Getting Back!

I've been in a good mood this week. The days are longer, the world is warming up, and last but not least, my elbow is finally showing some signs of normalcy!

Last night I went to yoga for the first time since my fall in January. It is an amazing feeling when your body has been limited and you start to feel like yourself again. Unflexible, worst-in-the-class me. It was wonderful. I still have a long road ahead of me, since even downward dogs got me winded. My elbow creaked and cried out to let me know what wasn't working. I listened. I'm going to be listening to my body a lot more now, if there's one thing I learned from the injury.

I'm normally self-conscious in these settings due to my total lack of coordination and grace, but it felt absolutely amazing to be back doing all those little things you take for granted. I backed off and took it easy, I felt grounded, and for the first time, I didn't want to cry. Yoga makes me very emotional and at some point in a session I usually have a cathartic cry.

Not this time! There's little to cry about when the sun is out till almost 8 and you have an elbow that can stretch out 95% straight.

And the icing on the cake- I'm at the airport waiting to board a flight to New York City! I am ready for a week filled with coffee, friends, laughter, blossoms, and the hustle and bustle that I've been missing so much. And yes, I will tell you all about it.

Will catch ya on the flip side of the coast!

A Friend Surprise

This week has been a whirlwind of celebrating birthdays, love, new projects and inspiration. Yesterday, I had my first session of physical therapy. Success! In one five minute exercise of resistance and deep tissue massage, I recovered 10% of lost range of motion in my arm. It was exhausting, but very encouraging- it means I only have 10% to go! My stiff broken wing is on its way to healing and with a little patience, it will get there.

One does get a little blue with injury or sickness. As minor an injury as it may be, being limited can get ya down in the dumps at times no matter how positive you keep your outlook. The good news is that returning to yoga can come before climbing, and with the okay from my doctor, I can return to one of my other "physical therapies" and get back into my regular routine. Just a couple more weeks if all goes well!

As I drove home, I got a text from long-time friend Amber, asking if I was around. I wrote back, half-thinking she had sent it to my by accident, since she lives an hour away and was unlikely to have business at the coast. I turned onto my road, just as she was turning around to find me in town. Surprise!

It had been close to 5 or 6 months since I'd last seen her, but we picked up like it had only been days. We sorted through months of relationship, professional and emotional clutter. We swapped books and laughed. We went to a dive bar and drank beers out of cans while discussing exercise routines and quotes from Portlandia. We filled up on friendship.

Amber is the no-nonsense best friend who calls it like she sees it and respects people enough to give them all honesty, all the time. She will let you know when you have something stuck in your teeth or when you need to be told something you don't want to hear. She gives the best hugs that only a big sister knows how to give. Everyone deserves an Amber in their life.

I'm so lucky I've already got one.

Just for Me

I finally went to the doctor yesterday. I probably should have gone sooner, I know, but honestly I felt like I was doing so great for having an arm in a sling. The pain was tolerable, and I've figured out a way to do just about everything I need to one-handed, if a bit slow and sluggish. It's an elbow, for crying out loud. Doesn't it only have one way to heal? 

I went to the clinic at my parents' insistence and figured I could get a time frame on when I can get back on the wall, if nothing else. I assumed the doctor would be dazzled by the progress I've made in a couple weeks, and encourage me to give it time and rest more but not have much more insight. 

I passed every test, until she asked me to straighten my arm. It wasn't happening. "You need to get x-rays," she said.

So today I got my first x-rays ever, for my worst injury to date (which is saying a lot since there isn't even a fracture that I'm aware of). It was a quick visit, but not as fun as going out for ice cream. While I wait for the results, I'm trying not to envision a permanently damaged elbow or rare bone disease that could lead to surgery or amputation. Or worry that I really blew it by not going to the doctor in the first place.

I took advantage of the drive into town to check out the junior college and figure out where I'm supposed to go for a class I signed up for. It starts next week and I don't know anything about the campus or where to find the class, where to even park for that matter. I ended up driving around aimlessly for a while, feeling overwhelmed and old and wondering why the whole thing is intimidating the heck out of me when I've already been to school.

Then I thought about having a break down last night and feeling self conscious walking around with a bum arm, and throwing another pity party for myself because I've had half a dozen conversations about my "limited range of motion" in the last 24 hours and really miss climbing.

And then I got this.

I almost never buy random things for myself except candy and beer. Today, a week and a half into physical recovery, I knew I needed a little boost. An orchid was a weird choice, since I manage to kill nearly every plant I come in contact with. I don't know, it's exotic and beautiful and decadent, and I've always wanted one, just because. It will be a good challenge for me to try to keep it alive for a few months. Or weeks.

But if I don't, I'm not going to beat myself up over it.

My First Bone Injury

Well, do I have some news for you.

I dislocated my elbow. I went to do a short climbing session and took a digger on a boulder route, landing on my outstretched arm. When I landed, I saw the elbow joint jump up and go back into place. When it didn't stop hurting, I knew the session was over.

Luckily I have a lot of first response connections, so having a simple dislocation and full hand movement means a much easier recovery and return to normal alignment. The assessment called for a sling by my lovely roommate Crystal, and lots of ice and rest. It is also on my left side, so I am pretty darn lucky and it could have been a lot worse.

I'm going back and forth between feeling like it's kind of a big deal and no sweat. With movement limited by the sling, the pain is under control and not that big a deal. Using one hand is easier than I thought, with a little careful maneuvering. Most jars and bottles I can open with my right hand if I squeeze them between my knees- thank goodness for the Advil easy-open cap and that climbing has given me a strong grip.

On the other hand (no pun intended), there is so much I can't do- knitting, sewing, carrying in wood for the fireplace. Once the sling is off I'll have more options, but climbing will be out of the question for at least a month. So will yoga, circuit training, and as my best friend Mitch pointed out, the boxing class I signed up for. I need to drop it completely but I'm going to wait just a couple more days in case there's a miraculous turn around.

This is my first real injury, so that's something a little different for me. I had to get stitches on my chin when I was little, and one time I dropped a bench on my toe, but I was a cautious and nonathletic child and have never broken a bone. My mother has suffered multiple fractures due to her very active lifestyle and I can totally empathize with her now that I'm in the limited mobility boat.

When I went for a visit to lend a hand, I was frustrated that she didn't want to slow down and I had to keep reminding her to take it easy, use her cane, and let me help. Taking it easy is usually not a problem for me, but yesterday I found that because my only option was to sit on the couch and read or watch movies, the last thing I want to do right now is read or watch movies. Instead, I'm restlessly pacing around the downstairs and calling everyone I know. Geez, and it's only been a day!

In the meantime, of which there is no limit, I'm just going to have to accept lots of help, slow it down, and be grateful it wasn't worse.