Back to Normal*

Wow, once again it has been awhile. Last time I posted, I was getting ready to head out on a road trip to a game convention with my husband. While fun, these things require lots of sitting, which is a bit of a challenge for a recovering "hipster" (a term I've seen in various places now).  The drive took 8 hours, which we expanded to 11 due to frequent walking stops. I felt that I arrived in one piece, but the next day, Thursday, my body told me otherwise. I could barely walk, and sitting was pure torture. But I pushed on (wait - isn't that how I got into this mess?) and made it through a day filled with walking back and forth down a 2-block-long hallway and sitting in uncomfortable chairs for 3-4 hours at a stretch. And I iced. We brought the Game Ready unit, and that saved my butt - literally!

Friday was a little better, so I enjoyed the day a bit more. And, on Saturday, I was reminded once again that I was a work in progress and not a fully recovered being. Out came the crutches so I could actually do more than lay in bed all day. After a day on the crutches, I felt much better, and then it was time to go home. This time, I actually helped drive! Through bad storms that turned out to be thinly veiled tornado threats, and possibly the real deal (found out when we got home).  I've seen strong winds and driving rain before, but I've never quite seen such strong winds changing directions so often and truly sideways rain.  I was scared, but didn't stop - what was I going to do? Run away from a tornado? Eventually, we got out of it and enjoyed the rest of the trip home. I drove for a total of 1.5 hours.  Woo hoo!

The next day, I was back at work. Full-time, with allowances for doctor's appointments and physical therapy. I made it, but it was rough. By Tuesday evening, I was thoroughly exhausted and slept 12 hours. Oops. Sorry, boss!  So I missed Wednesday, but went right back Thursday, just in time for a long weekend.

While all this is going on, my therapy has changed a bit to introduce some fun exercises, like deadlifts (which I call T-stances, because you're not really lifting anything). They really work your core! Also added sideways walking on the treadmill at 1.3 mph. For the first time, I started to feel like I was getting back to normal. The stretches for the sciatica worked wonders, and now that only flares up once in a great while.

Fourth of July weekend brought some challenges, but I opted out of most of them and decided to rest instead. Sunday was the only active day (outside of daily PT).  We went to a party and decided I could try my hand at playing catch and frisbee.  I caught things that were within one step of me and in front.  No twisting, and no running! After 15 minutes, I was toast and laid down with three ice packs.

Then yesterday, my world opened up, and I declare normalcy*!!  Sam, my ever-enabling therapist, changed everything up on me. I can now swim without the pull buoy (no frog kicking!), increase resistance on my bike as needed, and do up to 20 minutes a day on the elliptical.  I can also begin distance walking, up to a mile, with a goal of building up to 3.5 mph.  On top of all of this, I have real training exercises - walking lunges, squats, weighted side-stepping, torso twists, deep core exercises, and leg exercises on weight machines. Life is good.

Notes for the 5-7 week range: Scar massage is very important! I have trouble laying on my side because there are little rocks inside my hip. That's scar tissue build up, and I'm struggling to break it down. The trip from crutches to walking goes very fast once you can be weight bearing. Don't overdo it, or the crutches will be back. Try to go back to work part-time to start. Sitting is just too hard. Pull buoys are the best things ever. Get a disabled sticker for your car, if you can - it's great to park closer to the door at big stores, and it's really great for those who live or work in a metro area.

*Normal is a state of mind. There are still things I can't do, and I'm sucking air and gasping in pain more often than I used to. That's because I'm doing more. It will go away eventually, and then I'll be back to "true" normal. But, boy, this feels great!