Reconnection

It’s been quite a few interesting days.

Truly stunning results coming from my rehab, pain is largely gone and the throbbing largely subsides until late evening.

Has meant a massive change in the better for pain killers, something I’ve been wanting for a long time.

Pool sessions have been great, I’m going to struggle to keep these sessions going while working full time.

Physio isn’t really keen for me to return to the Next Gen pool as it’s both shallow and cold.
South Australia Aquatic & Leisure Centre is looking to be a great option.

My Physio loves the place and I toured yesterday and it looks to be a good fit. Their program pool is a better depth of 1.4M up from 1.2M and it’s also a lot warmer at around 32 degrees C.

Going to head in for a casual visit tomorrow and drag my Dad along, if the visit works well, I’ll sign up and make regular visits.

It won’t be a total replacement for Next Gen I’ll run dual memberships.

Back at work on Monday and I’m going to negotiate clearance to use the gym there.

A small selection of equipment there but I’m mainly interested in dumbbells, I’m not ready to invest at home as yet.

It’s been a really interesting 24 hours, yesterday I smashed my pool session a little too well. The supervising Physio is having to develop my program as the current work out is now far too simple. This is a massive gain for me, when I first started the program it was hard going and would take me the full half hour to do.

Now it’s so easy I knock it over in about 15 minutes. We’ve added to it a bit and increased the reps but, I met with my Physio today and we have a revised program for me to work with.

Only downside of the Sa Aqua and Sports Centre is no pool equipment for use. So I’ve had to buy some noodles and a kick board.

The kick-board is terrible, not only does it show Clark Rubbers mascot is of questionable quality.

I expect for home pool usage it’s fine, but in a commercial/rehab environment I have my doubts. I’ll see how saaquatic goes before I go spending even more money.

The noodles I’ve bought are the same as I use at the CHG pool, they are Australian Made by Clark Rubber. I stood my ground with the sales staff as the Australian noddles are about $8.75 whereas the “cheap china ones” are about $4.75 the shelf price indicated $4.75. Obviously pool noodles are normally a summer purchase, so in winter stocks are down.

I won out so I’ve got my 3 noodles and kickboard.

During the week, news broke of the death of a long term family friend.

While the passing is sad for the family it’s a blessing as injury and in more recent years dementia robbed this person of life in recent years. Sadly the situation is compounded as the spouse of the deceased has recently been diagnosed with cancer and is about to start aggressive treatment.

I wasn’t able to attend the funeral, but was pleased to be able to attend the wake.

Was really great to reconnect with that group of long term friends, many on which I’ve not seen for years. Was also interesting seeing many of the personalities come out, time doesn’t change some things!

Solid Physio consults yesterday and today, not quite tears from her but I really had an impact on my Physio. It’s fair to say both yesterday and today she was totally surprised in my progress. We’re now at point where I’m the best I have been in months and I can’t begin to explain how the feels.

I feel like I waking from a nightmare but at the same time trying to pinch myself to see if what I’m experiencing is real.

This whole injury has caused a mild depression and I’m still recovering from that. So far I’ve had a run of great solid days, while I know this won’t last forever it’s helping boost my self confidence which is critical right now.

This afternoon was a very special but slightly private time for me, but one that I will share.

Quite a few months ago I met someone who even in a group exercise class environment had a major impact on me, the sort of person that stands out in the crowd and you think to yourself “I want to know more about this person”

This person is Emma, she was until recently working at Next Gen. Emma is one of those infections people that raises your spirits and nothing generally is too much trouble.

She’s a Gym Manager, Personal Trainer and Aqua Instructor.

Since she left Next Gen I’ve kept in loose touch with her. She a hard one to pin down, having started a new job which involved opening a new gym she was and is quite the busy woman.

I’ve wanted a individual PT session with Emma for a couple of months and particularly in the past couple of weeks I’ve been trying to organize it. With the return to work on Monday my focus is going to change more to a work/rehab focus rather than a pure rehab focus, that time is upon us.

So a nice way to finish that off was with a hard boxing session with Emma. Emma is significantly shorter than me, in great shape and is a fantastic motivator.

I text Emma a couple of months ago and said something along the lines of “I miss you kicking my arse, that’s healthy right?” I won’t post the heartfelt lol response I got back.

So today I booked Emma in, the obligatory question “how long” normally I’d go an hour but right now my endurance and bank balance says 1/2 hour.

To give Emma an idea what I was after I said ” I want to push myself, but I think once we reach the half hour point you would have worn out your welcome ;)”

Now Emma is the third PT I have worked with in the past 3 months. In true form I pool different benefits from each trainer.

Emma knows me before injury and worked with me at the start of the injury process until I had boxing classes removed from my exercise clearance.

There is something about this woman, she “gets me” and knows how to motivate me by pushing my buttons but in a constructive way.

Today I trained the hardest probably ever, the feeling of wanting to puke was ever present and by the end of the last boxing interval I was almost breathless as I put everything I had in reserve and more into her pads.

I still don’t know where most of what I found during that workout came from, all I know that tomorrow I’m going to be paying for it. That doesn’t worry me as it’s good pain and while at the time it was a hell of a battle Emma worked with me to show me that I was capable of even more than I realized.

