tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15210638745971505932024-03-13T09:40:28.878-06:00Footnotes: My LisFranc Injury and the Road to RecoveryOn 6/27/15, I sustained a significant fracture to my Lisfranc joint from a 10 foot fall during an obstacle course race. On 7/7/15, I had ORIF surgery to repair a commuted fracture to my navicular bone, fractures to my 1st, 2nd, and 3rd cunieforms, a fractured cuboid, and dislocations of 4 metatarsal bones. This blog is my experience. Hopefully it will help others who have suffered this horrific injury and inspire you to overcome life's obstacles.CChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08192080151319784175noreply@blogger.comBlogger59125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1521063874597150593.post-16224951537766487652017-07-13T18:31:00.000-06:002017-07-13T18:31:56.165-06:002 Year Update<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Hi Everyone!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Long time, no blog updates. So, I thought I'd check in now that it's been about 2 years since my lisfranc ORIF surgery,</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I think things are just about as normal as they ever are going to be for me, which I am totally fine with, by the way. What have I been up to since the new year? Nothing much out of the ordinary!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I've been doing a lot of getting back to just my normal routines. I am hitting the gym regularly again, about 3-4 times a week. There's not a whole lot that I find myself unable to do, unless it comes to a lot of jumping or high impact exercises. I do a lot of weight training, spinning, yoga, and bootcamp classes. I haven't gone back to the treadmill - I never really liked that anyway! - but I when do the cardio machines I spend a lot of time on the Stairmaster, since I think it helps continue to build strength in my legs and foot in general. I also love doing the rowing machine, and there is a new rope trainer at my gym that I've been really excited about. Think a never-ending rope climb, and a total upper body burn! I have found so many things to do that I really don't think about what I can't do anymore. If I'm in a class at the gym and we are doing an exercise that hurts to do or I'm not comfortable with - I just modify it, plain and simple. There's no shame in it. I haven't run very much since Ragnar; not that I don't want to, or can't, but a lot of that has to do with winters sucking in Utah and I don't dare run outside. And, as mentioned above, I dread the treadmill and haven't really figured out how to effectively use it since my injury; I find it hard to get the right pace. Now that summer is here, its regularly getting over a hundred degrees everyday. I am a zombie in the morning and hate working out first thing, and that's really the only time I could run if I was going to do it. I'm anxiously awaiting Fall so I can enjoy being outside again, and get in a few runs in the cool air.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I can now successfully do multiple single leg calf raises on my right foot. Weighted, even! I focus a lot of my strength and weight training on my legs. It is of course great exercise but also functional, since my lower body is where I really need to build the most muscle, strength and stability. I've gradually gotten back in to practicing my box jumps, and even took a little video of jumping onto the Bosu balancer at the gym a few weeks ago. It took almost two years to do that with confidence and without pain, but I eventually did get there. Which is pretty much the motto for this injury. You're going to get there, I promise.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'm also right back to hiking every weekend, working every Sunday to log more and more miles during the hike. I feel like my left foot/leg is still the dominant one, so I've been trying to focus on building up the right one more, but it doesn't come naturally. I can actually come up on, and push off my toes when climbing a steep hill. That was something that I wasn't able to do last year so it's definitely an improvement! I used to feel super competitive about hiking, focusing on how fast I could do it and compare it to my previous time, and how fast I could fly up and down the mountain. Now I just go at whatever pace feels good, not caring how long it is taking. Going uphill, I take in the sights, and stop for breaks when I need them. I'm still a little slow on the downhill and have to really concentrate on my footing so I don't slip on rocks. As long as I pay attention to every step I take, I am fine. But I get so distracted by the beauty of the mountains, the natural scenery and wildlife, that I need a little slip to remind me to stay focused! (OOO SHINIES) I frequently stop and take pictures on the way down. I at least try to set a goal of going faster on the downhill than the up, which usually works out! I feel a lot more trust in my footing this year, and a lot more confidence. But, I still get anxious when it comes to the steep downhill parts of hikes. I am not joking in the slightest though when I say I have to pay attention to every step; I literally look right in front of my feet the whole time! If I do slip, I'm not so great on the reflexes and catching myself. I take it slow and do what is comfortable. I try not to think about, or worry about, what anyone else is thinking of me, even if I'm going slow and I have to let others pass me on the trail. Hiking is one of the things that makes me the happiest in my life, and I look forward to it every week, so I am going to do it my way!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My foot is still sore for pretty much the rest of the day after hiking though. That hasn't changed. The same with a lot of activity or a long walk or run; my foot gets tired and angry. At times, painful. It is what it is though; it isn't enough to stop me from doing what I'm doing or deter me from doing what I want.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I did "run" the Dirty Dash in June, about a month ago. It was just a 5k, and a lot of slogging through the mud. I only skipped two obstacles, but pushed myself to at least attempt them! It was a lot of fun, and I'm glad I did it! The race was held in Soldier Hollow which was the first time I've done a race there since my injury. A lot of feelings came back, but only for a moment. I've moved on. There are times when I re-live it, and think "what if I didn't fall that day?". A lot of things would be different. But this injury has changed my perspective on things in so many ways, taught me a lot about life, myself, and about others, that I'm not sure I'd want to change that. I hate that I had this stupid injury, but grateful for all of the experiences and people that I've met, and been able to help along the way!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I think about my foot everyday. Mostly in the morning in those first few steps getting out of bed. Or when I encounter some stairs - which I'm about 200% better at - but I still have to think about it. When a storm is coming, the metal in my foot swells and I feel the pressure change. I feel like an old lady trying to get up off the floor or in and out of the bathtub at times. I won't lie, I have pain in some fashion every single day. Honestly though, it's such a part of my life now. I'm not bothered by it. When I read blogs of people saying they still felt pain 2 years later, 5 years later, I was crushed. Here I am though, 2 years later, and so proud of where I've come, and all I've done to get here. When I started this blog, I thought full on that I would be the miraculous recovery story and just back to my old self and exactly how I was before. I'm not. But to tell you the truth, I don't even remember what my foot felt like before my injury! It really is all about perspective and living in the now.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What's next for me? Keep setting goals, blasting through ceilings and breaking down barriers. I will lace up for Spartan in 2018. I will finish the race. I may do it at my own pace and skip some obstacles, but I'm not competing with anyone here. I'm not even competing with myself. I'll be out there to face my fears and my demons. I'm done thinking about what could have been, and embracing the health, and life, that I have now, no matter what the challenges are.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Thank you for reading, friends!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>CChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08192080151319784175noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1521063874597150593.post-88011697997100492172017-01-05T19:58:00.000-07:002017-01-06T08:24:27.544-07:00New Year Check-in!<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Hello Everyone! Thank you for riding this healing journey along with me. I do appreciate all of my readers and people I've found on social media who have found my blog. Hopefully I have helped you or given you hope in some way.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When I first injured myself, I did what many of you do and sought out the blog world for support. One of the many common themes was to always see a "new years" post, and I think that's the perfect time to give an update!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2016 was very much a healing year for me. I didn't feel like myself for quite some time. I started off the year barely out of the boot and still kind of weaning out of it. I found myself needing it still after a couple of months after being "boot free" because of the pain of walking around. Finally around the start of spring, I started doing what I loved most, getting back into my gym routine and going hiking! I for sure had to take it easy, but it was a relief to know I could still do those things I enjoyed. It was painful at first, and slow progress, but I got myself there week after week. And as I look back I am pleased of each and every step of progress that I've made this year.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I saw the doctor for a yearly checkup in July and got some great news that my foot was healing awesomely, and that I should still be able to occasionally run short distances again. It was like the seas parted and my world opened up again! He said my foot improvements usually peak at a year post op, then level off. If I'm lucky, at the 18-24 months mark I might start to see improvement again, although not nearly as much as I saw in the first year. Something to hope for and look forward to at least.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There were still those moments though where I was sooo frustrated with the things I still couldn't do. I was at a bootcamp/circuit training type class that I attend regularly and could still do most things. But, this particular class ended with me in tears. We were doing a "sled push" type exercise where we basically pushed a 35lb plate across the floor from kind of a pike position. It put so much pressure on my lisfranc joint and was so painful that I had to drop to my knees to complete the exercise and scoot along the floor feeling completely defeated. To top it off, our circuit stations were on a rotation, and the plate push was the pace setter for the entire class. So, I felt awful because I couldn't even do the exercise right, and I was holding the entire class up while I was performing the exercise. Most of my friends at class are aware of my injury and a lot of my limitations, but there was a new girl there, who obviously thought I was just some out of shape slug and was yelling at me to just push harder. To go harder. Oh, how I wanted to. How I tried to. But I couldn't. And it brought back familiar feelings of failure and tears, thinking about no matter what the progress I've made, I'm still not my old self. But those moments are few and far between now. I recognized that that exercise was difficult for me to do, so I started to slowly work on it on my own, not in a class setting, but in my basement. Today, I pushed TWO 25lb plates across the floor. Several times. So suck it. I'm a stubborn bitch and don't like failing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And then, the last thing that I couldn't do..... the single leg calf raise on my injured foot. Oh how I worked on it. All year. But it wouldn't budge. The muscles wouldn't engage. I tried nearly every week to progress, and nada. Every time I tried it was like trying to lift a million pounds in the air. So I just kind of stopped trying, for weeks. But, today, TODAY I accomplished a single leg calf raise on my right foot! Without holding on to anything for balance or assistance with my body weight. It was an amazing feeling. I literally jumped for joy! I guess I really am starting to make progress like the doctor said! Maybe...just maybe...I'll make more progress in the coming 6 months up to my 2 year post op anniversary. My foot no longer dictates my life. I don't hardly think about it anymore unless it's something that I find myself not being able to do. I still find it frustrating when people ask me, "But like, when will you be healed though?" Because I still get that. It's hard response because this could be as good as it gets. Which I am OK with, but other people seem not to be... hmrph. I still limp occasionally, and its mostly depending upon what shoes I'm wearing and how active and on my feet I've been throughout the day. And I still want to punch people in the face when they tell me I need to correct or fix my limp. I've got a completely different foot now. A new structure, a plate and 3 screws still. I'm going to limp sometimes. It may take a year to go away. It may take 5 years to go away. It may never go away. I have accepted that, it's not an issue for me, and I am sick of explaining that to people. There isn't a day that goes by however, that I don't have some sort of pain, or at least awareness that my right foot is different from my left foot. Not in a bad way. Just that it's there and everyday is a step in the right direction and progress in some sort of way.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And let's not forget that I did Ragnar! People thought that I was absolutely nuts for even attempting it. By far, it's my most cherished accomplishment this year. It meant so much for me to finish that race, no matter how long it took and no matter the physical pain. I wanted it so much. More than anything for a time. So, I'm very grateful for my team and my support structure that helped me get through that in November.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So, I'm starting 2017 off right this year. I feel really close to my old self and pretty much loving my new normal. My job got really stressful around August when a co-worker of mine left and I absorbed a lot of his work. It became really busy and I let affect my life a little too much, and I let my health and well being slip a little too much. More than I'd like anyway. I am not really a person who does new years resolutions, but I think the new year is just a great way to reset priorities in your life, and maybe change some things that were bad decisions and unhealthy habits. I sunk into a funk and fell down a spiral leading to a dark place if I didn't fix it. I am kicking all of that to the curb and refocusing on my health this year, and making sure I carve out time each day for myself and my health no matter how busy my job becomes. As a very active person prior to this injury, working out was a way to relieve the stresses of the day and the stresses of life. Without that, I fall into a depression that is hard to climb out of. I made excuses to myself sometimes, that my foot was a little sore, so I shouldn't go workout, or that I was tired, or this or that, when I should have made more of an effort because I feel so much better doing it. So, I'm refocusing this year on all of the things that made me happy prior to my injury and doing my best to pretend that my accident never happened! And of course, spending time with the person nearest and dearest to my heart, my best friend, my rock, the person who has held me in his arms as I cried tears of pain, tears of sadness, tears of frustration, and tears of joy and has shared all the for betters and for worst with me.... my Nate.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Progress is progress. It may take days, weeks, months, years. But have hope and you'll get there. Just t</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ake it one day at a time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As someone recently reminded me, you can't reach heaven until you leave hell behind.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Much love....</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">CC</span><br />
