet so I put on the legs and walked out into the yard for the first time since the onset of the infections. I was determined that we were going to eat in the backyard. So, even though the left leg still didn't fit right I still gave it a shot.

I made it out to the table and we all enjoyed a beautiful evening. It was the first cookout of the season for my house and, though I couldn't actually work the grill, I was able to contribute some things from the kitchen. I had to take my antibiotic infusions at the table in the yard so we wound up sitting out there until it got pretty dark. When I stood up to walk back in the house I couldn't find my balance. (I know what you're all thinking but, it had nothing to do with alcohol!) The only thing I can figure is that the combination of the darkness and the poor fit on the left leg prevented me from being able to walk. Yet, stubborn and pig headed, I still tried to make it around to the front of the house.

"Why was I trying to walk around to the front of the house?" you might ask. Well, the answer is that I still haven't figured out how to go up steps. As we were getting around to the front of the house both of my knees bent at the same time. I said a few choice words as I landed on my knees and then tipped over on my side. Mark and Jamie got me back in to the wheel chair and we headed in. Now that the first fall is out of the way and I have a new socket that fits well, on the left leg, we can start to move forward again.

Renee's orders are for me to walk my butt off before I see her again on Monday. Keep your eyes open cause you may see me out there. I'm not making any promises but I can tell you that I'm wearing the legs right now and there's no pain!

Well, I think that's enough rambling for this week. Hope everyone had a great Independence Day! Oh, and by the way, I start my drivers training tomorrow, so if you're driving on the northwest side between 11:00am and 12:30pm you might want to slow down and keep your eyes peeled for a car with a "student driver" sign. Chances are it'll be me!