Tuesday:
Big day for me today. It was busy, I was rushing here and there, but the big deal was when I went bra shopping. I've had damaged shoulders and limited rotation for nearly twenty years now, most recently I tore my left shoulder about six (?) years ago and since then haven't been able to do up my own bra at the back. I get Tim or Jas to help me, or I put it on backwards and wriggle it around. Really annoying. I've needed new bras for ages but put off shopping because of the hassle of trying them on. Today I decided I just had to do it, I went to a store that has a fitting service so there was someone on hand to help me do them up. But found I could do it myself!
This is just a major achievement for me! I mentioned maybe six months ago (?) on this blog that my shoulder mobility was a bit better, but still not able to reach my bra hooks, and I was pleased that it was so much better. And now another improvement. It seems like after many years of little change it's got a lot better over the past twelve months. Or maybe it's been gradual the whole time. Or maybe it's all this gardening I've been doing, getting my arm and shoulder muscles working. The tear of the tendon never actually 'gets better' or reattaches itself but the muscles eventually learn to compensate (a lot quicker if you do all the physio exercises!).
Anyway, I've very happy about it. Being able to dress myself it a big deal.
Showing posts with label shoulder. Show all posts
Showing posts with label shoulder. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 27, 2018
Sunday, August 20, 2017
Waterfall
Sunday:
This is our waterfall working! The water looks clearer now too. Sparkling green.
I had an awesome night's sleep last night! At least eight hours of solid sleep, no restlessness or early waking, woke just before seven. Amazing!
And here is a really weird thing that I don't think can be related to Duromine, miracle pill though it is, this morning I could almost do my bra up by myself. I tore my left shoulder years ago and have had several rounds of physio (rarely doing my homework) without getting much change, I could hardly put that arm behind my back at all. I could get my thumb to the small of my back. Well today I can suddenly reach all the way up to my bra, not quite enough reach to do it up yet. Not sure why the sudden improvement, I'm sure I couldn't do that a couple of weeks ago.
I don't know if I was actually hungrier today, but I ate more. 30 calories over my limit! I'm trying not to make a big deal out of that, but I'm a bit disappointed. On the other hand I didn't actually weigh my dinner so maybe I overestimated! We had lots of family over in the afternoon, when I ate some cheese and crackers but did NOT eat a brownie, then casserole and mashed potato when I had more than I really needed. Only two bites of dessert. Two bites too many!
This is our waterfall working! The water looks clearer now too. Sparkling green.
I had an awesome night's sleep last night! At least eight hours of solid sleep, no restlessness or early waking, woke just before seven. Amazing!
And here is a really weird thing that I don't think can be related to Duromine, miracle pill though it is, this morning I could almost do my bra up by myself. I tore my left shoulder years ago and have had several rounds of physio (rarely doing my homework) without getting much change, I could hardly put that arm behind my back at all. I could get my thumb to the small of my back. Well today I can suddenly reach all the way up to my bra, not quite enough reach to do it up yet. Not sure why the sudden improvement, I'm sure I couldn't do that a couple of weeks ago.
I don't know if I was actually hungrier today, but I ate more. 30 calories over my limit! I'm trying not to make a big deal out of that, but I'm a bit disappointed. On the other hand I didn't actually weigh my dinner so maybe I overestimated! We had lots of family over in the afternoon, when I ate some cheese and crackers but did NOT eat a brownie, then casserole and mashed potato when I had more than I really needed. Only two bites of dessert. Two bites too many!
Friday, May 29, 2015
Being more mindful
Friday:
I woke in the early hours of this morning and tossed and turned, suddenly very frustrated with myself that I've been eating my emotions, not exercising at all, not even doing my physio all week. I said a couple of days ago that I didn't care about all that right now, and I didn't, but now I do! Time to forgive myself and move on. Right now I'm feeling a bit bewildered about having thought it was ok to neglect my health - how is that going to help anything? But I know it was quite a normal response to grief and stress especially for someone like myself who has a troubled relationship with food.
One thing that has helped me take a step forward is knowing when the funeral is, it means I can make plans and feel more in control. Also I finally got through to my brother and so I know he knows about dad's death and he knows when the funeral is too. Whether he gets there is up to him. That is two burdens lifted and I feel like I can breathe again.
Of course I am still sad and stressed but I feel like I can cope now.
I had a physio appointment this morning, she was very nice about my not doing my homework all week and gave me a gentle relaxing massage. My shoulder has actually been pretty good all week because I haven't been using it much. My physio was concerned that the exercises were making it ache a bit (when I was doing them) so I'm going back to the first set of exercises she gave me and we'll see how that goes. I know the long drives to Shepparton and back, and sleeping in a hotel bed, are going to be painful. I have a massage appointment lined up for as soon as I get back.
Very busy productive day. Whatever happened to all my free time? It's been swallowed up by getting this house fixed up and preparing for my dad's funeral.
I've still struggled with food today but I've been more mindful and aware of what I'm doing. It's a start.
I woke in the early hours of this morning and tossed and turned, suddenly very frustrated with myself that I've been eating my emotions, not exercising at all, not even doing my physio all week. I said a couple of days ago that I didn't care about all that right now, and I didn't, but now I do! Time to forgive myself and move on. Right now I'm feeling a bit bewildered about having thought it was ok to neglect my health - how is that going to help anything? But I know it was quite a normal response to grief and stress especially for someone like myself who has a troubled relationship with food.
One thing that has helped me take a step forward is knowing when the funeral is, it means I can make plans and feel more in control. Also I finally got through to my brother and so I know he knows about dad's death and he knows when the funeral is too. Whether he gets there is up to him. That is two burdens lifted and I feel like I can breathe again.
Of course I am still sad and stressed but I feel like I can cope now.
I had a physio appointment this morning, she was very nice about my not doing my homework all week and gave me a gentle relaxing massage. My shoulder has actually been pretty good all week because I haven't been using it much. My physio was concerned that the exercises were making it ache a bit (when I was doing them) so I'm going back to the first set of exercises she gave me and we'll see how that goes. I know the long drives to Shepparton and back, and sleeping in a hotel bed, are going to be painful. I have a massage appointment lined up for as soon as I get back.
Very busy productive day. Whatever happened to all my free time? It's been swallowed up by getting this house fixed up and preparing for my dad's funeral.
I've still struggled with food today but I've been more mindful and aware of what I'm doing. It's a start.
Monday, May 18, 2015
Visiting dad and rescuing a dog
Sunday and Monday:
Our little country motel offered toast and cereal and the like for breakfast, but we decided to drive the few blocks into the centre on town for breakfast on Sunday morning. We parked and started to wander up and down streets and through the mall. Nothing was open. Siri found us one coffee shop but it wasn't the sort that sold breakfast, just coffee and a few cakes. After a cold and hungry fruitless search, we drove to the outskirts of town and went to McDonalds. I guess we're just city folk, used to everything being open all the time. Who doesn't have brunch on Sundays after a night out?
The good thing about this trip to McDonalds was that we found a beautiful park on the way. It was new since I spent my childhood summers in the area, a created lake and wetlands with a lovely walk around the outside and two children's playgrounds. So after breakfast we went for a stroll. There were lots of ducks and some pelicans in the water
and then we saw this little guy.
He was swimming around and diving, presumably for food. The tail was wrong for a platypus, we don't have otters in Australia as far as I know, and he was too big for a rat although he looked like one. In the end we decided he was a native Australian water rat of some kind.
Then we got caught up in the Million Paws Walk. This is a charity dog-walking event. There must have been 50 or more dogs of all shapes and sizes with their owners, walking along the path beside the lake. They ended up congregated at one end of the park where they held some competitions. Best trick, best costume;
After this pleasant interlude we went to the hospital to see dad again. The relief that he wasn't as bad as I'd thought had worn off a bit. He is very sick, and we still don't really have any details. We asked a nurse but she didn't know much. His blood sugar levels are still way too high and they are giving him insulin injections. (I decided against giving him chocolates!) I'm hoping if they can stabilise that then he'll feel better and can start eating more and maybe go home.
At lunchtime we went back to the lovely park. We had lunch at a café next to the lake, the food wasn't great but the view was.
We walked around (I didn't have my fitbit on because I didn't think to take my charger, but I'm sure I did 10,000 steps again) and the kids played while I sat in the lovely sunshine and Tim jogged around the lake.
Then we drove out to dad's house, some 15 or 20 mins out of town to pick up dad's partner Wendy. She doesn't drive so she's been dependant on other people taking her to the hospital and shopping. She must be very isolated and lonely out there without dad. My aunty Pat has been driving her in most days. We went and spent more time with dad. Tim took the kids outside for a while and they chased wild rabbits around the lawns outside the hospital. They both now want a pet bunny. We took Wendy to the shops to get groceries then drove her back home.
We got back into town ready for dinner. Only to find the same problem as we had in the morning. Everything closed (or non-existent) on a Sunday night. Siri directed us to places that had either shut down or were so closed and dark that we couldn't find them. We ended up going to a Thai restaurant even though that is what we'd had the night before. It was that or take-away pizza eaten on our motel beds. Luckily we all like Thai food.
