Work it Out

Clearly, I have issues. Even though I am sitting here with an ice pack around my foot, wondering if the dreaded plantar fascilitis has me in its grips, I continued to the gym today for non impact work.

After my run on Saturday I felt the usual tiredness, but by mid afternoon my right calf had clenched up. I iced, I rested, I used the heating pad, I elevated, I took painkillers, nothing helped. Sunday morning the ache traveled to my heel and Achilles tendon, making it hard for me to walk by Sunday night. Monday was a day of wearing my Vibrams and elevating my leg at work. This morning, I could barely walk or get out of bed. My heel and Achilles tendon, which throbbed all night, is not happy with me.

I rolled on my sexy compression sock and had to ice my heel/foot before even being able to walk across the bedroom. This does not bode well with me. I took Sunday and Monday off from working out and had planned on a weights class today. That was not going to happen. There was no way I could sustain position in squats, lunges or dead lifts with putting ANY weight on my right heel. Sigh.

I decided to give the ole elliptical a try. 30 minutes of interval training levels 5 on the low count, level 13 on the push me front. 2 minutes at that level is enough to get a sweat going, trust me. It allowed me minimal pressure on the calf and foot while still working my quads. I can't just let the rest of me atrophy while I am injured. This is a crucial time for me. Every work out counts. I have no idea when random joint pain, aches, hot flashes or emotions will side track me. It's day 1 post Lupron shot and well, I'm not Sybil yet, so here's hoping.

I moved on to some upper body work with the nautilus machine, did some more leg extensions, seated leg curls and worked on my upper body a bit. I can do my biceps and tricep work at home. This week I may invest a weighted body bar though, so when I don't feel like sweating it out with a million other people (to or with the oldies), I can work on squats etc at home.

I think I needed to work some stuff out today anyway. I needed to sweat. I had tried to call my parents this weekend but they never seem to answer the phone. They don't have call waiting, they don't have long distance even though their only daughter lives ACROSS the country and my mother likes to keep the ringer OFF. I had intended on speaking to my dad as he knows about my situation and was concerned. I should have known I was in for it last night when my mother answered.

There was no parental concern or softness in her voice. There was no sympathy, no calmness (at least she wasn't drunk, quite cognizant in fact) and after my initial "Hey, just calling to check in" greeting. Instead, she barks at me. "What the HELL is going on with you!?"

That, my friends, is how my mother reacts to her only daughter who is having a medical situation. "Yeah, what is wrong with you?", she accuses me, as if I just come home past curfew reeking of bad decisions and Zima.

"There's nothing like THAT on my side of the family," says the woman who hasn't even SEEN the inside of a doctor's office in 29 YEARS.

Apparently, I must be doing something wrong for my uterus to revolt.

And some wonder why I exercise and drink so much...