Can't be arrished....

Finally, I've got round to blogging again!
How time flies when you're having fun, or rather, you're too busy to sit and waffle on a blog site.
Life HAS been busy, work is manic, still enjoyable, but incredibly busy, and home life is busy   too, not leaving much 'free time' to explore my new passion...

And that would by cycling!
My last post in August mentioned that I had gone over to 'the dark side' - swapped running for cycling.....and it's fab. Exercising sitting down? What's not to like?
It's a bit more restrictive weather wise, not so easy to go out when it's icy or pouring with rain...and that would NEVER have stopped me going out on two feet, but it's still fab.
Miles get covered so much quicker, and calories add up quicker, which, in terms of cake, means you have to eat so much more!! Win, win!

But, it hurts more when things go wrong.....

I was persuaded by the chappies in the bike shop, and all my testosterone-fuelled friends/family that the way to go is to have 'cleats'  - clip-in shoes rather than just straps on my pedals.
So, apart from the window-screen wiper Chris bought me for Christmas ( I lie not!) I had a set of new pedals and shoes....was fitted up by Banjo's bike shop ( my new BFFs) and off I went......and I fell off.....big time....

Boy, it hurt.

I was on a lovely country road, going a reasonable pace, when my back tyre hit some mud and then I hit the deck....the bike skidded sideways underneath me. I must admit I did think I had broken both legs as I couldn't move from my knees down, but then I remembered that I was clipped in!

I had lovely black bruises to my right hip, thigh, knee, elbow, and an imprint of the handlebars on my chest.....but, when I let Chris know....he wanted to know if the bike was ok....

It's taken me two weeks to get back on my bike.....very stiff....and a little apprehensive...but I managed 20 miles over the weekend  - and most importantly, I didn't fall off!

I really, really need to get some more miles under my belt as I have an event in 3 weeks (gulp) - my brother ( the nutter one) coerced me into an event with him...123 km - in one go....to be honest, I don't know if I can be arrished.

Arrished? I hear you ask?! Well....I'm learning Cumbrian as 'the lodger' is back. Not back as in 'back at ours', but back, as in back in Newbury.  
And I have NO IDEA what he is saying half the time (most) so he has bought me a dictionary so I can at least try and understand him when he comes for tea every Wednesday!
He brings along his friend Vlad...who sounds very posh, so mealtimes are amusing to say the least.
And, I hear you ask - who is Vlad? Well - it's not his REAL name of course! It's just, well, he is very  pale and blonde, and has this HUGE aversion to mornings or any daylight hours to be honest, and well, maybe I HAVE watched too much Dracula on Sky living......but.......it's  My blog and I'm going to call him Vlad (The Impaler!).
Well, I've waffled enough, and time is going, and, well, I can't be arrished to do anymore....!!

Insanity.....

My brother Tim is a nutter...I think I have mentioned it once or twice before in my blog, but he really, really, is  quite insane.
No- one normal would cycle from London, to Edinburgh, and then back to London would they? I mean, we have cars, and buses, and choo- choos.... And no- one, ( no-one with their full quota of grey matter) would do it non- stop in 108 hours.
Well, the nutter did.
For fun.

I know I did some 'challenging' activities - but I don't think I was quite as insane as Tim - and if you really want to read more of his mental state, log on to his blog at
challengemenace.blogspot and read the section entitled LEL Adventure.

Anyways, hearing about his exploits has prompted me to think a bit more about cycling...so much so that I had to go buy a bike.
I have always felt that cycling was cheating ( well, you're sat down) and being a runner, cyclists were just a pain with their dinging ( not a swear word!) bells!
But..I've had to move across to the dark side...

I'm still having physio and acupuncture for my foot - it's a year exactly today that I did the Dodentocht race (100km through the night in Belgium) when all my foot problems started) and, unfortunately, the physio has advised me not to run anymore.
The more I do, the more backwards the healing process goes. To start with my foot felt fine, and I was sooooo glad to be out again, but the ache in my foot is becoming more and more prolonged after each run, and it's time to hang up the running shoes....

The physio I see is fab - James at Newbury Community Hospital  - he's free ( as  in money) and has a great sense of humour which is perfect for my 8.30am Monday morning slots. I've also had a couple of sessions with Mandy Barter ( who isn't free!) who works at  the Natural Health Clinic - she is more holistic, and not only do you get acupuncture but a leg massage and dietary input - I am now off caffeine and wheat ( what that has to do with my foot I have no idea - but she was soo nice!!) and I feel tons better!