<br />CChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08192080151319784175noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1521063874597150593.post-32604081620804153632016-11-09T12:43:00.001-07:002016-11-09T17:29:42.227-07:00Run Girl Run<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I cried through most of my 3rd leg. Not because of the pain, but because I was going to finish what I never thought would be possible.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Let me back up a bit. My lisfranc injury happened in June 2015, when I had an accident during a Spartan Race. A week before that race however, my husband had decided to run the Ragnar Relay race. I very much wanted to do it with him, but I was worried about doing those 2 races back to back, and promised to do it with him next year. The next week though, I shattered my foot and changed my life forever, and those promises went out the window.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The doctor said my running days were over. He said I'd never run again. He encouraged me to take up biking and swimming; anything else but running. I was devastated by the news, but eventually learned to embrace it. I bought a spin bike, went to spin classes like a good basic white girl :) I weight trained, I did the rowing machine, the stairmaster and mostly followed doctor's orders. I started going on walks and hikes again in March, slowly improving every time I went out. I focused on exercises to strengthen my right leg. Progress seemed to take forever. And I missed running.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Nate did Ragnar again in June this year. I was an emotional wreck. I wanted to do it so badly, but knew I wanted to accomplish the impossible. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But, when I had my yearly check-up, Dr. Van Boerum told me I could occasionally run short distances. I was cleared to run! Short distances only occasionally, but I heard that I was clear to run. So I started slowly working some running into my walks. It was painful at first, but the more I did it, the pain would start to lessen and I could recover a lot easier.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Then I committed to doing the Las Vegas Ragnar. Yeah.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I didn't feel ready for it. But I was doing it. And I was going to finish all of my legs no matter how long it took me. I was self-conscious about my pace (a 14 minute mile) and worried that I'd be too slow for my team. I worried that my legs (3.1, 6.1, and 2.4) wouldn't be considered "Ragnar-worthy" and it hurt my pride to take the easy runner spot.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I didn't have to worry though. My team was the most amazing group of people and they were so supportive.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I was the first runner out for Van 2, and started off my leg at noon in the middle of the Vegas heat. Rachel slapped the sweaty slap bracelet on my wrist and off I ran 3.1 miles, adrenaline surging through me. I mostly didn't care about my foot at this point, I was more concerned about the heat, which quickly creeped up on me and affected my pace more than I had anticipated. My van-mates met me halfway through my run, dunked water on me and made sure I was doing OK. I hit a stretch of gravely road, which I had to be a bit more slow and careful than I wanted. The rocks made my stride a bit unstable, and I was super careful with every step, because my foot was going in all sorts of wonky directions. With what seemed like a blur, I hit the one mile to go sign and blasted through to the exchange. I handed off the bracelet to Nate, who was the runner behind me, and off he went to complete his leg in the race. I sat in the van to recover, mostly happy that I'd completed my first run, but I knew it was going to get worse from here.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Eventually we got through all of our runners. My foot was a bit sore, but I had it wrapped up tight during my run and it actually wasn't bad. I also only ran 3.1 miles. My next leg was over 6 miles, and I was terrified of that run because of the pain I knew was sure to come. We grabbed some dinner after our last runner handed back off to Van 1. Luckily, we were able to crash at an AirBnB place that the team rented, so I got about an hour of sleep. I laid there, "What the hell was I thinking? I'm not ready for this! There's no way I can do 2 more runs!" But, we soon got the call that Van 1 was ready to hand off, and adrenaline quickly solved my problem. I was so pumped for my next leg. Sure, it was 6.1 miles, and I was scared. But I was also ready. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We got to the next exchange to wait for our runner. The atmosphere was electrifying. There was music, people running around in costumes (I actually ran in my Guy Fawkes mask), and such positivity! Also, sleep deprivation had set in for many of us! Travis made his way through the chute and nailed me with the sweaty slap bracelet and I took off again. The weather was amazing. It was cool, and I started my run around midnight. I blazed through my first 2.5 miles (I clocked a 12 minute mile!!!!) but settled in for a slower pace during my last half of the run. Which took me across a freeway and windy sidewalks. I started getting a bit of foot pain with about a mile left, but manageable, and I pushed through to the end of my run. I got to see my sweet husband's face again and hand off to him, as he started his 6.9 run.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I started to get a little cold. I could tell I was dehydrated. I started limping pretty good and was pretty sore. I knew that was going to happen after doing my 2nd leg. We ended up in Boulder City to finish out all of our runners in Van 2, and headed out to grab some breakfast after handing back off to Van 1. I think my body started to shut down at this point. Every step was painful. I was sick to my stomach and couldn't eat. I was anxious about running that last leg. We headed to the final exchange to wait for our runner and try to get some rest. I couldn't fall asleep. The exhaustion and the heat were starting to get to me, and get into my head. I didn't think I could do my last leg. I was convinced I couldn't do it. I had a full-on meltdown. But my husband, forever my rock, held me and talked me through it as I sobbed. It was only 2.4 miles. That's all I had to do. No one cared how long it was going to take me, even if I had to walk it. Rachel was coming to hand off the sweat bracelet. I got my clothes on, and I was ready.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I took off running, and ran as long as I could before the pain was too much. I slowed to a very brisk walk, but kept pushing myself into little jogging sprints. I started to cry. Not because of the pain, but because I realized that I was going to finish this. I was going to accomplish what I thought was impossible for the last year and a half. Before I knew it, I saw the last mile marker. I rounded the corner and saw Nate waiting for me. I pushed whatever I had left into those final 100 yards. I collapsed into Nate and handed off the bracelet. He whispered, "You did it. I love you!" and I sobbed in his arms for a minute. It was so emotional for both of us. I'm sure the people at the exchange thought I was a crazy woman and had no idea what had just happened. He took off running and I continued some sniffly sobs with some of my very supportive van-mates! They were so happy for me and didn't care that it had taken me over a half hour to run 2.4 miles.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We cycled through everyone's runs, and the sleep deprivation started to set in pretty hardcore. We were out of our gourds. We invented emoji games and broke out into song. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We re-united with Van 1 and awaited our last runner's arrival at the finish line. We ran as a team to cross the finish, and got all of our medals!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I catch myself wondering how I would have done pre-Lisfranc injury. What legs would I have been doing, how much better would my pace have been? But, I am very grateful and thankful that I had the opportunity to do this. It was an unforgettable experience, this whole race, and the bond that I created with my team. Thank you: Sunshine, Mindy, John, Travis, Calley, Joel, Kate, Tom, Bryan, Rachel, and Nate! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><i>You guys.....I DID IT!!</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I already started looking at Wasatch Back. Maybe I can try for a few more miles next time!</span><br />
<br />CChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08192080151319784175noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1521063874597150593.post-21906125301376117472016-10-03T19:58:00.000-06:002016-10-03T19:58:16.536-06:00Redemption<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I thought it was time for me to make another blog post!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">September was the month for redemption.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Last year, my Lisfranc injury caused me to miss out on a lot of things from July through December. I am making up for all of the time lost with a fury this year.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I missed Comic Con last year. So, naturally this year, we went all in. We stayed at a hotel right across the street from the Convention Center, so we had easy access to the Con and it made for some great people watching! I actually saw a couple of people on a knee scooter. I didn't actually stop to chat with any of those people, but I thought that they were just so brave to attend Comic Con that way. I found that it was pretty accessible friendly, and there were different lines and areas marked specifically for ADA needs. I thought that was pretty rad, and had some immediate regret for not going last year. I could have gotten a wheelchair and worked that into my cosplay somehow - Professor X?? I had a great time, clocked in about 6 miles of walking each day (3 days), met some super cool geeks and celebrity types. I certainly was a bit sore at the end of each day but not enough to concern myself with it. A nice soak in the tub and some foot rubs from my hubby did wonders! Can't wait for next year!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Nate's Stormtrooper/Galactic Empire Flagbearer Costume</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Meeting Billy Boyd! (Pippin the Hobbit from LOTR)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Best part about the Con is the art! Here we have a Cat Khaleesi with Kitten Dragons</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Of course, my next redemption was attending the Utah Utes home games in the stadium with no crutches, no scooter, and no boot! I didn't have to get into the stadium an hour prior to kick-off, just so that we could get to our seats and store my scooter at Guest Services before the game. I also could leave with the crowd, not having to wait for traffic to clear so Nate could go pickup my scooter. I always try to offer words of encouragement when I see people attending the game with assitance devices. I've been there, admire your spirit, and just know it will get better and you'll be glad you came!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I of course also got to host and coordinate our annual rib-cook off for our tailgate group (which didn't happen last year because I was on injured reserve). We had mountains of meat and it was awesome!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In the bleachers! No boot. No crutches. No scooters. No nothin'! Just my own two feet in flipflops.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Teriyaki Ribs - smoked by Chef Nate</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I got on the treadmill today for the very first time since June 2015. Not to run on it - ugh never again - but just to try walking. It was super weird! It felt really unnatural. I started out with a really slow pace, like 1 mph. I didn't have pain or anything, but I had some serious balance issues. Definitely not used to the ground moving at any sort of consistent pace, and I had to hold on to the side rails! I eventually got the hang of it, and increased my pace ever so slowly as I felt comfortable. I did about 15 minutes, ending at about 3.5 mph. I think I'll stick to normal walking for now. Or the stair stepper. I've been working on the stair stepper as my main cardio at the gym. I think it helps me practice pushing off my foot, which I still think is my weakest after all this time. And it really is killer cardio.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">No hikes this month. I've actually been training for......</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>...........drum roll please.............</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">RAGNAR!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I may just be insane, that's what you surely must be thinking? I know, I think I might be crazy too. But, I really, really, really want to do it. I've signed up, paid my race dues and booked my flight and hotel in Las Vegas for the weekend of November 4th. So it's official, ,and there's no backing out now. I took the easiest legs (Runner 7), which hurt my pride a bit, but I didn't want to push myself too much and get into a situation where I wasn't able to complete the race. I'm at a slowish turtle pace of about 14:00 minutes per mile, and I'll be clocking in 11 miles total, over the course of about 30 hours or so. The first leg is 3.1 miles, the second is 6.1 (the one I'm most scared of), and the third is 2.4 miles. My team is aware that I can do some running or very brisk walking. They know about my injury and know that I may or may not be able to complete or may need to skip all or part of some legs. I'm giving it my very best though, and I'll go as long as I can, as fast as I can. And I'll be a pretty awesome directions navigator and van cheerleader if nothing else. I'm scared though. I'm scared of not being able to finish. I'm scared of the pain. I'm scared of stepping wrong, or coming down funny on my foot. I'm scared my teammates will resent me if I have to give up. But, I'm doing it, and that's that. It might be my "version" of Ragnar....but it'll be all mine!!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">YASSSS....<br /><br /><i>Oh wait......</i><br /></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>CChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08192080151319784175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1521063874597150593.post-23197673443246374492016-08-30T21:25:00.001-06:002016-08-30T21:25:49.238-06:00Pushing Limits<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I finally got back to doing some hiking these past couple of weekends! And I'm really trying to find out where my foot limit is. I can push it further and further every week, as long as I keep challenging myself.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The last hike I did was in the beginning of June, and it was about a 6 mile round trip hike, and I was almost in tears by the end because of my foot pain. I got myself back out there again, this time to Red Pine Lake. This hike ended up being about 7 miles....and guess what? It felt awesome! Sure, by the end of the hike, I was pretty sore. But, I felt so much more confident with my foot! Especially with the descent. Going up the trail, it was so steep and rocky, I was dreading coming back down. It usually takes me a lot longer to go down on hikes than it is to go up! But, I tackled the descent like a boss, and I descended about 1000 feet in maybe 15 or 20 minutes. I definitely surprised the hubby. We had a blast on our hike and I was so happy with my improvement. It goes to show that I'm still making lots of progress.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There were also some demons tackled last weekend as well. The Spartan Super returned to Utah, and it just so happened to occur on our 13th anniversary on August 13th. I felt that the race was somehow doomed. I didn't run in the race, but my hubby ran with some of his friends. I cheered on from the sidelines, but this time I had my own group of friends. I think that helped for sure with the depression and remorse I was feeling not being out there running. I tried to bounce around the course, but this time there was lots of elevation gain so I wasn't able to hit as many obstacles as I would have liked. Everyone survived and finished the race! I was super proud of my hubby. And I felt genuinely happy. We are going to try doing a Spartan Race together next year in Phoenix. I won't do any obstacles that I am not comfortable doing. But I will be ready and it will be time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I also managed to squeeze another hike in on Sunday. It was a bit of a shit show, but I survived :) We'd planned on doing a hike to Wasatch Mine. Each hike available in the valley is charted out on my spreadsheet, complete with ratings, which include things like total roundtrip miles, elevation gain, maximum ascent, and special considerations. I have been gradually increasing the difficulty week to week and trying not to do too much too fast. So, this hike was carefully selected as the next step in progression and I'd mentally prepared for it all week. We got all of the gear and food together that we would need the night before, and got up at the ass crack of dawn to head up the canyon. We drank our coffee and pre-workout on the way, so that when we arrived at the trailhead, we were ready to crush it! However, the US National Park Service had other plans. On the way up the canyon, we saw a ton of smoke and a raging fire. Upon arriving at the trailhead, we discovered that it was closed due to a "managed fire". Are you kidding me? We had to improvise and change plans. Another hike close to the area was Lake Blanche, so we decided to head there. It was a lot more difficulty and elevation than I had planned for. I've done the hike before, and I thought that by the beginning of fall, my foot might be ready to tackle it. But, those plans were thrust out the window and I plunged feet first (see what I did there?) onto the Lake Blanche trail. It ended up being at least half a mile more, 600 more feet of elevation gain (with a different of 600 feet per mile to 913 per mile!!), and a lot steeper and rockier than planned. I was scared. Nate even said "We don't have to go the whole way, don't worry!" Did he really ask that? Does he know who he is talking to? No. We were going the whole way.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">By the end of the hike, I was sore. But not like OMG I need to ice and elevate and rest kind of sore. I took it fairly easy for the rest of the day. It was my other muscles like my quads and calves that were paying the price. So, needless to say, I was super pleased with how the day turned out, because I felt like it had the set up for a disastrous, tear-filled morning. We made it to a quiet, beautiful lake, except for the huge ass moose that was just hanging out...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I feel like I'm getting mostly back to my normal level of activity. Between my two hikes and my weekly walk/jog, I managed to clock about 18 miles this week. Yay!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I've got some serious training to do before a commitment I made in November! Stay tuned... Time to get my ass into gear!</span><br />
