This boot was made for walking.

I didn’t do a single crunch this week. Not one. No push-ups, either. Why? Because I was exhausted from walking through Chicago and Milwaukee.

My trip to the medical writers’ conference wouldn’t have been possible on crutches. Fortunately, the combination of the boot and cane gave me mobility that I hadn’t had just a few weeks before. And being out and about in places where I didn’t need to drive to get around? Priceless. Heavenly. I felt like a big girl again, someone in control of her own destiny.

I used Map My Run to chart how far I’d gone throughout the course of my days, and on my most sedentary day I still managed to walk more than three miles. No, that doesn’t mean that I went out for a nonstop three mile walk, but there was a ton of ground to cover at San Jose and O’Hare airports, and plenty of walking to be done between my hotel room and the conference center. Having spent most of my last seven weeks sitting in an armchair, covering more than 15 miles in five days is a dramatic change.

Much like when I run, I felt fine while I was doing it. And then, about 15 minutes into each conference session, I would start to stiffen up. I may forever be known as the fidgety woman who sat in the back row.

In spite of all of this, it wasn’t my foot that hurt. Ever. My knees, hips and back, however, are another story. Walking along with one immobilized Frankenankle completely throws everything off. If I hadn’t believed the “everything is connected” mantras of my Pilates and yoga instructors before, I sure do now!

The best decision that I’ve ever made was to visit the Well Spa at the Pfister Hotel for a Friday night massage. When I arrived, I was taking little, tiny, old lady steps. By the time I left, I could walk without the support of the cane. What a difference! Granted, it only took another day of walking and a return flight to tighten me up again, but at least I know that the cure is out there!

What did I learn from this week?

1. Even with all of that walking, my foot didn’t hurt. This reassures me that it really is healing, and that it can sustain my full weight without issue.
2. Ah, physical activity: I missed you so. I slept better, felt better and swear that I could think more clearly.
3. For the foreseeable future, massage isn’t a luxury: it’s a necessity.

And as long as I’ve got your attention, I’d like to give lots of thanks to Dave of AccuTrans limo service for making my ride to O’Hare quick and pleasant; the staff of the Hilton Milwaukee City Center for helping out whenever they could; the gate agents and flight attendants of American Airlines who went out of their way to make me as comfortable as possible; and the TSA (no, really!) for doing their best to make a difficult situation less stressful. I couldn’t have made it through without the help that each of you offered.

Tags: 5th metatarsal, AccuTrans, American Airlines, Chicago, Hilton, injury, Milwaukee, travel, TSA, walking, Well Spa

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