Just Keep Moving

One of the problems with being in pain and having limited mobility is that exercising sucks. It completely sucks. Being in pain all the time is not only tiring, it is exhausting. Exercising can add to the pain and exhaustion. On days where you think you are having a relatively pain free day, you get cocky and blow it by doing too much. (The doctors tell me that if an activity increases my pain for more than 2 hours, it is too much!) Finding that happy medium is difficult. Now that I am on holidays, I am hoping it will be easier to find that happy medium.

The last few weeks at work were absolutely draining. I was sleeping on the staff room couch during my breaks and having no trouble falling asleep. Makes me very glad that I will be starting my sick leave promptly after summer break. I have enough sick time saved up to start sick leave on the first day of school in September and take until the beginning of March. Wow! Happy day! Hallelujah! I truly believe this will help me focus on preparing for surgery, focusing on me, and getting healthy (and moving).

Today I went swimming for the first time in ages! Sometimes all you need is the feeling that you have the time to do these sorts of things. When I'm working, I would have to swim in the evening, when the pools are super busy with swim lessons and full of people. I want a quiet pool.  I need a pool with stairs which means I would be swimming in the shallow end.  The shallow end is usually full of children splashing around. This afternoon, the pool was quiet. I was the only one in the shallow end. It was glorious. I walked out of the change room with my cane, laid my things by the stairs and made my way carefully into the water. Then I made my way carefully back out of the water to put my glasses on my towel.... Oops...  

I swam for about 20 minutes, not continuously mind you.  Some flutter kick only, some front crawl, some back crawl.  I must admit I was frustrated. My left leg is so much weaker than my right I am suprised I wasn't swimming in circles.  Every now and then my former lifeguard skills would kick in and I would attempt a whip kick.. Holy shit, was that ever a bad idea.  OUCH!!!!!!

I do think it was a good start. When I am in the water, my pain is very minimal. I plan to start slowly. I pushed my luck today because I also saw my athletic therapist. Seeing the AT means more exercises, stretches, and some deep tissue massage. 

Lucky for me, dinner was waiting for me when I got home, as was the hot tub.  I have a sneaky suspicion I will sleep well tonight.