As some of you may know, my training has taken a turn. A turn towards the sofa for the last 3.5 months. I've been unable to train, and sadly, my goal of doing a 50K this year are on hold.
The Short Version
This is what happened:
The Longer Version (with pictures so you'll keep reading)
About 3.5 months ago I started having some pain in my right knee. It was only painful while I ran, at first. Then I couldn't finish my runs at all. And then it hurt whenever I walked. So I hauled myself in to a series of doctors and medical types, who ran innumerable test and tried all sorts of crazy stuff, none of which actually seemed to help, including:
- Not running (boooooo!)
- Cortisone shot (hey, turns out i'm severely allergic to cortisone!)
- Ultrasound and electrical stimulation for 12 weeks (oomphf, insurances doesn't cover all of this!)
- 2 MRIs (ugh. so many battles with my insurance company)
- Physical therapy for 10 week (Check out my one legged planks! Strong core!)
- Dextrose and lidocaine injection into one of the bursas of my knee (super cool to watch the needle go into my knee under the ultrasound machine!)
- New physical therapist (double oomphf! he doesn't accept my insurance.)
- Cupping (ouch! don't look at my freaky bruises!)
- 200 reverse bridges a day (hey, look my core is still strong!)
Somewhere between the cortisone shot and the 200 bridges, my big toe started hurting. I dismissed it as too much training. All of my doctors dismissed it, too. Finally, after complaining about it repeatedly, my PT told me to go to a podiatrist.
So off I went to the Sports Medicine Clinic at St. Francis. They treat the dancers at SF Ballet, so figured I'd get some good care. (I was right.) Two visits, an X-ray and an MRI later, I'm told my seismoid bones are fractured, broken into 3 pieces. One of the pieces is worn down to a nub, indicating the fracture likely happened a while ago.
These are your seismoid bones in your foot:
They are embedded in your tendons. You step on them every time you walk (or run) or do anything really involving your feet. You put about 50% of your body weight on them every time you take a step. They are very tiny bones and very difficult to heal. Since mine were broken into pieces, the little pieces are floating around in my tendons causing all sort of havoc.
The treatment: Resting, tapping, padding, custom orthotics and the dreaded boot. I've been in it for 6.5 weeks now, and have at least 1.5 more weeks to go. My last check up indicated that it was not healing as it should, so I now get to add to my list of treatments, the Bone Stimulator. It arrives next week, and is some sort of ultrasound-based device that is supposed to increase stimulation and support bone healing. I guess it looks like this:
It has been a real drag hauling this ridiculous boot around. I can't drive (since its on my right foot). I can walk, but do so very, very slowly. I can exercise a little bit, but am fairly limited in what I can do. Getting to the gym itself is a good chore. I now get up 45 minutes early in the morning so I can get to work on time. Good times!
So, what have I been doing since I can't run, walk, or drive, you ask? Here's a sampling:
I've been tending to my orchid. This is HUGE for me as I have a brown thumb. Good old Orchy is thriving.
I went to San Antonio for a conference for work. I saw the Alamo. (It really has no basement.) [Note: Black foam boot + 107 degree temps = bad idea.]
I've been cooking and drinking a lot:
I went to Donner Lake while my team ran. I sat at the beach and had my friends bring me beer:
2013 is clearly not turning out to be my year or running. (I got into the NYC marathon, even. But will have to defer.) I am, however, hopeful that I'll be back running, or at least walking at a normal pace, before the year is over.
So there you have it.
By the way, for all of you who donated to my fundraising efforts this season -- Thank you!! The funds still go to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and I will be able to train with them for another event when my body is ready.
Until next time . . .
