A couple of updates

1. My road. It's March, so my road should be done, right? Not yet. Now we have no sidewalks and the road isn't paved (but the drainage part is completed) and no end is in sight: they have not yet even STARTED on the last block that is part of the project. If I were on crutches now, I would never be able to navigate this mess, so I'm counting my blessings as far as timing goes.

My sidewalk and driveway (er - my landlord's driveway, that is). The curb is in already, behind that wooden barrier.

2. My ribs. I caved and started taking NSAIDS daily for my ribs. The pain and swelling was interfering with work, sleep, and even breathing, and I kind of don't want pneumonia (a common complication of costochondritis - you can't clear fluid from your lungs, so bacteria multiply in it; you can't inhale/exhale deep into the lungs to sweep bacteria out either). Taking meloxicam has helped a lot, but I still have trouble trying to lie down or sit against a seat. I can stand or sit on a stool. I can't lay on my back, do core work, lift my arm over my head, or place pressure on my arms like for a push-up or plank. I can't twist or round my back. Coughing or sneezing actually brings tears to my eyes! But overall, there is improvement. I'm thinking two or three more weeks until it fades.
3. My PT. My therapist commented this week, "Hey, in just three more months, I'll have known you for a whole year!" Uh. Yikes. "Sounds like I should stop having surgery," I replied. Christian told me that I was actually his very first assessment! And poor dude. I showed up to that assessment bleeding all over because my wound started draining that day! I was laughing remembering that and Christian told me that he was totally freaking out when that happened. He'd had nightmares about his first assessment including something he didn't know anything about, and...here I was bleeding all over!
Other than reminiscing about the early days, PT is going well. We're focusing on balance and strength; still not doing a lot of range of motion. I need more ROM work, but strength is a priority.
4. My running. So far, so good! I know it's hard to tell how things feel when I'm going such short distances, but Christian had me increase distances already so he can assess things before my PT runs out. So this weekend I will do all the way to the park without stopping (0.7 miles) on Saturday, and a mile on Sunday. It's an increase from our original plan, but I'm also feeling really good! By now my pain is limited to a tightness/stiffness with abduction and some pain when I lift my leg with my knee straightened. That was the last pain to go away on the left side, too. Running doesn't hurt, but I know that the test will be after I run (once my distance increases some).