Well, the best month of the year is almost over. August never disappoints. People may wonder why I celebrate and enjoy my life so much. Well, I have not always been “happy go lucky Ouida”. There have been a few times in my life in which I depressed. The one that affected me the most was when my mother passed away. I learned through that process that God does not put more on us than we can bear. In my lowest days I still had hope, and faith. I also learned who my true friends were. It is in the lows of my life that I found that God is the source of my joy, my peace, the reason that I am still alive.
I learned though my depression. I learned after I lost both my parents from cancer. I learned after my first practice closed due to a diagnosis of cancer by the primary owner. I learned after my condominium caught on fire and left me potentially homeless. I learned after a few loves broke my heart. I learned after too many running injuries to list. I learned to count it all joy
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:2-4New International Version (NIV)
So I smile, and share my happy, joyous moments in life. Tomorrow is not promised. I take time to smell the roses.
I want to say a special thank you to everyone who shared in any way with me in my month. I love my friends, and family they make my life so very special. I will continue to celebrate life and live to the fullest, with a special turn up in August!!
So I had my Tenex procedure on my foot a little over a month ago, (https://ouilifeouilove.com/2016/05/24/agony-of-da-feet-part-iii/). The procedure itself was not bad. I had light anesthesia. I was awake, but had no recollection of the events. Afterwards I felt like I was a little drunk. I went home and slept for hours, and then I was bored. I am not use to sitting down for prolonged periods of time.
I choose to get a knee walker
so I could go to work the following day. It is a scooter of sorts. It was actually fun to ride, except on uneven terrain. I became an expert in Uber, Uber pool, and Lyft. If you aren’t aware these are car services that utilize an app verus hailing or calling a cab. I could not drive as I have a stick shift, and it was my left foot. Using crutches would have been too much for me. So I used the car services to go to work, go to church, and bombed rides here and there. I wheeled my way into the hospital, in and out of patients’ room. I even did a small surgery. It was one in which I could sit. Patients would often asked me what was wrong with my foot. I wanted them to concentrate on why they came to see me, and not ask about me. I knew they were only concerned, but it was a minor distraction. I also missed a few social engagements. Critical Mass which is a bike ride in the city. I missed Patti LaBelle concert because I did not want to ride the train with my scooter, a friend’s birthday party at a club. I had the scooter for about three weeks. I wore the boot for almost four weeks. After the first two weeks I started to walk with my boot on at home and then I progressed to walking at work, and other events. I had some pain when I walked too much. I progressed to walking with the boot, without using scooter around week three. I only used the scooter when I had a long way to walk meaning many blocks. Week four I totally weaned myself out of the boot.
Now I am out of the boot, I am back at the gym, but I still can’t run. I can run when I can walk pain free. I still have pain when I walk a long distance, and when I do too much at the gym. I am praying that in 1-2 weeks I will be back on the pavement.
I was listening to the ESPYS which is a sports award show which also raises money for the Jimmy V Foundation. Jimmy Valvano died of cancer in 1993. He started a foundation for cancer research the same year. He famous speech “ Don’t Ever Give Up”
What I take away from it is savor every day. Laugh, think and be moved to tears. Laugh, which I take as enjoy life. My parents both died from cancer. My mother had breast cancer, and my father had lung cancer. I watched my mom breath her last breathe. Tomorrow is not promised, so I make it a point to enjoy each day, and see the good in each situation. I spend my money on making memories, versus buying stuff. Think I do this everyday whether it is thinking about the best treatment for my patients, thinking about my next move in my life. Whether it be thinking about my next blog post. Be moved to tears- meaning show emotions. Be happy, be joyous, and sometimes life may make you sad. I wrote a recent blog post (https://ouilifeouilove.com/2016/06/22/ouilove/) about love, the biblical definitions. I have taken the risk and fallen in love and had my heart broken a few times, but it is so true “ It is better to have loved and lost than not have loved at all”
In the words of Jimmy Valvano “ If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that’s a full day. That’s a heck of a day. You do that seven days a week, you’re going to have something special”
So I will never give up, never give in. In the words of my Pastor John Hannah “stick with it” You all do the same. I will see you on the pavement.
I was doing a Facebook bucket list the other day. On of the list was the question “Have you been in love?”. I thought yes, three times in my life. I thought about the first person I ever loved. I was in college. As I grow older, I grow wiser. I realize today that love was not real love.
