For months now, I’ve had July 15 circled on my calendar.
It’s been a rough tour so far, and that whole Fourth thing consumed my work
world for months. I figured if I could make it through that, then have a
weekend to recover, I’d be fine the following weekend.
When I set the date in my mind so long ago, I had no idea
we’d have the S visit two days after the Fourth party – necessitating a mental
break – and did not put together that July 15 would be the first anniversary of
the coup attempt. For me, it was just the week after the party.
And it turned out to be a busy week. I finally started
therapy on my shoulder, which I wrenched sometime in the winter. (I only
remember this because I’d hurt it picking up a jacket.) I’d had the MRI in
April, but still hadn’t carved out time to get back for the results. The paper
results all said “no tear,” “normal,” and the like, so I knew I didn’t need
surgery. And I was busy.
Monday was out, as that was the S wheels-up day, but I had
to go Tuesday through Friday to the physical therapist. And as that in itself isn’t
a time-suck, the commute there is brutal. The walk to the bus stop, then the
bus to the metro and then, after five stops on the metro, a 10-minute walk to
the hospital.
And all that for some guy to put ice and a shocker thing on
my arm for 18 minutes, then to watch me do little stretches for about 10 and
then more ice for 10 more. And then reverse the commute, head straight to work
(uphill after the last bus, of course), work through lunch and then stay late
to make up the time. Sigh.
And so far, I’ve still seen no progress. It’s irritating
that, after having the MRI in April, I was told to not do any over-the-shoulder
exercises, but that’s exactly what I’ve been assigned to do. Sigh.
It feels a lot like the other one did after surgery. And when
the therapist or doctor tells me to do something with my good shoulder, I’m not
really sure which one he or she is talking about. I guess the good news in all
this is my right shoulder, the post-surgery one, is back to as good as it’s
going to get.
The left one is just killing me, but I really am working it.
I have to go back in tomorrow for another checkup, but I told them I just can’t
get out there every day. The commute just sucks it out of me.
I feel like at this rate, I am never going to get back into
the “normal work” swing. (I put that in quotes because I really don’t feel at
any point this has been a normal assignment.) Last week I had the therapy four
days, and this week, my boss it out at a training. I suppose it’s never normal,
or the new normal, or whatever other cool catchphrase you’d like to enter.
But after all the Fourth of July planning, I’m ready to do
some real planning – for me. I’m a year into this tour, which means I’m kind of
overdue for my R&;R. Theoretically, this comes in the middle of the tour, but
since I’m in management and it’s also the season when people come and go, I
really am busy through August, so I’m looking at September.
The jury is still out on where to go, though. I’d penciled in three places I’d be
interested in spending about a week (the Baltics, Croatia or the Maldives) but
am still waffling. I ruled out Croatia
already because I decided to do it on a long weekend instead. Right now, the
Maldives – with a side trip to Sri Lanka – lead the charge.
It’s another milestone, and I’m looking forward to that one,
too.
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