Day 13 Post-Op: Down to One Crutch and Feeling Like a Boss

Okay… I know I’ve said it before, but this recovery is so much faster than the BEAR ACL surgery. I’m honestly still shocked. Thirteen days post-op and I’m officially down to ONE crutch! Cue the confetti and dramatic music. 🎉

If you’ve never gone through the BEAR procedure, you might not get how big this feels. But let me tell you—this is a huge milestone. During my first recovery, I was stuck in a straight leg brace for weeks, non-weight bearing, completely frustrated, and barely surviving on snacks within arm’s reach. This time? I’m mobile, I’m upright, and I even made it down to the basement to do a little upper body workout.

(Yep. You read that right. The basement. Stairs and all. I conquered them like a hobbling queen.)

Upper Body is Underrated

If you’re prepping for any surgery that involves crutches—start working on your upper body strength NOW. Trust me. Your arms, shoulders, and core are going to carry the load (literally), and I’m thankful I had at least some foundation going in. Crutching around the house feels like a full-body workout, and it will drain you if you’re not ready.

PT Check-In

My physical therapist is hopeful that I’ll be off crutches completely by the end of next week. I’ll admit—I’ve been a little hyper-focused on building this blog lately (and loving it), so my at-home PT could use a little more love. But getting down to one crutch this fast feels like a reminder that I can keep progressing—faster, stronger, and smarter this time around.

A Promise to Myself

This injury is not going to be wasted time. I promised myself that I would come out of this better than before. No more “I’m too busy” or “I have too many kids” or “I work full time.” Those things are all true—but they’re not excuses. This recovery is my reset button.

I’m going into my 40s with intention. I want to feel like I’m reborn, not like I’m slowly inching toward irrelevance. I want strength, energy, confidence, and health. And I’m going to earn it—one crutchless step at a time.

Thanks for following along on this journey. If you're in the early stages of recovery, I see you. It's hard, it’s exhausting, but progress is possible. Even the little wins matter—especially the little wins. Keep going.