Injured and hobbling

Well, I'm just about walking without even a limp now, but it has been 7 weeks and 3 days since I tore the calf muscle in my right leg. A 'massive' sized one my Physio said. The ultrasound showed the tear was 3cm long by 1.7cm wide OUCH! Something to be proud of perhaps.. in a strange way! Yes, it hurt...a lot, most especially the first 10 days. I was on crutches for 4weeks, let me say they were 4 loooonnnngggg weeks - for me AND my family! I am mighty grateful for the care they showed me. Everyone's chores were upped another level while I was stuck on the lounge, and that was pretty frustrating for me. Especially as most nights Tony had to come home and cook dinner after a hard and long physical days work. Again we were fortunate that we homeschool; for one I could not have gotten the kids to school, and for two - they were at home to help me. Some of the time was official school holidays. My original plan was that we were going to school right through them and keep the 2 weeks up our sleeve for another time, but when I injured myself that plan was scrapped and we took the holidays. Homeschool flexibility - I love it!

Sarah & Daniel looked after me so well during the day, and have become much more skilled, not only at making cups of tea exactly the way I like them, but in lots of other ways, in the kitchen especially. They were both already used to doing some household chores, such as putting on a load of washing and hanging it, vacuuming, sweeping, dishes and bed making...they are just not used to having to do them EVERYDAY, for the 4 weeks till I could get around better. Sarah had the most daytime chores and was quite exasperated one day and said about the housework, "it never goes away, you have to do it again everyday" So true, sweetheart, so true, LOL!

The situation did highlight the fact that it's time Sarah learnt a few extra cooking skills. She can make Spaghetti Bol, Burrittos, pancakes and banana cake from scratch, but I have realised this is not enough. In my planner I have noted that I need to teach her more in this area. Daniel will be learning some new kitchen skills as well.

After 4 weeks my physio then progressed me into this cumbersome ski-boot type of thing - which gave me such a sense of freedom! Here is a photo



I have just this week ditched the boot, and I'm swimming (kicking my feet with flippers on) as hydrotherapy. I am doing 20 laps twice a week and my leg feels good and strong in the water. It's another story on dry land though! This weekend it's been aching quite a bit. A combination of being used after a long time off, and the massage to break-up the scar tissue my physio gave me on Friday - it really hurt! Funny how that sort of pain is good for you. He's a chiropractor also, so he did some sort of manipulation of my hip which has been thrown out from the lopsided hobbling I've been doing lately. Besides the ache in my lower leg, I'm feeling pretty good and I'm doing everything I can to get back to normal.

So I didn't say how I tore my muscle, did I? I'm sure you will all be surprised at my new sport, something I would never have envisaged myself doing, and probably some of you wont even believe me when I say - I'm a kickboxer! It's true! I've been doing it since February 07, and I LOVE it. I quite enjoy the hard physical challenge it is, and it's a marvel to me that I seem to find deep reserves of strength and stamina that I never knew I had in me! I am often pushed to a point where I don't think I can do anymore...but I say to myself, "try just a little bit longer, or do just a little bit more"...and amazingly, I can!!!

In the beginning I was not able to complete an hour long class once a week - I'd be huffing and puffing, hanging my head out the window gulping fresh air, and every week for the first 6 weeks I would get dizzy, and also feel like throwing up. For the past 6 months or so I've been going 3 times a week, and my fitness levels have increased dramatically....as well as my punching and kicking!! I've never done anything like it before - I was never in a fight in my whole life...and I didn't even know that a punch in the nose makes your eyes water....but now I do, LOL!

Anyway, I had a strain in my calf that I should have rested for longer than I did - silly, stupid me...because that is why it eventually tore. A hard lesson indeed.

Anyway, let me brag just a litte and tell you that I am now graded with an Orange singlet in BJC Muay Thai. First is white, then I graded yellow and just before my injury I graded Orange, isn't that terrific? I'm very proud of myself, cause let me tell you, it aint easy!!