Monday, April 23, 2012

Healing

It really does happen. Sometimes I forget that.

My foot continues to get better every day. I am not doing PT, but I sort of invented my own little exercise routine of spelling the alphabet with my big toe every time I'm lying down at night. The first time I did it, my foot was really, really tired. It was surprising--it didn't cause pain, but it was definitely hard to do. The next morning, it was stiff in the way that you are when you push a muscle harder than it is used to being pushed. It was a good kind of pain, if there is such a thing.

I have tentatively returned to running, and each time I do, I go just a tiny bit farther. The first time I tried, I did .25 miles and was in tears I was in so much pain. The second time, I did 1 mile after half a mile of walking with a long, slow, cool down. The third time, last week, I walk/ran 2 miles. It took me 25 minutes, but I did it. And I felt okay the next day.

 Easing into yoga has been harder. I should have expected that. Yoga requires a strong, flexible base. The first time I did a full yoga routine, my foot hurt like hell, even worse then when I tried to run on it. But I just did a few moves yesterday, and I got through them okay. Could it be that my body actually knows how to heal itself?

Hunh. Go figure.

 But you can't blame me for being skeptical. Almost 2 years out from my original hamstring injury, it still hurts when I push it. (Or sometimes when I don't.). (It's weird.) (I'm ignoring it.) (That's a SUPER successful strategy, by the way) My kidney pain is sort of ever present, on and off. The idea that an injury could actually GET BETTER ON ITS OWN, with very little effort on my part, is sort of amazing. Go body go!

 Tomorrow we go to the eye doctor for my girl's off kilter eyeballs. I'm aiming to leave my house around 6:15am to make it to the 7:30 arrival time. Yeah, it's going to be a happy morning. Still, I'm grateful we could get in so fast to see her. I will be interested in hearing what she has to say.

I promise I have other things in my life besides running, kidneys, and eyeballs. Really, I do. Behold:

 I have an incontinent black lab, a 10 year old son who thinks hygiene is for wusses, and a husband who puts me to shame when it comes to physical fitness (he just ran his second marathon last month. Go hubby go!).

 I have a garden that is coming along nicely this year, with big plans for the front yard, and I am finally getting around to pulling my thoughts together about Haiti enough to try to write an essay for a small essay contest I've been involved with in the past. I got a personal invitation to join the contest, which was both scary and flattering at the same time. Also, a story I wrote about my son is being published in a Mormon publication this summer, which marks the first time I've ever been paid for writing.

I just learned a great hair tip. (What? Hair is important.)

We also just bought a share in a local farm, which means we will get local beef, produce, chickens, and fresh eggs twice a month, and which I'm also told means that I will soon have to learn how to cook kale. (Seriously. I'm not even sure I know what kale is, but if I can get my family to eat beans, I can get them to eat kale.)

 My daughter is starting kindergarten in the fall, which means I am starting a new chapter in my life as a mother, which is kind of exciting and scary and liberating and sad all at the same time.

 And with both kids on the swim team, which means I won't have to keep one from drowning while I crane my neck to watch the older one, I'm actually really looking forward to summer.

So I guess, what I MIGHT be saying, is that life is good.

Hunh. Go figure.

3 comments:

Heather O. said...

THe headband trick:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLeSKaPaUOA&feature=related

Rob Monroe said...

Kale can be yummy - we usually have it sauteed in olive oil in a pan!

My daughter is Kindergarten-bound this summer too... where does the time go?

I'm glad that you are healing, at least in the injuries that you can. Don't discount your exercise just because hubs is running marathons!

Sarah said...

Hope you will get better soon, be stronger.