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<br />CChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08192080151319784175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1521063874597150593.post-73492884941979932912016-08-04T15:12:00.001-06:002016-08-04T15:18:49.699-06:001 Year Post-Op Visit<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This day has finally come!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I had my one year post-op visit with Dr. Van Boeurm at TOSH this week. I got really positive news and I am feeling so relieved after the appointment. I have to admit, I was really nervous/anxious in the days leading up to the visit. Was everything healing like it was supposed to? Do I have arthritis already? Is he going to tell me I need another surgery to re-align a bone that has gotten out of whack? Have I been pushing it too hard with my workouts causing damage? What's next?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It felt really weird to be back at TOSH, because I think my last visit was in February? 4 months is the longest I've gone without seeing the doctor and his staff. I guess they trusted me not to screw my foot up too much in that amount of time. I laughed because while I was waiting to see the doctor, I checked in on Facebook from my phone, it asked a couple of questions about TOSH so Facebook could learn more about it. "Does this place have Wi-Fi available?" "Are you at a restaurant?" "Is this a good place for dancing?" Dancing?! If you are at TOSH, you are probably not doing any dancing. In fact, it's probably an anti-dance establishment.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Anyway, finally I got called back, sat in the Dr's office for a few minutes and then got called for x-rays. I've had.. I don't know.. 5 x-rays at least on my foot here, so the first thing I did when I got into the x-ray room was announce that I was not pregnant, just to clear that up. Because she asks every single time. I know she has to. I got my normal set of x-rays taken; three pictures, all weight bearing with my foot in different positions. I remember getting x-rays was always kind of painful, because I would be barefoot putting weight on my foot. It would always ache afterwards. But this time, it was just totally normal, and I didn't have any pain at all. It was hard for me to believe that this was actually painful and stressful at one time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I was told the doctor would be in to see me next. However, while I was waiting, a surgeon ran back into Dr. Van Boerum's office looking for him. He had a trauma patient that was just in a rollover car accident and needed his help. I don't know exactly what happened to the poor guy who was in the accident, only that his blood pressure was dangerously high and that it was a bad accident. There was a large projection screen in the front room where they quickly loaded up his x-rays and CT scans, and the two surgeons were talking it over. I couldn't really hear anything but I could see the x-ray and the scans, and there were obvious serious fractures, bones going in all kinds of wonky ways. It was scary. I actually kind of felt comforted that Dr. Van Boerum was helping. He is for sure amazing. I don't know the fate of the gentleman in the accident, but I hope he's OK.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Finally, Dr. Van Boerum came to see me, and I reminded him that I was the Spartan girl. He was so pleased with how my foot has healed! He tested range of motion for my navicular fracture and was genuinely surprised at how much range I had. He said that normally people with navicular fractures, especially like how bad mine ended up being, never get this level of motion back. All my other bones in my Lisfranc joint have healed wonderfully and are all lined up like they are supposed to. I don't really have any signs of arthritis yet, except for a small space between my navicular (in the above, the bone that has the bright metal plate over it) and talus bones. He also confirmed that the plate and screws over my navicular bone will stay in place permanently. The navicular just does not get enough blood supply to be able to heal on it's own the way it should, and it is risky to remove the hardware. It doesn't bother me too much, other than I can feel it when I poke around my foot, and I can visibly see the bump where the plate is. The only time it ever bothers me is when a storm is coming. I'm more accurate than a meteorologist by most standards. Hey... I always wanted to be a meteorologist !</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">He also cleared me to RUN SHORT DISTANCES!!! Like a 5K. In moderation. No marathons. I'm just fine with that news! It is better than his firm stance of "NO RUNNING EVER UNLESS YOU ARE GOING TO BE HIT BY A BUS" in the past. He recommended that I still take up biking, hiking, or swimming as kind of my main exercise and to steer clear of any hard impacts/jumping still. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I still do have some pain in my big toe area (he referred to it as 1st MTP Joint) when coming up or pushing off on my toes. He recommended that a stiff-soled shoe, or even a trail running shoe would help out with that. And arch supports will still help, like my Superfeet. Then our conversation kind of drifted off into talking about his hiking/climbing trip to the Grand Tetons, and I told him about Nate and I's trip to King's Peak.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">He said that typically the one year mark is where most of my improvements will be, and that's kind of where my foot is going to be, as far as healing goes. It will most likely plateau between 12-18 months post-op, and then I might see some minor improvements after that. Then, he just shook our hands and told me that the foot is looking good. And bye!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So... that was it? No follow-up appointments to schedule. No more check-ups. Just to come in if something changes or if I start getting a lot of pain. I guess I'm kind of an adult now.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I do have some fitness goals. I will do a Spartan race again. It will most likely be heavily modified, and there will be some skipped obstacles. Anyone scoffing at that or any of you Spartan purists can very nicely go EAD. You have no idea what I've been through this year.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I will summit King's Peak.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I will do Ragnar. Someday.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I still blubber sometimes, mainly when I'm watching sports-y team things. Or seeing someone getting injured and the team rallying around them (Spartan Ultimate Team Challenge, anyone?). I wish the injury wouldn't have happened. But there are no regrets. I went through a year of hell and here I am on the other side. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about my injury. I have some sort of pain or discomfort everyday. Whether that is feeling stiff in the mornings, or trying to go down a set of stairs, or feeling like my foot is some alien otherworldly being from "Stranger Things"...But really it is not that big of deal, not anything I can't tolerate, and it doesn't stop me or even slow me down on doing a lot of the things I want to do.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My promise though is that I will keep updating, and checking in with everyone who has followed me for this last year!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Lots of love, and thank you all for your support,</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">CC </span><br />
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CChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08192080151319784175noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1521063874597150593.post-62068731997581970182016-07-08T08:45:00.000-06:002016-07-08T08:45:24.828-06:00Footiversary<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The anniversary of my injury was 6/27. I am 1 year post op today. So I am calling this my "footiversary"!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I wish I had something profound or awesome to update. But, I don't really. I've spent a lot of time thinking and reflecting on what the injury has meant for me and what it has changed in my life. I have had plenty of emotional moments over the last few weeks, but that seems to be passing and I'm back on track to being my normal self again. Despite getting all of the "You have memories on Facebook today!" notifications on my phone, and seeing all of the struggles I went through last year during this time. My first trip out with the scooter, the night of my surgery (where I was in so much pain, I posted a billion cat videos on my wall apparently to distract myself), getting discharged from the hospital. I'll be getting those foot memories for a while!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I have seen some really good progress within the last few weeks as well, and I'm still amazed that I continue to progress even a year after surgery. The doctor said one of the last things to come back usually was coming up on the toes, and that has been true. I've seen some awesome improvement in being able to do that - the muscles are finally starting to engage and it is becoming second nature again with minimal discomfort/pain. I thought I was never going to be able to come up on my toes on my right foot ever again. But a year later, I can! It is something so small that you don't even think about until you can't do it.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Qg7SPCojQsg/V3-7PJDjdRI/AAAAAAAAAtI/1lZkxxEqAuYGXrZRb0WG56WE8wFupg1xACLcB/s1600/IMG_20160630_145035.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Qg7SPCojQsg/V3-7PJDjdRI/AAAAAAAAAtI/1lZkxxEqAuYGXrZRb0WG56WE8wFupg1xACLcB/s320/IMG_20160630_145035.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the left, sitting in the ER shortly after my fall.<br />On the right, 1 year and 3 surgeries later!<br />Toes are still cute AF</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I called Dr. Van Boerum's office at TOSH to schedule my yearly post-op appointment. I've been so excited and anxious to go in, get my x-ray, and just talk to the doctor. He is a really busy man, however, and the first available appointment wasn't until August! So, the post about my year op visit will have to wait until then.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I've also started up my walking routine again. I had stopped for a while, frustrated with progress and feeling remorseful about being unable to run. I really do enjoy being outside and walking along the trails out on the lake near our house, especially with an earful of music and a pocketful of sunshine. When I did my first attempt at a fast walking pace back in March, I walked a 5k in 1 hour, 17 minutes. Now I can do it in just under 50 minutes. I'm hovering just around a 15 minute mile. Pretty good for a lisfrancer and I'm hoping to work at it so that I just get better and better. I think I look kind of silly (I look like one of those race walkers that I've seen during the Olympics!) when I am trying to walk fast. It feels awesome to be out there. For the most part, my foot doesn't bother me during my walk...unless a storm is coming... and I'm not too sore or have much pain afterwards. I'm only going maybe a couple of times a week for now.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm also very close to my pre-surgery weight again! I gained quite a bit after surgery being unable to move, walk or be my normal active self. Mostly that's been attributed to the ketogenic diet I am following. That's for sure helped my confidence and physical well-being.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So, what's next? I don't know. I feel pretty normal. Even though my foot feels alien, and I limp sometimes. The new normal. I'm always aware of my injury, but I refused to be defined by it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Hang in there everyone!</span><br />
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<br />CChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08192080151319784175noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1521063874597150593.post-8842378096474383022016-06-23T08:07:00.000-06:002016-06-23T08:07:07.060-06:00You're Invited! To my pity party....<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The self-pity party returned in full force this week. I have been feeling quite emotional about my injury, and it's been quite some time since I've felt this way. And I am not liking it. I hate having feels and just wish they would go away!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I don't know why I'm feeling so terrible. I think it's just a combination of my year anniversary right around the corner, and being confronted with not being able to race this week in a huge way. Little things have been setting me off, even things not related to my foot like work stuff. I just can't even, apparently. Also, if people could STOP being an expert about my limp, that'd be great! I don't want to hear about it, I don't want to think about it, and I don't want to hear that because you recovered from a limp from your knee injury means that I will from my completely identical foot injury! K. Now that that's out of the way....</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I did have an eventful week/weekend.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">To start things off, my A/C pooped out. Right in the middle of our heat wave, and 2 nights before leaving on vacation to Park City for Ragnar. So that was a stellar beginning to things. It ended up getting fixed 2 hours before I was to check in to our hotel (it's about an hour drive) so I guess the stars aligned and everything turned out peachy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I also got to help Nate get ready for the Ragnar race. I obviously didn't run it, but I helped him coordinate team meetings, van logistics, set agendas, and helped him draft and proof-read all team communications. I'm a project manager and I was doing some practical application of my skills in the "real world." At least I was able to help in some way. I got to meet all of the members in his van, and they were all inspiring and amazing people!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ragnar is a relay race, where you are on a team of 12 people and together you run 200-ish miles, with each runner having 3 legs. It's an overnight race, so it takes a normal team 2 days and 1 night to complete. It ran from Logan, UT, all the way to Heber (Soldier Hollow). They call this one the Wastach Back, since you are running along the back side of the Wastach Mountain Range. It's incredible. I stayed in a hotel in Park City with my mom and spent the time shopping and drinking wine. Also crying a lot. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">His legs were at odd times this year. He was runner #1 so his start time ended up being at 5AM. The other legs happened late and night and then again very early morning so I didn't have an opportunity to meet him out on the course. I did however meet him at the finish line! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The race ended at Soldier Hollow, which is exactly the place where I injured myself almost a year ago. The Ragnar festival area was literally right on top of the exact spot that I fell off the wall at Spartan. It felt so odd and sobering to finally revisit the scene of the crime. This was where it all changed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So yeah, this week has been really challenging for the feels. Next week is one year!</span><br />
