Achilles' Heel

"An Achilles' Heel is a weakness in spite of overall strength, which can lead to downfall.  While the mythological origin refers to physical vulnerability, idiomatic references to other attributes or qualities that can lead to downfall are common."

March Came In Like A Lion . . . April Came In Like A Tripwire . . .

On 7 April 2017 I was getting off the M72 bus on Amsterdam Avenue. My toes touched the curb, the rest of my foot went down to street level. Ruptured Achilles' tendon.   First there was the stabilization boot ("Nancy"), then the cane ("Citizen"), and then, when I developed plantar heel pain, there were the crutches ("Dali Sticks").  
A difficult journey through the physical and psychological terrain of immobility; with lessons in patience and gratitude.  The pain and crutches are gone, the cane comes along on occasion for confidence, and the boot comes off in two weeks.  Then the already-months-long physical therapy process gets focused on rebuilding muscles and learning to walk right again. Meanwhile there is this current thing with a blood clot and extreme lower-back pain as I attempt to see doctors of every medical discipline in NYC. There's a visit to the dentist and eye doctor coming up. I wasn't told this was all coming when they gave me the 1/2 price subway/bus MetroCard when I turned 65 in December.  But there is that healing carrot dangling on a stick ahead - in eight weeks we leave for Burning Man.

Click on images to enlarge.

My daughter Martha came to visit for a weekend and I hobbled around the city with her.