Braces Off

I have been without any kind of brace for three days now--not my heavy black one, not my light white one. This is a huge step forward for me because a). it is quite scary to be without my safety net but b). it will allow the muscles to continue to strengthen, which further allows my back to heal. So, a mental battle, but also a physical one, as all the lazy ol' unused muscles are getting a workout. I've done this once before, a few years ago, when I wore a brace for much, much longer, so I knew what to expect and how to do it, easing into this a little each day. But finally taking the full plunge is still tiring and stressful. But also something about which I am extremely happy and proud (and, yes, no worries, very careful too).