I write this from the floor of my living room, sitting on one dog bed in an attempt to comfort my dog lying next to me on another bed. She’s recovering from doggie ACL surgery, but the rehab is not going so well. She wants to be comforted by Mom, so here I am.
I’m her de facto physical therapist and am in unknown territory. If she’s limping, does walking help or hurt? Do the exercises do more harm than good? Should I let her leg rest or continue with the therapy?
I thought of a scene in the Crazy Rich Asians movie where the teacher beats the student in a gaming scenario because she is playing to win, while he is playing not to lose. It’s a shift in mindset that makes you more risk-averse and causes you to miss out on opportunities.
When I found myself holding back and second-guessing, trying to do no harm, more than to help heal, it was time to schedule another X-ray to validate how I should proceed. Play to win.
