Episode 5 (479) The Gym

Miss me? I'm a slacker for not keeping my posts more current. I will do better, I promise. So today's input is about the gym. One of the most frustrating things about this whole RSD situation is that I miss running. I mean, I was never the fastest or strongest runner, but I used to be able to run forever. In fact, that's how I got into this situation. Well, actually it was a combination of two evils, running and feeling fat. So last May I had let myself go a little and I went a little overboard with the working out. Working up a good sweat, especially with running, always made me feel better. Stress and frustrations from work and life seem to get pounded out with each step. It really was invigorating. Well after I ran myself into a stress fracture I knew I'd have to go easy on the running and working out for a while. That's a dangerous thing for someone like me...

I may fool most of you with my constant energy and sunny disposition, but I'm lazy at heart and I can procrastinate any of you into the ground. Without proper motivation to do otherwise I definitely would spend my life on the sofa watching tv, reading people.com and eating chips! By the way, if they ever come up with a diet that involves chips, please let me know! Seriously, one of the reasons that I loved running in Las Vegas was because the treadmills at my gym had tvs attached to them. :)

Anyway, with the RSD I have an excellent excuse not to exercise. I mean, what can I do on one foot? Plus it hurts! Well, the first excuse is crap, but the second poses more of a problem. While bearing weight on my foot causes pain, I can deal with that by doing some horizontal exercises and using weights while sitting. The more difficult and more painful problem is that when my body temperature increases (as it does when I work out) my foot swells, becomes red and feels like it's on fire. Let me tell you, this sucks. That's really the only way to put it. I really do love to work out. It helps me have more energy and I feel good about myself. But part of me hates it because of this rotten RSD problem.

So a funny thing happened to me the other day. The love of my life told me that people he works with think I'm pregnant. Alright, any of you women out there can instantly appreciate my horror and mortification. Jon insists they think I'm pregnant because he has told them we're getting married. However, as a woman I have the obligatory female response which of course is, "I'm so FAT that people think I'm pregnant!!!" Now Jon thinks this is ridiculous and he thinks I'm gorgeous and yadda yadda, but really, once that thought is in your head there's nothing to get it out of there except to fit into your skinny jeans again.

So, I'm back to the gym. Two days in a row and I'm feeling good. Yes, there is pain. Most of my body hurts because it's pissed off that I'm doing more than lifting a fork, but that's a good hurt. The foot hurts while I work out, but I'm doing it. I have all kinds of concessions that help. I go with a cane. I usually wear socks and have right shoe off. I do many reps to get my heart rate up for cardio. I do a lot of work lying on the floor or sitting on a bench. And there's this awesome bike from like 1960 that has handles that move. The cool thing about the bike is that it lets me really do cardio without pounding or pressure on the foot! It's very cool.

It's not running in a marathon, but it's working for now. I'll let you know when I get into my skinny jeans.

The Nitty Gritty
Meds: I stopped the Lyrica. Just one lortab tonight.
Activity: Moderate. Weight lifting and a busy night at work.
Pain level: 4/10 - really cold foot right now!