Tim and I both slept very poorly our second night there. My shoulder was aching quite a lot. In the morning we blearily managed to find a café that was actually open, being Monday, then we hit the road early for the long drive home.
Seeing dad sick was sad, and the driving was tedious and hard on my shoulder, but some parts of the weekend were really nice. I hadn't seen dad for a few months so it was good to talk to him, and I saw my aunty Pat (some other family members who live down there were away, and I didn't feel up to seeking out the others) and the park was really nice. The kids would have happily spent all day there. Very glad we went, but it's nice to be home.
...
I had just finished the above at 5pm then Tim called me outside. There was a dog roaming around trailing his lead, and I am good with animals (and babies). I went out and called him and he ran over to me. I caught him easily and set to work calming him down.
He looked like maybe a Rhodesian ridgeback cross, medium size but very strong. He was obviously very scared and worried. Once I had his lead he sat and leaned against my legs. He was agitated by someone walking down the path on the other side of the road and by a lady with a pram. My hand is still hurting from holding him! He barked and even growled a bit so I tried to keep the kids at a distance for a while but he wasn't actually aggressive, just scared (which is still dangerous with dogs). After a while he seemed comfortable with them.
We stood outside for a while in case an owner turned up looking for him, and gave him a drink which he seemed very grateful for, then after a while called the appropriate authorities. They said they could either pick him up at lunchtime tomorrow (!!) or else we could take him to a vet who could check his microchip to find his owners. He didn't have a tag. I didn't want to put him in the car, not knowing how he would react, and not having any appropriate restraint, so we walked him the 2 km or so to the nearest vet.
Tim had the lead, I just wasn't strong enough. He wasn't very obedient, pulling ahead hard or else stopping to sniff and urinate. But he seemed like a nice dog. At the vet, they said he had a microchip and his name was AJ (I had guessed Max), and said he lived in Evatt which is a couple of suburbs away over several main roads in peak hour! No wonder he was scared. They couldn't get through to the owner right away but took him out the back to hold him until they could, and we walked home. I felt like we did a good deed for the day. And got our exercise too!
I was very late starting dinner, Wendy called while I was cooking with some good news. They'd managed to speak to a doctor who thinks dad is improving a bit. He ate today (food Wendy took in, not hospital food) and although the hospital doesn't expect to release him until the end of the week, still it is good news.
Our little country motel offered toast and cereal and the like for breakfast, but we decided to drive the few blocks into the centre on town for breakfast on Sunday morning. We parked and started to wander up and down streets and through the mall. Nothing was open. Siri found us one coffee shop but it wasn't the sort that sold breakfast, just coffee and a few cakes. After a cold and hungry fruitless search, we drove to the outskirts of town and went to McDonalds. I guess we're just city folk, used to everything being open all the time. Who doesn't have brunch on Sundays after a night out?
The good thing about this trip to McDonalds was that we found a beautiful park on the way. It was new since I spent my childhood summers in the area, a created lake and wetlands with a lovely walk around the outside and two children's playgrounds. So after breakfast we went for a stroll. There were lots of ducks and some pelicans in the water
and then we saw this little guy.
Then we got caught up in the Million Paws Walk. This is a charity dog-walking event. There must have been 50 or more dogs of all shapes and sizes with their owners, walking along the path beside the lake. They ended up congregated at one end of the park where they held some competitions. Best trick, best costume;
And I thought there should have been a prize for the dog and owner who looked most alike;
After this pleasant interlude we went to the hospital to see dad again. The relief that he wasn't as bad as I'd thought had worn off a bit. He is very sick, and we still don't really have any details. We asked a nurse but she didn't know much. His blood sugar levels are still way too high and they are giving him insulin injections. (I decided against giving him chocolates!) I'm hoping if they can stabilise that then he'll feel better and can start eating more and maybe go home.
At lunchtime we went back to the lovely park. We had lunch at a café next to the lake, the food wasn't great but the view was.
We walked around (I didn't have my fitbit on because I didn't think to take my charger, but I'm sure I did 10,000 steps again) and the kids played while I sat in the lovely sunshine and Tim jogged around the lake.
Then we drove out to dad's house, some 15 or 20 mins out of town to pick up dad's partner Wendy. She doesn't drive so she's been dependant on other people taking her to the hospital and shopping. She must be very isolated and lonely out there without dad. My aunty Pat has been driving her in most days. We went and spent more time with dad. Tim took the kids outside for a while and they chased wild rabbits around the lawns outside the hospital. They both now want a pet bunny. We took Wendy to the shops to get groceries then drove her back home.
We got back into town ready for dinner. Only to find the same problem as we had in the morning. Everything closed (or non-existent) on a Sunday night. Siri directed us to places that had either shut down or were so closed and dark that we couldn't find them. We ended up going to a Thai restaurant even though that is what we'd had the night before. It was that or take-away pizza eaten on our motel beds. Luckily we all like Thai food.
Tim and I both slept very poorly our second night there. My shoulder was aching quite a lot. In the morning we blearily managed to find a café that was actually open, being Monday, then we hit the road early for the long drive home.
Seeing dad sick was sad, and the driving was tedious and hard on my shoulder, but some parts of the weekend were really nice. I hadn't seen dad for a few months so it was good to talk to him, and I saw my aunty Pat (some other family members who live down there were away, and I didn't feel up to seeking out the others) and the park was really nice. The kids would have happily spent all day there. Very glad we went, but it's nice to be home.
...
I had just finished the above at 5pm then Tim called me outside. There was a dog roaming around trailing his lead, and I am good with animals (and babies). I went out and called him and he ran over to me. I caught him easily and set to work calming him down.
We stood outside for a while in case an owner turned up looking for him, and gave him a drink which he seemed very grateful for, then after a while called the appropriate authorities. They said they could either pick him up at lunchtime tomorrow (!!) or else we could take him to a vet who could check his microchip to find his owners. He didn't have a tag. I didn't want to put him in the car, not knowing how he would react, and not having any appropriate restraint, so we walked him the 2 km or so to the nearest vet.
I was very late starting dinner, Wendy called while I was cooking with some good news. They'd managed to speak to a doctor who thinks dad is improving a bit. He ate today (food Wendy took in, not hospital food) and although the hospital doesn't expect to release him until the end of the week, still it is good news.
Friday, May 8, 2015
Getting on with life
Friday:
I had my pity party yesterday and I'm ok now. I've booked in physiotherapy for Monday and I'll see how that goes, with the possibility of looking into surgery later.
I never had a particular incident that caused the tear, that I am aware of, just gradually increasing pain over a period of several months. That coincided with my push to go to the gym regularly and starting BodyPump. My best guess, given my history with the other shoulder, is that I have a predisposition to problems in that area and might be best to stay away from excessive exercise of that joint. Tendon tears are very common, but I am young for getting an gradual tear like this. The recent recurrence of it really bothering me (although it never stopped troubling me) seems to coincide with me doing that Fantasia game that is all arms. Until/unless I find out different, I am going to be super careful and the only exercise my shoulders get will be physiotherapist-sanctioned. I copied the below info more for myself, please feel free to skip it if you are sick of hearing about my shoulder.
The Rotator Cuff is a group of muscles and tendons around the shoulder. These muscles are important for the shoulder to function normally. They help balance the ball of the upper arm on the shoulder blade socket. A tear in one or more of these tendons can unbalance the shoulder and cause pain and weakness. It is common for these tendons to tear as people get older. Greater than 50% of people over 70 years of age have a full thickness tear at autopsy.The rotator cuff tears do not spontaneously heal. Despite the lack of healing there is greater than a 90% chance that a patient will have no pain and a return of most shoulder strength after 6-12 months.
The non-operative treatment of a painful rotator cuff tear includes activity modification, pain management and physiotherapy.
Following rotator cuff repair, the risk of infection and nerve injury is less than 1%. The risk of stiffness is around 10% but normally resolves spontaneously by 10 months after surgery. Stiffness is more common in diabetic patients. The healing rate is not 100% following surgery, and surgery is most successful for smaller tears, in younger patients and in non-smokers.
The rehabilitation for rotator cuff repairs is longer than most patients would prefer. Tendon to bone healing takes 3 months. As a result, most patients spend 6 weeks in a sling during which driving a vehicle is not allowed. Surgeons will vary in their approach to resumption of active movement, strengthening and return to work or recreation. Patients will continue to improve for up to 2 years following surgery.
(from www.shouldersurgery.com.au)
On a lighter note, a funny thing happened yesterday. I had just got in my car and was pulling out of a car park. A couple of car spaces away from where mine had been was ... my car. I stared at it. Same model and colour, but that is not so unusual. But same number plate?? In a sudden panic, I checked my surroundings. Was I in the right car? Had my key somehow worked in someone else's car and here I was driving it away? No, this was definitely my car with my junk in it. But there was my car out there. After several confused seconds I realised that the number plate was not exactly mine. Mine finishes with 67. This car's number plate finished with 76. Otherwise identical letters and numbers. Maybe the odds of that happening aren't so long, maybe there is a whole series of gold Mazda 323 with number plates counting up from 60 to 80 or something. And it's not a big city, I was going to park next to one of them eventually. But it was kind of exciting at the time to be in a weird car-warp.
