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Need a little encouragement today!!
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I am not having a "pity party" moment but I need a little bit of encouragement today so I thought I'd reach out a little.

Two months ago I was in a head-on collision with a guy who crossed the double yellow line into my lane. I had a broken nose, injured knee and kneecap, hip and back. So I've been going to lots of physical therapy and finally last week started to recognize some progress and pain relief. Up until the last couple of weeks all I had been able to do was some water running and light cycling. I couldn't swim until the swelling on my face went down enough to wear my goggles. So last week I had a stellar week...swam two 3000 yard workouts, was able to get back into the gym, rode 60 miles and did a 4 mile run brick. Pretty good recovery and made me feel pretty good.

Then yesterday a got accidentally tripped by a woman who pushed past me and hit me in the shoulder and lost my balance and fell down on a sharp rock and broke my right foot!!! Now I'm off to an orthopedic surgeon -- probably for pins and at the very least on crutches and no weight bearing for a minimum of 6 - 8 weeks.

Aside from the fact that I can't believe how bad my luck is - I was training for Ironman Coeur d'Alene and Ironman Wisconsin. CDA is totally off the table and Wisconsin is pretty suspect at this point. Pretty darned depressing. My husband says that about 90 days before my big races he's going to lock me in the house so I can't get hurt by anybody.

I found this morning that it was really the little things that set off frustration...like I wanted to have a cup of coffee but I couldn't hold onto it and walk across the room to sit down. So I had to dig around for a thermos and a bag I could sling over my shoulder and load it up to go sit down and have my coffee.

Has anyone else ever been through multiple knockdowns like this and if so, how do you get through it? And boy do I have a new respect for Sarah Reinertson and how she manages to get out of the water and hop on one leg to a chair to get her wetsuit off!!!
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Re: Need a little encouragement today!! [pennib] [ In reply to ]
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cripes woman, could it be that God wants you to just rest? ;)

seriously, i'm so very sorry to hear about these situations. that SUCKS.

i have gone through a similar series of unforunate events on the physical front and now on the business front! my recruiting business is in the toilet right now and i just keep getting kicked in the ribs over and over right now. so i relate!

what i can tell you is that right now i'm just looking forward, no more pouting for me (i was pouting big time). today i've decided to draw a line in the sand at how crappy my year has gone (in the recruiting business) and decided to "take the week off" and start brand new after Memorial Day Weekend.

also i'm trying to pray more and meditate and find this provides levity to stress. and sometimes i feel i just have to toss my hands up and say, alright i give, then decide to roll with it. a lesson i've learned is that rolling with it is not a bad thing.

in regards to your physical outlook, i can relate because last year i was 6 weeks out from IMWI and get really sick. like bleeding kidneys and severe GI distress/bleeding sick. while my physical condition has slowly improved over the last 6 months, i still don't feel quite right, but am getting there. again, i'm trying to look forward and consider the bigger lesson in this. ultimately, i think it was just time for me to rest, and do other things while i repaired. i think IM is not good for me, and i learned that.

as for you, you will repair and come out of this with whatever lesson you are to learn and grow from. sometimes one just has to roll with it.

my best friend told me today that life isn't always easy. how true.
so somehow, someway, if you can just keep on keeping on, then it's a good and worthwhile journey.
you will come out just fine, you'll see.
this too shall pass. :)
Last edited by: kittycat: May 19, 08 13:57
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Re: Need a little encouragement today!! [pennib] [ In reply to ]
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Oh my!! You are having a string of bad luck! Well, think of it this way perhaps. Maybe you are getting all of your injuries out of the way in one year so you can stay injury free for many seasons to come! Or, this is a chance for you to kick back for the summer and enjoy some time sitting on your deck instead of riding 60 miles. Every body needs rest.

I hope that woman apologized. People are so self absorbed. I would have gone ballistic.

Do something nice for yourself, you deserve it!

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Jen

"In order to keep a true perspective on one's importance, everyone should have a dog that worships him and a cat that will ignore him." - Dereke Bruce
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Re: Need a little encouragement today!! [kittycat] [ In reply to ]
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Oh my! Kittycat that sounds bad too...I appreciate your comments. I know that things will be much better eventually but it's just hard to swallow right now. I'm a very positive person, and own my own business too so I can't afford to take any real downtime or it hits me a couple of months down the road, so I know exactly where you're at. You can just weather your way through it.
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Re: Need a little encouragement today!! [pennib] [ In reply to ]
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I scrapped last season due to injuries (chronic achilles tendonitis, a broken hand-fell off a bike trainer, multiple broken toes-kicked a rock walking on the beach, a dislocated rib and whiplash-was in a car accident). It SUCKED! I was miserable as all my friends were training and racing and doing well. I cancelled all races for the summer. Then last June I decided I needed something to look forward too and I signed up for IMAZ in April. In July I started to train again and was really motivated.

I can't really tell you how to get through it, but find something else to do to keep yourself busy. Don't necessarily avoid your workout buddies, but find things not workout related to do with them if you can't train.

