Can Do

My first physical therapy appointment was yesterday. (I swear this isn't about the injury...even I am sick of talking about it)

It went well.  I have exceeded expectations and was advised to slow down a little bit.  Clearly, he doesn't know me.  To quote Kevin: "I don't have time for this sh*t"

The one thing that struck me with him and upon further thought, many of  the people I've spoken with regarding the injury is that most everything is phrased in the Can't category instead of the Can category.

Don't bear weight
Don't walk
Don't move beyond what's necessary
Don't drive

yadda yadda yadda

The physical therapist kept questioning me with "Did they tell you that you can do this?"  All I kept thinking was "They didn't tell me that I couldn't."

I realized that as I'm listening to the instructions this morning that all I am thinking about it what I CAN DO.  Oh, don't walk but I can wheel, hop, whatever.  Don't drive but I can RIDE?  I'm a toddler. 

Perhaps it's because they sense that I am toddler that they tell me what not to do.
The surgeon actually laughed at me when I said I would be up and moving by July. (So far, it's a tie)

It's all about phrasing.  Like what is taught in early childhood education, tell them what they Can do, not what they can't.  Tell me what I can do, not what I can't.  Or actually, I will just hear the Can on my own.

But that's just me, just my perception of the world.  Not everyone is wired like I am.  What about the people that only respond to the negative?  There are certain people that would hear the above instructions and follow them to the letter, thus lay in bed for the entire duration.

I believe everything should be phrased in the Can category. Tell us what we can do.