I weighed-out yesterday for month three of my six-month dietbet. I didn't make the cumulative 8%, of course, or even my goal of 4%, but I had lost some weight and at the time I felt ok with that. After getting my shoulder results I wasn't really ok with anything! Today I'm back on an even keel and ready to analyse my 16 day experiment with carb cycling.
I did eat some things off-plan but I mostly stuck to it. I wasn't perfect but then I never am so that needs to be taken into account.
If I'd only weighed at the beginning and the end the small amount of weight lost might seem ok for two weeks. But I weigh every day so I know that what really happened was that I lost that weight in the first three days and then have stayed the same for most of the two weeks. On one hand, you could say I just lost water weight and the diet did nothing. On the other hand, I'd been hovering around the higher weight for weeks and now I'm consistently (for two weeks) bobbing around the lower weight and that is better than nothing.
I am considering starting a 4 week dietbet, hosted by the people who wrote the carb cycling book I'm using, starting on Monday. Being so far behind in my long-term dietbet is a bit discouraging and I think having a short term goal would be better for me to focus on. If I decide to stay with carb cycling this would be a good one to do. I love the dietbet activity board, everyone is so supportive and it is a great social network to be part of. I log on there at least twice a day so I still like being part of that community. I haven't made any decisions yet.
I went out for a walk at lunchtime, after to treating myself to a nice lunch next to the small lake near us. It was quite pleasantly warm as long as I stayed in the sun. I was annoyed at my fitbit though. I had charged it in the morning but didn't realise it didn't connect properly. So it ran out of power and didn't record my steps.
And here is a duck.
I saw my friend Annabelle with her kids in the park so had a brief chat. It was very nice to get out of the house.
Yesterday after school I took my children to the dentist, a new place we hadn't been before, for a clean and check-up. It was nice there, I was happy with it. But afterwards they gave both children a "bravery award" which was sponsored by McDonalds and had a voucher attached. This seemed an odd choice for a health practitioner! And junk food aside, I think suggesting that kids need to be brave to go to the dentist is sending the wrong message. It reinforces the idea that dentists are scary. I try not to show my own fear and hang-ups about dentists in front of them. I want them to be calm about it, sure it can be noisy and stuff they put on your teeth can taste yucky, but nothing to be scared of. Nothing you need a bravery award to get through!
I had my pity party yesterday and I'm ok now. I've booked in physiotherapy for Monday and I'll see how that goes, with the possibility of looking into surgery later.
I never had a particular incident that caused the tear, that I am aware of, just gradually increasing pain over a period of several months. That coincided with my push to go to the gym regularly and starting BodyPump. My best guess, given my history with the other shoulder, is that I have a predisposition to problems in that area and might be best to stay away from excessive exercise of that joint. Tendon tears are very common, but I am young for getting an gradual tear like this. The recent recurrence of it really bothering me (although it never stopped troubling me) seems to coincide with me doing that Fantasia game that is all arms. Until/unless I find out different, I am going to be super careful and the only exercise my shoulders get will be physiotherapist-sanctioned. I copied the below info more for myself, please feel free to skip it if you are sick of hearing about my shoulder.
The Rotator Cuff is a group of muscles and tendons around the shoulder. These muscles are important for the shoulder to function normally. They help balance the ball of the upper arm on the shoulder blade socket. A tear in one or more of these tendons can unbalance the shoulder and cause pain and weakness. It is common for these tendons to tear as people get older. Greater than 50% of people over 70 years of age have a full thickness tear at autopsy.The rotator cuff tears do not spontaneously heal. Despite the lack of healing there is greater than a 90% chance that a patient will have no pain and a return of most shoulder strength after 6-12 months.
 |  |
| a. Tendon firmly attached to bone | b. Full thickness tear of tendon from bone |
- Activities should be modified to decrease the demands and stress on the effected shoulder during the painful phase
- Pain management includes simple analgesics, anti-inflammatories and steroid injections
- Physiotherapy helps restore shoulder range of motion and strength
Following rotator cuff repair, the risk of infection and nerve injury is less than 1%. The risk of stiffness is around 10% but normally resolves spontaneously by 10 months after surgery. Stiffness is more common in diabetic patients. The healing rate is not 100% following surgery, and surgery is most successful for smaller tears, in younger patients and in non-smokers.
The rehabilitation for rotator cuff repairs is longer than most patients would prefer. Tendon to bone healing takes 3 months. As a result, most patients spend 6 weeks in a sling during which driving a vehicle is not allowed. Surgeons will vary in their approach to resumption of active movement, strengthening and return to work or recreation. Patients will continue to improve for up to 2 years following surgery.
(from www.shouldersurgery.com.au)
On a lighter note, a funny thing happened yesterday. I had just got in my car and was pulling out of a car park. A couple of car spaces away from where mine had been was ... my car. I stared at it. Same model and colour, but that is not so unusual. But same number plate?? In a sudden panic, I checked my surroundings. Was I in the right car? Had my key somehow worked in someone else's car and here I was driving it away? No, this was definitely my car with my junk in it. But there was my car out there. After several confused seconds I realised that the number plate was not exactly mine. Mine finishes with 67. This car's number plate finished with 76. Otherwise identical letters and numbers. Maybe the odds of that happening aren't so long, maybe there is a whole series of gold Mazda 323 with number plates counting up from 60 to 80 or something. And it's not a big city, I was going to park next to one of them eventually. But it was kind of exciting at the time to be in a weird car-warp.
I weighed-out yesterday for month three of my six-month dietbet. I didn't make the cumulative 8%, of course, or even my goal of 4%, but I had lost some weight and at the time I felt ok with that. After getting my shoulder results I wasn't really ok with anything! Today I'm back on an even keel and ready to analyse my 16 day experiment with carb cycling.
I did eat some things off-plan but I mostly stuck to it. I wasn't perfect but then I never am so that needs to be taken into account.
If I'd only weighed at the beginning and the end the small amount of weight lost might seem ok for two weeks. But I weigh every day so I know that what really happened was that I lost that weight in the first three days and then have stayed the same for most of the two weeks. On one hand, you could say I just lost water weight and the diet did nothing. On the other hand, I'd been hovering around the higher weight for weeks and now I'm consistently (for two weeks) bobbing around the lower weight and that is better than nothing.
I am considering starting a 4 week dietbet, hosted by the people who wrote the carb cycling book I'm using, starting on Monday. Being so far behind in my long-term dietbet is a bit discouraging and I think having a short term goal would be better for me to focus on. If I decide to stay with carb cycling this would be a good one to do. I love the dietbet activity board, everyone is so supportive and it is a great social network to be part of. I log on there at least twice a day so I still like being part of that community. I haven't made any decisions yet.
I went out for a walk at lunchtime, after to treating myself to a nice lunch next to the small lake near us. It was quite pleasantly warm as long as I stayed in the sun. I was annoyed at my fitbit though. I had charged it in the morning but didn't realise it didn't connect properly. So it ran out of power and didn't record my steps.
And here is a duck.
I saw my friend Annabelle with her kids in the park so had a brief chat. It was very nice to get out of the house.
Yesterday after school I took my children to the dentist, a new place we hadn't been before, for a clean and check-up. It was nice there, I was happy with it. But afterwards they gave both children a "bravery award" which was sponsored by McDonalds and had a voucher attached. This seemed an odd choice for a health practitioner! And junk food aside, I think suggesting that kids need to be brave to go to the dentist is sending the wrong message. It reinforces the idea that dentists are scary. I try not to show my own fear and hang-ups about dentists in front of them. I want them to be calm about it, sure it can be noisy and stuff they put on your teeth can taste yucky, but nothing to be scared of. Nothing you need a bravery award to get through!
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
Bad news on the shoulder
Thursday:
I had my x-ray and ultrasound this morning on my left shoulder. I don't have the official results yet, but I talked to the woman doing the ultrasound quite a bit. She said I had no bursitis (inflammation) and therefore didn't need a cortisone injection. In fact she couldn't see anything unusual going on. Just the tear that I did more than four years ago that we already knew about.
I got some clarification on that. And it turns out that tears don't heal. Once your tendon tears off your bone, it does not repair itself.
If I was ever told that before, I forgot or blocked it out. I even went back and read my blog posts around that time and couldn't find any indication that I knew it, although it is not explicit either way. But I'm sure I was always expecting it to heal eventually.
So it was a bit of a blow.
The advice of the ultrasound lady (and my doctor on Tuesday) is that I go to physiotherapy and do regular mobility exercises, as I did when I first had the tear, because I need to encourage the muscles around my shoulder to take over the jobs the tendon was doing. It will give me more mobility, although not help with pain (I think).
