My body is falling apart! argh!

[Catrin]

Hang in there, and it IS hard when we are so used to being active! Sorry to hear that you had a set-back. Take care!

[Helene2013]

Well after more than 4 weeks, I am starting to be better. I did some cycling on trainer once last week and again yesterday. It is not much (just over 10km) but it is a start. I also combine this with physiotherapy.

Went today to see her and she is very pleased with the result (she said it shows I do the things she recommended).

My legs are almost back to normal. I have some swelling when I'm done with a big exercice program but she expects it will be like this for a little while. But at least I can do it and my calf is no longer swollen. The knees are sensitive but swelling almost gone. Only one tiny spot that is still recurring when using strength. It will get better.

I still have a lot of stiffness in hips and need to realign my posture. So some exercices to help it.

Going to see her on Jan 13 (2 weeks) to get my new winter program on. Yeah! Slowly will reintroduce me to running/hiking on treadmill and re-setting the bike/muscle program. We won't train as hard as last winter as I was preparing myself to my 135km bike challenge. I'm already "good" at it and know the routine. So it won't be as much training. 3x/week is ok. I have a life beside gym. hihi Last year it was 6 days out of 7. That is too much for the time I have in the evenings. So she will keep it more balanced and if I feel like adding to it, I will be able to.

Tomorrow I have some PT and I can do an hour of light cycling and start adding light speed intervals to get cardio working. Not to add too much resistance yet. Playing it slowly is the way to prevent reinjury so soon.

I also have my bone density test at 10am tomorrow. She's pretty sure I have nothing to worry about. At 52 and always been active with weight baring activity she foresees nothing abnormal. But who knows. The knees are a wreck but that is cartilage. It's just that the radiologist wrote on his report "possible osteoporosis?". So Generalist is not taking chances and sending me for that test.

BUT!!! The good news is that I just registered myself for a 110km max bike ride around Lake Champlain on June 6th. No timer, our own pace. I can do either 60, 50 or a combo with is 110km. I wrote 110 and will see when I get there how I feel. PT was so happy to see I finally got over my "defeat" of the 135km of last summer. I still cry and can't really get over that one where I stopped after 70km because of cold, rain and stong winds (and it was in summer). I could not risk a fall at this point as I was too cold and unused to that kind of weather. But still.... That will be my revenge. hahaha

So I think I'm back but I need to be careful for the next couple of weeks not to overdue it thinking I'm better. Always "train" with your mind on safety and stopping if the leg says it has enough. There will be other days for training. We don't want to get back to square 1.

[Crankin]

Sounds like you are doing well, Helene.
Tell me more about the Lake Champlain thing. I love it up there.

[Helene2013]

Thank you Catrin. Feels good to walk normally and start looking ahead and move instead of just sitting leg up or lying in bed whining. haha

Sounds like you are doing well, Helene.
Tell me more about the Lake Champlain thing. I love it up there.

I don't know much yet about this ride. But it is on the Quebec side. The pamphlet says they are going through St-Georges-de-Clarenceville, Pike-River, St-Armand, (Philipsburg), Henryville, Bedford, Canton de Bedford,Mystic, Notre-Dame-de-Stanbridge and St-Ignace. They are not touching the US side for that one.

You can get an idea of the map from this link.
http://cclacc.ca/inscription.pdf

[Crankin]

That looks nice. I have to find out when my club's bike rally is; that might be the same day. It wouldn't be good if 2 of the leaders were missing. If it's something we decide to do, I will let you know and ask advice about where to stay.

[OakLeaf]

Glad you're feeling better, Helene. Healing wishes for the New Year!

[Helene2013]

I finally got my bone density test result.

All is good in general

My spine has just some light facet joint arthritis and alignment is normal.

Lumbar rachis density is normal
My femoral neck (hips) is at -1.5 which is light osteopenia with very light risk of fracture. - so nothing to worry about just yet.
For the whole body xray is it at .7 which is a normal value
So conclusion says very light osteopenia center at the femoral neck. And very weak risk of fracture.

MY PT saw the report and she said it is nothing to worry about. We'll keep exercising and eating as well as we can.

Now, as for my gym this past week, it was totally scrapped. I did nothing intelligent with my body! haha

The return to work after the 2 weeks' was so hard. Getting up at 4:15am is a killer. And it was a deep cold in Montreal (with -38c windchill) nothing is better than a fire place and crash in bed at 8:30pm. Hubby was sick with some hard cold (no flu - just a strong fast arriving - fast gone cold).

Seeing my PT Tuesday night and we'll get the gym plan in order. She said a lot of her patients this week did nothing much with their bodies. hahaha So I felt not so alone in the situation.

Thinking it was better, I wore my heels at work on Monday and Tuesday. I noticed the pain coming back so I had to remove them. Back to flat shoes for some while. It will get better but it is taking so long it is discouraging. Night knee pain and hot flashes is a great combo for little sleep-nights!

PT told me last night to just ride my bike (trainer) this weekend for the fun. No training, no speed, no intervalls. Just spin. She's thinking my body only needs to find some regularity into training and it will start next week with a real program and goals to achieve. Much easier to stay on the right track with a plan.

So more to continue next week.

At least the bones are good. The knees are in much better shape and PT will look into building me a new winter program with a goal of a 110km ride this coming June.

[Catrin]

...But still.... That will be my revenge. hahaha

So I think I'm back but I need to be careful for the next couple of weeks not to overdue it thinking I'm better. Always "train" with your mind on safety and stopping if the leg says it has enough. There will be other days for training. We don't want to get back to square 1.

First of all, it is great to read that you are feeling better, woohoooo!

Second, what you said in the last three sentences is KEY, and so hard to learn when you've found an activity that you love to do. Keep on doing all the great things you are doing!