I realized I have been assuming I need to do my exercises every day, which I was told that specifically in the beginning, but now we are getting into more work and using tools I don't readily have available, like a balance mat. So, I need to remember to ask how often I should be doing my exercises. I'm perfectly happy to do them every day, but if they are more of a 3-4 times per week set, then I don't want to overdo it.
The Good: My physical therapist says I am continuing to improve at a good pace - she could definitely tell that I was a lot looser than the week before and she gave me more exercises to do. I am walking fairly normally (not much of a limp), although still walking a little more slowly than usual. I also worked up the courage to start taking the stairs one over the other! I started doing that with just going down at first and then one time I did it going up with out even thinking. I literally gasped when I realized I did it. So that's, exciting. There are so many stairs in my life!
I had two running friends visit! Who can complain about that? My friend MK came out Friday afternoon and left early Sunday morning. In her short time here, we checked out Cherry Cricket (famous for their burgers ... good but I wouldn't write home about it), got a few treats at VooDoo Doughnuts and ate them in City Park, drove part of the Peak to Peak scenic drive to check out the fall colors, had lunch in Boulder and dinner at Yaya's (I would write home about that!).
Another friend, Dave, was driving through Denver with one of his daughters, so we met up for root beer floats and some baseball talk. It was a short chat, but thoroughly enjoyed it.
The Bad: Nothing!
The Ugly: Really nothing!
The Random: A few posts ago, I mentioned that I felt like I was in a time warp. I still sort of feel like this. Or maybe it's more accurate to say I feel like I'm in an alternative universe. When I was still on crutches, strangers rushed to open doors for me. People saw me on an exercise bicycle, with my crutches nearby and gave me smiles of support. Now that I'm done with all my medical equipment, I'm pretty much "normal" by society's standards, but I don't feel normal. I have these two scars on my hip now, I still can't sit cross-legged or cross my right leg over my left. There's still a lot I can't do. And so when people look at me funny, I immediately get defensive in my head and want to shout "I just had surgery!" But I don't, because they are probably just looking at me the same way they look at every one else. I just interpret it differently.
In other news, Lolo Jones and I are surgery sisters now. She posted a video of her on an upright exercise bike 6 hours after hip surgery - she didn't say what kind of surgery, but I'd recognize that damn brace anywhere.
I have a feeling I'm going to be very jealous of her recovery, as it will surely be insanely quick, since being a runner is her job and all. Excuse, a hurdler. She's a hurdler, not a runner ;-).
The daily stuff
Friday
Took the afternoon off of work to pick up MK from the airport and showed her the parts of Denver I frequent.
Did PT exercises in evening, but forgot to do planks; 40 minute walk with Jeff
Saturday
Scenic drive along half of the Peak to Peak drive. I was pleasantly surprised with how well my hip did.
 |
| One of our many stops along the drive. I made the "photo op" excuse, but really it was to stretch the hip, ha! |
40 minute walk with Jeff and totally skipped PT.
Sunday
MK flew out early, did PT early, deep water walking for ~40 minutes (forward, backward, side to side) - got in almost 10,000 steps that day
Monday
Columbus Day - day off from work.
Rode bike for 30 minutes at the gym. PT after studying for GRE by the pool (life is so hard sometimes). I found this particular tip in the Princeton Review Guide rather entertaining:
 |
| DON'T END A RELATIONSHIP BEFORE TAKING THE GRE. Who cares if you know it's not right? |
Tuesday
I was curious as to how much time I actually spent walking Jeff - this had to be a significant amount of time, so I got out the old Timex. That day's total was 90 minutes. This is no wonder why my hip tends to get a little sore in the evenings - I'm really using that thing!
PT in evening. Root beer floats with Dave and his daughter.
Wednesday
PT appointment
exercises:
- planks 2x30s
- bird dogs 15
- bridges 2x15
- bridge ex ball roll in 2x12
- deeper squats (just so it doesn't pinch) 2x15
- leg repeats with band 4x15
- step up on surgical leg 2x15
- calf raises 2x15
- balance on surgical leg 3x30s
Thursday
I don't know what my deal was, I could not get enough complex carbohydrates that day. It was probably because I broke my fast with this zucchini lemon loaf one of my co-workers brought. Ya know, the "healthy" stuff that in no way, shape or form, is actually healthy. I made a mental note that is was time to break the sugar addiction again. I had lots of broccoli for lunch, so that's a start, right?
PT exercises in the afternoon, followed by 22 minutes on the bike at level 8. I finally got my heart rate up above 130 and was breathing heavy. Felt amazing.
PT exercises in the afternoon, followed by 22 minutes on the bike at level 8. I finally got my heart rate up above 130 and was breathing heavy. Felt amazing.
No comments:
Post a Comment