I made the decision to have the ankle surgery - May 28th to be exact. I've been asked what the surgery is called and I don't know. The surgeon will go in, move my Achilles tendon aside and cut off off the excess bone that's a problem. There is a portion of the bone on the posterior side (back, under the tendon) and the medial side (inside of the ankle) at the insertion. None of the surgery deals with the tendon so recovery time is pretty fast.
I'll be in a walking boot for 3 or so weeks. That part kinda sucks... I am at the mercy of the rest of the world to take me places... I can ride my bike indoors, which is good. :) I can walk the dog - also good.
At the appointment I was concerned this wasn't the best course of action - that waiting longer was a better idea... however, the thing is, I might be waiting a year. I can wait or I can be done with this and running - lightly - in 8 to 10 weeks. I'll take the 2+ month recovery time thank you.
Yes, I do feel like I'm being impatient. However, the two doctors I have seen about this estimated a couple months of no activity would fix me. I've been on ice since January - no running since December... everything else (cycling, swimming, elliptical, etc) all ceased in January. It's nearly May... I hit a plateau after 2 weeks on the heel lifts. I feel like I've tried everything... heat, ice, stretching, strengthening and topical goo- I've tried doing, I've tried not doing. I've tried meditation and yoga. This isn't to say there hasn't been some improvement - there has. But I stopped improving. Time to pull out the big guns. :)
In the general scheme of my life, this is just one aspect that I feel like is in a holding pattern. Maybe by moving this forward I'll get movement in the other aspects. If not, the main area that helps me relieve stress, connect with nature and spirituality will be back. Running, cycling, hiking - all of that has been on hold because of this injury and it's been very challenging. It's forced me to find other ways of dealing with stress, of connecting with my Higher Power and of finding ways to exercise.
I have also learned the value of balance. I do not believe I have found balance - but I know I need to strive more for balance - physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually. The injury was initially caused by not recovering and rehabbing - a muscle imbalance. I pushed the pain out of my mind - an emotional imbalance - to achieve a single goal: mental imbalance?
Someone told me a whole back I was "paying the piper" and I agree. I ran through the pain of my injury so I could do my first marathon. In January and February it was absolutely worth it. Now, I'm not so sure. In the big picture, is 4 months of running, biking, etc that big of a deal? No, not really. But, in the end I'll get surgery and I'll be adding another... 3 months *total* to the recovery time. I trained for a year for a marathon for which I am spending 7 months in recovery. That is a mighty big price tag. A guy I know says "the juice isn't worth the squeeze" and I want to make sure the juice is worth it in this case - that I learn my lesson. And move forward and enjoy each and every run and ride - because I now know how precious they are.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Another Year Older
Friday was my birthday... my 39th to be exact. In a lot of ways it was one of my best. I got up, did Bikram yoga at 6:15 am, baked, went to dinner with friends and had them over to my place for baked goods. :)
As I walked Bailey early that morning I was thinking how wonderful the day was - the birds were chirping, the air was crisp. I don't know if they day could have started any better.
Since my Achilles injury I've been searching for something to do that won't hurt... and a friend said "why don't you go back to Bikram?" Since I was the one that turned her on to it, one might think that answer would have come to me naturally - alas it did not. After her suggestion, I started back and have slowly increased the number of times I am going per week. I went 4 times last week and on average I go two to three times per week. I am finding I can do it and it doesn't hurt. I also find it challenging and very rewarding at this time. If you don't know anything about Bikram and are not opposed to the heat, check it out. I've found it to be cleansing, energizing, fun and an activity that enhances my other activities (when not injured). I have no idea as to whether or no it's helping me heal - but it's not hurting... unlike other things I've tried. During Friday's class the instructor pointed out a wicked alignment issue which stems from weak hip flexors & is antagonized by this injury. Oh... and I go see the surgeon on the 26th. :)
Anyway, I baked a carrot cake & chocolate cup cakes... complete with cream cheese and butter cream frosting (respectively). A group of my friends joined me for dinner at Bertucci's. Nothing like pizza and carrot cake on your birthday! All in all it was a great birthday. I laughed and enjoyed the evening.
Yesterday and today... well... I don' always get what I want. I am working on not letting yesterday overshadow my great birthday. That part's easy - it was a great day and I feel grateful for all I shared with those I love. I am going to work on focusing on the people who are present in my life, who are active in my life and showing up for me. Concentrating on what I'm not getting - even when I ask for it - does little but hurt.
If my years have taught me anything it's to have faith. When I least expect it, things will turn around, out of the blue and with what feels like so little effort on my part.
As I walked Bailey early that morning I was thinking how wonderful the day was - the birds were chirping, the air was crisp. I don't know if they day could have started any better.
Since my Achilles injury I've been searching for something to do that won't hurt... and a friend said "why don't you go back to Bikram?" Since I was the one that turned her on to it, one might think that answer would have come to me naturally - alas it did not. After her suggestion, I started back and have slowly increased the number of times I am going per week. I went 4 times last week and on average I go two to three times per week. I am finding I can do it and it doesn't hurt. I also find it challenging and very rewarding at this time. If you don't know anything about Bikram and are not opposed to the heat, check it out. I've found it to be cleansing, energizing, fun and an activity that enhances my other activities (when not injured). I have no idea as to whether or no it's helping me heal - but it's not hurting... unlike other things I've tried. During Friday's class the instructor pointed out a wicked alignment issue which stems from weak hip flexors & is antagonized by this injury. Oh... and I go see the surgeon on the 26th. :)
Anyway, I baked a carrot cake & chocolate cup cakes... complete with cream cheese and butter cream frosting (respectively). A group of my friends joined me for dinner at Bertucci's. Nothing like pizza and carrot cake on your birthday! All in all it was a great birthday. I laughed and enjoyed the evening.
