Today marks exactly one year since my injury.
In fact, it was even around this time (7:30-ish) that Mireille collapsed and remained frozen to the ground. She wouldn't look at me. She was sure I was black and blue and the size of a soccer ball. All she could think was:
"OMG, my kneecap is shattered and probably the bones in my legs. It's ok, they'll fix you... they'll fix you..."
She didn't even look at me as they took her in the ambulance. The whole time she just stared straight up, repeated the mantra "they'll fix you..." and focused on her breathing to get through the pain.
"I'm sorry miss but we can't give you any pain medication."
What!?!?!
Mireille finally glanced down at me in the hospital. I wasn't even swollen... She panicked for a second: "Did I make a scene for nothing?"
The extent of my injuries only revealed itself the next day. And, we now all know, I didn't make a scene for nothing - unfortunately!
***
We saw the surgeon again today. Dr. B told us another 3 months until our return to sports...
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
22 weeks, 1 day
We're feeling super duper!
(I just felt like saying "super duper"... oops, there I go again! But, really. How often do you get to say "super duper"??)
I don't have much to report so I thought I'd update the blogosphere on our workout schedule.
Day 1 @ gym
Bike warm-up
Leg press machine
Straight-legged dead lifts
Calf raises with dumbbells
Cardio workout (elliptical, treadmill or stairclimber)
Day 2 @ gym
Bike warm-up
Ball squats
Hamstring curl machine
Calf raise machine
Cardio workout (elliptical, treadmill or stairclimber)
Every morning we do at least 15 minutes of yoga and, most evenings, we get another longer yoga session in. 1 - 2 times per week we hit the pool (laps and now plyometrics in waist-high water). Biking outdoors once a week. Started also working the upper body at the gym.
On weeks where we don't go to physio, we fit in a third gym workout and add lunges + stability exercises.
Voilà!
(I just felt like saying "super duper"... oops, there I go again! But, really. How often do you get to say "super duper"??)
I don't have much to report so I thought I'd update the blogosphere on our workout schedule.
Day 1 @ gym
Bike warm-up
Leg press machine
Straight-legged dead lifts
Calf raises with dumbbells
Cardio workout (elliptical, treadmill or stairclimber)
Day 2 @ gym
Bike warm-up
Ball squats
Hamstring curl machine
Calf raise machine
Cardio workout (elliptical, treadmill or stairclimber)
Every morning we do at least 15 minutes of yoga and, most evenings, we get another longer yoga session in. 1 - 2 times per week we hit the pool (laps and now plyometrics in waist-high water). Biking outdoors once a week. Started also working the upper body at the gym.
On weeks where we don't go to physio, we fit in a third gym workout and add lunges + stability exercises.
Voilà!
Thursday, July 30, 2009
21 weeks, 2 days
Real pain or fear pain?
A work buddy is seeing a physio for knee issues. She is experiencing pain in various areas of the knee and my situation surely increased her paranoïa. Her physio is reminding her to question whether it's real pain or fear pain. How smart.
The yoga is highlighting some of Mireille's own fear pain. Currently, the most challenging asana by far is Child's pose. I can't quite bend to the point where Mireille is sitting on her heels. I also feel a sharp pain when being bent and pulled in towards the chest. So much for full flexion.
However, during tonight's practice, I noticed that I felt bendier the more Mireille cleared her mind, relaxed and breathed through it.
So, what's new? We're starting to walk with a swagger. Oh yeah...
A work buddy is seeing a physio for knee issues. She is experiencing pain in various areas of the knee and my situation surely increased her paranoïa. Her physio is reminding her to question whether it's real pain or fear pain. How smart.
The yoga is highlighting some of Mireille's own fear pain. Currently, the most challenging asana by far is Child's pose. I can't quite bend to the point where Mireille is sitting on her heels. I also feel a sharp pain when being bent and pulled in towards the chest. So much for full flexion.
However, during tonight's practice, I noticed that I felt bendier the more Mireille cleared her mind, relaxed and breathed through it.
So, what's new? We're starting to walk with a swagger. Oh yeah...
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
The big 2 - 0
I'm at 20 weeks and there's more letting go to do.
My physiotherapist is off on vacation for two weeks and, judging from tonight's performance, I don't need to see a replacement while he's gone. That will be very strange because I've been going there regularly for almost a year now. It's my social outing... my opportunity to meet and chat with other busted, reconstructed or don't-know-what's-wrong-with-it-yet knees.
I will replace the physio appointments with additional gym workouts and see how that goes. Hopefully, if all goes well, the appointments will become even more far between.
Mireille is still dealing with mental blocks when it comes to running and jumping properly. We've started practising these in the pool and perfecting the motions.
I bet you thought I was the hard one to train, huh? Mireille's paranoid brain is going to be the biggest challenge.
My physiotherapist is off on vacation for two weeks and, judging from tonight's performance, I don't need to see a replacement while he's gone. That will be very strange because I've been going there regularly for almost a year now. It's my social outing... my opportunity to meet and chat with other busted, reconstructed or don't-know-what's-wrong-with-it-yet knees.
I will replace the physio appointments with additional gym workouts and see how that goes. Hopefully, if all goes well, the appointments will become even more far between.
Mireille is still dealing with mental blocks when it comes to running and jumping properly. We've started practising these in the pool and perfecting the motions.
