Woohoo!

My doctor's appointment this morning (first one post-op) proved not to be a disappointment. Many good things happened, including:

1. getting to unwrap my leg, which has been in an Ace bandage and an immobilizer (I believe normal people call it a "brace," but it's apparently an "immobilizer" in orthopedic lingo) from mid-thigh to toe since last Tuesday. It wasn't pretty, but it was happy to see the light of day again. My calf, by the way, is so skinny now! This is the first time in my life I've had a skinny leg. Too bad the other one doesn't match, eh?
2. getting to see the incision! It's gross and 3" long and still has bloody tape on it holding it together, but it's nice to see what it looks like, especially since until now I didn't even know where it was exactly.
3. getting permission to take the brace off when I shower, which we promptly did, which means that my leg and foot just got wet for the first time since the accident (minor spongings excepted). Hallelujah!
4. getting the ok for buying my plane tickets BACK TO RUSSIA!!!!!

Number 4 is obviously the most exciting. We discussed my treatment/recovery course, which the doctor described as "aggressive," since the injury wasn't as bad as they expected. I have two more weeks of keeping it immobile and elevated (too bad, since sitting around with my leg up all the time is really boring), but as of December 29th I'll be able to bend it, and I'll start physical therapy after New Year's. And THEN, after some intense physical therapy during which they'll teach me lots of exercises I can do on my own when I relocate, I can go back to Russia, probably in the 3rd week of January (around the 20th?). YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS.

That was all I really wanted: to know when I'll be back.