Yesterday and today... well... I don' always get what I want. I am working on not letting yesterday overshadow my great birthday. That part's easy - it was a great day and I feel grateful for all I shared with those I love. I am going to work on focusing on the people who are present in my life, who are active in my life and showing up for me. Concentrating on what I'm not getting - even when I ask for it - does little but hurt.
If my years have taught me anything it's to have faith. When I least expect it, things will turn around, out of the blue and with what feels like so little effort on my part.
Friday, April 2, 2010
Of Tunnels and No Light
Some day I hope to be able to run and play and frolic in the beautiful weather we are having here in the Metro DC area... alas, that day is not today.
Monday I hit the magical 6-week mark when I was to have been "cured" of this Achilles injury (note usage of past tense). On the 22nd I went down to the single layer on the heel lifts. The following night while walking the dog I was feeling some discomfort - enough to have to stop walking several times. Let me define walking the dog... slowly and on a flat surface. I am short and have a fast gait because I am accustomed to falling behind you normal-sized people... so I was less conscious of this on the walk than I should have been. I kept speeding up to my normal speed and had to keep slowing down... stopping... walking... stopping... you get the picture.
I went back to 2 layers for the rest of the week to give it a rest and get the pain to go away - which worked.
This Monday (the 29th) I gave a single layer another shot. I made it to Wednesday this time (ok, Tues night well after doggie walking). I've gone back up to 2 friggin layers and it still hurts.
Why you ask? I think it's the activity... I started looking for alternate activity to keep me from turning into the Pillsbury Dough Girl during this time, so I found something called Battling Ropes. It's way cool and gets my THR up faster than anything else right now. It's one hell of a workout if you're looking for something new. The issue is I'm doing it on my knees because of the injury and I'm digging in with my right foot.
Dammit!!!!!
The new plan... 2 layers for at least 2 weeks - maybe 3. No ropes... no nothing from the knees down. Again. That has seemed to bring the greatest quality recovery. The most encouraging thing about this is how quickly I am returning to no pain after these learning experiences. Even last night when it was pretty damn uncomfortable, ice took care of it pretty quickly. I am feeling pretty good today.
And one final note... I am convinced this injury stems from the calf strain. I didn't take the time to heal and rehab it in '08 and I am paying the price. More challenging is how one uses eccentric calf raises to rehab from an Achilles injury when the root cause is a calf strain. No one has been able to answer that one yet... which may be why I am still injured. The first link in the chain has to be strengthened and that hasn't happened (yep, I can still feel it - it's getting better though). Again, some things are encouraging but I'm not anywhere near where I want to be.
Those around me would be quick to remind me - while I might not be where I want to be - I am likely right where I should be - and learning the lessons I should. :)
Monday I hit the magical 6-week mark when I was to have been "cured" of this Achilles injury (note usage of past tense). On the 22nd I went down to the single layer on the heel lifts. The following night while walking the dog I was feeling some discomfort - enough to have to stop walking several times. Let me define walking the dog... slowly and on a flat surface. I am short and have a fast gait because I am accustomed to falling behind you normal-sized people... so I was less conscious of this on the walk than I should have been. I kept speeding up to my normal speed and had to keep slowing down... stopping... walking... stopping... you get the picture.
I went back to 2 layers for the rest of the week to give it a rest and get the pain to go away - which worked.
This Monday (the 29th) I gave a single layer another shot. I made it to Wednesday this time (ok, Tues night well after doggie walking). I've gone back up to 2 friggin layers and it still hurts.
Why you ask? I think it's the activity... I started looking for alternate activity to keep me from turning into the Pillsbury Dough Girl during this time, so I found something called Battling Ropes. It's way cool and gets my THR up faster than anything else right now. It's one hell of a workout if you're looking for something new. The issue is I'm doing it on my knees because of the injury and I'm digging in with my right foot.
Dammit!!!!!
The new plan... 2 layers for at least 2 weeks - maybe 3. No ropes... no nothing from the knees down. Again. That has seemed to bring the greatest quality recovery. The most encouraging thing about this is how quickly I am returning to no pain after these learning experiences. Even last night when it was pretty damn uncomfortable, ice took care of it pretty quickly. I am feeling pretty good today.
And one final note... I am convinced this injury stems from the calf strain. I didn't take the time to heal and rehab it in '08 and I am paying the price. More challenging is how one uses eccentric calf raises to rehab from an Achilles injury when the root cause is a calf strain. No one has been able to answer that one yet... which may be why I am still injured. The first link in the chain has to be strengthened and that hasn't happened (yep, I can still feel it - it's getting better though). Again, some things are encouraging but I'm not anywhere near where I want to be.
Those around me would be quick to remind me - while I might not be where I want to be - I am likely right where I should be - and learning the lessons I should. :)
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)