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<br />CChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08192080151319784175noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1521063874597150593.post-37926861269044077892016-06-14T10:29:00.000-06:002016-06-14T10:29:37.196-06:00Storm's Comin'<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My posts have been really positive lately! So I apologize....</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But, I do have a sad. I miss running. Maybe it's the fact that it is so close to my year anniversary of my accident, and I'm thinking about it more. I've reconciled long ago my severed relationship with running and thought it was all behind me. But lately I have been craving the solace of the open road ahead with music blaring in my ears. Clearing my mind completely, focusing on my breathing and my stride, lungs burning, and getting that sweet endorphin rush that comes with a long run. Right now, I don't remember how I also use to hate it! It has been hard to even hear songs that come up on my iPod that used to be on my running playlist. I sometimes ride my stationary bike, close my eyes, and just <i>imagine </i>that I am running... Walking just ain't the same.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Nate has also been prepping for Ragnar this weekend (and I'm helping to organize and plan...putting my project management skills to practical use!) and before my accident, the plan was always to run it in 2016. A week later, everything changed, and that was no longer the plan. I wanted to train to walk it (fast) but recovery wasn't quite as fast as I'd hoped and I'm not ready for that. I think I could do one leg, but probably would be too sore to attempt 2 or even 3. Plus, who wants a girl that can't run on their Ragnar team? No one.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So, I'll be there cheering on. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Trying to smile and not to think about how I could be out there running too, if I'd just held on to that stupid obstacle and not changed my life forever.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> I want to see Nate cross the finish line. Ugh. I am so down about this right now and I don't want to think about it anymore. I thought I was fine! I want to be able to just not think about my foot anymore. Or stop getting into situations where I feel like, "Oh crap, can I do this?" Like an unexpected staircase. Or worse, one without railings. Not being able to reach something, and being unable to jump or come up on my tippy toes. Or a sudden drop off/curb, where I have to figure out how to land. Or my extreme fear of heights now, or stumbling and falling. Also, I wish people would stop asking about why I'm limping or when is my foot going to "heal" because it's been so long! It's a long story. But, I guess that is to be expected. I'll have ups and downs forever, and I've been really great with how things are for the last few months!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">On a more positive note, I've been "practicing" walking barefoot more often. I miss <strike>running </strike>walking around barefoot. My arch is a little sore from it, but I am getting so much more comfortable with it, and eventually I'll be able to do it again without much thought.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I've also been gifted with the precog of when a storm is coming. I feel it. In my booonnes. On Friday, I was in horrible foot pain, to the point of tears at work. More frustration than pain tears - like "why am I hurting so bad, this is not normal." A huge storm rolled in that night. And the next day the foot was all better.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I do still feel grateful of all the things that I can still do, and that I'm still progressing on things almost a year later. I'll get through this little rough patch. I enjoy when I get to go hiking (as long as the weather cooperates!) and I just get better each time I go. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> I'm a little intimidated to go with normal people.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> I feel self-conscious</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> about how slow I am, especially on the descents and my husband is a patient man. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It will be a year since my injury on 6/27. I haven't quite figured out how I am going to tackle that day. Mourn? Celebrate? Cry to myself while eating a cupcake? Break my other lisfranc?</span>CChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08192080151319784175noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1521063874597150593.post-74590995338963354682016-06-02T09:07:00.000-06:002016-06-02T09:07:14.306-06:00Life is Grand<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">...for the most part with all things concerning the foot!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">General Status Report for 11 months post-op (I really can't believe it's been almost a year!):</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">- Pain: My pain is pretty minimal unless I really over-do it. I still think about my foot with every step in some way. Not that it hurts, but I can just feel the difference between my left and right foot. My left foot feels completely normal and just like an extension of my leg. My right foot still feels a bit... alien, I guess is the best way to describe it. It doesn't feel natural. That could be the hunk of metal that is still in there, and all of my bones and tendons still healing after all of the trauma. I've learned to live with the alien foot though, so I can't say that it really bothers me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">- Limp: Minimal, but it still shows up at times. Mostly if I've been on my foot a lot during the day or I have done a lot of walking or activity. I think my shoes also determine if I'll limp or not. Some shoes still feel a lot better than others, and some days I just don't want to have to deal with the pain of walking around, so I wear tennis shoes that don't match my outfit. It does feel a bit weird because I'm super self-conscious about it, but it's my body and I'd rather strangers judge my fashion choices than deal with pain and limping all day because I wore a cute shoe.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">- Coming up on my toes is still an issue! But, it is starting to get better little by little. It's just taking a really, really long time. The doctor did tell me that it was basically the last thing to come back. So, I'm patiently waiting for that, and I'll do some calf raises when the foot will tolerate it. I do much better with an assisted calf raise, like holding on to a wall or bar so that my weight is supported a bit.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">- Big toe pain seems to have mostly resolved itself. I get it from time to time, but just stretching my toes against the wall clears it up pretty quickly.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">- Walking barefoot is still not my favorite. I much prefer my orthopedic slippers or my pair of flip flops. I never thought I'd ever feel like that! How your perspective changes...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">- Working out is pretty much back to normal (aside from my running/jumping/impact restrictions). I lift. I do the bike. I go for walks. I'm working on doing a pull-up.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And for the "grand" finale for this post, I summited my first peak since my injury - Grandeur Peak at 8300ft! The trail was just over 6 miles round trip, and about 2700 feet of elevation gain. If I'm being honest, I don't think my foot was quite ready for a hike like that. Nate allowed me to pick the hike (we have done this one before my injury but in super crappy weather), and he said afterwards that had he actually looked at the stats, he would have told me no. The ascent was slow and steady, and I just went at a pace where I was comfortable and had no pain. There were some super rocky parts which I absolutely hated! I have balance issues still so the foot was going all kinds of wonky directions and freaking me out. Plus if I stepped wrong I'd get a shot of pain for a second, so I just had to be careful. Going down was another story, it probably took me longer to get down than to go up. With a little over a mile left to go, my foot really started to hurt. But, I had to power through and stay strong. I was on the verge of tears at that point from frustration, pain, and wanting to go faster. Eventually I did hit the bottom and it felt great to have accomplished this peak!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Of course I was sore the next day. But it mainly was from my other muscles and not my foot.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I will be going back in for my 1 year post-op check up next month. I promise to keep updating!</span><br />
<br />CChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08192080151319784175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1521063874597150593.post-32547587242245675622016-05-17T19:18:00.001-06:002016-05-17T19:18:24.739-06:00My First Race<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The doctor told me before surgery that I would never be doing obstacle course races again.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Well, OK, he clarified that I would be done with running, jumping and high impact exercises, so naturally that included obstacle course racing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But, I am stubborn and always find a way around the rules. He said that I could walk and hike just fine. And as as long as things were low to minimum impact, that was also fine.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">He never said that I couldn't walk an obstacle course race. Or skip the obstacles that required jumping or landing more than a couple of feet off the ground.....right? So, loophole was found.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I henceforth made my racing debut at the Greater Salt Lake Battlefrog Race, which was a very last minute decision. Nate had signed up for it as a prep for Spartan in August and I kind of was sick of being cheerleader and being stuck on the sidelines. So, we talked about it at length, and we agreed that I would only walk the course. And I would skip any obstacle that had the potential of falling or landing more than a couple of feet off the ground. I warned him it might be slow, and zombie-like-ish, but he was totally fine with it...or so he said.. :) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So we drove an hour out to Tooele on Saturday morning, to the Miller Motor Sports Park, where the event was held. It was a course mainly used for BMX style bike racing, so mostly flat but with some rolling hills. I would describe the race more low-key than Spartan and not quite as intense. That was fine with me. I wasn't there to compete or be the fastest racer. I was just there to prove to myself that I could do it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/BattleFrogSeries/videos/1234790616539098/" target="_blank">This video</a> was taken at the beginning of the race for the 9 AM racers. Nate and I are at the very back. Needless to say, I started the race, on my knees sobbing. Full on sobbing. Shoulder-shaking, tears streaming down my face. There was so much emotion in this moment for me as I sat and waited for the race to start and listened to this speech. Sacrifice. Every obstacle representing an obstacle in life. Embracing the moment and living your life.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">A rush of adrenaline hit and I took off at a <i>slight </i>jog to start the race. (<i>Shhhh don't tell Dr. Van Boeurm!</i>) but I didn't last very long and only kept it up for maybe a 1/4th of a mile or so. Then I settled into my race-walk, which according to Nate's GPS watch, was about 4MPH. Not bad! I held true to my commitment not to try to tackle any obstacles which required more than a few feet or climbing or had any chance of falling off. I was able to complete 8 out of the 24 obstacles, so, a third. I pretty much shredded my strength based obstacles, like the tire pull, bag carry, and gas can carries. I attempted a few obstacles that didn't feel quite as comfortable as I liked so I didn't try to finish them (mainly ones which required a lot of weight coming up on my toes... argh!). I think looking back I would like to have attempted/completed more of them, but there's plenty of time to improve before I try again.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">The course ended up being a little over 5 miles, and we completed it in a little under 2 hours! I was very pleased with myself and was so glad to cross the finish line after 10 months of not racing at all. Some of the obstacle race purists might be pissed off...that I didn't "earn" my medal by not doing all the obstacles. IDGAF. I don't. I was out there doing it, and that's all that matters to me. There were a few staffers yelling at me that it was too early in the course to be walking... I just smirked... if he only knew what I'd been through to get here.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">The next day, my foot was pretty damn sore. Like everywhere. Lisfranc joint, toes, ankle, shins, heel, arch. And the day after that. It started to be less sore by Monday. And today (Tuesday), it's back to it's good ol' self!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Totally worth it.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Climbing over a fence - just a baby, only about 4 feet tall!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Nate climbing this huge pyramid. Me? NOPE! Just nope.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Post-race - got our medals!!</span></td></tr>
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CChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08192080151319784175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1521063874597150593.post-27174932492494918122016-04-26T14:48:00.000-06:002016-04-26T14:48:42.515-06:00Average...and that's OK!<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'm really starting to believe that there is hope for recovery! This week I started to feel like my foot was no longer controlling my life, something that I have not felt in 10 long months.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I treated myself to another hike over the weekend, this time to the Avenues Twin Peaks. It was more challenging than the other two I have done so far this season, 3.7 miles round trip and over 1,000 ft of elevation gain, so a lot steeper! I completed it in 2 hours, which is the average pace for the average hiker. I'm totally cool with being average at this point :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I was amazed at my foot's progress since my last hike 2 weeks ago, and I feel like I'm getting so much better every time. I felt a lot more comfortable on my feet, and navigating through the rocks and mud. I didn't lose my balance or slip and fall for the duration of the hike, which is quite an accomplishment for me, even pre-injury. I still rely on my poles pretty heavily for balance and for steep uphill and downhill, but that's fine. That is why I invested a lot on good trekking poles!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There were two summits on the hike, lots of elevation gains and losses throughout. The ascent of each peak right before was definitely the steepest. The uphill was fine, except for burning out my glutes and testing the limits of my cardio. Downhill was a pretty steep descent and was a tad bit terrifying, but I took it slow and grounded my poles in front of me. I actually kind of turned side-ways on the way down those steep parts so I would have a little more surface area and better balance. I'd say it was a success because there were no falls :D For the rest of the downhill, always the most painful for my foot in general, I tried a new technique to help offload some of the impact and weight on the forefoot. I put my body in sort of a mini-squat position, and stepped down that way. This sent pretty much everything into my quads, glutes, and calves. It seemed to work because my foot didn't get sore at all on the way down. Usually when I hit 2.5/3 miles, it starts to get pretty angry. The only drawback was how sore I ended up being in my quads and other muscles the next day! To sweeten the deal even more, after the hike, we took my niece to the Natural History of Utah Museum to see the geckos exhibit (and the lizards and chameleons too - she says!), where I did plenty more walking. My foot really didn't bother me much! I clocked about 18,000 steps for the day, so I was pretty stoked!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Hike pictures - because I love sharing! I got Nate a GoPro for his birthday and it took some awesome photos!</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I have a lot to be happy about right now. I've worn several different pairs of shoes. I finally took the stool out of the shower. I haven't needed it in quite a long time but I've always left it there " just incase" But, this weekend I finally said the hell with it and got it out of there! I still have my slipmat, and I don't think I need that anymore either, but it's there just for security. Maybe in a month or so I'll take that out too! And yes, there are still "bad" foot days. But not quite as bad as I imagined they would be and not as often as I thought there would be. Sometimes it just feels stiff or more sore on some days. But it isn't really bothersome - just a part of me now. The good is outweighing the bad and I am extremely positive. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Coming up on the toes has gotten a lot easier. My right foot doesn't feel as strong still, but I can come up all the way now (if I'm in shoes) and even do multiple calf raises. Going down stairs is still kind of a challenge. I do OK on long stretches of stairs where I can get into a rhythm; it is the little flights or onesy-twosy steps that kill me. I also found another "first" I can do....which is squat all the way down so my butt is almost on the floor then come up on my toes from there. I didn't even know I could do it, but I was cleaning the other day and needed to squat down to get some leverage on scrubbing the bathroom tile. I was very excited. Also, I went to the movies with the hubby yesterday and decided to race him up the stairs to our seats. I got about 4 rows up before I even thought about my foot or if I should be doing this. It was an awesome feeling because I took off bounding up the stairs without a thought in the world about my injury.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I will keep updating this blog. Even if I have no readers! (Today I noticed I have had over 6,000 views. Wow you guys! Thank you!)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">You may have a "new normal."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Lisfranc recovery is possible!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Please stay positive everyone :)</span></div>
