Wow...I didn't realize it was so long since I last blogged. Lots has gone on since then! We had an amazing vacation in Alberta. We wnt to Paul's bootcamp and I got to do a talk and share some of my story which was quite an honor. At times I didn't hold it together very well but i think there may have been one or two others who shared a few tears with me Unfortuantly I used up most of the evening so Paul didn't get to do much of his talk. That's what he gets for not giving me a time frame to stick to. You'd think he'd know me by now!! :) Thinking back I remember a few things that blew his mind too. The bootcamp was never a dull moment, as always. We hiked, went out for dinners, and just hung around getting to know each other. Fun times for sure!!
Graham and I stayed in Canmore the following week hiking a few more mountains. Mount Fairview being the highest we've ever hiked at 9001 feet, was proably the best hike of the whole trip. I wasn't sure I could do it as I had been suffering from an injury but I remember looking at the mountain from the Saddle Back and thinking to myself....a little bit of pain will be nothing compared to the disappointment you'll feel if you don't go to the top. I said a silent prayer "legs, don't fail me now" and they didn't. We took it nice and slow but I got up and down in one piece. We did a few other hikes after that too, all with beautiful views. We spent a few days in Jasper before returning to Edmonton. On the way back to Edmonton we stopped in Hinton to visit with Graham's dad and stepmom which was fun as always. It was tough to get back on the plane the next day and head back here as we always enjoy ourselves so much out there. Coming back here is coming back to a reality that neither of us like.
As soon as I got back I found out I had an appointment with a Sport Medicine Specialist to see what was wrong with my heel and also to see why my range of motion is so limited in my hips/legs. What I heard was not what I was ready for. The dr. told me the heel would take at least 3 weeks to heal and that meant I couldn't be as active as usual. Then we chatted about my stiffness in my hips and the lack of range of motion. He looked at my X-Rays and told me I had arthritis in both hips, with the left being really bad. He said I could face an operation in 1 to 1.5 years. I heard that and thought it meant my active lifestyle would have to stop. I paniced and basically zoned out and didn't hear anything else he told me. I held it together until I got out of the office and while talking to Graham on the phone but fell apart right after. I was sure that meant I wouldn't be able to do anything anymore which really freaked me out. It didn't take long for a few of my peeps to come to my rescue, a few telling me that they also suffered with arthritis and that they could still do every thing they wanted to. They may have to adjust things from time to time but they can still do it. My friend said to start swimming, and biking as it would be less impact on my heel and easier on my hips for a while. He also told me to start skiing and snowshoeing this winter to keep me active and sane since I can't sit still. I was also told to not even think of running until Spring. That was a killer as I run twice a week, had a goal I was trying to meet and some races coming up. However, my friend knows best (I think..haha) and once I give him my word that I won't do something I won't do it, no matter how much it kills me!! I think it was a tough few weeks for Graham too as he tried to keep me as still as possible but it's hard when your body says one thing but your mind says something else. I stayed as still as I could. When I went back to the Specialist he said my heel could take another 2-3 months to completely heal and would probably hurt anytime I didn anything really active. Upon looking closer at my X-Rays the Specialist said I could make an appointment for the operation on my hips anytime as I am progressing quickly with the stiffness in my hips. He assured me with the stiffness getting worse the pain probably wasn't far off. Tough to hear and I still haven't made any decisions yet as to what I want to do. There isn't any real pain yet, just lots of stiffness. Certainly something for me to think about though. I slowly got back into some of my routine again, but still no running! :)
The past 3 months have been difficult. I can't always do things as easily as I want and I find that very frustrating. It not only plays on the body but on the mind too. But at the same time I have been able to find more things that I am interested in. Things that I never would have tried if this wouldn't have happened to me. I have taken up biking, swimming, spinning and even a TRX class. So if I have to look for something positive in all this crappy stuff that would be it. Oh...and I decided to train for a Sprint Triathlon next summer in Edmonton.
Pain is temporary, quitting lasts forever. - Paul Plakas
That phrase has come into play even more now. Quitting still ISN'T an option for me!!!