It is certainly much better than when I originally injured it, I was in a lot of pain then and could hardly lift my arm. A year and a half after that, 14 June 2012, my blog mentions satisfaction that I could now get my arm far enough behind my back that I could just touch the small of my back with my thumb. That is where I still am now. So it healed a bit or the muscles took over or whatever, and I had an injection in Feb 2011 to deal with inflammation and pain, but then it got to that point and no further.
I am finding it difficult news to cope with. I've had so much pain and stiffness and therapy in both my shoulders now (the right shoulder was occupational overuse, I had to leave work because of it and still can't do full-time work 15 years later). Maybe I have some basic weakness in that part of my body.
I did turn to food for comfort. I know that is a very bad habit of mine.
Our power was turned off in the afternoon for some planned maintenance. No heat, no computer or TV, no kettle for tea! As I was feeling pretty miserable, I snuggled down in bed for a hour for a "woe is me" session.
I'll be ok. Just sad today.
I had my x-ray and ultrasound this morning on my left shoulder. I don't have the official results yet, but I talked to the woman doing the ultrasound quite a bit. She said I had no bursitis (inflammation) and therefore didn't need a cortisone injection. In fact she couldn't see anything unusual going on. Just the tear that I did more than four years ago that we already knew about.
I got some clarification on that. And it turns out that tears don't heal. Once your tendon tears off your bone, it does not repair itself.
If I was ever told that before, I forgot or blocked it out. I even went back and read my blog posts around that time and couldn't find any indication that I knew it, although it is not explicit either way. But I'm sure I was always expecting it to heal eventually.
So it was a bit of a blow.
The advice of the ultrasound lady (and my doctor on Tuesday) is that I go to physiotherapy and do regular mobility exercises, as I did when I first had the tear, because I need to encourage the muscles around my shoulder to take over the jobs the tendon was doing. It will give me more mobility, although not help with pain (I think).
It is certainly much better than when I originally injured it, I was in a lot of pain then and could hardly lift my arm. A year and a half after that, 14 June 2012, my blog mentions satisfaction that I could now get my arm far enough behind my back that I could just touch the small of my back with my thumb. That is where I still am now. So it healed a bit or the muscles took over or whatever, and I had an injection in Feb 2011 to deal with inflammation and pain, but then it got to that point and no further.
I am finding it difficult news to cope with. I've had so much pain and stiffness and therapy in both my shoulders now (the right shoulder was occupational overuse, I had to leave work because of it and still can't do full-time work 15 years later). Maybe I have some basic weakness in that part of my body.
I did turn to food for comfort. I know that is a very bad habit of mine.
Our power was turned off in the afternoon for some planned maintenance. No heat, no computer or TV, no kettle for tea! As I was feeling pretty miserable, I snuggled down in bed for a hour for a "woe is me" session.
I'll be ok. Just sad today.
Tuesday, May 5, 2015
Shoulder
Tuesday:
I saw my doctor this morning about continuing pain and stiffness in my left shoulder, more than four years since the original tendon tear. She gave me a referral to x-ray (for arthritis) and ultrasound (for bursitis) with possible steroid injection, some mobility exercises and a suggestion to see a physio. Since I was able to book in the tests for the day after tomorrow, I'll wait for results before finding a physio. That sounds like things are moving forward, but actually my doctor basically said that as I am over 40 I've got to expect this kind of thing. Tears and stiffness and pain are normal for me now and I'll probably just have to put up with it and manage things with regular mobility exercises and anti inflammatory/pain killing medication as needed. Surgery probably wouldn't help. I am not yet prepared to give up on getting back to real health. I'll see what these tests say as a first step so I know what is actually going on, but I am not just going to accept that I'm stuck with this. I put up with it for four and a half years assuming it would eventually get better on its own, it seems that isn't going to happen so I need to be more proactive about it. It really does affect my life too much.
I did the grocery shopping and went home, then got a text that my glasses were ready to be picked up. I also had a library book that needed to be returned today (or else 25 cents per day fine!). I decided to walk the 5 km round trip to do my two errands. I just had time before school finished, and was pretty tired by the end. I had to walk briskly, especially after I had to wait ages at the optometrist. I like my new glasses and everyone noticed them. Oh, except my husband. (He did eventually). They are quite differ from the old ones, which were pale pink. These are purple. Yes, yes, I am overdoing the purple a bit. It's a good colour for winter though.
After school we went to a friend's house, I took grapes and she put out some yummy savoury crackers and chocolate biscuits. At first I ate nothing, just had my tea, but I got really hungry so I had some grapes. It was a low carb day today but I am fine with my choice. I had to sit and watch my friend and our four kids and their dog all stuffing themselves! Sticking to grapes was commendable, I think! Bending with the winds of circumstance, not breaking. (I was in a real rush after my walk and didn't have time to organise some kind of protein + fat snack for myself that would be enough to share with everyone.)
Fish and salad for dinner. I had a very clean eating day today. My renewed diet vigour is partly because the 48 hour weigh-out window for month three of my six month dietbet has started. I have my timestamp word SPINACH on a flashcard in front of me here. You weigh yourself with the word in the photo so they know it was taken on the right day. The cumulative weight loss needed for this weigh-out is 8% -- there is no way I'll make that. I lost weight in the first month but regained it all in the second, so losing all that plus more was near impossible. My personal goal for this month is 4% of my starting weight, which will get me back on the right track towards catching up by the end of the six months for the final weigh-out. It is still a big ask but I am hopeful. I ate well and exercised today and will do again tomorrow, who knows what Thursday morning's scale will bring?
Report card:
Diet: Great.
Exercise: Great. Over 12,000 steps.
Water: Excellent.
Sleep: Good.
Mental health: Good.
I saw my doctor this morning about continuing pain and stiffness in my left shoulder, more than four years since the original tendon tear. She gave me a referral to x-ray (for arthritis) and ultrasound (for bursitis) with possible steroid injection, some mobility exercises and a suggestion to see a physio. Since I was able to book in the tests for the day after tomorrow, I'll wait for results before finding a physio. That sounds like things are moving forward, but actually my doctor basically said that as I am over 40 I've got to expect this kind of thing. Tears and stiffness and pain are normal for me now and I'll probably just have to put up with it and manage things with regular mobility exercises and anti inflammatory/pain killing medication as needed. Surgery probably wouldn't help. I am not yet prepared to give up on getting back to real health. I'll see what these tests say as a first step so I know what is actually going on, but I am not just going to accept that I'm stuck with this. I put up with it for four and a half years assuming it would eventually get better on its own, it seems that isn't going to happen so I need to be more proactive about it. It really does affect my life too much.
I did the grocery shopping and went home, then got a text that my glasses were ready to be picked up. I also had a library book that needed to be returned today (or else 25 cents per day fine!). I decided to walk the 5 km round trip to do my two errands. I just had time before school finished, and was pretty tired by the end. I had to walk briskly, especially after I had to wait ages at the optometrist. I like my new glasses and everyone noticed them. Oh, except my husband. (He did eventually). They are quite differ from the old ones, which were pale pink. These are purple. Yes, yes, I am overdoing the purple a bit. It's a good colour for winter though.
After school we went to a friend's house, I took grapes and she put out some yummy savoury crackers and chocolate biscuits. At first I ate nothing, just had my tea, but I got really hungry so I had some grapes. It was a low carb day today but I am fine with my choice. I had to sit and watch my friend and our four kids and their dog all stuffing themselves! Sticking to grapes was commendable, I think! Bending with the winds of circumstance, not breaking. (I was in a real rush after my walk and didn't have time to organise some kind of protein + fat snack for myself that would be enough to share with everyone.)
Fish and salad for dinner. I had a very clean eating day today. My renewed diet vigour is partly because the 48 hour weigh-out window for month three of my six month dietbet has started. I have my timestamp word SPINACH on a flashcard in front of me here. You weigh yourself with the word in the photo so they know it was taken on the right day. The cumulative weight loss needed for this weigh-out is 8% -- there is no way I'll make that. I lost weight in the first month but regained it all in the second, so losing all that plus more was near impossible. My personal goal for this month is 4% of my starting weight, which will get me back on the right track towards catching up by the end of the six months for the final weigh-out. It is still a big ask but I am hopeful. I ate well and exercised today and will do again tomorrow, who knows what Thursday morning's scale will bring?
Report card:
Diet: Great.
Exercise: Great. Over 12,000 steps.
Water: Excellent.
Sleep: Good.
Mental health: Good.
Wednesday, April 22, 2015
House hunting and fire alarm
Wednesday:
I was a bit foolish yesterday. I went browsing for houses online even though we're not ready to buy. And of course I found the most perfect house ever in a lovely location and in our budget. Of course it might not be exactly like the photos, I've been fooled before (looking at you, castle house!). And it's not even in Sydney. Lol. I was looking where we often go for holidays in a smallish seaside town. We were there just after mum died, so there are some photos on my blog from January. So, lets see, we could stay in Canberra where Tim's job is, or we could move to Sydney where family is, or we could just ditch both and live near the sea! With no job. Living off savings indefinitely. And we'd have to sell this house first or organise a tricky loan - tricky because the bank expects Tim to have an income before they'll give us money. So the dream house would be gone by then anyway. Who wouldn't want to buy it? Oh well, I can look at the pictures and torture myself if I want to, can't I?
