Over the hump! Gym update :)

It has been difficult this past month. First, the pain in my foot was hindering my exercise to a point, not to mention my right knee that has arthritis and always hurts.  I finally went to the doctor after I hurt my left knee at a wedding.  Yup, arthritis in the left as well, but the doctor said the intense pain I was experiencing in that knee was caused by a broken bone spur.  The end result……I was given the all so painful cortisone shot in both knees.  WOW, I am really good with pain but this was way over the top.  I will say the knees are feeling a lot better.  If the excruciating pain comes again, the doctor will give me a gel shot medication in both knees.  Uhhhh, I get goose bumps thinking about it, I hope this doesn’t happen.

Anyway, last Tuesday I hobbled into the gym and was only able to do the upper body workouts while sitting down.  On Wednesday, I got the shots and because I didn’t listen to the doctor and go home right away and ice my knees,  the pain became twice as bad.  Dave had to put ice packs on both knees when I went to bed.  So, on Thursday and Friday I took better care and iced my knees on and off and didn’t run around as much.  Of course, this prohibited me from going to the gym on Thursday.

I felt my eating was going pretty well, yet I kept imagining that I was gaining each pound back that I lost.  Not being able to exercise was starting to depress me, I didn’t want to start over again.

Alas, today was the gym!  I knew by yesterday that I was feeling better and ready to go back.  I even signed up for another 12 weeks of personal training.  Jess had me do some light leg machines, then we worked on the upper body and abs.  It felt really good to be back and with a lot less pain.

After the workout, I asked Jess to weigh me because I had to know for good or for bad how I have done.  After a deep breath and closing my eyes, Jess said I could look……………………2 lbs.!!!!!!!  I couldn’t believe my eyes, I was sooooo excited.  I guess I really did watch what I ate.  Now I feel pumped up again.  I even walked two miles on the indoor track after my workout.

I guess I learned to take it day by day and not to obsess over the weight or exercising.  You can still do it!!

Now I am ready to tackle my punching bag downstairs 🙂

Overdue Gym/Diet Update………

The above picture was taken last Friday before we attended a wedding.  It was the first time in years that I have worn a dress.

Now for the update……I am glad to say that I lost 1 lb. over the last few weeks.  I hadn’t lost anything and was definitely in a funk, but I think that funk is over!  My exercising has been limited because of the swelling on the bottom of my right foot, but I did what I could.  Unfortunately, it doesn’t feel much better, so probably a cortisone shot will be in order (HATE them).

My eating has been questionable at best over the last few weeks, but at least I didn’t gain anything.  I will admit to having the occasional pity party for myself and indulging in some…..ahem….not so good food choices.

Then at last Friday’s wedding I over extended ligaments in my left knee.  I would like to say it happened as I danced the night away, but the true fact of the matter is I stood up too fast in the restroom which resulted in a pain across my knee that almost made me faint.  I really didn’t think I would be able to walk out of the restroom, but I did hobble.  As soon as Dave saw the whiteness of my face, he came over and asked what was the matter.  I told him while breathing heavily and he suggested I try to get outside for some air.  Wow, the pain was excruciating.  I did hobble outside and sat for a few minutes (of course through the pain I still called Katie to share details of the wedding and reception) until I knew I could walk again.

I did very minor slow dancing with Dave because of the pain in my knee.  The next morning when I woke up, I had a huge swelling on the side of the knee and it ached.  Dave and I had stayed down at the Jersey shore overnight and then took a  scenic drive all the way up the coast on our way home.

Once home, I iced my knee both Saturday and Sunday.  I called the Orthopedic doctor’s office on Monday morning and was asked if it was urgent or a follow-up.  I said urgent and told the scheduler what had happened and how I felt.  Guess what?  Their first “urgent” appointment is next Thursday, May 26th.  I dropped my jaw in disbelief and repeated that it was URGENT and was having a hard time getting around.  I was told the same thing, Thursday, May 26th at 1:00.  It is very apparent that health care is going down the tubes.

I hobbled into the gym this past Tuesday and through tears, told my trainer what had happened.  She spoke with her boss who is very knowledgeable about sports injuries (I guess bathroom injuries too) and he had me put an icepack on my knee while I  did upper body workouts sitting down.  After I was finished he looked at my knee and described what was wrong and told me to get a new doctor!  He told me to take a bath 2 times a day with 2 cups of epsom salts to relieve the swelling as well as ice on 20, off 20. I followed his direction as best I could (very difficult to sit with 2 autistic kids).

