ACL Again: Hamster Wheels, Horses, and Healing

I had my follow-up appointment with my surgeon this week and, thankfully, everything looks good. He said I’m right where I’m supposed to be in recovery, which was a relief to hear. Even better, he told me I should be able to start jogging in the next two weeks.

Now, here’s the funny part—I didn’t jog before I got hurt. My knees have never liked it, and honestly, they still don’t. I much prefer horseback riding, where my horse does the jogging for me. Come to think of it, I totally failed to ask if I can get back to riding yet… probably should’ve led with that question.

Physically, I’m happy with my progress, but in other ways, I’m struggling. Mentally, I feel stuck in this hamster wheel—round and round, but going nowhere. My body hurts too, not just my knee. My neck is knotted up, my lower back aches every day, and I can’t tell if it’s from all the extra walking with our new puppy or just the general stress of life.

This week has felt especially heavy. Between work, school schedules, and all the moving parts of family life, I’m running on fumes. I keep pushing myself to do more, to be perfect, to keep up, and it’s catching up with me. I need to remind myself that I’m still healing, and healing isn’t just about the knee—it’s about my whole self.

The truth is, what I probably need most right now is time to just sleep and do nothing. To let my body rest, my mind breathe, and my hamster wheel slow down. Easier said than done, but maybe that’s my next challenge—learning that rest is progress too.