"Recovery and Healing" -- A New Step Beginning Today -- July 16, 2026 (Thu) Reiwa8

Today was my follow-up appointment at the orthopedic clinic.

After my fracture, I had to wait one week for surgery because of the shoulder specialist's schedule and the availability of the operating room. It was a difficult week filled with pain. Today marks three weeks since my surgery. The doctor finally told me, "You no longer need the triangular sling or the arm holder. It is time to begin rehabilitation."

At first, I felt uneasy. Without the arm holder, my left arm felt unstable, and even walking made me feel a little insecure. However, after just a few hours, my body gradually began to adjust. I especially noticed the difference while taking a shower. It felt slightly different from yesterday. I still cannot put much strength into my left arm, and someone still carries my meal tray for me. Even so, I can feel that my body is steadily moving forward.

After returning to Eden, the rehabilitation therapist taught me several exercises using an exercise stick. Before going to bed, I completed ten repetitions of each exercise.

Later, I opened one of my old textbooks and noticed two Japanese expressions: "Kaipo" (recovery toward good health) and "Yojo" (healing through caring for one's health). I wrote them down without thinking very deeply. After looking up their meanings, I realized how perfectly they matched my current situation.

"Kaipo" means that an illness or injury is progressing toward recovery. "Yojo" literally means "nurturing life" and refers to taking good care of both body and mind in order to support healing.

Today I also noticed something else. At my previous outpatient visit on July 2, the bruising had spread all the way down to my wrist. Now it has completely disappeared. Even when I was not paying attention, my body had been quietly repairing itself every single day.

In orthopedic treatment, the injured area is firmly immobilized until the bone becomes stable. After that, rehabilitation begins before the joints become stiff. Today marked an important turning point, from simply protecting the injury to actively rebuilding strength and movement.

From now on, I will not rush. I will continue my daily rehabilitation while practicing "Yojo" so that I may continue moving toward full recovery.

#Recovery #Healing #Rehabilitation #Orthopedics #ProximalHumerusFracture #RecoveryJourney #MatsuyamaEden #ChallengeAt68