You will come back well rested and ready to work harder next season because of the forced time off. I look back on it as a blessing in disguise.
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Re: Need a little encouragement today!! [pennib] [ In reply to ]
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oh yeah, i think there is a lesson in "learning to swallow" the circumstances. i wish you the best, and hope you keep us posted on your progress so the womens can be a source of encouragement. :)
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Re: Need a little encouragement today!! [pennib] [ In reply to ]
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That sucks. I had a 6 week pity party 2 summers ago after breaking my arm in an early-summer bike race but in retrospect, it was such a minor bump in the road. Check out Jamie Whitmore's blog to help put things in perspective: http://www.jamiewhitmore.com

Good luck with recovery.
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Re: Need a little encouragement today!! [pennib] [ In reply to ]
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That is a horrible chain of events, I feel horrible for you.

"My husband says that about 90 days before my big races he's going to lock me in the house so I can't get hurt by anybody."

That sounds like a perfect excuse to go shopping and buy what you need for an in-home gym :-)

Not that shopping will really make you feel any better but it may keep you mind off the current event.



"your horse is too high" - tigerchik
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Re: Need a little encouragement today!! [Hid] [ In reply to ]
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I just came back from the orthopedic surgeon. The good news is I won't need surgery because of the location of the break. It's too far up on the head to pin without doing more damage. The bad news is I'm still out for 6 - 8 weeks on crutches. However, I am now the owner of a wonderful airboot cast which is way more comfortable than the fiberglass thing they sent me home with yesterday. Hopefully in 3 - 4 weeks I can get in the pool and swim again, and into the gym.

Unfortunately I can't play the buying the gym stuff card around here...I already have a treadmill, revmaster spinning bike, computrainer and weights in the garage. I will certainly be able to do a lot of stuff as soon as I can move around a little more.
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Re: Need a little encouragement today!! [pennib] [ In reply to ]
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hey, that is great news all considering!
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Re: Need a little encouragement today!! [pennib] [ In reply to ]
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I'm so sorry to read about your troubles.
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Re: Need a little encouragement today!! [pennib] [ In reply to ]
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So sorry about all that. At the very least did the woman who knocked you down apologize? What about the moron in the car that hit you?

I hope that thing start going better for you so much so! I am always afraid I'm going to roll an ankle or something the week before a race or 2 weeks before so I tip toe through everything so to speak. My husband thinks I'm a hoot.

Enjoy your time to rest though... anything you've been wanting to do that you haven't been able to b/c of training?

Healing Vibes~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Tiger for Life -- War Eagle!

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Re: Need a little encouragement today!! [KT-tri] [ In reply to ]
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Thanks. Lets see what do I want to do? Sleep! Catch up on the paperwork and files for my business, watch movies, read books.
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Re: Need a little encouragement today!! [pennib] [ In reply to ]
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That sounds like a great plan! Can you put your coffee in a Camelbak, so you can tote it around the house with you?

My trick for when I'm feeling bad is to think about how lucky I am compared to the majority of the people in this world (insert what ever image from Iraq, Chine, Afghanastan, New Oreleans, Myanmar here.) That always puts things in perspective for me a little bit.
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Re: Need a little encouragement today!! [QRgirl] [ In reply to ]
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You are so right...no matter how bad it is there is always someone who is worse off. As athletes who are used to doing extraordinary things with our bodies these kinds of setbacks are hard. But they are temporary. Last night I was determined to make it around the kitchen and help with dinner. However, there are just things you can't do very well -- like carrying things across the room, putting a casserole dish in the oven (can be done but it's not easy). So I was having this real epiphany about what it would be like to be like this all the time and how I'd deal with it. Clearly you have to learn how to carry things and move things around, have a great sense of balance (which obviously I don't right now!). Plus the ordinary things we have around our house just aren't made for people who need assistance. One thing that's a real pain is going upstairs to bed (two flights of stairs) and it takes me a long time. Everything just takes a long time. Plus, I don't think I can drive with this boot on my foot. I might try it but I don't think its very safe.

Knowing that my morning caffeine hit was my biggest challenge yesterday, a friend bring me a coffee cup that has a push button top so it totally closes up and doesn't spill. I got a lightweight bag to sling across my shoulder and I pile it full of stuff and move around the room. Last night after dinner I took a wine bottle, a glass and an opener and put them in the bag and went over to the couch. My husband was laughing so hard. He said he'd do it for me but obviously I'm way too independent to have anybody do for me if I can do for myself. I may have lost all my leverage to get him to bring me things as long as it fits in the carry bag.

What I really am going to need by next week is a good exercise routine to keep my leg strength up. I am hoping that after I go back for my follow-up x-rays on the 9th that I'll be allowed to swim and water run. That will help a lot and if I can do it I'd like to at least do the swim at CDA. No point in wasting such a great training opportunity.
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Re: Need a little encouragement today!! [pennib] [ In reply to ]
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Holy sh*t... the fact that you were able to swim 3000 so SOON after all that... I think you should be rewarding yourself somehow! Shopping? A pizza? Or simply celebrating the fact that you're alive (which I am SURE you do/have)? I have not suffered injuries like yours, but I've had some issues that have sidelined me a couple of times- while training for IMWI last year, specifically. I had to rest and heal, totally frustrating... watching all my training mates progressing in their schedules... like you, I just wanted to kill someone! But as cliche is it sounds, you have to treat it like a race and deal with what the day gives you... bad weather, flat tires, etc. The fact is you can't control it (especially some random woman who cuts you off), you can only control how you handle it.

