2021: A Self-Absorbed Photo Essay
Welcome to my random musings about the world, on a weekly-to-occasional basis.
Where we are: Phuket, Thailand
2021: A Self-Absorbed Photo Essay
This past year was tough all around.
Forthwith, photographic documentation of my year, in chronological order.
We started the year in Thailand. To enter the country, we had to go through a two-week quarantine, complete with protective booties, because 2021.
While we were in quarantine, I hurt my foot (I have no idea how—I mean come on, quarantine), and eventually ended up strapped into a walking boot, hoping the 10-centimeter tear in my tendon would heal itself.
We took the boot to a pretty Thai beach.
We took it to a fancy hotel with a pretty bathroom floor.
Then we took it to Iceland, where a doctor eventually said I might as well give up and take the boot off, but that the tendon definitely hadn’t gotten any better, because hey—2021.
I tried soaking it in a traditional Icelandic hotpot, but that just made it swell up grotesquely.
So I learned how to soak with my foot hanging out of the hot water.
I also learned how to use kinesiotape. Lots of kinesiotape. Lee thought it looked silly, but I didn’t care.
I also (gradually) relearned how to walk, with great care. I was a little nervous about walking on the black sand beach, but it was pretty.
After we got both doses of our Covid vaccine (and had visits from Lane and some dear friends) we went to Italy. There were pretty floors in Venice, at St. Peter’s Basilica.
And at the Doge’s Palace.
But there were also Stolpersteines.
The beautiful floors continued in Florence. This one was in the Basilica of Santa Croce.
This one was probably in something called a scuola—kind of like a guildhall—but I can’t remember for sure.
This one was in a museum. Or maybe a church. Perhaps one day I’ll learn to label my photos better.
Vienna leans more toward fancy parquetry. It’s really pretty.
In the Alps, my ankle was really starting to get tired, so we rode a lot of ski lifts. Up AND down.
By late summer, my tendon was so shredded I was limping. We spent all of September in Paris, but I didn’t take any pictures of my feet, because I was feeling too sorry for myself to really enjoy my surroundings. Which is a bummer, because Paris is usually a very happy place for me. So here’s an extra from Venice, because this is my totally self-absorbed photo essay.
When we got to the US, the doctor marked up my leg so that I could finally have surgery.
My totally unsalvageable tendon was entirely replaced. Welcome to the fam, Derek!
After a couple of weeks with all those wires dangling around, I got a pretty pink cast.
Then we took the cast to Bangkok, where we quarantined again, and when we got out, Lee pushed me around malls in a wheelchair. It was almost fun, but not quite.
Six weeks post-surgery, the cast was removed, and I put on a stormtrooper boot, which allowed me to stand up—sort of. Yay, I guess.
On Christmas Day, I took the boot off for (hopefully!) the last time. I’m walking now, very carefully, but more each day.
On this last day of 2021, I’m feeling more optimistic than I have all year.
Here’s wishing us all a brighter, more hopeful New Year.
Take care,
Lisa
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