I did some exercise first thing this morning, before even breakfast, to make sure it got done. About 25 minutes dance. Very hot and sweaty, which is good, but it did make my shoulder ache, probably being completely un-warmed didn't help. (I warmed up as part of the dance routine, but that wasn't really enough straight out of bed.)
My left shoulder has been troubling me for some time. I hurt it somehow 3 or 4 years ago, I tore the tendon completely off the shoulder attachment. Very painful. I rested it and wore a sling for a while to let it heal. It is a lot better than it was then, but it still hurts a bit, a lot of the time. It aches if I lift my arm over my head for any length of time, it wakes me up if I sleep in the wrong position, I can't reach behind my back to do up my bra. Too much exercise or too much computer use hurts it. I struggle to put on a jacket or backpack because that involves rotating the shoulder - I have to do that sleeve/strap first or I can't put it on at all. It impacts on my life quite a lot. I've just put up with it assuming it would get better eventually, putting off investigating further. But shouldn't it be all healed up after several years? I've booked in to see my doctor and maybe get another ultrasound on it to see what is going on. I'm suddenly dumbfounded I've let it go on so long.
Edit: I looked back through my posts and I found the first mention of pain in my left shoulder on 5 September 2010, saying it had been hurting for a couple of months. Four and a half years.
I spent the morning booking appointments. The doctor for me, dentist for the kids, carpet clean, eye test. I have a list of 12 things ticked off! The calendar is pretty full for the next two weeks, something nearly every day. But still plenty of time to go to the gym in between, once the kids are back at school. I successfully put my gym membership on hold for one of the two weeks of the holidays (need a medical cert for more than one week any 3 month period). It is their fault for not having crèche in the holidays.
In the afternoon we went back to the indoor playground at the airport because the kids loved it last week. Invited along another family but they didn't end up coming. We paid our money and the kids took off their shoes and I literally hadn't sat down yet and the fire alarm went off. We were ushered outside (that was pretty funny, actually, the staff member got on the PA and rambled on for ages about she hoped we were enjoying our play before mentioning that we had to evacuate the building). Everyone in the whole shopping complex was out in the car park. Two fire engines came, and burly men in uniform. But they couldn't find any fire so after about 20 minutes we were let back in. Luckily the weather wasn't too bad today. There was no way I was leaving unless there was a real fire after paying $30 and getting nothing for it!
I got Chris Powell's carb cycling book from the library today and I'm refreshing myself with the rules. The website doesn't have very detailed information. But I'm happy with my first three days. High carb day today - which meant about 100 grams of carbs instead of about 50! Still not very much, but enough for me. One serve with each meal and snack (like one slice of bread, or an apple). About 100 more calories today than yesterday, which is fine.
Report card:
Diet: Great. (I'll get a fantastic when I eat more vegetables!)
Exercise: Good.
Water: Good.
Sleep: Good.
Mental health: Good.
Not a fantastic day, but nicely consistent across the board.
I was a bit foolish yesterday. I went browsing for houses online even though we're not ready to buy. And of course I found the most perfect house ever in a lovely location and in our budget. Of course it might not be exactly like the photos, I've been fooled before (looking at you, castle house!). And it's not even in Sydney. Lol. I was looking where we often go for holidays in a smallish seaside town. We were there just after mum died, so there are some photos on my blog from January. So, lets see, we could stay in Canberra where Tim's job is, or we could move to Sydney where family is, or we could just ditch both and live near the sea! With no job. Living off savings indefinitely. And we'd have to sell this house first or organise a tricky loan - tricky because the bank expects Tim to have an income before they'll give us money. So the dream house would be gone by then anyway. Who wouldn't want to buy it? Oh well, I can look at the pictures and torture myself if I want to, can't I?
I did some exercise first thing this morning, before even breakfast, to make sure it got done. About 25 minutes dance. Very hot and sweaty, which is good, but it did make my shoulder ache, probably being completely un-warmed didn't help. (I warmed up as part of the dance routine, but that wasn't really enough straight out of bed.)
My left shoulder has been troubling me for some time. I hurt it somehow 3 or 4 years ago, I tore the tendon completely off the shoulder attachment. Very painful. I rested it and wore a sling for a while to let it heal. It is a lot better than it was then, but it still hurts a bit, a lot of the time. It aches if I lift my arm over my head for any length of time, it wakes me up if I sleep in the wrong position, I can't reach behind my back to do up my bra. Too much exercise or too much computer use hurts it. I struggle to put on a jacket or backpack because that involves rotating the shoulder - I have to do that sleeve/strap first or I can't put it on at all. It impacts on my life quite a lot. I've just put up with it assuming it would get better eventually, putting off investigating further. But shouldn't it be all healed up after several years? I've booked in to see my doctor and maybe get another ultrasound on it to see what is going on. I'm suddenly dumbfounded I've let it go on so long.
Edit: I looked back through my posts and I found the first mention of pain in my left shoulder on 5 September 2010, saying it had been hurting for a couple of months. Four and a half years.
I spent the morning booking appointments. The doctor for me, dentist for the kids, carpet clean, eye test. I have a list of 12 things ticked off! The calendar is pretty full for the next two weeks, something nearly every day. But still plenty of time to go to the gym in between, once the kids are back at school. I successfully put my gym membership on hold for one of the two weeks of the holidays (need a medical cert for more than one week any 3 month period). It is their fault for not having crèche in the holidays.
In the afternoon we went back to the indoor playground at the airport because the kids loved it last week. Invited along another family but they didn't end up coming. We paid our money and the kids took off their shoes and I literally hadn't sat down yet and the fire alarm went off. We were ushered outside (that was pretty funny, actually, the staff member got on the PA and rambled on for ages about she hoped we were enjoying our play before mentioning that we had to evacuate the building). Everyone in the whole shopping complex was out in the car park. Two fire engines came, and burly men in uniform. But they couldn't find any fire so after about 20 minutes we were let back in. Luckily the weather wasn't too bad today. There was no way I was leaving unless there was a real fire after paying $30 and getting nothing for it!
I got Chris Powell's carb cycling book from the library today and I'm refreshing myself with the rules. The website doesn't have very detailed information. But I'm happy with my first three days. High carb day today - which meant about 100 grams of carbs instead of about 50! Still not very much, but enough for me. One serve with each meal and snack (like one slice of bread, or an apple). About 100 more calories today than yesterday, which is fine.
Report card:
Diet: Great. (I'll get a fantastic when I eat more vegetables!)
Exercise: Good.
Water: Good.
Sleep: Good.
Mental health: Good.
Not a fantastic day, but nicely consistent across the board.
Sunday, January 18, 2015
Back on the diet
Sunday:
Back in the healthy eating mindset. Trying, anyway. Certainly not perfect.
I weighed in at 82.7 kg. I started the dietbet, a little under two weeks ago, at 83.2 so I guess overall I am half a kg down. Actually a gain since I last weighed myself before I went away, but its to be expected with all the stress and eating out. I completely forgive myself for the lack of progress but it's time to get back into it.
I ate too many carbs today - lots of bread - and a little bit of chocolate.
I think exercise is going to be even harder. I just have no motivation. Spending over a week in various hotel beds with stupid pillows (why do you always get a choice between 'sinks so flat in 3 seconds that you might as well not have one' and 'so high and hard that you dangle from it with no shoulder support') really stuffed up my damaged shoulders and I'm still recovering from that. And my ankle is still stiff every morning, and hurts when I do any more than walk - going down stairs is awkward. I probably need to do some strengthening exercises, but do I wait until it is better first? I feel a bit tired and old and uninspired. But committed to making progress.
I added some photos to last week's posts, but here is one of me on Diamond Beach on the first day we were there, when it was rather cloudy but perfect for a walk.
Back in the healthy eating mindset. Trying, anyway. Certainly not perfect.
I weighed in at 82.7 kg. I started the dietbet, a little under two weeks ago, at 83.2 so I guess overall I am half a kg down. Actually a gain since I last weighed myself before I went away, but its to be expected with all the stress and eating out. I completely forgive myself for the lack of progress but it's time to get back into it.
I ate too many carbs today - lots of bread - and a little bit of chocolate.
I think exercise is going to be even harder. I just have no motivation. Spending over a week in various hotel beds with stupid pillows (why do you always get a choice between 'sinks so flat in 3 seconds that you might as well not have one' and 'so high and hard that you dangle from it with no shoulder support') really stuffed up my damaged shoulders and I'm still recovering from that. And my ankle is still stiff every morning, and hurts when I do any more than walk - going down stairs is awkward. I probably need to do some strengthening exercises, but do I wait until it is better first? I feel a bit tired and old and uninspired. But committed to making progress.
