Keeping On

I've been known to say, "If I ever can't run anymore, just shoot me." Well, pal, start searching that cupboard for your gun. My piriformis injury has not noticeably improved in the almost two weeks since it stopped me cold. I am trying everything in the world to heal this thing, and seem to hold on to an irrational hope that it will eventually resolve itself.

In desperation this morning I went to see my M.D. (Up until now I've relied on Dr. Jess plus the advice of experienced running friends--and have made upcoming appointments with Claudia the divine acupuncturist and Chinese medicine doc, as well as with a highly touted PT person.) My doctor, herself an active athlete and all-around beautiful person, said this injury can be slow to heal and that I should continue what I'm doing--and also back off a bit on the bicycling. Water exercising, yes; rowing machine, possibly; upper-body strength training, yes; gentle walking, yes. She didn't mention heavy sighing, but I'm practicing a lot of that, too.

This past weekend I drove up to my home town, the Biggest Little City in the World. (Photo at left was taken in the McDonald's parking lot in Auburn. It stars Casper the car, my bike, and a large caffeinated beverage that kept me alert for driving and also dampened my loud, solitary whining for a few minutes.) The visit was in honor of the first birthday of the third-cutest boy baby ever born, my great-grand nephew, Julian. The first- and second- cutest boy babies were my own two, of course. No, I'm not going to say who was first and who was second.

Moving right along here--Sunday morning I breakfasted in Carson City with my favorite nephew and his bride (see below--even as they try to hide behind their shades, they look great.) After we ate we went on a wonderful, gentle bike ride in the most bracing and salubrious air you'll ever find. Who knew that Cartoon City has a great, smooth bike path that takes the scenic route right by the state prison and the water-treatment plant! (It is actually a lovely path.) Along with the baby boy's birthday bash, the ride with these two was a highlight of my trip.


Today, Monday, my exercise was riding my bike from home to the doctor's--this was before I got the warning about biking--and I am thinking I might go to the gym at the end of the day to scout out some endorphins in the pool or on the rowing machine. After all, today there'll be no rushing home from work to catch the end of a post-season baseball game on TV. We're at the most seven games away from the eternal baseball-less night of the off-season. Another deep sigh. A lot of that going on here.

As I made my way on my bike through traffic this morning, I saw one of those "What are you grateful for?" bumper stickers. It reminded me that my problems, because they're my problems, are huge to me, but also that whining about them is the luxury of someone with no real problems. So excuse me for now--I have some more luxury I need to indulge in. Hope your day is fine, and hope it's injury free.

Comments

BoomerNV said…
Good post! And how weird is it those two people in the picture are leaning the same way?
6:14 PM
Elaine Merrill said…
Actually, they're standing straight. The earth was tilting.
10:28 AM
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