Jon and I did some gardening today.
He dug up some of the flowers from his garden to plant the two new ones I bought for him on the way home from his foot surgeon. Then I dug up the iris’ that no longer bloom and half the spiderwort that is taking over my Back Porch Garden. I put them in our unmowed front lawn and planted Jon’s zinnia, Gerber daisies, and peonies in their place.
We were celebrating by digging in the earth.
After years of problems with Jon’s toe, including amputation and infection, his foot is finally healed. He can wear regular shoes and walk all he wants. After a couple of months of not being able to shower for fear of his toe getting infected, he can shower every day again.
It’s not like flipping a switch.
We didn’t completely believe it was over just because Dr. Daly said it was healed. It takes some processing to get used to the idea. To believe that I no longer have to put a bandage on Jon’s toe every morning. To believe it’s really over.
We’ll still keep an eye on it. For another month I’ll put vitamin E on the scar from Jon’s amputation. And after that, we’ll make sure nothing else goes wrong with his feet and if it does we’ll get help right away.
And although we may not quite believe it yet, I’ve seen the change in Jon. It began on Tuesday when he went to The Mansion for his Meditation class. He’s walking so much more easily, has more stamina and his overall energy is different.
He just feels more like himself to me.
I don’t usually garden during the week. And I wanted to get into my studio to work on my quilt. But gardening with Jon this morning felt not only important but necessary.
Like part of the transition, we’re both going through. To get from years of doubt and worry to beginning again.