Any how's, James has been trying to find me a new sport....
Swimming? Ugh - kid soup, and wet!
Aqua - been there, was shown up by competitive 80 year olds, also wet, plus warm spots -?wee
Rowing?=wet
Kayaking?  As above - wet
Canoeing -ugh - there is too much of a water theme going on......
Golf? Hmmm ....tried this. Had 2 lessons, wasn't too bad - nice instructor, went out  ONCE with Chris, FIRST hole, nearly pushed club up a certain orifice  of his so thought it probably wasn't a sport I should pursue....

And then James suggested cycling......

And then Tim cycled LEL....

And then my cousin Ade said ' I know a geezer who can get you a good deal on a bike....'

And then I heard you burn TONS of calories whilst cycling and you HAVE to keep eating..

It would be absolutely insane not to eh?

Pins n needles........

The last post I published was back in February when I was bemoaning the fact that I was in a plaster cast on my foot for the foreseeable future!
Eight weeks stretched out in front of me, it was snowing, cold, I was in pain, and I was just plain miserable!
Well, some things have improved - the plaster has gone, the snow has melted, it's boiling hot today, and I'm never going to be completely pain free or happy but you can't have it all!!

The plaster cast did nothing! Absolutely zilch, nada, nowt! When I went back to have it removed my foot was still bruised, swollen and painful, and the subsequent MRI showed that nothing had changed from the previous August.......
The consultants answer was to leave it for another year, and by then it should be better, or to get a second opinion.....

Not being one to have much patience ( a year?!?! ) I had two second opinions - well, you have to make sure the second opinion is a good one - and they both came to the same conclusion within a matter of minutes....and, I'm now practically cured!

I apparently broke my foot, so much so that it clipped or trapped a nerve and caused neurogenic pain - and before you clever logs out there ask why it didn't show up on MRI??
There was a lot of bone which didn't show up as it was covered in fluid!

And the treatment? Acupuncture! Or pins and needles as I like to call it...

Being a nurse I see needles all day, every day - 'am I bothered?' - no - until they have to go into me....
Did I think acupuncture would work? No, not really, but I had tried EVERYTHING else and the pain was driving me insane.

I firstly went to see a private therapist, and was somewhat sceptical. She explained the science behind it, took my history, then showed me the needles - boy, are they BIG!! and then I went very dizzy and felt sick......
Anyways.....several treatments later, and the pain was under control, and then my GP discovered that their is a local physio who does orthopaedic acupuncture at the local hospital on the NHS - and to date I have tried two 6 mile runs and an 8 miler!
I've ached a little after, but it's my knees which have given me trouble not so much my foot, and strangely - I only needed to do those 3 runs to see if I still functioned!

I like going out for a walk with the dogs in the evenings, 2-3 miles seems enough, and I've joined a yoga class on a Monday  - I just don't seem to have the 'urge' to go out and do an 85mile ultra marathon where I used to! 
I'm still having acupuncture weekly, as I do still get niggly aches in my foot, and I guess part of me is wary of overdoing anything - and after ' enforced rest' from last August to June this year it's going to be hard changing my coffee stops ( but decaf now!!) for runs.
We'll see - the consultant might be right after all all - a year of rest - bah!!

Tedious.....

Having a cast on your leg makes everything rather tedious.... I'm one of these people, where, if something needs doing, I get up and do it - job done - but now I have to 'think' about doing something, explore the logistics, and....well.... quite frankly... it's tedious!

It's been a lesson in patience (something I will readily admit that I haven't much of!), its also been an eye opener to my perception of disability.
Part of me thinks "thank goodness I've only got X amount of weeks left"....and then another part of me thinks would I be more accepting and patient if I knew this was permanent - makes you think......

I also thought I was a strong person and that this "minor set-back" would have been a bit of a breeze.... but boy I've found it hard... 
Every now and then I could have done with someone taking my hand and saying hey girl, it'll be alright... Oh I know it's not life threatening or anything...but to me it's a big deal.

Nobody has it easy, everyone has some issue or another in their life, and you never know what another person is going through. You need to remember to pause a while before you start judging, criticising or mocking someone, as everyone is fighting their own unique battle...and this has been my battle!

I have people tell me this injury is 'self-inflicted'...or 'your own fault'.....and I'm constantly asked "are you going to stop running/jogging/walking?"

I do exercise because I LOVE it and because its my therapy - it's cheaper than a therapist and isn't illegal, immoral or fattening!
However much I love my job...it gets to me day after day after day of listening to people's problems, of counselling, of discussing bad news, poor prognosis, bereavement, abuse, domestic violence, loneliness....... running or walking is an escape from this - a chance to 'zone out' and 'run away' - a bit of 'me time'...

Running releases 'endorphins'  - the bodies natural pain killers, the 'happy hormones' - I've not done anything since last August - and I'm almost on empty!!

So, my friends, whilst you may think that me prattling on about not being able to do anything is tedious, it's a big deal to me so there!

Patient... no patience!