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CChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08192080151319784175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1521063874597150593.post-57382789601819098132016-04-11T15:30:00.002-06:002016-04-12T15:55:08.056-06:00Stepping Up My Game<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I had another great week! I hope you guys don't start to get bored with my updates. I hope they inspire you so that you keep pushing and moving forward. I started this blog with the intention of turning it into a positive recovery story, so that anyone suffering a Lisfranc injury has hope, and a light at the end of the tunnel that it will eventually be over, and eventually be just a memory. My injury ended up being on the severe side of things, so yes, there are things that I will never be able to do again (at least, they aren't recommended if I don't want another surgery in 2 years, so yep, taking the doctor's advice), but there are plenty of things that you still CAN do.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I was hoping that this feeling of encouragement and happiness about recovery would have come maybe a few months ago and I really didn't expect the injury to take this long to heal. Patience is the key and you just have to have it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So what did I do this week that has me so excited? Another hike! I increased my distance and elevation gain with this one, last week's was more of just a baseline on where I was. Last week's hike was about 2 miles round trip, 0.75 each way and then some tooling around the reservoir, with overall about 450 ft. of elevation gain. On Friday, I had the day off work and we celebrated my hubby's birthday by going on a hike that was a little more challenging than last week's.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This hike was located in Millcreek Canyon, on a trail called Rattlesnake Gulch (I'm in Utah, not Colorado) and led to a beautiful overlook of the Salt Lake Valley. It almost double the distance of last week's adventure, 3.4 miles roundtrip with about 750 ft of elevation gain. My foot held up so great. I actually didn't have much pain at all during the entire hike, and it started to get kind of sore about a third of the way back down the trail. I did have to kind of think about my foot in general though, since the trail was super rocky. I was conscious of every step, where I was putting my feet, and my weight on each foot. I was trying not to put too much weight on the right foot, especially on the steep parts. I tried to lead with my right foot as much as possible so that I wasn't pushing off too much on it. I let my left foot be the back foot to push myself up the hills.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The rocks really tested my balance and I was grateful for my trekking poles. There was one section that was almost all rocks, and I tweaked my ankle just a bit. My foot is seriously not used to this type of activity and this is helping to work on stability. As anxious as I might be for pushing the foot, I am seeing huge leaps of progress the more active I am. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I also found out that my cardio totally sucks. Definitely need to work on that aspect! During the steepest part of the hike my heart rate got up to 203, according to my Polar Heart Rate Monitor. I didn't die though. Overall, it took me about 1hr 50 min to do the hike, exactly on point with the average hiker pace for the Wasatch Mountain Club. (Slow clap?) I honestly don't care about pace or speed. Maybe next year that can be a goal. Right now it is just about completing the hikes! I burned about 1300 calories on the hike which had me feeling awesome afterwards. And yes, we treated ourselves to a birthday dinner at Ruth's Chris later in the evening.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Pics!</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Going up the trail (this was the non-rocky part :) )</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the top - if you zoom in you can see the Salt Lake downtown skyline!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking west to the other side of the valley; Oquirrh Mountains in the distance</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking down at Salt Lake Valley. The abandoned pipeline is in view, which Google tells me used to power parts of the valley years ago!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The next day, my legs were for sure sore, especially my calves and quads. Most importantly, my foot was only mildly sore. Compared to last week's 2 mile hike, and this week's 3.4, it definitely felt more sore this week than last week. But not really enough to bother me much. I some gardening that Saturday and we hung another bird feeder, ran errands, and did some shopping, so I still was able to be on my feet and fairly active throughout the day! There was one point where we had gone to pick up some flowers for the garden at our favorite nursery, and the hubby told me that I was WALKING TOO FAST for him. What! (In his defense, I had a pair of tennis shoes on, and he had flip flops, but still)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As I think about it, maybe a year ago if I had gone on this hike pre-injury, I might have noticed the pain or the differences in my two feet. Maybe it would have bothered me. Other than getting used to how to hike all over again, I am so pleased with how my foot held up. I wasn't bothered. A little sore, but not bothered. Considering all the time, surgeries and trauma my foot has been through, this was exciting. This is my new normal now.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And I'm fine with that!</span></div>
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CChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08192080151319784175noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1521063874597150593.post-65761177252123153242016-04-03T13:51:00.000-06:002016-04-12T15:55:20.899-06:00Another First - Hiking!<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I had an absolutely fabulous day today!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The weather was finally nice & warm, so Nate and I hit the trails this morning.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I was pretty nervous. This was my first real attempt at hiking since my injury. During the spring and summer months, hiking was the way I loved spending my weekends and my favorite way to exercise. I didn't really get to do any hiking at all last year, and the last real hike I did was King's Peak in the summer of 2014. Then I broke my foot and everything changed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The hike I chose was a fairly easy one. It's a hike I've done about a dozen times and one that can be done earlier in the season with little snow, and it's one of my favorites. There are technically 5 points you can hike to on this 9 mile hike, but I chose to hit only the first one that is about a 2 mile round trip. It isn't that steep, but still a really good workout! The goal wasn't to hit any PR's, or do it as fast as I could, or anything like that. I simply wanted to prove to myself that I could do a hike.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I expected to be slow. I expected my foot to hurt. None of that really happened. It was 0.75 miles to the Lower Bells Reservoir (my destination) and I was able to reach it in about 27 minutes! In peak performance, it typically would take me 15-20 minutes to get that far. My pace hadn't slowed that much! I was taking a little bit of extra time navigating the parts of the trail with rocks, just to be careful. I brought along my trekking poles and they helped with balance. My foot actually didn't hurt very much at all. I could feel muscles working that I hadn't used in a very long time, though, especially on the uneven ground. We got to the Reservoir and I wanted to go a bit further, so we did a lap around. We followed the trail mostly, but took a wrong turn and ended up in a swampy, muddy mess. I was really dirty by the end, but it was all so much fun! The only part I struggled with was getting back onto the actual trail - we ended up having to bushwhack a bit to get back to the top. I still have been struggling with calf raises and coming up on my toes in general, and found myself having to boulder up and be on my toes. I can't say that it was "painful" but it was kind of an uncomfortable feeling trying to push off the right foot. Like a muscle that you are overstretching or trying to lift something that is too heavy. I think that it was good that I pushed my limit a little bit, hoping to get that part back to normal eventually!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I was most terrified of going downhill, actually. So, I thought it would be a slow and painful process and that it would take forever. But, I didn't! I did slow my pace down some because I felt a little anxious and really wanted to be careful not to slip or slide down the trail, but the foot held up awesomely. I used my poles a lot to steady myself coming down. By the time we made it back to the trailhead, my foot was starting to get pretty sore, mainly in my navicular area. I think it was going all kinds of crazy angles and just working my foot out in a way that hadn't been done in a while!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Bell's Canyon - Lower Reservoir</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I switched to my flip flops after the hike, and getting my foot out of my hiking boot was a bit difficult since it had kind of swollen up a bit. But really, no real pain. I expected to be sore for the rest of the day, and while I could tell I'd had activity, I was really surprised how not sore I actually was! This made me very excited! I am very encouraged, and thinking already about what I want my hike next week to be.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Update: I woke up the next morning, a bit sore, but nothing terrible, and nothing I couldn't handle. I didn't even need to take advil or pain meds, or anything to get through the next day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I am super pumped!</span><br />
<br />CChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08192080151319784175noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1521063874597150593.post-53974511005601416032016-03-29T11:07:00.000-06:002016-04-12T15:56:26.611-06:00Still Progressing - 9 Months Later!<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I've been trying to find something newsworthy for an update, but I just really don't have much! I still am seeing progress with my foot, and I think I've had some really, <i><b>really </b></i>good days - the first since having surgery. It has been 9 months since my injury.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I am continuing to go for walks on the lake trails around my house, about 3.5 miles each time, once or twice a week. Last week, I officially got my time under an hour for the route (<i>57 minutes</i>!). My foot was pretty sore that night and the next day, but I was really pleased with the progress. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I've also been experimenting with different shoes. Each shoe that I wear feels different, and I am more aware of what each type of shoe feels like, and what different muscles I engage. I now can cycle through several different tennis shoes, without inserts. I am wearing flats, and flat-heeled boots. I also like wearing my trail running shoes, and my hiking boots. I splurged and also bought a really expensive pair of orthopedic flip flops (a girl's MUST for summer). I cringed at the price, but as the doctor said, I will be getting what I pay for. They seem to be working out just fine - minimal and sometimes no pain at all while wearing them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I can say that I'm starting to have more good days than I do bad days. I feel really positive about things! I think about my foot less and less, but it's always there in the back of my mind with every step. I'm a little terrified of heights, uneven ground, and tripping. I still can't come up on my toes yet, but I've been slowly seeing some progress there. The nagging big toe pain still kind of bothers me. I wish that would go away.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I have also started introducing some lower body weight lifting into my strength routine. The doctor encouraged me to keep it light when first starting out, and I should be able to do 3 sets of 20 reps. I feel kind of wimpy squatting with a body bar, but I absolutely do not want to push too much too soon.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The foot is slowly starting to turn into "just a foot." I still limp occasionally, when I've been on my feet more than usual, first thing in the morning, or after I've been sitting for a while. I always think it is not that noticeable, but I was at Costco on Saturday and got attacked by a sample man who noticed I was limping and asked if it was arthritis. He sold me some Wellense Joint Movement supplements, that may help with arthritis pain. I figured I didn't have anything to lose by trying it! My limp seems to be getting me into trouble it seems.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Hiking season is so close! We had a big snow storm this week, but in the next couple of weeks the snow should start to be melting and opening up some trails. That's the next milestone. For now, I'm taking advantage of the nicer weather in the valley and spending some time gardening. It's very therapeutic and I'm just happy to be outside again on my own two feet!</span><br />
