Jones fracture

Hi.
I suffered a Jones fracture 12/2/02, and had my 2nd follow-up today(6 weeks) the 17th of Jan.
My doctor has given me some hope.
My first follow up(two weeks after the fracture) he said that the bone actually looked as if it has moved, but today he said that it looks as if it is showing signs of fusion.
I really wanted to hear this, but is this some sort of false hope?
I’ve read so many posts on websites that just don’t seem to have any positive outcomes.
My doctor said that I can put 20 pounds of weight on my foot, and that crutches were optional at this point.
I feel safer with crutches, so I am not giving them up yet.
It’s just so hard to accept that my foot is getting better when everything that I read about this kind of fracture is negative.
It seems like everyone needs surgery, or has had surgery and there have been nothing but complications.
My own mother-in-law broke the same bone in September of 2011.
She has had two surgeries and is just now healing.
She had screw placement the first time, and the second they had to do a bone graft, and put a larger screw in.
I just want to know why my foot is getting better, and everyone else has so many problems?