I had a difficult time in the beginning, but after the last session I came home and did the usual. Took a pain pill and put ice on my back. I had the best week since surgery so far.
Today, the parking lot was full when I arrived, but I was able to walk the full length of the building without the horrible hip pain that I had just a couple of weeks ago. I can't even describe how bad it was. Amazing! The workout was fairly rigorous. Balance is a big part of helping the back recover which means strengthening the core muscles. I'm doing much better with balance. I told Leslie, today, that I can almost pin point the exact time I let my core muscles go--when I stopped wearing heels and dressing up for the job. I'll never do that, again. Easy to hide not holding your stomach in with a sweatshirt three sizes too big for you! Leslie and Francine make workouts fun because they are such pleasant people. I don't know how many people in the Atlanta area ever read this blog, but if you ever need therapy, ask your doctor to write a prescription to Integrated Therapy. They have a number of locations in the Atlanta area.
As I did the workout, today, I kept my focus on being able to travel, again. Different scenes and places I want to see, again, were like a movie in my head. Before I knew it I was done. I'm still keeping the fall as my goal to go camping, and it seems more realistic, now. If it works out, during the winter I'd like to head south to some of the parks I've read about in Sherry and David's blog. Oh, and Susan would like to go to Charleston--she loves it there and wants to take Jack so I'll have to fit that in. Probably should make reservations, now.
I belong to a swim/tennis club a couple of miles from here--have had the membership since my kids were little. Rich always kept it so I did, too. Funny how that worked out. I'll use it this summer to continue to strengthen my muscles on my own. I'm going to post a few of the memories that I was thinking of while in the pool, today. Onward and upward.
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| James Island |
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| Haystack Rock Pacific City, OR |
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| Santa Fe |
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| Virginia City, NV |
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| Hemingway Reading Area Memorial, Ketchum ID |
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| Don't Need to Tell Most of You Where This is-Jackson Hole WY |
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| A Picture I'd love to See Again For Real, But I'll Always See it in My Memories |
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| Silverton CO |
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| DAV Memorial, Taos NM |
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| DAV Memorial NM |
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| The Square in Taos NM |
So glad you have a goal. Just keep your focus.
ReplyDeleteSo happy also that your therapy is giving you some positive results.
We loved Haystack Rock! Great photo.
Thanks, again, for your support.
DeleteHooray! Glad to hear that the therapy is helping. It helps to have a goal in mind.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Teri, the goal sure does help. I'm hoping my very first camping trip will be in Tennessee with my dear friends from the camping group of women.
DeleteI loved reading this upbeat and positive post from you. 3 cheers for the ladies who are helping you!!!
ReplyDeleteI think making a reservation is a great idea for a goal. IF you aren't ready quite then, you can always cancel or change it. Your pictures from your travels are great and I think it is such a good idea to have them playing like a movie in your head. I'm sure we could all benefit from those core exercises. Hope you'll tell us about the ones they send home with you so we can all do them too. I just loved reading this!! It brought tears to my eyes. Rich would be so proud of you. BIG HUG TO JACK!!
I'm determined. Heck, Sherry, you're in such good shape you don't need any core exercises. I'm going to think of it as just holding my stomach in at all times even out of the pool. The movie is definitely in my head and I think it will win an Oscar. LOL! I think Rich is whispering to me all the time. He just got a big hug--big ole Teddy Bear. Thanks, Sherry.
DeleteI'm thinking I need to join you in those core exercises. My balance just seems to be getting worse all the time. And I'm like you, I quit wearing heels after I broke my ankle. Now I wear comfy sandals. I may need to do some serious thinking about this. That was so neat to hear you were able to walk all the way without the horrible pain. That's how it is with Jim now and his ability to walk so much more without pain. How marvelous. S&S send big sloppy kisses to Jack.
ReplyDeleteJack says thank you for the sloppy kisses from S&S. Now, I want some!! If you can get in a pool these would be good to do, but if not there's a lot of other things. I just googled it and there are quite a few sites that demonstrate exercises for balance, Sandy.
DeleteBeing without the debilitating pain is like being reborn, again, as I'm sure Jim has told you.
Love reading about your recovery and updated goals. Add Northern California to that list of places to see again.
ReplyDeleteI beat you to it, Judy! I'll never forget the time you took to get me around! I would have been lost forever without your help!
DeleteSo happy for you...stick with the therapy..it can be like a miracle in the making!! There is always Arizona in the winter...would love to meet you!
ReplyDeleteHow sweet of you. I'd love to meet you. I have stretching exercises that I do religiously at home. I can feel muscles I never knew I had before. I'll have to make a few adaptions to how I do things (especially lifting), but I'm willing to do that.
Deletenice to see a post from you today! glad to hear that the therapy is going well!
ReplyDeleteIt is good to have a focus and you picked some fine places to focus on!
I have been to so many beautiful places, it would take a lifetime to post them all. Thank you so much for your encouragement.
DeleteGreat, positive post! Therapy is hard but in the end worth it if one can stick to it. Happy to hear you are planning to do just that and thinking positively about the future.
ReplyDeleteThanks, as always, Rick for you positive reinforcement. You are so right. It is so worth it to push through the pain.
DeleteI am so thrilled for you. You are making such great progress! You have been through so much of this pain and down time. But YES! you are getting stonger and more determined all the time.
ReplyDeleteYou have seen so many wonderful places that I am still dreaming of and working toward that goal myself. I'm sure we are going to meet up somewhere in the future.
Keep up the good work and know I am always right here cheering you on and sending you the best healing thoughts I can muster.
You're such a good person, Jo. I would love to meet you. We could walk Fred and Jack together and they could discuss the ways of the world! LOL Three years down is a long time so I'm as surprised as anyone that I'm getting back up-didn't think it would happen.
DeleteI hope you get to see all the beautiful places I've seen and many more. Thanks for your encouragement. It means a lot.
So happy to see you making such good progress. Love seeing your memory photos, too. We have some of those same places in our memories, but there are many of them that we haven't seen yet. Thanks so much for sharing them. Those great positive memories are powerful things, and can do a lot of good to help us when we need lifting. Body, mind, and spirit...they all work together for us, and we have to remember to keep them all in good shape. Good memories help build good dreams, and good dreams lead to good actions. Good actions take us to a better place. That's something to hang on to for sure!
ReplyDeleteAh, Russ, no wonder wifey loves you so much. You have such a big heart. Great words of wisdom and encouragement. Thank you. When I hurt I think of all the people who have been so kind and I finish the exercise. Love to Donna.
DeleteGoals are so good. You know, if I ever get down on myself due to an illness or what ever, I think I would choose to read your blog first because you are so positive. We have good memories of times past, and our goals are what keeps us looking to the future.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely compliment. I wish you only "UP!" I have chosen not to blog so many times because I felt like I was whining. I'm glad I haven't come across that way to some people. Thanks so much for your comment.
DeleteHi......I just got your comment on my blog saying that you had deleted your entire blog.
ReplyDeleteIn checking it, I see that your blog is still o.k. and online that's how I'm able to comment on this post, right? What has happened though is you have somehow switched from your regular blog Template to the newer dynamic views - but, at least everything is still there.
All you need to do now is to revert back to your old template and everything should be o.k. This is recoverable.
I don't have your email address so the only way I'm able to communicate is through your blog post. You mentioned you had your blog backed up - that's for all of your posts.
Do you happen to know if you have a back-up of your regular 'Template'? Send me an email and we can start to get this fixed up.
rick