My spirits have been pretty dismal, to be honest. As somebody who values independence and taking care of myself, being stuck at home and needing my wife’s help for nearly everything I do has been sad and depressing.
On the other hand, I am mindful of my own advice: long-term success grows out of patience, perseverance, and the tempered resolve to wake up each morning and inch just one day closer to the goal. With that in mind, rather than focus on what I cannot do right now, a much more positive mindset is to focus on the small indicators of progress that have come with each passing day:
Day 7: I was able to get up and sit at my computer for the first time since my surgery.
Day 8: I was able to step outside for the first time since getting home from the hospital.
Day 9: I was able to walk around the block by myself.
Day 10: I was able to go for two walks in a single day.
These are basic activities of daily living that never would have crossed my mind as anything special before my surgery, but now they are small victories showing me that I am well on my way to regaining my freedom and independence.