A few weeks ago I was ready my daily devotion. Perfect love cast out fear“Love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it … shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.” (1 John 4:18 NLT,)” Perfect love cast out fear.
In my younger years love, relationships alway scared me. The initial dates were fun. But when it came to being serious it was scary like jumping out of a plane, hoping the parachute will work. As I read the verse and the devotion I thought thank God for freedom. I always longed to be close to someone, but had the fear in the back of my mind that reared its head as jealousy, and insecurity.
See it is impossible to love, get close to someone if there is fear. As I grow older, I grow wiser thanks to wise counsel. The word of God is truly a path to life. The key to love, the key to conquering FEAR is to get the focus off of yourself and focus on the object of your love. It gives you power to be free. How can you do this you ask? What if I love so much and get hurt? Give your heart to God. Realize how much God loves you. No earthly person can fill that void. God frees you to love others fearlessly. At the end of the day God has your back, and if things don’t work out. Say you get hurt, you won’t have any regrets and your heart will be open to receive the one God intended for you.
Why this was on my heart not sure, pray it blesses someone.
I am a fan of all things Marvel. I even started watching Agents of Shield on Netflix. X-men while I like the movies, I am not all in. It is like going out with a guy you like, but you would rather go out with the guy you love. I like X-men. I love Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, and Avengers. I even love the new Black Panther.
I had real problems with the movie series. While, Apocalypse would be two thumbs up for anyone who likes actions, drama, and fighting scenes. I like the plots to flow, and make sense to me. I walked out of the movie sleepy and confused.
So X-Men leaves off at the end of X-Men First Class. Well, so it seems as they are teaching students about how the mutants saved the President in early scene of the movie. Let me start with a brief synapsis of the movie. The story begins in Egypt. EnSabh Nur is a mutant who ruled until he was betrayed and entombed alive. EnSabah Nur awakes several years later 1983 and plans to destroy the world and remake it. En Sabah Nur recruits , a young Storm, Psylocke, and Angel. En Sabah Nur enhances both their powers.
In this movie we also learn why Erick trusts no one. I actually don’t blame him. After X-men First Class Eric goes to Poland. He takes a job, gets married, and has a daughter. Some of his co-workers are concerned that Erick is not who she states he is, and alerts authorities. In an attempt to catch him, his daughter and wife are killed. Erick losses it and kills them all with his locket and his dog tags. Erick is recruited after this tragedy. En Sabah Nur assembled his four horseman which is a biblical reference to Revelations.
We also meet young Scott, and young Jean. We see how they first met, and developed a connection. En Sabah Nur hacks into Xavier’s mind while Xavier is using the mutant-locating computer Cerebro to find Erick, and uses Xavier’s powers to force all global superpowers to launch Earth’s entire nuclear arsenal into space to prevent interference with his master plan. En Sabah Nur kidnaps Xavier. While attempting to stop En Sabah Nor, an explosion takes that destroys the mansion. Peter Maximoff(Quicksilver) – having learned that he is Erik’s son, and hoping that Xavier can help to find him – arrives and saves the students in the mansion.
Following a telepathic distress call secretly sent by Xavier to Jean, the others arrive to battle En Sabah Nur. They rescue the professor before En Sabah’s consciousness is transferred to his body, but Xavier loses his hair as the process was nearing completion. Angel is defeated in the battle. Erik and Storm turn on En Sabah, keeping him occupied while Xavier fights in a mind battle. Finally, Xavier pleads Jean to unleash the her powers and sheo destroy En Sabah Nur.
Following this. Erik and Jean help reconstruct the school, but Erik turns down Xavier’s offer to stay and help teach. Under Raven’s direction, Scott, Jean, Hank, Storm, Kurt, and Peter become the new X-Men and train for the battles ahead.
Okay where does this fit in the time line. Maybe it fits somewhere in X-Men Days of Future Past. That would somewhat make sense to me. It also explains why Professor X is bald. Also what is the whole story behind the Apocalypse. I need more details, why is he so powerful. I need more details than X-man provides and some type of flow or pattern to all this story. It is too disjointed. It bothers my detailed mind.