I have had a plaster cast on for 2 days and it is driving me nuts!!!
How anyone  can balance on two wobbly sticks when their centre of gravity has been compromised is beyond me....mind you, balancing is beyond me with two flat feet most times!!

I have had another MRI scan.... and despite me doing everything I was told, this fluid that has been accumulating around the joints in my foot and getting into the 'soft tissue' has got no better - at all.
The consultant is unsure why,  numerous blood tests haven't revealed anything, and I'm baffled... My trainers have cobwebs on them from lack of use... my gym membership has been cancelled.... the last time I ran a race was in August last year - just when my English Athletics number came through meaning I can carry on competing - typical!!

So..... I'm in plaster for 6-8 weeks restricting ANY load going through my foot to see if THAT works.... 

Fine for my foot, not for my mentality (or Chris' if you listen to him go on and on....!!) 
I have HUGE admiration for people with limited mobility, as this requires a lot of patience, and I was right at the end of the queue when it was dished out!

Chris keeps telling me how well he did when he was in plaster - hmmmmm...the benefit of those rose tinted glasses... I just remember having to sell my car for an automatic so that he could get to work.. and me doing everything at home as normal anyway - doh!!

 So... I've checked with DVLA and my insurers and I can use said automatic and will get back to work on Monday - at least if I can do paperwork I will be away from the persuasions of 'Jeremy Kyle' and the 'Loose Women'.. and won't be persuaded to buy a 'House under the Hammer'.......

And on the subject of no patience......
SNOW??  With crutches??  Argh !!!!

Oofa!

My niece and nephew Jack and Josey, have, by marriage, Arabic relatives.... which meant that the odd Arabic word crept into conversation. The best ( and only ) one I can remember is oofa .
Oofa describes a pain. A lump, a bump, a cut, a scrape, a bruise, a break, basically something that hurts.
And the point to why I am telling you this?? Well, it's because I have an Oofa!! 
I'm a little tired of telling everyone that my foot STILL hurts.. That it's painful... I've decided to tell people I have an oofa - much better!!

So, my oofa.... even though I have done as I've been told (that is incredible in itself and worthy of a pause and some consideration........ok....resume reading) my oofa isn't improving. I have spent FOUR months resting it, no long distance walking, no running, no gym, I massage it with ice gel, I take my anti-inflammatories and....nothing is happening!!

AND... 'Wind-up Wendy', our receptionist at work had the audacity to suggest I may be becoming grumpy through lack of exercise......bah!

So, the latest is, my GP  has referred me back to my consultant, as she too agrees that after FOUR months my oofa should be getting better.....and she wants me well enough to walk her dog Lily next holidays...!!

So... In the meantime.... me and my oofa are to sit on the sofa and eat chocolate .... How can that make me grumpy?!?!?

Bikes and Butts..

I just don't know how my brother Tim (aka Homer Simpson) does it... I spent 30 minutes and 6.5 miles on a bike at the gym and it was mind- numbingly, butt- numbingly gruesome!!
Tim cycles miles and miles and miles, for hours and hours and hours at a time..... yes, he has to rub cream in to his nether regions ( interestingly called 'nu butt'!!).... but, honestly, I can't quite see the appeal.
( You can read about his adventures/exploits/torture at http://challengemenace.blogspot.com.)

But, according to my consultant, this is just about the only exercise I can do at the moment :-(

After a 3rd opinion I've finally found out what's wrong with the old foot! After 6 weeks of rest it was getting no better, so my GP referred me to an orthopaedic consultant in a specialist foot and ankle clinic..... one MRI scan later and I had my answer....

I have an 'overload syndrome/reaction' which has caused a build up of 'lots' of fluid around the middle and lateral cuneiform bones and the talonavicular and posterior subtalar joints..... basically, too much high impact exercise = too much fluid around the joints= pain and swelling= need to rest big time= arghhhh!!!

 The treatment is rest, and hopefully the fluid will disperse and reabsorb....I asked the consultant (who was absolutely gorgeous by the way!!) if they could aspirate, but apparently there is too much, in too many pockets.....
..and anti- inflammatories... and I have to regularly ice my foot.... which is a bit of a bugger really (sorry Mom for the language, no other word adequately expresses the right feeling...)coz I HATE the cold....

But worst (or worse??) of all, is having someone ( even if he was gorgeous) dictate my exercise regime..... Only cycling :-(  or swimming :-(  :-(      or static weights until at least after Christmas "and then we'll see.." Bah!

Swimming is, well, wet..... and, well, there's not a lot else to say about cycling......I gave body pump a go last night and did most of the class, I had to miss lunges as there was a lot of jumping about, but I managed the rest, but didn't feel it was 'cardio' enough....so..... roll on Christmas!! It's only about 60 odd sleeps!!