I added some photos to last week's posts, but here is one of me on Diamond Beach on the first day we were there, when it was rather cloudy but perfect for a walk.
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Not a well face
Friday:
I got a bit of a shock when I looked at myself in the mirror yesterday evening. I went to my husband and pointed to my face. "Have you seen this?"
"That is not a well face," he agreed.
Urg. Pale and blotchy and red eyes and sore nose (although aloe vera tissues help a lot with that). I had a much better night last night, the runny nose dried up a bit letting me sleep, and I got up this morning intending to get on with life but it turns out I am definitely not well yet. I didn't go to my Weight Watchers meeting, after serious consideration; partly because I wasn't really feeling up to it and partly because I think it is really unfair and inconsiderate to infect others. There is an ad on at the moment for a cold & flu treatment that has a sick woman looking much better and then a scene of her teaching little kids at school. Arg! Infecting a whole room of children! Infectious people should stay home as much as possible.
I think today's weigh-in would have given me a stayed-the-same. I have missed so many meetings, generally through illness. It has been a bad autumn/winter.
I go through definite phases with which exercise appeals to me, lasting 3-6 months. Walking, BodyStep, Zumba, BodyPump, running, Kinect games. Luckily I can go back to an old one after a break, and I think it is time for the gym again. I checked out a reburbished local women's gym(Fernwood) but it didn't particularly impress me, so I think it will be back to my old gym (Club Lime at CISAC) which has a half-price annual membership sale throughout June if I can find a friend to join with -- last time I found a random person on the gym's facebook page. You get the full gym and the pool. As an added incentive, my gym has just started after-school kids' supervised gym classes which look really fun. My kids would both be in the same age group (5-9) which is very convenient and the class is 40 mins which would give me an long enough time-slot to get my own workout in. I would also go to classes in the morning (Pump and Zumba again). I'm thinking of trying a couch to 5 K or similar challenge on the treadmill in those afternoons at the gym, getting myself ready for outside running in spring. Now that I have my iPhone I can do that kind of thing!
Obviously I am not going to start today. I will see how I feel on Monday.
Another reason to return to the gym is that I have been feeling very isolated and I want to get out and see people. Or at least, I feel like I should. I plan to start going to my writing groups again too.
Regarding BodyPump, I am hoping I can do a lot better this time around as my shoulder has improved a lot. I still can't do up my bra, but I can touch the small of my back with my thumb (just). I can remember, not so long ago, when just getting my arm high enough to do my hair was a struggle! I might be able to do all the moves this time. I has been two years since I first injured it, a year and a half since it was at its worst and I got appropriate treatment. Healing is a slow road but I am getting there.
I got a bit of a shock when I looked at myself in the mirror yesterday evening. I went to my husband and pointed to my face. "Have you seen this?"
"That is not a well face," he agreed.
Urg. Pale and blotchy and red eyes and sore nose (although aloe vera tissues help a lot with that). I had a much better night last night, the runny nose dried up a bit letting me sleep, and I got up this morning intending to get on with life but it turns out I am definitely not well yet. I didn't go to my Weight Watchers meeting, after serious consideration; partly because I wasn't really feeling up to it and partly because I think it is really unfair and inconsiderate to infect others. There is an ad on at the moment for a cold & flu treatment that has a sick woman looking much better and then a scene of her teaching little kids at school. Arg! Infecting a whole room of children! Infectious people should stay home as much as possible.
I think today's weigh-in would have given me a stayed-the-same. I have missed so many meetings, generally through illness. It has been a bad autumn/winter.
I go through definite phases with which exercise appeals to me, lasting 3-6 months. Walking, BodyStep, Zumba, BodyPump, running, Kinect games. Luckily I can go back to an old one after a break, and I think it is time for the gym again. I checked out a reburbished local women's gym(Fernwood) but it didn't particularly impress me, so I think it will be back to my old gym (Club Lime at CISAC) which has a half-price annual membership sale throughout June if I can find a friend to join with -- last time I found a random person on the gym's facebook page. You get the full gym and the pool. As an added incentive, my gym has just started after-school kids' supervised gym classes which look really fun. My kids would both be in the same age group (5-9) which is very convenient and the class is 40 mins which would give me an long enough time-slot to get my own workout in. I would also go to classes in the morning (Pump and Zumba again). I'm thinking of trying a couch to 5 K or similar challenge on the treadmill in those afternoons at the gym, getting myself ready for outside running in spring. Now that I have my iPhone I can do that kind of thing!
Obviously I am not going to start today. I will see how I feel on Monday.
Another reason to return to the gym is that I have been feeling very isolated and I want to get out and see people. Or at least, I feel like I should. I plan to start going to my writing groups again too.
Regarding BodyPump, I am hoping I can do a lot better this time around as my shoulder has improved a lot. I still can't do up my bra, but I can touch the small of my back with my thumb (just). I can remember, not so long ago, when just getting my arm high enough to do my hair was a struggle! I might be able to do all the moves this time. I has been two years since I first injured it, a year and a half since it was at its worst and I got appropriate treatment. Healing is a slow road but I am getting there.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Drama
Thursday:
On Monday I increased some of my weights at BodyPump (I had already increased for other tracks over the past few weeks) and rated how I felt during each track -- all either hard or f*ing hard. But manageable. So that was good.
Tuesday I didn't have the car so couldn't go to Zumba but I had to walk the kids to and from school and childcare which totaled an hour. I was way more exhausted than I should have been from two half-hour walks (half of each at child-speed!), but it was extremely humid. I hate humidity. It isn't usually too bad here in Canberra -- inland and up a (little) mountain -- but we have had both hot weather and storms which is a humid combination. It just seems to sap all my strength.
Wednesday was BodyPump again, I was really struggling. Despite air conditioning, it was hot and humid in the gym. The instructor's microphone wasn't working so she had to shout and it was hard to hear what move was coming up. I did the first couple of tracks at my new weight then dropped back to the old weights. I was even toying with the idea of leaving early even though Pump is my favourite, but pushed on. The tricep track was extra-difficult because I was lying down and couldn't see the instructor. I would be straining to hear, doing the moves and suddenly realize we were supposed to be doing something else so I'd quickly change -- although I didn't feel any pain then I may have jerked my shoulder with a sudden switch.
Anyway, next was biceps. I picked up my very light weight and lifted -- ow. Tried again, carefully -- ow. Not my left shoulder, with the healing rotator cuff tear, but my right. I have ten years of history with my right shoulder, but not this sharp pain. I did about four lifts, then stopped. No way I was going to risk tearing this one -- or making it worse if I already had.
I put away my stuff and had a shower. I was still getting sharp (mild) pain when I moved my arm. I went to reception and asked to report an injury. They seemed a bit surprised and I have no idea if anyone else has ever reported an injury in a gym, but they filled out a form for me and gave me an ice pack. They were very nice about it, and rang down to the creche to say I would be a little late picking up Aiden. I had no intention of sueing the gym, but after having lots of time off work with RSI years ago, and years of hassles with lawyers and Comcare, I just wanted a paper trail if I needed it.
It seems fine now, thank Gods. I think it was a false alarm. But I am not ashamed of being concerned.
Thursday, today, was my baby's 5th birthday. He had presents this morning and french toast with raspberries for breakfast, then went to preschool -- I made a triple batch of cupcakes yesterday for him to take and share. I worked all day (no gym today after yesterday's scare and also project due tomorrow) then walked to pick the kids up, yummy afternoon tea and special dinner of his choice (lasagne). He is having a party on Sunday.
I am about to go for a short walk now, with the kid pick-up that will add up to a decent amount of body movement. I will probably need to get a bit more work done tonight. No time to edit this, so I hope there are no typos.
On Monday I increased some of my weights at BodyPump (I had already increased for other tracks over the past few weeks) and rated how I felt during each track -- all either hard or f*ing hard. But manageable. So that was good.
Tuesday I didn't have the car so couldn't go to Zumba but I had to walk the kids to and from school and childcare which totaled an hour. I was way more exhausted than I should have been from two half-hour walks (half of each at child-speed!), but it was extremely humid. I hate humidity. It isn't usually too bad here in Canberra -- inland and up a (little) mountain -- but we have had both hot weather and storms which is a humid combination. It just seems to sap all my strength.
Wednesday was BodyPump again, I was really struggling. Despite air conditioning, it was hot and humid in the gym. The instructor's microphone wasn't working so she had to shout and it was hard to hear what move was coming up. I did the first couple of tracks at my new weight then dropped back to the old weights. I was even toying with the idea of leaving early even though Pump is my favourite, but pushed on. The tricep track was extra-difficult because I was lying down and couldn't see the instructor. I would be straining to hear, doing the moves and suddenly realize we were supposed to be doing something else so I'd quickly change -- although I didn't feel any pain then I may have jerked my shoulder with a sudden switch.
