Cruel Summer

My summer has not been the greatest in recent history! First, on June 5th, I had an extended bout of SVT that sent me to the hospital where they stopped (and restarted) my heart with a drug called Adenocard. That led me to cutting caffeine out of my life and eating healthier. The next step was to workout so I started strength training and then running to prepare for a 5K.

Everything was going great! The extra pounds were falling off and the running put me in a wonderful frame of mind. Then 4 weeks into my training I tore my ACL while running with a dog, who shall remain nameless (Capone). The tear required surgery, which occurred on August 10th and went well! I have been in Physical Therapy for two weeks and have already recovered 80 degrees of flexion (only 50 more degrees to go)!

Then this morning, as I am waking, my heart goes into SVT again! This required another trip to the ER and another dose of Adenocard to bring my heart rate down from 205 beats per minute to 80 beats per minute in a matter of 2 seconds! Not the way I wanted to start my Tuesday! This summer has truly been a cruel joke! I am so ready for it to end and for fall to begin! Summer, you are officially booted from my life and you can take all you cruelness with you! Good riddance!


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12 Days Post Op

I finally ditched the crutches and the cane and my brace is no longer locked! I know it seems like a little thing but it is such a big accomplishment for me! I also started physical therapy today. I was a tad scared that they were going to throw me on a table, face down and force my foot to touch my booty! Don't laugh! I really thought they were going to hurt me bad. Turns out that today was pretty easy. They asked tons of questions, measured my knee, measured my extension (I was at 6), measured my flexion (I was at 41) and watched me walk! Heal, toe, bend, repeat. Again, simple but much needed!

Then I was handed a list of printed exercises to do at home until my next appointment on Wednesday! Yup, I get to hurt myself in the comfort of my own home! No pain, no gain right? The Diva pushes me pretty hard so there is no cheating on this!

So what does the future hold? Well, I was thinking that running would be impossible before the 6 month mark but she said it was possible at 3 so we shall see! In the meantime, I continue to eat right and lose weight by the changes I have made in my diet! I can't tell you a number lost right now because the Diva dropped our scales and I have not been in a position to battle the back-to-school crowds to pick up another one! I do know that my clothes are too big and that is a good thing!

I will leave you with a picture of my biggest "problem" right now and that is keeping the bottom of my left foot clean! Lol! Yup, it is a running joke here at my house! As you can see, I have to use a mirror to see the horror that is my foot! Hope you all have a great week!

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TracFone Can Cut Your Cell Phone Bill!

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of TracFone for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

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Lesson Learned!

As we all know, life is a learning process that continues from birth to grave.  Some of us are more likely  to learn our lessons and apply them to our lives while others learn the same lesson over and over but never quite "get it"!  I have never been one to make the same mistake twice and always apply my life lessons as they are learned to better myself and my family.

I have never been on crutches for more than 3 days back when I was in High School and sprained my ankle so this not being able to move without help since the middle of July has taken it's tole on my spirit.  I have realized how much I take my mobility for granted.  I never realized what it meant to NOT be able to just do what I wanted, when I wanted!  Everything now has to be planned and prepared for.  The simplest task of preparing lunch must be planned like a dance to make the fewest trips around the kitchen and then I must enlist someone, usually the Diva, to carry it to the table since my hands are busy helping me walk.

I am so thankful that, with some physical therapy, I will regain my mobility but what if I could never walk again?  What then?  What if I couldn't run or dance with my baby girl?  I know that I would be sad but would adjust to that style of life but I don't have to!

My lesson learned:  dance like no one is watching, run just for the fun of it with child-like attitude and make sure that when the Diva wants to go for a walk.......we go!  So if you see me dancing down the street in a few weeks, dance with me!  When you see me running in 6 or 7 months, join me!  If you need a walking partner, call me I am available!  I will NEVER again take my mobility for granted! 

I pray you are all having a wonderful week!!  Now get out there and move!

2 Days Post-op

I am still alive and not so much kickin'! The day of surgery I was pretty calm and just ready to get it over with. When I came to, I felt like my leg had been bent backward! Ouch did not adequately describe what I was feeling but after a shot of pain meds, I felt much better! Don't get me wrong, they had given me a femoral nerve block and general anesthesia and then oral Lora-tab but I needed just a little extra help from my friend Toredol!

After a couple of hours of "wake up" time, I got to go home! I was fine until they started moving me and the nausea kicked in! Too bad I did not have the prescription filled yet! I made it to the car and almost made it home! Ick, but it was to be expected. That night was filled with sleep, sleep and more sleep!

The next morning, I had to unplug myself from the little icing machine that came home with me before I could even attempt to move. I tried to move my leg but could not do so! Aaah, yes, the med ball that had my nerve block was still going into my leg and I could feel nothing! The Knight had to physically lift it for me and then when I tried to move it felt like it weighed 80,000 pounds! Kid you not, it felt like it was going to pop out of the socket! Ugh! And let's not even mention trying to get to the bathroom! So yesterday was again another day of sleep!

That brings us to today! I am now 2 days post-op and had a couple of appointments today! Appointment number one was to get the little medicine ball catheter out of my leg! I have to admit some apprehension about this because I knew that I would begin to feel the knee for the first time! The second appointment was to see Dr. Eubanks so he could unwrap me! He said everything looks great and I go back next week to get the stitches out. The good news is that I can now bear weight on that leg with the assistance of my brace and crutches! I am getting there! I have some at home PT to do but will start seeing a trainer next week! Recovery here I come!!

Have a great weekend all!!



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Going Under The Knife!

I will admit that I am a tad nervous about my ACL reconstruction tomorrow! At the risk of sounding like a big baby ( which I am), I have NEVER gone under without my Mommy! The Knight will be there but it just is not the same and this has caused me some anxiety issues the past few days!

I am as prepared as I can possibly be. The house is clean and the laundry is done. The pantry is stocked for two weeks and I even got a couple of bags of ice for the new little icing machine that will come home with me after surgery. I have books to read, photos to edit and Pinterest on my phone to keep me occupied during my recovery.

The Knight bought me a semi recumbent bike to ride when the Physical Therapist gives me the thumbs up! In case you are wondering, I will not be able to run for 6 to 8 months but the plan is to run again! I plan to start training again in April so I can do my first 5k in July and hopefully run the Mattoon to Peoria St. Jude's run at the end of July!

I will be back to photography in 4-5 weeks if I am a good girl. Maybe I needed this break to find my muse! Who knows? So here I go, starting my way to recovery!

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