I created a playlist for the work out and it became obviously I forgot to include the track by Kelis “I hate you so much right now”  while not true post session, it seemed fitting.

When I commit to a PT session I give it my all, Emma pushed and pushed, but also knew when I had to back off. This is why I won’t push this hard without supervision as I need to be careful.

It’s been an amazing week and tomorrow I need to sort out laundry and get to the pool.

Exciting times friends!

While loosing it – trust your gut

So I have this team of people I’m working with, to help me grow and reclaim my life (Team Pilko) they now  number somewhere around 12 now. This doesn’t include friends or acquaintances that I really “bounce things” off either.

GPs, PTs, Dietician, Podiatrist, Phyio’s, Chiro, Masseur, Pilates Instructor

Slightly nuts, but it is being consolidated and I really and pulling on everyone’s strengths and the results show.

Within the last few weeks, I wasn’t coping where I was at, I needed answers. I turned to the surgical consult and wasn’t happy. There was a feeling in my gut that I probably needed surgery but this wasn’t the person to do it.

I had this gut feeling I was being mis-diagnosed. So I saw a sports GP. While I felt better with some answers provided my gut feeling told me “your close but not there yet” So I pushed on, on that search for “the answer” This was during a period I really struggled through as having no clear answer was driving me crazy, and that just wasn’t the strong pain killers knocking me around!

It normally takes me years to really trust people, I hold back which is a self protection it comes at a cost but it’s got me this far. I’m especially loyal when it comes to companies I deal with once they have earnt that loyalty. So I had no problems in switching surgeons or ignoring half of the advise from someone who I didn’t trust when I got a professional alternative advise. (Didn’t like the sports GP and podiatrist suggested someone better)

What I’m getting at, although it took about two months longer that it should of, if something is telling you it ain’t right, well it probably isn’t! (refer to earlier post about believe in yourself!)

I know now far to much “physio talk” but I have learnt valuable life lessons as a result and while the pain and impact on my work can not be understated. In the end I will be stronger for it.

So be bloody minded, don’t take no for an answer, research, search and search again and till your satisfied with the situation your in! (Sometimes you will have to compromise a bit) but that old gut of yours while shrinking is still a precious thing.

Perspective – focus and lack there of

Today I had a physio consult, one of three for the week. As it turns out this week I’m running three physios. Yes slightly crazy but it’s in a fine balance and perspective.

I don’t normally have a light bulb moment when I’m driving, I am fortunate enough to generally only drive in peak hour traffic so I’m ultra focused on the road. Today was a different story it was mid afternoon and was thinking it was time to write another blog entry.

What the hell do I write, I’m still torn about how much to share and what do I ramble on about. In the past week or so I’ve had to make some decisions, I need to have confidence, I’m not much of a risk taker. It got me thinking about my situation and some of particular areas or worry and concern. I thought to myself as I was waiting for a change of lights, that my perspective on this was wrong and if I only changed my perspective I’d be fine.

Sounds like a pile of crap really, something you’d read on some daytime infomercial (hey I’ve been home during the day a lot recently, don’t get me started on that!) any how more than just “turn that frown upside down” I thought in times when I’ve had to face my fears head on, when I’ve struggled and when there doesn’t appear to be a light at the end of the tunnel we need a change of perspective.

One of the staff at work suggested to me that I catastrophize things and I was a little taken a back and when I reflected on it, bugger it they were right.

I’m seeking help for it and I am making progress, but I believe over the past couple of months, possibly longer I have been dealing with depression.

As I’ve said I’m not much of a risk taker but sometimes you have to have confidence in yourself and your judgement and the rewards can be amazing. Sure you do have to accept your failings and you can learn and build from that.

So while it’s not always easy or possible to look at your current situation differently, it helps to and if you can’t do it ask your friends or seek professional advise.

It’s a personal growth thing and take a chance on yourself and you’ll be surprised where it goes. That said, you will not always find the surprise to your liking.

Belive in yourself

So the past couple of weeks have been really interesting.

Until yesterday I have been getting around with a Aircast Foam Walker (Moon boot) and crutches. Today with advise the moon boot is gone and it’s just crutches for about a week.

One of the key things I’ve found with my journey so far is you need to believe in yourself. I know it sounds dogy, something you’d see on an infomercial, but if you can’t confide in yourself, honestly what hope have you got!

Now I’m not saying that you can do this by yourself, you need to have a good support network, this is the key. You Need to believe in yourself that you can do what your setting out to achieve and as part of that surround yourself with the right people. That’s where “Team Pilko” comes in. I didn’t know how to exercise or cook. Did I believe I could do it, yes I did! Could I do it myself? Well not really.

So embrace change, motivate yourself where you can and take advise, you’ll be the better for it!

Mobility

So right now I’m struggling big time, I’m bouncing around various health professionals trying to get the right advise.

In all of this I still have to be able to get around. It hurts to walk, it hurts to sit.

I’ll post about my rehab later but for now let me share whats working for me

The aircast foam walker also known as a moon boot stabilizes my ankle with air cells either side

The other thing that has helped is ergo grip elbow crutches. Normal crutches don’t work for me and with so much force on my hands the ergo crutches work so much better ( photo to come)

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