Anyway, next was biceps. I picked up my very light weight and lifted -- ow. Tried again, carefully -- ow. Not my left shoulder, with the healing rotator cuff tear, but my right. I have ten years of history with my right shoulder, but not this sharp pain. I did about four lifts, then stopped. No way I was going to risk tearing this one -- or making it worse if I already had.
I put away my stuff and had a shower. I was still getting sharp (mild) pain when I moved my arm. I went to reception and asked to report an injury. They seemed a bit surprised and I have no idea if anyone else has ever reported an injury in a gym, but they filled out a form for me and gave me an ice pack. They were very nice about it, and rang down to the creche to say I would be a little late picking up Aiden. I had no intention of sueing the gym, but after having lots of time off work with RSI years ago, and years of hassles with lawyers and Comcare, I just wanted a paper trail if I needed it.
It seems fine now, thank Gods. I think it was a false alarm. But I am not ashamed of being concerned.
Thursday, today, was my baby's 5th birthday. He had presents this morning and french toast with raspberries for breakfast, then went to preschool -- I made a triple batch of cupcakes yesterday for him to take and share. I worked all day (no gym today after yesterday's scare and also project due tomorrow) then walked to pick the kids up, yummy afternoon tea and special dinner of his choice (lasagne). He is having a party on Sunday.
I am about to go for a short walk now, with the kid pick-up that will add up to a decent amount of body movement. I will probably need to get a bit more work done tonight. No time to edit this, so I hope there are no typos.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
W33 D1 - 82.2kg
I seem to have somehow dropped that extra kilo and a half in a few days. Yay!
I am doing a bit better with food and still walking every single morning, even in the rain.
I am getting inspired by Australian Biggest Loser Families, which started this week. There are four families: red and blue teams with the original trainers Michelle and Shannon; a black team with the Commando who has had guest spots in previous years dragging contestants out of their beds at 4am for brutal boot camps and the like - he has his own team this year; and a white team with newcomer Tiffany who is all about martial arts and who used to be "Angel" on Gladiator. I love watching!
My shoulder was a bit extra sore for a day after getting my cortisone injection on Thursday, but has since been much better. It doesn't heal the tear, but it reduces the inflammation and therefore the pain. I have been much happier and sleeping much better. A knock on the shoulder still has me crouched on the floor weeping. But getting better!
I am doing a bit better with food and still walking every single morning, even in the rain.
I am getting inspired by Australian Biggest Loser Families, which started this week. There are four families: red and blue teams with the original trainers Michelle and Shannon; a black team with the Commando who has had guest spots in previous years dragging contestants out of their beds at 4am for brutal boot camps and the like - he has his own team this year; and a white team with newcomer Tiffany who is all about martial arts and who used to be "Angel" on Gladiator. I love watching!
My shoulder was a bit extra sore for a day after getting my cortisone injection on Thursday, but has since been much better. It doesn't heal the tear, but it reduces the inflammation and therefore the pain. I have been much happier and sleeping much better. A knock on the shoulder still has me crouched on the floor weeping. But getting better!
Monday, January 3, 2011
W28 D3 - Physio
I finally got to see a physiotherapist about my shoulder today, after the Christmas/New Year closedown. I chose to go to UC's clinic, where the students do the practical side of their course. They are fully supervised, of course, and it is much cheaper - only $30 a session instead of 2 or 3 times as much elsewhere.
Mark was great. It turned out to be his first day on placement, but I found his lack of experience a bonus as he was very meticulous and thorough. And was up-to-date with the latest research. He took lots of time to listen to me and test my shoulder to find out what I needed. He consulted with his supervisor a couple of times but seemed to know what he was talking about. Then he gave me a massage and some exercises to do at home, with the advice to not do anything that hurts. I have another appointment next Friday, and will go 2 or 3 times a week.
He was young, obviously, and rather good looking! I wished I had worn a more conservative bra, or a singlet, I felt a little odd in my lacey number pushing up my 40-year-old breasts.
I am really glad I am finally on the road to recovery. Even after one massage I had more movement in the shoulder. Some of what he did, testing me, hurt a bit, but not too much.
I had a really bad morning before that, more pain than usual even after my morning walk. Tim is not feeling well today, and he thinks we might be both fighting off something that is reducing my pain-coping skills.
Mark was great. It turned out to be his first day on placement, but I found his lack of experience a bonus as he was very meticulous and thorough. And was up-to-date with the latest research. He took lots of time to listen to me and test my shoulder to find out what I needed. He consulted with his supervisor a couple of times but seemed to know what he was talking about. Then he gave me a massage and some exercises to do at home, with the advice to not do anything that hurts. I have another appointment next Friday, and will go 2 or 3 times a week.
He was young, obviously, and rather good looking! I wished I had worn a more conservative bra, or a singlet, I felt a little odd in my lacey number pushing up my 40-year-old breasts.
I am really glad I am finally on the road to recovery. Even after one massage I had more movement in the shoulder. Some of what he did, testing me, hurt a bit, but not too much.
I had a really bad morning before that, more pain than usual even after my morning walk. Tim is not feeling well today, and he thinks we might be both fighting off something that is reducing my pain-coping skills.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
W25 D5 - diagnosis
Yesterday morning I had my shoulder xrayed and ultrasounded and got the results in the afternoon, then saw my doctor today. It turns out I have a big tear in my supraspinatis tendon - the rotator cuff. It wasn't at all what I was expecting (I thought I had frozen shoulder) and at first it really threw me. The thought of a ripped tendon made me really nauseous too. But by the time I woke this morning I was at peace with it. It is good news, I think, in comparison. It needs to be looked after, like a newborn kitten, but it feels like part of me again.
Since there was no trauma to my shoulder and the pain has been gradually increasing over 5 or 6 months, I assume it was originally a little tear that has gradually got worse. My doctor and I are taking the conservative treatment option first: rest and gentle physio, then a cortisone injection if I need it. Only if there is no improvement over a long period will we look at surgery. I am already back on anti-inflammitories which are helping with the pain of the inflammation in the joint.
Of course it severely limits my exercise. Some authorities recommend a sling to immobilise the shoulder so it gets proper rest, but there is a danger of frozen shoulder. Better to just be careful. I can't do anything that uses or jerks the arm. So walking seems the best option at present. Outside or on the treadmill at the gym.
Since there was no trauma to my shoulder and the pain has been gradually increasing over 5 or 6 months, I assume it was originally a little tear that has gradually got worse. My doctor and I are taking the conservative treatment option first: rest and gentle physio, then a cortisone injection if I need it. Only if there is no improvement over a long period will we look at surgery. I am already back on anti-inflammitories which are helping with the pain of the inflammation in the joint.
Of course it severely limits my exercise. Some authorities recommend a sling to immobilise the shoulder so it gets proper rest, but there is a danger of frozen shoulder. Better to just be careful. I can't do anything that uses or jerks the arm. So walking seems the best option at present. Outside or on the treadmill at the gym.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
W25 D2 - back to the gym
I found someone to share a two-for-the-price-of-one offer at the gym so I rejoined starting from today. I did 13.15 min on the treadmill (plus cooldown), 1 km, and I plan to try to better my time each day. That included a lot of slow walking at the start, but a 100 meter jog at the end. Then I did 30 mins on the bike, while reading a fitness magazine, 9.2 km. I will probably have to reduce the time on the bike, so I have to beat 6.1 km in 20 mins. With less time on the bike, I will do 2 treadmill sessions. I am not able to use any of the other gym equipment or do aerobic classes at present. Aquarobics may be ok, I will try it.
The reason for my limitations is still my shoulder. I am having an x-ray and ultrasound this week to confirm - or at least to rule out other possibilities - but it looks very much like adhesive capsulitis: frozen shoulder. I had it in my right shoulder 8 years ago after 2 years of RSI, and now it has hit my left. It greatly restricts movement in that arm and is quite painful if it is bumped or if I try to lift too much. Getting comfortable at night is near impossible so my sleep is broken and unrestful. I can no longer do up my own bra, although I can undo it one-handed, and if I am particularly stiff I can't take my shirt off either.
Exercise is vital to reduce the adhesions, staying still makes it freeze up more. But I have to be gentle. I knock it or jerk it accidentally every few days and weep in pain, but my shoulder is actually much freer for 24 hours afterwards because I have ripped the adhesions.
I have been walking many mornings and some evenings lately, moving and swinging my arms helps keep the shoulder limber and less painful, and getting a bit of exercise is a nice side effect. I've missed quite a few days from rain though - we have had almost constant rain for about a month and evacuations nearby from flooding. And summer + rain means humidity and mosquitoes. Even with insect repellant on when I go out, I am now covered in itchy bites. But... must walk as often as I can. I wake so stiff and sore that it is a relief to get up and about.
So, I am back at the gym - gently - plus walking hopefully a couple of times a day. It's a start.
Oh, and I am getting a push-bike for Christmas!