In any event, things in life are never going to be perfect.  I know there will be ups and downs.  It is important that I stay focused on the goal.  I do feel much better than I did and look better too.  I have a way to go to get where I want to be, but am confident that even when life throws me a curve ball, I will be able to cope and go forward.  Just by losing the 1 lb. shows me I can do it.

Also, I keep telling myself it is 48 days until Paris!  Definitely do not want to be a fat American woman in a sea of thin French women……………..

Flip-Flops at a Wedding

Last Friday, Dave and I attended a wedding of  a teacher of Hayleys that she had in the past.  The service was beautiful, as was the bride and the groom looked handsome in his Military Dress Uniform.

The reception followed.  It was at a Yacht Club and the room the reception was in was beautifully decorated.  Before the bride, groom and wedding party arrived, the DJ called out that in the front of  his stand were bins of flip-flops for the women once their feet started to hurt from the heels they were wearing.  It was such a surprise, I had never seen this before.  All the girls were ooing and ahhing and running to the front.

The bride and her bridal party had bought flip-flops in various sizes and decorated them all with glitter, sparkles, foam, felt flowers and shapes, as well as ribbon.  Every pair was different.  At the top of the page is two of the girls from our table showing off their flip-flops.  The flip-flops were a delightful surprise.  Most of the women and girls who took a pair were already putting them on ready to dance the night away.

Once the music started, the dance floor was flooded with women and girls wearing their custom flip-flops.  All their feet were sparkling and shining underneath the lights.  I thought the flip-flops were a surprising and welcome addition to the reception.

I picked up a pair to show to two young women in the family to maybe give them ideas?????    😉

FLASHLIGHTS

Every home has flashlights, some more than others.  I came across 6 today in the cabinet above my kitchen desk.  I needed one to look under the hutch in the kitchen to try and find a pill I had dropped.  First, I took out a small blue flashlight, didn’t work, then I took out a large red flashlight, didn’t work etc. etc.  All 4 flashlights had batteries in them but they wouldn’t go on.  Why does this always happen?  

 Next I went in search of batteries.  I was able to find many AA and AAA  but no C batteries.   I got to thinking about it and realized I couldn’t remember the last time I bought C batteries.  I am always stocked up on the A’s because heaven forbid a remote control stops working in this house.  Everyone would be foaming at the mouth if they couldn’t continue to channel surf.  Also, I think we have been guilty of buying a new flashlight any time one doesn’t work.

 I layed all the flashlights on the kitchen table and went in search of others.  I wanted to see how many flashlights do we actually have in the house and do they work.  I continued on in the kitchen with the search, green cabinet drawer – 1 flashlight and 2 small white plug ins, one by the sink and one on the center island, all non-working.  I looked through rooms I felt might have a flashlight or two.  I found 1 in my bedstand drawer, non-working and 2 in the garage, non-working.  When I opened one of the garage flashlights, the batteries had corroded, who knows how long they were in the flashlight.

I sat in the kitchen with my 10 flashlights splayed out on the table. Only 1 in the group when I played around with it, gave me a very feeble light.  I got rid of all the batteries plus the corroded flashlight immediately.  I wrote down C batteries on my shopping list so I could get all those flashlights up and working again.

I am still perplexed.  Why doesn’t flashlights work, why are the batteries always drained especially since the flashlights go mostly unused. Growing up it was the same thing.  My parents had all kinds of flashlights but none of them worked.  When a power outtage occured, my parents would first scramble for the flashlights, find them dead, then scrambled for those candles we are also supposed to have in case of an emergency.  Couldn’t find them.  Basically it resulted with all of us sitting in the dark.

I bought new batteries, replenished the flashlights and even gathered together some used candles and put them in a kitchen drawer.  We will be prepared the next time there is a power outtage or if we need to look for something in a dark place. 

I am sure over time we will accumulate more flashlights, when one doesn’t work, forget testing the batteries, just buy a new one!

Glitch in my Exercise Routine :(

I have been doing so well on my diet and exercise routine for the last few months, 32 lbs.!  Working out with my trainer 2 days a week and then another 3 or 4 days walking on my treadmill at home. 