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<br />CChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08192080151319784175noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1521063874597150593.post-26285924239080626412016-03-11T10:12:00.000-07:002016-04-12T15:57:19.577-06:00Encouragement<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I have been really encouraged with my progress the past few weeks. I am feeling really positive about recovery for the first time in a long time!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Things aren't perfect but I feel like they've gotten so much better.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I started going for walks on the trails around my neighborhood; they used to be my old running trails. It's beautiful - there is a lake nestled in with a gorgeous view of the Wasatch and Oquirrh Mountain ranges. This has been the first time that I've gone for a walk on my own for any extended period of time. I was a little discouraged the first time I went out. I walked my 5k loop, and it took me 1 hour & 14 minutes to complete it. But, since then, I've done that loop a few more times, and I've already gotten my time down to 1 hour & 2 minutes, and I feel each time I go, I am getting faster and better.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I find that going uphill is actually the easiest thing to do. Followed by flat ground. Going downhill is the worst though. It's still slow going, and that is where I get most of my discomfort from walking.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So, after walking 3.2 miles at a respectable pace, my foot is a little sore for the rest of the day (my limp is probably a little more noticeable too), and first thing the next morning. But, it's not nearly as sore as I expected it to be. I actually find that it feels better when I go for walks, than when I don't. So that's really exciting!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I also have been wearing some of my cuter shoes without my Superfeet. Swelling isn't much of an issue anymore, so I can fit into my old shoes again! It feels really nice to not be confined to my tennis shoes anymore. Today, I'm wearing a dress with a pair of cute flats! My surgery scars are exposed, and I can't help but look down and be proud of them, and what they represent for me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Also, hiking season will be starting soon! I'm so very excited for that, because I've been so pleased with how much progress I have made over the last month or so. I have not felt ready, but I AM READY NOW! Most of the trails are still snow-covered at this point in the season, but we should start getting some slow melt soon. Nate has promised me that we are going to do all the hikes this summer. We are going to have to start really slow and easy, but I'm totally OK with that. Some snaps of my favorite hiking memories! I assure you I will be posting updates once I start again - Hiking with a Lisfranc Injury :)</span></div>
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<i><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">(White Pine Lake - 10,080ft)</span></b></i></div>
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<i><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">(Doing Yoga at Gobbler's Knob - 10,246 ft)</span></b></i></div>
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<i><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">(Mount Raymond wildflowers)</span></b></i></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">(Lake Blanche - 8,920 ft)</span></i></b></div>
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<i><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">(Reynolds Peak/Dog Lake - 9,422 ft)</span></b></i></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">(Bells Canyon)</span></i></b></div>
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<i><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">(Waihee Ridge - Maui)</span></b></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I am finally feeling so great about things! 8 months later :)</span></div>
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CChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08192080151319784175noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1521063874597150593.post-88152033355966365082016-03-01T09:51:00.000-07:002016-04-12T15:58:20.759-06:00Spectator<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I've had quite an eventful couple of weeks!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I went in for a check-up at TOSH last Monday. Doctor visits are always hard for me because it is a reminder of just how bad my injury was, and how life-changing it has been for me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I got a set of x-rays taken, and everything appears to be lined up properly and healing well. My bones are still not quite as strong as they were before, and it will just take time to build back the bone density. Otherwise, the x-rays looked great and there were no major issues that could be seen. The doctor did say that he could see evidence of very mild arthritis through my midfoot already, but it was nothing to be concerned about at this point.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I am still having quite a bit of pain and stiffness in my big toe. There wasn't anything on the x-ray that could point to the cause. The doctor examined my foot, and he thinks that it is just stress on the foot after not using it for so long. He said to continue with my plantar fascia stretches, and to also work calf stretches in, by hanging my right heel off a step and dropping it down. I also still cannot really come up on my toes at all on my right foot, and the doctor said that that is usually one of the last things to come back.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I was also given clearance to start weaning out of my Superfeet. I have been wearing those inserts for arch support ever since I started weight-bearing, so I've become quite accustomed to them. But, my arch has built up enough strength now to be able to support my foot on it's own, so I can begin to phase them out. I wore a pair of boots to the grocery store over the weekend without them, and I didn't really notice too much of a difference - other than there was a lot more room in my shoe! Walking barefoot has certainly gotten a lot easier; it's not my favorite thing to do, but at least I can stand walking around on it a bit after I get out of the shower without running for my shoes first thing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I got the standard set of instructions for the next 4 months until my next appointment: low or no impact exercises, a stiff supportive shoe, and monitor for pain. The next time I see the doctor will be the 1 year post-op mark. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I also took another trip last weekend, to Phoenix. The hubby was doing the Spartan Race, and I signed up to be a Spectator, so I could watch him compete. It was HOT down there - 90 degrees - compared to about 50 here in Salt Lake. I had a lot of mixed emotions about him doing the race, though. We had an agreement that I would NOT cry the entire trip or there would be consequences. It was incredibly hard though, because every fiber of my being wanted to be out there with him running the race. He was also running it by himself, and that made me so nervous for him, and I felt bad I could not be his support. But, as a Spectator, I still was able to see him quite a bit on the course. They block off an area for "spectators" in the main festival area, and you are able to see about 6 of the obstacles. But, there were 22 of them in the race! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I don't do well with "rules" so after he took off from the start line, I started my own race around the course to find him and cheer him on! I had a course map and an iPod. I was really surprised at how my foot held up during my escapades. I was climbing hills and walking around with no real pain, or problems! Descending was another story - although it was mostly psychological. I didn't have the confidence or trust in my foot when I was coming down a steep hill, so it was very slow, and steady. But, I made it, with no falls! I trekked my way to 6 obstacles (Over-Wall, Rope Climb, Herculean Hoist, Rolling Mud, Barbed Wire Crawl, Bucket Brigade), plus the 8 in the designated area. So, I got to see him do over half of the race!! I took pictures and provided vital nutrients such as Gatorade and water.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I also watched him tackle the obstacle that caused my injury! It was nerve-wracking and really hard to watch, (and exponentially harder not to cry while watching), but he conquered it like a boss. He later admitted that he was shaking the whole time, and that he had "words" with the obstacle.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">He finished the race (mostly) injury free!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And I didn't cry!</span></div>
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<br />CChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08192080151319784175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1521063874597150593.post-4247644745645584942016-02-16T10:18:00.000-07:002016-04-12T15:59:22.170-06:00My First Vacation Post-Injury<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">First off, I would like to thank Nate for making a guest post on the blog. It was great to have your perspective, and my readers enjoyed it as well :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It has been a busy couple of weeks! I have spent the last week and a half in the city where I was born & raised, New Orleans. It was also during the biggest party on the planet - Mardi Gras! We stayed in a lovely little apartment in the French Quarter we found on AirBnB, and it was fabulous! Here's just a little snippet about the place we rented:</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 21.4667px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/699704">https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/699704</a></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'm sure you are all wondering how the foot held up during the trip. I was pretty anxious about it, too, before I left. The week before leaving, I'd gone to physical therapy, and found that I might have the start of a stress fracture, and that I should take it easy. While I listened to that advice during the days leading up to my trip, once we arrived in New Orleans it was very difficult to do. </span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I packed my walking boot and hiking boots in my checked luggage, and started out just wearing tennis shoes and my Superfeet for the airport trip. I was kind of nervous about taking my shoes off and walking barefoot in the airport, because walking without shoes is still kind of painful, awkward, and difficult. But by some miracle I qualified for TSA pre-check, and didn't have to deal with it, and flew past security. The flight was uneventful, but my foot was pretty uncomfortable. Not painful, and I'm not sure if it was just pressure changes or the stress of flying, but my foot kind of swelled a bit. It also felt like I constantly had to move or adjust it to feel comfortable. I spent the flight with my shoes off.</span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The first few days of vacation were OK. I switched between my tennis shoes and hiking boots, depending on how much walking around we were going to be doing. The hiking boots were pretty comfortable, and stiff, so there wasn't a lot of pain. My intention was to have a full day of activity, then a rest day, then an active day, then a rest day, and so on. But, you can probably guess this stubborn girl didn't want any part of a "rest day" when it was time. And I certainly paid for it. </span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If you have ever been to Mardi Gras, or even just stayed in the New Orleans/French Quarter area, you know that there is a lot of walking and there is no real need for a car. There are so many good places to eat, and historical sites to see! Plus, if you are going to a parade, it's a good 2-3 hours of standing with no real place to sit. No big deal for your average person, but for someone dealing with a Lisfranc recovery, it's a different story.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">By the third day, I started feeling the </span><span style="line-height: 21.4667px;">consequences</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> of not resting, and my foot was </span><span style="line-height: 21.4667px;">definitely</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> sore and hurting quite a bit. That was the night of the Superbowl, so we stayed in and watched the game, rather than going out. The next day, I told myself that I'd for sure be resting. But, I decided I want to explore Bourbon St., shop, and eat at a deli that was a little bit of a jaunt. Later that day, we decided to go to the Lundi Gras festival, the casino, and then the Orpheus parade. I had to leave about halfway through the parade. I was in so much pain, from standing and walking around all day. It was a slow hobble back to the hotel. I took my shoes off and my foot looked like a sausage, and it hurt to put any kind of weight on it at all. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">I checked my fitness tracker, and I'd ended up walking almost 8 miles, and 19,000 steps! I was so discouraged about how much pain I was in, but my husband was quick to point out that I <i>WALKED 8 MILES</i>! That's nothing to just blink an eye at, and is a lot for just an average person -- he said that his feet were even sore. So, I felt a bit better. I just walked 8 miles.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">From then on, I wore my walking boot.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Once I transitioned back into the boot, it was glorious. No pain whatsoever! It was great, but also made me sad, because I'd like to just wear shoes with no pain whatsoever.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">I spent Mardi Gras day in costume (in the boot!), the following day, and for the return trip home. I'd never had my boot on for air travel. It wasn't as seamless as I thought! I qualified for the TSA Pre-Check again. The agents didn't have me remove my boot, but it kept setting off the metal detectors, so I had to go through the full body scan, and get an </span><span style="line-height: 18.4px;">aggressive</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> pat down. Boarding the plane was so much easier. Delta called for passengers that require extra time or assistance to board first. I had a few other "boot buddies" on the plane with me, so I decided to go ahead and board with them. Trying to carry all of my bags, get them in the overhead bin, getting to my seat, all while trying to maneuver in a big clunky boot seemed overwhelming. My foot seemed to have less of a swelling problem during this flight, but I also fell asleep pretty early on!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">After a couple of days at home to rest, my foot is feeling pretty good now! My physical therapist said my foot looks a LOT stronger than before I left. So, pushing it as much as I did was probably not a good idea at the time, but I think it was actually beneficial in a way.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><b>TLDR Version</b>: The foot held up pretty well on vacation! Yes, I had some pain, significant at times, but mostly it was my own fault caused by simply just doing too much. I clocked in about 17 miles for the trip. Wow. And now, pictures!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><i>Nate and I at the Thoth Parade</i></span></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Me in my "Mad Alice" Costume on Mardi Gras Day (Boot out of view, but it's on!)</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>(Thoth Parade Floats)</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>(Endymion Parade on Canal St)</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>CChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08192080151319784175noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1521063874597150593.post-46068873904467353872016-01-31T18:28:00.001-07:002016-04-12T15:59:56.217-06:00Guest Post: I'm just here so I won't get fined<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Hi Bloggers! I've let my husband (Nate) take over for a blog post this week. I asked him if he would be so kind as to share his thoughts with my blog friends, since he shares his thoughts with me everyday. Here he is, totally unedited:</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Apparently I've been called out to
write a blog post so here I am to answer the challenge. I've decided
to go with a top 10 list of advice for the significant other (or
maybe it will be more than 10; or less than 10. It's my post, I can
do whatever I want).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This injury to my wife has been one of
the toughest times of my life. My life has always been in my control
and other than dealing a job I didn't have a lot of responsibilities.
Suddenly everything changed. For the next 3+ months she isn't going
to be able to walk; activities we enjoyed doing together will never
happen again; possibly more surgeries if arthritis develops. BOOM!
WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED!!!!!
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Eventually we found a 'new normal' and
life keeps on going. To help the significant others out here, here
is my advice to get you there.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<ol>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Get them a knee scooter and keep
the crutches on the sidelines. If they don't have to navigate
stairs the knee scooter will get them around a hell of lot easier
and faster. It also helps stop the crying (more below).</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Eventually you want to play with
the knee scooter when they aren't actively using it. Try to keep
the speed of the scooter under ~7 MPH. Faster then that and it gets
pretty dicey, trust me.</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If your SO has to spend the night
at the hospital, ignore the signs that say what the visiting hours
are. I still regret leaving her alone and suffering in the hospital
that night.</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Get out of the damn house.
Slipping into depression is way too easy and once they are
comfortable getting around it's time to take them out on a hot date.
This should be a frequent occurrence.