The reason for my limitations is still my shoulder. I am having an x-ray and ultrasound this week to confirm - or at least to rule out other possibilities - but it looks very much like adhesive capsulitis: frozen shoulder. I had it in my right shoulder 8 years ago after 2 years of RSI, and now it has hit my left. It greatly restricts movement in that arm and is quite painful if it is bumped or if I try to lift too much. Getting comfortable at night is near impossible so my sleep is broken and unrestful. I can no longer do up my own bra, although I can undo it one-handed, and if I am particularly stiff I can't take my shirt off either.
Exercise is vital to reduce the adhesions, staying still makes it freeze up more. But I have to be gentle. I knock it or jerk it accidentally every few days and weep in pain, but my shoulder is actually much freer for 24 hours afterwards because I have ripped the adhesions.
I have been walking many mornings and some evenings lately, moving and swinging my arms helps keep the shoulder limber and less painful, and getting a bit of exercise is a nice side effect. I've missed quite a few days from rain though - we have had almost constant rain for about a month and evacuations nearby from flooding. And summer + rain means humidity and mosquitoes. Even with insect repellant on when I go out, I am now covered in itchy bites. But... must walk as often as I can. I wake so stiff and sore that it is a relief to get up and about.
So, I am back at the gym - gently - plus walking hopefully a couple of times a day. It's a start.
Oh, and I am getting a push-bike for Christmas!
Monday, November 22, 2010
W21 D3 - No progress. Did you really expect any?
Lots of shoulder pain getting worse. Need to see doctor again. Frantically busy with work. No progress.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
W17 D4 - Doctor
Still sick. I think, since my last post a week ago, that I got a bit better then worse again. I saw the doctor yesterday. She was of the opinion that I have had a whole series of different colds and flus in a row, probably passed on by the kids. Aiden is finally well again, hopefully I will be soon too. I am taking painkillers for the sore throat plus zinc & vitamin C.
I also talked to the doctor about my left shoulder which isn't getting better, I am now on anti-inflammitories for that and if it doesn't get better soon I will go for x-ray and ultrasound, and probably start the whole painful physio process. Blah.
With my contraceptive pill and the Vitamin D (I have a deficiency! In Australia!), I am taking around 12 tablets a day. Some before meals, some with meals, some after meals, some anytime.
I can't exercise at the moment. But I can still make choices. So, from today, I will:
1) Track my food. Even if/when I go over.
2) Take all my tablets carefully. But try to cut down on the painkillers.
3) Do the shoulder stretches 3 x a day as recommended by the doctor.
4) Not eat after 8.30pm. Usually I have unnecessary snacks that make me feel bloated right before bed. No more!
That is all I am committing to right now.
I also talked to the doctor about my left shoulder which isn't getting better, I am now on anti-inflammitories for that and if it doesn't get better soon I will go for x-ray and ultrasound, and probably start the whole painful physio process. Blah.
With my contraceptive pill and the Vitamin D (I have a deficiency! In Australia!), I am taking around 12 tablets a day. Some before meals, some with meals, some after meals, some anytime.
I can't exercise at the moment. But I can still make choices. So, from today, I will:
1) Track my food. Even if/when I go over.
2) Take all my tablets carefully. But try to cut down on the painkillers.
3) Do the shoulder stretches 3 x a day as recommended by the doctor.
4) Not eat after 8.30pm. Usually I have unnecessary snacks that make me feel bloated right before bed. No more!
That is all I am committing to right now.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
W12 D2 - shoulder pain
I went to Zumba, finally, last Thursday night. I enjoyed it, perhaps not quite as much as I had hoped. I've done a bit of dancing, but this was mainly based on Marenge (?sp) which I had never done, a bit of salsa, and a bit of Calypso - which even the instructor said made her feel stupid to do! I was pretty fun, and trying to learn the steps distracted me from the workout.
Friday was my day off, then Saturday was so stormy I didn't leave the house, then Sunday was Father's Day devoted to Tim (and lots of yummy food) so I ended up having three days off exercise instead of one. I went again this morning.
I weighed myself on the weekend, 82.9kg on Saturday and 82.7kg on Sunday. I don't feel like I am getting anywhere, but then I haven't been very consistent sofar.
The really bad news is that my left shoulder is gradually getting worse. I had problems, starting 10 years ago, that originated in my right shoulder and spread down both arms and hands. RSI and then frozen shoulder. It was a really bad time, I had endless painful physical therapy, anti-inflammitory drugs that turned out to be very bad for many people, and I ended up having to leave work altogether. I couldn't even dress myself and I got quite depressed. I am very careful with how much time I spend on the computer etc now, the RSI starts to come back if I don't look after it.
But this brand-new pain is in my left shoulder and doesn't feel muscular like the RSI, it feels more like the frozen shoulder. It really hurts when I move it abruptly and I have lost a lot of movement, I now can't do up my own bra at the back. It is scary, I don't want to go through all that again. I will see a doctor soon. I can't remember exactly when it started because it has been gradual, was it before I started exercise 12 weeks ago or around the same time? Is BodyPump too much for it? But why frozen shoulder anyway? That is more likely to come from lack of movement, like when I stopped using my right shoulder due to the RSI pain. It may not be frozen shoulder at all, but it has been there for at least 12 weeks and it getting worse. Do I stop any exercise that involves it (I am always careful) or do I use it more? Do I put a total ban on computer use, which would mean giving up my new job, even though I only work 15 hours a week with lots of breaks? It is hard not to get depressed about it.
Friday was my day off, then Saturday was so stormy I didn't leave the house, then Sunday was Father's Day devoted to Tim (and lots of yummy food) so I ended up having three days off exercise instead of one. I went again this morning.
I weighed myself on the weekend, 82.9kg on Saturday and 82.7kg on Sunday. I don't feel like I am getting anywhere, but then I haven't been very consistent sofar.
The really bad news is that my left shoulder is gradually getting worse. I had problems, starting 10 years ago, that originated in my right shoulder and spread down both arms and hands. RSI and then frozen shoulder. It was a really bad time, I had endless painful physical therapy, anti-inflammitory drugs that turned out to be very bad for many people, and I ended up having to leave work altogether. I couldn't even dress myself and I got quite depressed. I am very careful with how much time I spend on the computer etc now, the RSI starts to come back if I don't look after it.
But this brand-new pain is in my left shoulder and doesn't feel muscular like the RSI, it feels more like the frozen shoulder. It really hurts when I move it abruptly and I have lost a lot of movement, I now can't do up my own bra at the back. It is scary, I don't want to go through all that again. I will see a doctor soon. I can't remember exactly when it started because it has been gradual, was it before I started exercise 12 weeks ago or around the same time? Is BodyPump too much for it? But why frozen shoulder anyway? That is more likely to come from lack of movement, like when I stopped using my right shoulder due to the RSI pain. It may not be frozen shoulder at all, but it has been there for at least 12 weeks and it getting worse. Do I stop any exercise that involves it (I am always careful) or do I use it more? Do I put a total ban on computer use, which would mean giving up my new job, even though I only work 15 hours a week with lots of breaks? It is hard not to get depressed about it.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
W8 D5 - Stumbling out of bed
It was really really hard to get up at 5.45am this morning. I slept much better, only waking a couple of times (which is probably normal, everyone wakes a few times during the night but usually doesn't remember it), so I was actually asleep when the alarm went off. I got up to pee but it was a huge mental effort not to crawl back into my warm bed. I told myself I couldn't get slack (in the first week back!) and lose momentum, and that I had tomorrow off and could sleep in until 7.30 then. I wavered a bit but with sheer willpower (don't say it doesn't exist!) I got into my gym gear and out the door.
It wasn't raining, maybe just a light sprinkle, and wonder of wonders I could see a lighter area low on the eastern horizon - evidence of the sun waiting to rise! Winter is nearly over.
Today I put more weight on my bar for BodyPump. That is, I put SOME weight on my bar! 1kg on each end. It was certainly managable, probably not too long until I can increase that a bit, always being careful of my shoulders. I still had no weight on the bar for the 2 tracks where you lie down, that hurt my r. shoulder at one point even with just the empty bar. And I didn't do push ups or the other floor-work (abs) at the end, hurts the neck and shoulders too much. But I did a lot, and certainly more than Tuesday, just 2 days ago!, so I feel quite good about it.
I was starving hungry when I got home, I would have made poached eggs but the pan I use was dirty and I could be bothered taking the time to wash it so I just had toast.
It wasn't raining, maybe just a light sprinkle, and wonder of wonders I could see a lighter area low on the eastern horizon - evidence of the sun waiting to rise! Winter is nearly over.
Today I put more weight on my bar for BodyPump. That is, I put SOME weight on my bar! 1kg on each end. It was certainly managable, probably not too long until I can increase that a bit, always being careful of my shoulders. I still had no weight on the bar for the 2 tracks where you lie down, that hurt my r. shoulder at one point even with just the empty bar. And I didn't do push ups or the other floor-work (abs) at the end, hurts the neck and shoulders too much. But I did a lot, and certainly more than Tuesday, just 2 days ago!, so I feel quite good about it.
I was starving hungry when I got home, I would have made poached eggs but the pan I use was dirty and I could be bothered taking the time to wash it so I just had toast.
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