 Well, today I had to go to the “foot” doctor, better known as the Podiatrist, and BAM a glitch. I have been having a lot of pain on the ball of my right foot.  Also, I have been experiencing terrible aching in my second and third toes.  I explained this to the doctor so he proceeded to examine my foot.  He pushed on the sore spot and I almost flew out of my chair.  He asked “Is this where it hurts?”  I wanted to say “no, I always scream in pain and jump in my chair when my foot is touched”.  I calmly said yes that is exactly where it hurts.  He proceeded to pull, bend and tug on my toes, as I sat there and stared at the wall willing this visit to be over.

I had an xray taken of my foot to rule out any type of fracture, and thankfully there was none.  Then he gave me an ultrasound of my foot to see if there were any tears in the joint, there were not.  He did tell me I have something called “capsulitis”.  This is the inflammation of any joint in the body, but most commonly the foot.  Mine is right under the second and third toe which is called the second metatarsal head (don’t ask).  He said the joint was very inflammed.  I asked him what causes this,  and he said it comes from excessive pressure on the forefoot.  Like Plumbers that squat and are on the balls of their feet alot, wearing very high heals for long periods of time, certain dancing etc.  I looked at him as if he got to be kidding.  I do none of those things. I live in flip flops, oh and I have to give them up for now too.  Anyway, who knows how it happened.

Now for the treatment.  The doctor said the best way to relieve the pain and help it heal is staying off your feet for a few weeks and taking anti-inflammatory pills. But he did say that is not practical.  So right now for me, he gave me metatarsal pads to keep on the inflammed area to take the pressure off the joint, prescribed me an anti-inflammatory drug to take twice a day, and said NO TREADMILL or excessive walking.  This is where the glitch comes in.  How am I going to do cardio at home if I can’t walk on the treadmill?  I will have to cut down on certain walking elements in the gym etc.  I feel like I am being sabotaged!  This can’t happen!  I have been doing so well I don’t want to get into a funk and backtrack, yet I don’t want to damage the joint any further.  I go back in 2 weeks and if it isn’t better then I need a cortisone shot (horrible, had them before in my knee), if that doesn’t work surgery!

I can’t let this get to me.  I don’t want to fail or get into the mindset of  “Oh well, pity me” and stop my progress.  Please, everyone reading this, think about me, pray for me, because this is going to be a difficult two weeks.  I can’t fail now…….

Autism and Water

 

Hayley LOVES water!  It is both a good thing but also a bad thing.  Any kind of water will do.  She likes to swim, jump, splash and dive into water.  It is the one thing that will pretty much keep her occupied and calm. Hayley has many sensory issues, so I think whether swimming in the ocean or in the pool  it is relaxing for her.  When we go to Florida, Hayley could spend hours on the beach.  The problem is that she is fearless while I am fearful.  Hayley has no concept of the danger of the ocean.  She loves jumping into and under the waves.  I am not a strong swimmer so Dave usually is the one out in the waves with her.  Also, Hayley tends to bolt from the beach into the water no matter how rough it is.  She is so fast, it is hard to catch up with her and she just will not listen when you call her or tell her to come out of the water.  It is like Hayley is in another world. Another thing Hayley likes doing at the beach is lay on the beach with her ear to the sand at the ocean’s edge.  She becomes mesmerized.  I think Hayley likes the sound of the waves crashing on the shore,  as well as the vibrations.

We opened our pool on Monday, April 28th.  I know, it is early, but we have always opened it in April yet didn’t use it until the end of May. We like to look at it and listen to the waterfall.   Not this year!  Hayley and Hunter has been in the pool 5 times already!  We put the heat on and the temperature got up to 77 degrees (I don’t go in the pool unless it is 85 degrees) and they were in.  As long as the water is somewhat warm, they don’t care about the air temperature.  I am so happy they have been in the pool because it is exercise but more importantly swimming makes Hayley sooooo happy (unless I giver her the wrong color ice pop).  Hayley’s school has a swimming program so she has learned how to swim and dive into the deep end.  This past Saturday Hayley literally dove/jumped in the pool for 2 hours straight!  I was exhausted just watching her.  Hayley loves to be underwater because I think she likes the pressure on her head and ears.  Even when she takes a bath, Hayley will for most of the time lay and keep her head under the water just past her ears again, for the pressure.

Since today it is supposed to get up to 75 degrees outside, I have already started the heater in the pool.  After the kids get home it will be off to the pool.  I will make sure I have the right colored ice pops and my book so I can somewhat relax for a while.  The only thing is, being in the pool does not stop Hunter from talking……………..