pick up one's crumbs

pick up one's crumbs (third-person singular simple present picks up one's crumbs, present participle picking up one's crumbs, simple past and past participle picked up one's crumbs)

1. (slang, archaic) To recuperate or recover, such as after an illness or injury.
   • 1834, Richard Henry Dana, (Please provide the book title or journal name)‎:

     The latter, however, had "picked up his crumbs," was learning his duty, and getting strength and confidence daily; and began to assert his rights against his oppressor.

• John Camden Hotten (1873) The Slang Dictionary