It has been 6 months since my knee surgery. I’m not quite at 100%–no running, no Crossfit, no mechanical bulls–but I can take my dog on decently long walks, or spend a night at the bar mingling on my feet instead of being propped up on a stool. I am still a regular at physical therapy and by now an expert of the favorite foods and TV shows of most of the staff. My file is about as thick as a young adult novel. Overall, I feel pretty great.

Back when I was on crutches and miserable, people would often say to me things along the lines of “Before you know it, you’ll be back on your feet and forget how bad it ever was.” I am definitely back on my feet, but I still remember quite vividly how much I hated being stuck at home, feeling broken and helpless like a caged zoo animal. That’s not necessarily a bad thing–in fact, it reminds me to constantly appreciate everything I have and am capable of. While I hopefully never have to go through something like that again, it gave me a new perspective on time and how fleeting it truly is. In another month, I am turning 34 so it’s about time I finally decide what I want to be when I grow up, even if that means going back to school for awhile. I want to go camping every month. Most of all, I am super excited for an upcoming trip to Gatlinburg, Tennessee, where we are renting a cabin with some friends for a long weekend. It’ll be my first vacation since my surgery, and I cannot wait. We plan to try white water rafting, which will be a first for me. Though really, everything with a ‘new’ knee is a first all over again. I like that.