</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Husbands: There will be crying
and there's no predicting when it will happen. Do not try to find a
solution. Give them a hug, say something nice and let them cry it
out.</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Google everything you can about
this injury and educate yourself. It's a lot easier to be
supportive when you know what the hell is going on.</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Watch for cars backing out of
parking spaces because your SO can't really move fast enough to get
out of the way. Yeah, I chewed out an old lady and I don't feel bad
about it!</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It's temping to take advantage of
the handicap parking sticker when your SO isn't there. Don't, you
asshole.</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Netflix. Inevitably they will
still need lots of time to relax so find some good shows to
marathon. They have control so if you end up watching Veronica
Mars, just suck it up and enjoy.</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Eventually you need to stop trying
to be so helpful. Treating them like they are helpless will get you
snapped at.</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I turned this list up to 11,
because I can.</span></div>
</li>
</ol>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Well, that's my list. There's nothing
particularly helpful here but that's just how it goes. Be happy,
make your SO laugh every day, tell them you love them and get through
it together. There will be tough times but there are also good
times. Your responsibility is to make them happy and they deserve it
because of all the times they had to put up with YOU, so make it
happen.</span></div>
CChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08192080151319784175noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1521063874597150593.post-80572003378609785672016-01-28T10:38:00.000-07:002016-04-12T16:00:38.574-06:00Rampage!<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Well, I've been boot free, hardware free, and walking in my shoes for a month now!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I should be really excited. But, I'm kind of not today. Yesterday, I went in for another physical therapy appointment. Stephanie always asks about my pain levels and what I still feel is difficult for me. I started off by saying that I still have pain, or at least some degree of discomfort with every step, but that it was mostly manageable. I was pretty excited to hit some milestones, such as getting 10,000 steps and going back to the gym 5 days a week.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But, she was concerned about the pain, and not very excited to hear that I was having any, so we took a look at my foot. I've got a couple of issues going on. First, my big toe joint is super stiff, and is definitely the source of my pain on the left side of my foot. It hurts a lot in the "toe knuckle" (?) area and I can feel it all the way down into the arch of my foot. She said that I am only at about half the range of motion I should be in that toe, and that I need to get upwards of 70 % for a normal gait. So, lots of stretching needs to be done to help correct it, and I'm supposed to stretch my foot on a wall for 3 sets of 30 seconds, 3 times a day. I did the first set in the PT office and I could already feel the difference.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Then, the more concerning of the two, is that she says she believes I have the beginnings of a stress fracture on my 3rd metatarsal head. I was complaining about a pain spot that wasn't anywhere near my incisions, or where I even broke my foot. She pushed on the sore spot and could definitely see something going on, since it was swollen and she could see her fingerprint indent stick for a couple of seconds after she pushed on the area. She said that she did not like that at all, and that I would need to dial down my activity for a couple of weeks. Essentially, my little metatarsal bones cannot keep up with all of the activity I am doing, so they are screaming at me to slow down. I am also putting a lot of stress on them (~200% of my body weight) because of the issue with my big toe joint. It's a classic case of overcompensation. Instead of doing physical therapy exercises every day, I will now be doing half sets, every other day. And, I need to stop walking around so much. WHAT?? I thought I was doing good!! I thought trying to get 10,000 steps was a good thing. I still can do the bike, and the elliptical, since that is non-impacting, and any weightlifting should be done while I am seated. So, I'm kinda pissed, and angry, and frustrated. I don't feel like I am doing that much! I feel like it is such a set back. She even said that going back into the boot for a bit might be good. So I spent the entire car ride home, stewing in silence, with the worst case of resting bitch face you've ever seen! When we got home, Nate asked if I was done rampaging yet. Nope... savin' that for the blog.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I want to get better. I want to go hiking. I want to WALK WHEREVER, WHENEVER AND HOW MUCH I WANT. Is this so hard to ask for? It has been seven months now. SEVEN. I feel so deflated by my stupid foot. I could just cut it off, you know.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So, I have to take it easy. I've got to cool it with the walking around at work and walking in general, and it looks like my boot will be coming with me on vacation next week. <i>Stellar</i>. I want to figure how to work it into a costume somehow, like a pirate with a peg leg. I think I could pull that off! I also found that my pair of hiking boots feels so much better than wearing my tennis shoes. Hardly any pain, and the shoes are super sturdy and offer really good support. So, I may have to switch to that as my primary shoe if I am doing a lot of walking. They are purple, so, matching them is kind of a challenge, but IDGAF.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In other news, husband has committed to doing the Spartan Race in Phoenix next month. I of course am going with him, but will be siloed into supportive wife/water girl this time. It sucks that I can't do the race with him, but I'm not dumb and I know my foot isn't ready to even attempt something like that.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I have also asked husband to write a guest blog post. I think it would be great for the blog to get a spouse's perspective on the injury and what a spouse/significant other/close friend could expect with the whole injury process. Or just general thoughts and feelings. Maybe some tips to help you deal with a crazy emotionally raging wife? I don't know. I'm calling him out officially now though, so it's not an idea I am just kicking around anymore. It is decided. Stay tuned!</span>CChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08192080151319784175noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1521063874597150593.post-58280046666303278462016-01-18T15:48:00.001-07:002016-01-19T09:40:35.175-07:00How to Work Out with a Lisfranc Injury!<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Wondering how to work out with a broken foot? These are my experiences working out with a Lisfranc injury, but I'm sure it could be applied to any lower extremity injury that has you non weight bearing. I have been working on this post for a while.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Maybe I should have posted this a long time ago, but now that I've been through nearly 5 months of trying to keep my workouts interesting without putting weight on my foot, I thought I'd share how I got through the conundrum.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I've found that there are really two types of people who get Lisfranc injuries: random freak accidents (falling off a step or a car accident), and crazy athletic people. Now I know the two are not mutually exclusive and there are plenty in between, but I fall into the "insane gym rat" kind of people. Before my injury, I went to the gym every day (sometimes twice a day), and on the weekends I went hiking or snowshoeing or biking or running, anything outdoorsy. If I didn't time myself at the gym, there's a good chance I could be there for hours. Or all day. And now all of a sudden I was faced with an injury that completely flipped my world upside down and took away what I loved most. Instead of the pity party, I moved past it, and got creative with what I could do.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Three things: 1) Get comfortable with weight lifting (yes, girls!) and 2) Say goodbye to cardio for a while (more on that later..) 3) If you are going to a public gym (aka not your set of weights and a bench in your basement kind of gym), people will want to talk to you about your injury, whether it is about the scooter, or boot, or why you are crazy enough to come to the gym with a broken foot. Most of the time, I was more than happy to talk to people. Other times I wanted to get in my workout and be done!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If you're a seasoned gym rat (we can smell our own) you've probably already figured out these on your own. But if not, or you feel a bit lost, here are some ideas! I mainly stuck to dumbells (DB), resistance bands (RB), and body weight (BW). <i> **Disclaimer: Obviously, I am not a doctor or a certified fitness trainer. Do these at your own risk and after you've consulted with your doc that it's OK.** </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Shoulders</b> (aka my "glamour" muscles - since I love showing them off in a tank top)</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I either sat on the workout bench, or I stood up and rested my knee of my injured leg on the bench - whatever is more comfortable.</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Shoulder Press with DB - 3 sets of 15 reps</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Upright Row with DB - 3 sets of 10 reps</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Shoulder Shrugs with DB - 3 X 20</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Front Raise with DB - 3 X 10</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Alternating One Arm Front Raise with DB - 3 X 20</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Lateral Raise with DB - 3 X 10</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Alternating One Arm Lateral Raise with DB - 3 X 20</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Reverse Fly with DB - 3 X 10</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">One Arm Shoulder Press with DB - 3 X 10</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Alternating One Arm Shoulder Press with DB - 3 X 10 (5 each arm)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Chest</span></b><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Most of these were done just lying down on the bench.</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Chest Press with DB or Bar - 3 X 12</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Chest Fly with DB - 3 X 12</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Close Grip Chest Press with DB or Bar - 3 X 12</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Incline Chest Press with DB - 3 X 12</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Incline Chest Fly with DB - 3 X 12</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Incline Close Grip Chest Press with DB - 3 X 12</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Knee push-ups (wide arm, close arm or diamond stance) - 3 X 15</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Decline Push-ups (knees and good leg on the bench, hands on the floor) - 3 X 15</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Incline push-ups (push-up off the bench with knees on the floor) - 3 X 15</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Biceps</span></b><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Not a ton of options here. I felt like trying to work my biceps was the most awkward of all the exercises; I couldn't get my stance in a good position for an effective curl. Mostly, I either sat on the bench or rested the knee of my injured leg on the bench.</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Basic Bicep Curl with DB - 3 X 10</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Hammer Curl with DB - 3 X 10</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Angled Bicep Curl with DB - 3 X 10</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Cross-body Bicep Curl with DB - 3 X 10</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Bicep Holds with DB - Hold the curl at the halfway point (90 degree angle) for 20 seconds, repeat 3 times. (You can also hold at the top of your curl or towards the bottom for a more super awesome bicep burn)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Half Curls with DB - Start in a 90 degree/halfway curl position. Curl from halfway to the top for a set of 10. Then curl from halfway to the bottom of the curl for a set of 10.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">21's with DB - Curl from halfway position to the top for 7. Curl from halfway to the bottom for 7. Then do 7 full curls. (7 + 7 + 7 = 21...I'm good at maths!). Repeat 3 times.</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">**Note you can do all of these with a resistance band too! Just stand on your good foot on the band with your other knee resting on the bench. Or you can hook the resistance band under the bench legs and sit.</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Triceps</span></b><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">These were done either sitting on the bench, or on the floor. Or resting knee position.</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Tricep Kickbacks - 3 X 10 with DB on each arm</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Skullcrushers with DB or Barbell - 3 X 10 (<i>Laying down on the bench - Be careful not to smash your face! Don't take the exercise too literally.</i>)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Overhead Extension with DB or RB - 3 X 15</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Dips off the bench - Extend your good leg as far out as you are comfortable; the more straight and farther away your foot is from your body the more you work the tricep. Rest your injured leg at a 90 degree angle on top of your good leg's thigh. Do 30 dips, or as many as you can!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Tricep Push-ups - 3 X 15 - Do these pushups on your knees with your arms close to your body in a narrow position. Bend at the elbow and engage your triceps as you push up and down.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Back</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Superman Lifts (<i>Body Weight - laying on your stomach</i>) - 3 X 15. Hold in "Superman" position for 30 seconds in between each set. You can pulse or flutter kick with your legs for more super power.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Swimmer - 3 sets of 30 seconds - Like the Superman, but make a swimming motion with your arms and legs as you lift your chest off the ground.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">One Arm Row with DB - 3 X 10</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Laying Row with DB or Barbell - Lay on your stomach on the bench and lift the DBs or Barbell up like you were doing a standing upright row.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Lat Pull Downs with RB - 3 X 15</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Rear Fly with DB - 3 X 10</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Seated Rows with RB - 3 X 15 - Hook your resistance band to your good foot or to the legs of a bench and pull back like you were doing a standing row.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Core</span></b><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Lots and lots and lots of options here! All of these pretty much are floor exercises. Add a resistance band, a dumbell, yoga ball, or Bosu ball for more awesome abs.</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Plank on knees</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Crunches, bicycles, side crunch, leg lifts/lowers, reverse crunch, Russian twists, toe reaches, v-ups, jack-knife crunch, scissor kicks, cross body crunch, "X" crunches, frog crunch, windshield wiper crunch, side heel taps, side bends, full sit-ups</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Cardio</span></b><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Like I mentioned, I really did struggle finding a good, consistent cardio option. My doctor didn't clear me for swimming, but that is a great no-impact cardio exercise to do if you are cleared for it. I did use the rowing machine, but only with my good leg. I kind of hung my injured leg off to the side and just pushed off with my good foot. I also loved to kickbox before injuring myself (think Billy Blanks/Taebo here, not MMA fighting) so I would sit on the bench and just do upperbody portions of the workout, like punches, speedbag work, etc. I'm sure I looked like a flailing maniac so I only did that at home! But, it did get my heart rate up.</span></i><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Good Leg</span></b><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I wanted to do a few exercises to keep my good leg strong. There weren't a ton of options but here were a few basics:</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">One Legged Glute Bridges (I found it most effective to put my good foot on the gym bench, and press up from that position. I kept the injured leg at a 90 degree angle while my foot rested on my thigh)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">One Legged Leg Press (on the leg press machine in most gyms)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Pilates - I did a lot of Pilates moves on both my legs, laying on each side. Clam shells, leg lifts, leg pulses.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">One Legged Hamstring Curl (with a yoga ball or on the TRX) - I laid on the floor and put my good heel up on the yoga ball/in the TRX strap. I pressed up into a glute bridge and then would roll in and out on the good leg.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Firehydrants - Kneeling on all fours, I could work my hip flexors in both legs.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Quad Raises - I hooked a resistance band around my foot (or around my ankle) and straightened my leg. I would then bend it at the knee to a 90 degree angle, pushing through the heel to activate my quad muscles.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If you are working out a lot, try to stick to 1 or 2 muscle groups each day, and alternate different muscle groups during the week. If you aren't working out as much (like 1 or 2 times a week, focus on one or two exercises per muscle group, and try to get them all in for more of a total body workout.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I hope that this was helpful for you in some way, if you are looking to keep up your fitness while you are dealing with your foot or leg injury. I know I would have gone crazy if I stopped going to the gym. My cardio sure suffered, but I wasn't about to let my hard earned muscles waste away!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Now go get your iPod, flip on some tunes and bust out a good sweat!</span><br />