I had the distinct pleasure of meeting Karen Smyers a few years ago when I was training for IMFL. Some of you probably know her story? She was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and beat it... and also had a run in with an 18 wheeler, if I'm not mistaken. Well, I was dealing with another injury at the time I met her, and as ridiculous as it seemed to compare my situation in the least, I had to ask anyway: how did she overcome all of that and return to racing?? Her answer (and I still have her autographed note to remind me): Be patient- you WILL be back!

I think that is the best advice. Maybe this is an opportunity for you to rest, heal and then make a big comeback when your body is truly ready!? And it doesn't make you any less of an athlete, in fact, I think it makes you STRONGER. There will ALWAYS be another Ironman, but you only get one body. Take care of yourself.
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Re: Need a little encouragement today!! [tlmanella] [ In reply to ]
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Indeed! I hope you heal completely and rapidly!
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Re: Need a little encouragement today!! [determination] [ In reply to ]
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PENNIB!!! YOU KICK ASS!!! :-)

Best of luck on your recovery!!





Come crawling faster
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Re: Need a little encouragement today!! [pennib] [ In reply to ]
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             The next time you are sitting on your couch in your nice house,drinking wine with the husband who loves you, take some time to think about how lucky you are.I know it sucks to be injured and have your plans shot all to hell but your bad luck is only short term.Any damn fool can sign up for an Ironman but not every damn fool gets to be surrounded by friends and family who love and support them.I wish you all the best with your recovery.
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Re: Need a little encouragement today!! [pennib] [ In reply to ]
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that is the spirit Penni! you are doing great and everyday is one step closer!

big hugs!
kitty
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Re: Need a little encouragement today!! [pennib] [ In reply to ]
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This will probably not make you feel any better, but it sure does give a different perspective! I'm not sure how to create a link, but you can retype the URL anyway. It's called "The World as a Village"..........very thought provoking!


Click here: http://users.gazinter.net/melan/Warn/Warnenu.htm
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Re: Need a little encouragement today!! [pennib] [ In reply to ]
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Hi, I too have been through ridiculously crazy bad luck with health and life situations. If I listed it all you would probably not believe me, and just write me off as an "internet loonie".

A few years ago in marathon training, my friend made me a playlist -- she said "this song soooooo reminds me of you", and it was chumbawumba's "I Get Knocked Down". Gee, thanks. :-X

Anyway -- when bad s*** happens, I try and look at it as a season in my life. Just like a cold winter passes, so will bad chains of events. it is not easy and you don't always have to put on a fake happy face.

I have not had time to review all the replies, but....now that you are off sports for a bit, and you seem to admire Sarah R, maybe you could spend a bit of time volunteering with CAF, C different or another group in your area? I have done that myself, and it really does nail home the point you have already made to your self. Not only that, it is nice to do something productive for others when you cna't do it for youself, JMO.

Good luck and vent anytime.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Re: Need a little encouragement today!! [WeRide] [ In reply to ]
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Pleased to report some progress today. I am down to one crutch for some short distances in getting around the house. Although I may have been over exuberant and done a little too much today since I'm pretty sore tonight...but loving being a little more independent. Now if I can only get behind the wheel...

Other good news...they insurance company for the guy who hit me has finally decided to admit liability and will be paying us back for all our out of pocket expenses (like a new car and miscellaneous other items). Then we get to address the medical bill separately because they will have to pay those too.
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Re: Need a little encouragement today!! [pennib] [ In reply to ]
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I've had some injury spells that lasted 6 months at a time. Knee surgery that went bad, bike wreck into a guardrail at 30+mph during bike race.. that sort. I can say while you are in it--like you are--it is hard to see out of it. It can be quite a source of depression. It took me a while, but I finally came to grips that I needed to get the lesson, what ever it was. I figured out that maybe was supposed to reconnect with non athlete friends... I learned some new card games, worked on crafts, I reconnected socially with many people. I took it as an opportunity to do things I say I never have time to do while I am training. It isn't an easy outlook to come to, I didn't think.

I love your independence! When on crutches and living alone, I carried a back pack with side drink holder things on it. Everything I drank went into a cycling water bottle, in the bottle pocket and everything I ate went in sealable tupperware containers in the back pack. It seemed crazy at the time, but whatever works. Necessity is the mother of invention.

I can be very annoying to not be able to do simple stupid things around your house.

I think Kittycat is right when she said--maybe this string of bad luck is natures way of telling you to put on the brakes...or maybe it is a crazy way to get you to not do those races, because something worse would happen there...never know the forces at work. You are meant to be at home right now, so make the best of it that you can. It is ok to feel down- yes there are people worse off than you...but it is ok to have a bad day and wallow every once and a while. I don't think you would be human if you didn't in your situation. Keep your head up.
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