I bet you thought I was the hard one to train, huh? Mireille's paranoid brain is going to be the biggest challenge.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
19 weeks, 3 days
Holy geez!
I forgot to mention a huge milestone, yesterday. This is going to sound really bad but there's no other way to say it simply.
Mireille showered for the first time since her injury!
Ok, now let me explain...
After we got hurt, Mireille had a really hard time just standing there. Plus, we could barely put any pressure on me. So, we starting taking baths.
Wash hair = bath
Quick wash after the gym = bath
Sore muscles = bath
Cold outside = super hot bath
Regular, everyday cleaning = bath.
We really liked taking baths in the first place so this was the perfect excuse for taking them every single day.
"You're using a ton of water..." How about you bust your knee and stand in the shower?
I forgot to mention a huge milestone, yesterday. This is going to sound really bad but there's no other way to say it simply.
Mireille showered for the first time since her injury!
Ok, now let me explain...
After we got hurt, Mireille had a really hard time just standing there. Plus, we could barely put any pressure on me. So, we starting taking baths.
Wash hair = bath
Quick wash after the gym = bath
Sore muscles = bath
Cold outside = super hot bath
Regular, everyday cleaning = bath.
We really liked taking baths in the first place so this was the perfect excuse for taking them every single day.
"You're using a ton of water..." How about you bust your knee and stand in the shower?
"It's been months, why are you still exclusively taking baths?" Hey, we really like baths.
"It takes you forever..." I must admit, this is true.
And, with that, I'll finish by saying Mireille really appreciated how efficient the morning routine was when we didn't have to wait for the tub to fill up, pour a bucket of water on Mireille's head ten times to get all the shampoo out and rush through breakfast to make it to work at a decent time.19 weeks, 2 days
I don't have much to write about but feel obligated because it's been a while.
The walking keeps getting better. I am now getting more positive feedback from people and less "are you ever going to get better?" By the way, YES I am!
I've discovered that we can now jump. It was scary at first but surprisingly easy. I should have tried jumping a long time ago.
I catch a bit when I try to run so this part of the progress is still slow...
I still go to physio once a week. It's my social outing and I'm not ready to let go, yet.
I do an intense leg workout at the gym twice a week. Every non-gym day I either bike, swim, "run", jump, throw the disc. It all depends on my mood. Every day, though, I do yoga morning and evening.
The walking keeps getting better. I am now getting more positive feedback from people and less "are you ever going to get better?" By the way, YES I am!
I've discovered that we can now jump. It was scary at first but surprisingly easy. I should have tried jumping a long time ago.
I catch a bit when I try to run so this part of the progress is still slow...
I still go to physio once a week. It's my social outing and I'm not ready to let go, yet.
I do an intense leg workout at the gym twice a week. Every non-gym day I either bike, swim, "run", jump, throw the disc. It all depends on my mood. Every day, though, I do yoga morning and evening.
Monday, July 6, 2009
17 weeks, 6 days
The injury happened about 3 weeks before the European honeymoon. Cancelling was not an option.
We endured the cramping of a 10 hour plane ride to another continent. Climbed up to the Acropolis in Athens and walked the mile-long fortified wall that surrounds the old town core of Dubrovnik -- all with the help of handy-dandy crutches.
There was no stopping us. The crutches even followed us onto the black beaches of Santorini. I can still shake sand out of them...
It was sometimes hard not to trip people as we made our way through the hordes of tourists. But that's a story for another day.
Mireille can't really complain because she got prime seating in Rome's famous Sistine Chapel and one of very few chairs in the House of the Virgin Mary on the way to Ephesus, Turkey.
It's in this House, or small chapel, that I got approached by the nun.
"Can I give you this?", she said. Of course! Who doesn't like gifts?
It was a small pendant of none other than the Virgin Mary. Mireille considers herself to be a very spiritual person, and although she doesn't actively participate in organized religion, she thought it was a sweet gesture.
She immediately began wearing it and never took it off for about 11 months. The only time it left her neck was on surgery day. It was with us during a lot of rough moments.
But this past week, it was put away for good. It's time to let go of the crutches -- the handy-dandy but cumbersome ones, and the simple but powerful ones.
It's time to complete this process on our own.
We endured the cramping of a 10 hour plane ride to another continent. Climbed up to the Acropolis in Athens and walked the mile-long fortified wall that surrounds the old town core of Dubrovnik -- all with the help of handy-dandy crutches.
There was no stopping us. The crutches even followed us onto the black beaches of Santorini. I can still shake sand out of them...
It was sometimes hard not to trip people as we made our way through the hordes of tourists. But that's a story for another day.
Mireille can't really complain because she got prime seating in Rome's famous Sistine Chapel and one of very few chairs in the House of the Virgin Mary on the way to Ephesus, Turkey.
It's in this House, or small chapel, that I got approached by the nun.
"Can I give you this?", she said. Of course! Who doesn't like gifts?
It was a small pendant of none other than the Virgin Mary. Mireille considers herself to be a very spiritual person, and although she doesn't actively participate in organized religion, she thought it was a sweet gesture.
She immediately began wearing it and never took it off for about 11 months. The only time it left her neck was on surgery day. It was with us during a lot of rough moments.
But this past week, it was put away for good. It's time to let go of the crutches -- the handy-dandy but cumbersome ones, and the simple but powerful ones.
It's time to complete this process on our own.
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