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CChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08192080151319784175noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1521063874597150593.post-19240004967818341002016-01-15T09:41:00.002-07:002016-01-18T16:10:43.198-07:0010k<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Good news, everyone!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This week was the first time I've hit my step goal since my injury! It only took six months. I have been slowly but surely working up to the goal, getting closer and closer each week, until finally it happened! I was pretty stoked, once I hit it. I had a day filled with walking, around the office, during my weight lifting session, a grocery trip, and cooking and cleaning at home. And surprisingly, I wasn't that sore the next day. I was a little, but nothing too noticeable. It did make me a little sad though, because 6 months ago, hitting 10,000 steps was nothing to me. That was mostly every day. If I were to hit 25k or 30k steps though, I would get super excited and felt like I'd accomplished something. Still, I'm just so thrilled to be physically able to walk that much in a day again without it ending in the fetal position.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I also had my first PT session on Wednesday with Stephanie since the hardware removal surgery. I wanted to address a couple of things with her, and check on my progress. In my last blog post, I described not really being able to come up on my toes, or push off the ball of my foot when walking. Basically, she said that I should get that back in time, but there's no guaranteed formula. I asked about stretches, or strengthening exercises that I could do to make it easier, and she was pretty against doing any of that, and wanted me to wait until my foot was ready naturally. There are still plenty of tendons in the midfoot that are healing, and she advised to just let that happen and not push through pain at all. I should do what I can do and what is comfortable, and no more. That was disappointing, because my mind is skipping ahead to hiking season and I'll need that functionality in my foot if I have any hope of doing some of the ascents I am planning.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Secondly, I asked about weight lifting for my lower body. Just basic stuff, like squats, deadlifts, lunges. She wasn't sure, so she called Dr. Van Boerum while I was at the office, and asked him about it. She said he was none too thrilled at me doing it, ever, but if I'm going to do it (which I AM...duh!) that I will need to wait until the 9 month mark post op (early April) to start doing any lifting. And, when I start, I need to start at a weight that I am capable of doing 3 sets of 20. So, what a bummer, I still have 3 more months to wait until I can start my lifting regimen again for my lower bod. I'm totally going to be the girl that skips her leg days for a while! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I also asked her about my limp. I hate my limp and I try really hard not to do it, but it does take some concentration and focus when I am walking. I was walking down the hall at work the other day, concentrating, and not thinking that I was limping. But, I ran into someone I hadn't seen in a long time, and he looked down at my leg and asked me what had happened and it looked like I was hurting. I guess I was limping and didn't even realize it! Stephanie said that the limp and my gait should start to correct it self the more time that passes. It is different for everyone. I could start seeing a difference in a few months, it may take a year, it may be 5 years and I still have it. Any thought of having a "normal" foot again is kind of out the window at this point, were kind of her words. I can deal with a limp around my family & close friends, but I feel like I am wearing a gigantic neon blinking disabled sign when I'm in public.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Something I've noticed since I've been completely out of the boot, is that have a tendency to hold my big toe up in a flexed position as a default. If I'm thinking about it, I'll correct it, and force my big toe down, but it's kind of how it naturally wants to be, especially when I'm barefoot. I was worried this would somehow cause a problem, so I asked Stephanie about this too. She said that it was a normal, compensation response because my extensor and tibial muscles are still weak in that foot. As they get stronger, my foot will do that less and less.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">During my session, we worked on balance in the shoe and without. It still sucks, but getting better. I got a new set of exercises to do, most are focused on loading weight laterally (stepping side to side) and twisting my foot in a standing position. None of which are causing pain. As far as progress goes, she thinks I am ahead of where I should be, or where others are with a similar level of injury, so that was good at least! She thinks that I am doing so well that I can start seeing her every 2-3 weeks instead of every week.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I've been settling back into some of my old routines, going to the gym pretty regularly and working on nutrition to get my weight back under control. I have been doing the elliptical on some days even, despite how much I hate the machine.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I see Stephanie again in a couple of weeks, then it's off to Mardi Gras for a much needed travel vacation! </span>CChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08192080151319784175noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1521063874597150593.post-25993281904856037412016-01-04T11:20:00.002-07:002016-01-18T16:09:34.460-07:006 Months<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Happy New Year everyone!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It's officially been six months since my injury, and I'm just a couple days away from it being six months post-op from my original surgery.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I had my stitches removed from my third surgery a week ago. I've definitely had mixed emotions this past week, and spent quite a bit of time (in my husband's words) blubbering.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The most intense round of blubbering came while we were watching the Spartan World Championship. Amelia Boone was on there, blubbering about her own knee injury and how it knocked her out of the championship last year, how she had to avoid social media, and all that went along with her injury. It brought back some familiar feelings that I had when I first injured myself. So began my own blubbering. I just really, really, really miss the way I was before. I miss doing the things I love, like hiking and racing, being outdoors and being active. The past 6 months have been so hard, and I just want to have this behind me. But this lisfranc injury keeps nagging at me like a frustrated housewife! I know that I'll get there eventually, but I sure am running out of patience.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I also finally got to ditch the boot as of December 28th. My foot was still feeling pretty sore at that point, 2 weeks post-op. The doctor is hoping it is just residual pain from the hardware removal surgery or skin irritation from the incisions and sutures, but we can't know for sure yet. He also explained my prognosis, and that I may need another surgery in 8-10 years to fuse the joints once post-traumatic arthritis sets in. He advised me to go as long as possible with the pain as I could to put off that surgery as long as possible. I could need a surgery before then, I may make it 15 years, or I may never need another one. Really only time will tell. The more supportive of a shoe I wear, the better my foot will feel.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I've been cleared to do the stationary bike (which I've been doing a few times a week already), the rowing machine, and the elliptical. I absolutely detest the elliptical. I think it is the worst machine in the gym, is not an efficient way to work out or burn calories, and is not natural movement for your body. But, I'm happy to be able to do another machine other than the bike, so I'll suck it up. I can also do swimming, since it is a completely non-impact exercise. My next check-up is in 2 months, and my instructions until then are to continue wearing my Superfeet inserts for arch support, stick to non or low impact exercising, and listen to my foot for pain. He did say by early spring, I should be ready to do some hiking!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'm still not as pain free as I would like to be. I have some degree of pain with every step, and I'm still limping, especially if I try to go too fast. So slow, small steps are the key if I want to walk limp free. I have a little more pain than I did pre-surgery, although it is a different kind of pain and in different areas. And my left hip has been really hurting. I still can't really come up on my toes - it is way too painful - so I can't roll from heel to toe properly yet. I'm sure that will come with time. It's just hard to reach stuff on the top shelf!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For Christmas, I got an awesome pair of slippers with built in arch support from the hubby! He is so thoughtful. It has really made things nice walking around the house. I don't have to be confined to my tennis shoes. They are super comfortable, and very supportive, although, not the cutest on the planet. They kind of look like if an Ugg and a Croc had a baby. But I've long sworn off cute shoes. I'd welcome any suggestions any of you have for a dressy orthopedic shoe!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I am traveling next month for the first time since my injury. I'm definitely anxious about that. We are going to New Orleans to see family, and for Mardi Gras. I know it will be such a fun time, but I know that there will be lots of walking and standing. I have 4 weeks for my foot to get stronger, but I'm not sure how much stamina I am going to have, and that's scary to me. I don't want to be worrying and thinking about my foot the whole time. Nate and I went to the mall for some post Christmas shopping, and I didn't last very long before I was limping significantly and needed plenty of rest stops. According to Nate's Polar M400 (I forgot my Jawbone on the charger) we did about 3 miles at the mall! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It was nice to be able to reassure and comfort my husband for a change. After our mall trip, I could tell he was frustrated/worried about my foot, and if I'd ever heal. I know I'm going to heal. It's going to take a while, but I assured him that I will get better, and we just have to be patient. And, if worst case scenario, this is as good as it gets, I will make it work!</span><br />
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CChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08192080151319784175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1521063874597150593.post-32689176711839857542015-12-24T21:27:00.003-07:002016-01-18T16:08:15.935-07:00The FrankenFoot Strikes Back<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I've been so busy with the holidays these past couple of weeks, I wasn't able to blog last week! But, all of the presents are wrapped, dinner is served, and the house is clean, and I found myself with some time to blog on Christmas Eve. Wahoo!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I had surgery 9 days ago, on December 15th, to remove the remainder of my temporary hardware, which ended up being two screws. I've done this surgery twice now, so it almost felt routine. I called and got my surgery time the day before, which was 1:00 again. The exact same time as the last surgery. I was disappointed because it was so late in the day, and I was pretty miserable last time, since I'm not allowed to eat past midnight. I asked the doctor's office, and they said that he liked to schedule the easier surgeries later in the day because he has a tendency to get behind on some of the harder surgeries. And even though I was coming in pretty late at 1:00, I wasn't the last surgery for the day That poor, poor soul behind me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As I was getting ready the morning of surgery, at about 10:00, TOSH called me and wanted me to come in right away for surgery because there was an opening on the schedule. They asked how long I'd be, and I'd told them about a half hour, just long enough to drive to the surgical center. I scrambled to get dressed and get my stuff together. As we were walking out the door, my phone rang again and I saw it was the doctor's office. The nurse explained that there was a change and they would no longer need me to come in early, so I should just come at my regularly scheduled time of 1:00. Dammit! I'd had my hopes up of getting done early only to be smashed into little pieces.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So, I waited..and waited, and finally went to the hospital to check-in for surgery at 1. Same routine at always, as soon as I was taken back, the nurse took a set of vitals, I changed into my sexy hospital drape, and gave a urine sample to prove I wasn't pregnant and was OK for surgery. I met a flurry of nurses and doctors, had my IV started with liquid tylenol, and gave my name and birthdate about a dozen times. Luckily my admitting nurse, who went over my medication history with me, knew what a NuvaRing was so I was saved of that embarrassing conversation this time. I finally got to see Dr. Van Boerum right before surgery. He wrote a YES on my right foot, and then started explaining to me how he has a set of tools and all kinds of gadgets to get my screws removed. He totally creeped me out again....please just take my screws out; I don't need to know the details! They were also letting me take home my screws this time! The hospital didn't allow me to take home my pins from my last surgery because they were too sharp and were a liability. Whatever. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The last person I saw before surgery was my anesthesiologist a little after 3. Instead of being hauled in a wheelchair, I walked by myself back to the surgery room! It was cold. I hopped up on the table. They put a warm blanket on me. I heard someone say that in 10 or 15 seconds I would be sleepy. I was then waking up in the recovery room. When I woke up from the last surgery, I had zero pain, but lots of anxiety thanks to a huge shot of morphine. This time, when I woke up, no anxiety, but a pain level of about 4 - totally manageable. I also could immediately feel relief in my foot from where the screws had been, no more pinching or pressure. My recovery nurse gave me some ice water and honey graham crackers. They both tasted amazing. Shortly after, Nate and my mom joined me in the recovery room. I felt nice and relaxed, and was quickly cleared to go home. I laced up ye olde walking boot and started to get up and walk out. But, the nurse chased me down, made me get in the wheelchair and took me out to the parking lot.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There was a lot more pain and discomfort with this round of surgery than I expected with the next few days that followed. Removing the screws is a little more involved than removing the pins. My incisions are bigger, and my foot/tendons/bones were a lot sorer than last time. I needed to take more pain medication than I wanted to or thought that I would need. That led to the uncomfortable side effect of opioids on the digestive system. I finally started to feel better about 5 days after surgery.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">One thing I didn't the surgery stop me from doing, was seeing Star Wars on opening night! I had all of these grand plans to dress up as a sith version of Ahsoka Tano. But, quite frankly, I felt miserable and taking a shower and getting myself ready completely exhausted me. The thought of trying to put on a costume and paint my face seemed too daunting. So, I didn't end up going in costume. I was disappointed about that, and wish I'd felt better that night for the movie. I still went though, and it was AWESOME and I am so glad that I went, even doped up on various pills, in a boot, and in some nagging pain. I actually have seen it 2 times since, when I was feeling better! And Rey. She. Is. Amazing. She is such a strong female character. She inspires me to be a bad ass. Cool girls don't look at explosions.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I will go back in to the doctor next week to get my stitches removed. I was told not to remove my dressing until I saw the doctor again, but, full disclosure, I took it off already. It was fraying, getting snagged on my boot, and there was no way that it was going to stay on for two weeks. I've been in the boot during my waking hours ever since surgery, mainly to protect my incisions. It's such a bummer since I've been used to walking in my tennis shoes for the last month. But, once I see the doctor, I can swear off the boot for good! Trumpy (my scooter) was placed in his final resting place this weekend. The basement. He was a good scooter and served me well. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As for the hardware, this is what was inside my foot for 5 months. Of what they let me take home anyway. Just touching it and feeling it makes it hard to believe that this piece of metal was actually inside of me. No wonder it was so painful. I'm glad to be rid of it!</span></div>
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CChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08192080151319784175noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1521063874597150593.post-50834267256653659152015-12-08T10:25:00.000-07:002016-01-18T16:06:36.471-07:00Getting Better<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Last post, I was really frustrated with things.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This week, I feel a lot better.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I am definitely progressing and getting better at walking, and the pain is getting better as well. I'm still not walking as fast I'd like to, but I can go a lot farther distances before I get uncomfortable, and it doesn't seem quite as daunting. It still takes me a little bit to get going in the morning before my foot seems to "warm up" or after sitting for a long time. Walking is starting to feel a bit more natural, but I still have a limp and I still can't roll from heel to toe in one fluid motion quite yet. Balance is getting much better, especially after my last physical therapy session. I've been doing squats on uneven ground, which translates into a set of discs (or pancakes), or a bosu ball or even two pillows. I was really wobbly the first day but as each day goes by I am getting better at it, and sometimes I don't even need to hold on!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A couple of exciting (but little) things happened this week, too! First, I was able to stand up for the entire duration of my shower. I had a simple solution - I just moved my anti-slip mat into the shower stall and it gave me enough of the grip my right foot needed to feel steady. So now I shower, and shave, like a normal person again! There have also started to be moments where I am not actively thinking about my foot. I found myself making dinner, going back and forth from the island, to the stove, to the fridge and I stopped in the middle of it, realizing I'd completely forgotten about the old foot. It's almost like it was normal again. That made me really happy, because ever since my injury, every time I was up moving around, or even moving in general, or trying to get comfortable on the couch, I was thinking about my foot. Always conscious of it. To have moments where I'm not even thinking about it, is amazing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As I'm getting more active, however, the pain in my left side is roaring up again. Most specifically in my hip and left thigh. Time will tell if this is really something to worry about, or just a side effect of starting to use my muscles normally again.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I am going in for surgery on Tuesday the 15th for my final procedure to remove hardware. I am pre-registered and ready to go! I'm looking forward to having those screws GONE! I called super early this time for surgery, hoping that it improves my chances of getting an earlier time. I'm not sure that it matters, but I gave it a shot. Not eating until 6PM the next day was not a pleasant experience and one I'd rather not have again. I'll know the night before what time I'm expected to arrive at TOSH.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Other than the surgery, I have a couple of things to look forward to next week! My last day working in 2015 is December 11th, then I am out on medical and paid time off until January. I will have a nice long vacation to recover, relax, and enjoy the holidays with family. Nate and I are going in for a delayed-anniversary couples massage on Sunday before my surgery, which I am very excited about. They need to get in there.... DEEP. Well, everywhere but my right foot of course! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And the thing I'm most looking forward to.....STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS! I am going at 1 AM to see it in 3D IMAX on opening night. I've been prepping with marathons of Episodes 1-6, all 6 seasons of The Clone Wars, the Star Wars Holiday Special, Fanboys, and the 2 new seasons of Star Wars Rebels. I have a costume planned, however, it might not pan out because of stricter costume policies for movie theaters due to all of the recent events. Which may or may not include face paint. So much for my imagining of Ahsoka Tano as a young Sith apprentice! I'll at least be able to pull off some leg bio-mechanics for a costume... since I'll be back in my boot (and most likely still doped up on pain meds) for the movie. The anesthesia makes me incredibly emotional... so misa don't wanna see important character peoples that are gonna die. Unless that includes Jar Jar.</span>CChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08192080151319784175noreply@blogger.com3