Good news, everybody!

 So this afternoon, I decided to wash my hair. I stepped into the tub (I have a combined tub and shower; if I had a much bigger house and was redoing the bathroom I'd get a shower stall and have a soaking tub, but I manage with what I have).

And I realize: it doesn't hurt to stand any more (earlier - straightening my leg kind of hurt, it felt like when you are stretching a little too far) and my leg was perfectly stable, and I thought: well, I could try washing my hair and showering without the chair.

So I lifted it out and set it just outside the tub. And I took my shower (I don't take LONG showers - less than 10 minutes, so not that long to stand) and washed my hair and was even able to use the bath brush properly to exfoliate my back. And then when I stepped out I was able to grab onto the chair, though I really didn't need the stabilization, I didn't want to risk slipping or turning funny.

Unfortunately my bathroom is small enough there's nowhere really to keep the chair in it, even as a towel holder. So I'll have to figure out an out of the way but accessible spot to store it - I want to keep it because there could be a time in the future (like: if I had the flu and wanted to shower but was afraid I lacked the energy to stand) when it would come in handy. Maybe a spot in my "guest" room, which is really more just a boxroom. 

Or, once I get my bedroom cleaned up a little more and some of the stuff in there stowed away, I could put it in there to lay out my clothes for the next day on, and to use as a dressing chair. It looks a little institutional (white plastic) but it would be a good place to sit while putting tights on. 

I need to get the big immobilizer and crutches out of my car once I'm really fully healed, and I plan to store those in the hall closet - you never know when you might need crutches again, or, they'd be there to loan out to a friend or colleague if they needed them. 

I am very hopeful, given how good I've felt today and how much better I'm walking that there will be no surgery in my future. I'm happy to do PT and would even be willing to consider the injections, but I really don't want surgery (and unless it seemed urgent I'd have to put it off until summer).

Sprains are maddeningly slow to heal though. Tomorrow it will be a month ago that I did this. I'm hoping it's not MUCH longer until I'm better enough I can walk completely normally again.