The saga continues. Well I have not run since Susan G. Komen 5k race on May 8, 2016. My feet have improved with the rest and active recovery. I still cycled, rode spin bike, did the elliptical machine, and did strength training four to five times a week. My strength training included exercises from home exercise program that I received from my physical therapist. The physician I saw recommended MRIs to further evaluate my feet. I had previously had a bone scan in September 2015, and was diagnosed with a stress fracture of my left foot, as mentioned in a previous blog. “Stress Fracture, the Two Words a Runner Does Not Want to Hear “I was worried that I had sustained another stress fracture due to the amount of pain I was having after my 5k run.
So my appointment today was to review my MRIs. I had already looked at them myself and was happy I did not have another stress fracture. What I did have was plantar bursitis of both feet, and a partial tear of left plantar fascia. What I did have was plantar fascitis, plantar bursitis of both feet, and a partial tear of left plantar fascia. I had the Peyton Manning injury.
I had both my feet injected, and it was so much better than the last time I had them injected. He also recommended tenet for my partial tear of plantar fascia. Tenex is a minimally invasive procedure for people like me who suffer from pain associated with tendon/fascia damage, such as plantar fasciitis. The Tenex procedure uses ultrasound imaging to view and remove damaged tissue. Removing the damaged tissue allows the tendon to heal properly and relieve pain.
After the procedure will be back in the boot for two weeks, and then back to running two to four weeks later. I am still praying I can do New York Marathon. “ With God Nothing Shall be Impossible is my Mantra” I hope my struggles gives someone hope to keep the faith, not give up
This is a follow up blog to “Stress Fracture, the Two Words a Runner Does Not Want to Hear” that I posted in September 2015. It was at that time, I found out that I had a stress fracture.So after the diagnosis I was placed in a walker boot for almost three months. I continued to work out. I also did my other activities with my boot on.
I just rode the spin bike and did upper body weights. I tried to do leg weights, but it hurt my foot. I got my boot off just in time for my ski trip. I was so happy, while it was too soon to run. Skiing was perfect the ski boot was actually more secure that my walking boot. I skied a total of five days, and had the best lesson I ever had in my life. I raced, I skied all day it was fun to be active.
I returned from my trip. My former running coach recommended physical therapy to help me return to running. I complied; I had learned that I needed to listen to someone other than myself. So I asked my friend, and classmates for a physical therapist who worked with runners. I found the perfect one Liz Yerly. She did a video analysis of my running pattern. She recommended new running shoes. She worked on strengthen exercise to work on my core, balance, hips. These are quality area that all runners should work on. I did therapy initially with my plantar fascitis, but I got bored. The exercises I did there were things I could do at the gym. He never changed the routine. Liz always challenged me, and I never got bored. I actually looked forward to going to my sessions. She got me to the point of running a half marathon, which may have been an overambitious goal.
I ran the Star Wars Half Marathon see former blog”Star Wars Half Marathon- The Dark Side” While I was improving I still had pain in my heels, it was manageable. The more I did my exercises, foam rolling, and wore my night braces the better my feet were. Also the race not difficult at all, but it was the most I had run since my stress fracture.
After the race I actually recovered properly; or so I thought. I wore compression socks, I did an ice bath, I foam rolled, and I rested. I had graduated from physical therapy, so I was on my own. I took a week off from running. I walked, did elliptical, and light weights. I tried to run a week after the race, and I could not run. My feet hurt, so I figured I needed some extra rest. So I continued the light workouts.
I had signed up for a 10k on Mother’s Day May 8, 2016. I always run Susan G Komen in memory of my mom. My foot was not hurting at all as I had been resting/recovering. I figured the 10 k would be too much. I thought I could do the 5k. I ran and my feet did not hurt, I did my intervals. I ran for five minutes, and walked for one minute. This was the recommendation of my physical therapist until I was fully recovered.
It was the best run. I had a great pace, and had a runner’s high. I was in heaven or so I thought. Two hours after the race I could barely walk. It hurt to put any weight on my left heel. I was concerned, this was more than my plantar fasciitis. So I decided to see a fourth doctor. I initially treated myself, but I am not a good patient so I figured would be better under someone else’s care. He was also concerned and order two MRI to fully evaluate both my feet. He also shut me down again. No running until I had my MRIs and was evaluated again. My foot continues to hurt even with walking. Stay tuned, I will run again. “You can’t keep a good women down, That which does not kill you only makes you stronger. With God nothing shall be impossible.” I have to encourage myself to keep my spirits high.
