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Happy Independence Day!

Just Marilyn and Me

I woke up this 4th of July to overcast skies and oppressive humidity despite the cooler temperatures. You’d think with it being the dog days of summer and all, we could rely on Independence Day to bring the sun and the heat, but I guess not. But hey, a holiday is a holiday, rain or shine, so I’ll take it! What other choice is there, anyway? Even with all of our modern technologies, we still cannot control the weather.

We have plans to attend a BBQ tonight at our local swim club if it isn’t postponed due to the weather, and this afternoon we’re thinking of hanging out at Wyebrook Farm because they’re having live music, and we’re suckers for live music in a pastoral setting. The rain might put a damper on things (heh… see what I did there??) but at least I won’t have to cook or clean up, and a day that I don’t have to cook or clean up is always a good day.

My 43rd birthday came and went without much fanfare this week, which is just the way I like it. We had a quiet family party on Tuesday night with steaks on the grill, a nice bottle of Bordeaux, and several generous gifts. Then on Wednesday we went out to dinner and to Longwood Gardens. That Marilyn statue up there sits outside of the Currie hair salon in Kennett Square, across the street from where we ate dinner. It’s become something of a landmark over the years, and I couldn’t resist striking a pose, although admittedly not nearly as glamorous a pose as hers. I’m such a dork.

I also saw my new foot doctor this week to get the results of my MRI. I feel like I can finally move forward with some concrete information. Basically, he can on the MRI see why I’m still having pain, but there is currently no injury. The stress fracture and tendon tear are both healed, and what is left is a ganglion and some scar tissue in the ankle area where the tendons didn’t heal perfectly. He said my symptoms will continue to flare up when my activity level increases until I retrain those muscles, ligaments, and tendons to work correctly, so his recommendation is aggressive physical therapy to achieve that end.

Yes, I’ve already been in PT for months, and I dread spending more time in it, but the alternative is to be a lazy American, as he put it, and continue to live the sedentary lifestyle that I’ve assumed over the past months. It’s tempting, to be honest. I’m feeling pretty content with the status quo, but I know this is not how I want to be. I loved feeling active and strong, and I want that back. To say nothing of the fact that my over-40 metabolism is not my friend, and I really need some cardio in my life or I’m going to have to replace my wardrobe with the next size up.

This doctor has a physical therapist that he wants me to see, and he will even call him and explain my situation and what he believes I need in order to get my strength and stability back. He said they will be working together to get me fixed, which is different than anything I’ve experienced with doctors in the past. I have high hopes that with this more aggressive approach, I will get back to living the healthy, active lifestyle that I enjoy. The good news is, there is no talk of surgery or injections or any other invasive therapies. Hallelujah!

Whether I will ever run any significant distance again, I have no idea, and I’m not really concerned with that at this point. My goal is to get back to walking, hiking, biking, and traveling with my family without holding them back. For the past year, every trip we’ve planned has been limited by my inability to go on a hike or even walk for any length of time, and I’m over it. I’m only 43 years old and in otherwise excellent health. There is no reason why I shouldn’t be able to get back to a normal level of activity.

I suppose we’ll never know how I got the injuries to begin with, and that does weigh on the back of my mind because I’m not aware of anything I did to incur them. But at this point, all I know to do is to follow the advice of this doctor, try to regain my strength, and hope for the best.

With that, I’m off to take a walk before it starts to rain. I am allowed to walk and even do a light jog as long as it feels okay. I also have an anti-inflammatory cream to use a few times a day, and I’m back to using my Fitbit to keep track of my daily steps, but this time I’ll increase my activity more gradually.

I hope you and yours have a lovely 4th of July, wherever you are. Even if it’s not your Independence Day, I hope you have a restful and relaxing Saturday.

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2 Responses

  1. I’m so glad it sounds like your new doc may be able to get you back to being more active. I know my father in law has had trouble finding doctors who want to see him enough to help him regain some health instead of just maintain his status quo.

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