Char’s PT was done in the pool today, and after some actual swimming, the kid working with her helped her stretch out. In an effort to keep her hip from locking, much of the stretching they do with her involves contorting her legs into torturous positions. In the warm water (94 farking degrees, who can swim in that?), it doesn’t seem to hurt as much as it does otherwise, and she can be pushed pretty hard.

Because I don’t tend to look like I’m going to bite someone’s head off when she’s in the water, I’m allowed in the pool with her. I stood off to the side while this kid helped her stretch and watched, because paying attention means I can later help her when she’s in the dojang pool, and face it, if I get through the session without losing my shit, it pays other dividends. The kid helping today looks about 21-22 and is thin and wiry, and I could break him in two without much effort, and I think he realized this. Char wasn’t having any problem with the stretching so it wasn’t bothering me, not until the expression on his face went from practically bored to surprise and his eyes went wide.

Char was concentrating on getting her leg stretched enough to get her knee to break the water and wasn’t looking at him or at me for that matter so she was a little surprised herself when I told him I thought he was done for the day and to go swim it off. I think he was a little surprised that I didn’t grab him by the hair and launch him through the air, but what the fuck was he supposed to do? He’s a kid, and she’s hot. It’s not like I blamed him but I sure as hell wasn’t going to let him keep working with her then.

She’s mildly amused now but I think she won’t be working with him again.

After that she had a doctor’s appointment. She complained about the cast getting in her way in the pool, so they cut it off and gave her two splints, one for typical use and one for in the water and said she can shower without either if she wants. The bone isn’t completely healed but well on its way. And the MRI results were finally back. There was nothing significant and he thinks her pain is probably cyclical because she didn’t make the best use of pain medication. He doesn’t want her to increase what she’s already taking but has her on gut-busting doses of Ibuprofen twice a day and hopefully over a week or so that will break the cycle. He also suggested she try acupuncture, which surprised me a little.

Based on her progress he also thinks she might be able to drive within 3-4 months. She can start trying to figure out what she wants and Santa might stuff it into her stocking. She was more interested in how long it will be before she can ride her motorcycle again but he wasn’t as optimistic about that and frankly I’ll be glad if it’s not until next spring. It’s going to take that long before the kids relax about the bikes; they won’t even get on their dirt bikes right now. I’m going to go ahead and prep them for winter, except for my bike. I might be able to sneak a ride or two in when the kids are in school, but if not Brad will ride it for me.

If the kids are still freaking over the idea of us on the bike by next spring, we have some serious debating to do. Ride anyway, or give it up. I’m not thrilled with either idea.