Limited Mobility

I can't believe I used to take the bus to work, spending countless hours waiting for buses, waiting in traffic, waiting for a transfer, and then getting to my destination hopefully on time. Granted, I still prefer busing over driving, but still... I guess I've been spoiled for the last several years, being able to bike or walk to work and school, and most other places I need to go.

This week, though, I'm stuck taking the bus (which takes about 10 minutes longer to get to work, and today took me 30 minutes longer to get home -- and it wasn't even raining!). My wrists still aren't up to biking par, and I don't want to test them out at a time when I really need them... like for getting to work, or getting home from my midterm tomorrow night. So I'm practicing patience with the buses this week, and will try out some gentle test-biking this weekend when I can walk myself home if my wrists aren't ready yet.

I guess I've always taken my ability to get around by bike for granted, never assuming that there would be a time I wouldn't be able to rely on that type of transportation. When I moved to my current apartment, I was glad that my new house was by a bus line that goes downtown, but figured I'd never have to use it, since it's so easy to bike there. Well, I now have a renewed gratitude for my high degree of personal mobility in my normal, healthy state, and a renewed gratitude for Portland's generally excellent public transportation system... even if I can get there faster by bike. :)

In other news, my stitches are out, and now I just have an oddly-shaped lump on my chin. It's not really visible, but it sure feels strange! It was basically a small chunk of fat that they sewed back into my chin, so it will be interesting to see if the lumpiness subsides as it reincorporates, or if I will have a permanently lumpy chin from now on (go ahead, start making up nicknames). The skin seems to have healed over pretty well, so hopefully the scar won't be too bad, though they say it takes 6 months to a year to really be able to tell.

I will be so happy when I can get on my bike again.