Vacation!

Friday morning I drove Jim to the airport and he left for his 2-week trip to Germany, Belgium and Paris with his sister.


This week I will be on a do-nothing (serious) vacation!


I've never done this before - taking time off from work and not planning anything. Of course, by now I have a list, but I'm going to try not to live by it! I want to just spend the time and do what I WANT. Knit, read, etc. Will do my workouts, but that's all!


No long walks - see previous post!


I'll update you as I go....

Update on the foot

Well....

Last Tuesday I had an MRI on my right foot, which I had twisted and fractured the last week of April. It had been getting better, but then a week or so ago it began hurting "differently" - various kinds of sensations, sometimes pain, sometimes tightness, sometimes twinging....

Thus, the MRI.

The results were kind of surprising, but they explained all the things I was feeling!

I'm including the picture (from my favorite anatomy book from chiro college) so you can see the small bones that make up the foot.

In several of the small bones I have what they call "bone marrow edema". Edema in general refers to swelling. I've never heard of BONE edema! My doctor (and a couple of websites!) explained that it's a finding that only shows up on an MRI. It means, among a few other things that don't apply here, that there was trauma. Yeah. I know! There's also some inflammation around a tendon sheath, so that explains the occasional soreness up the front of my shin.

The bones that are affected are in the area that was crushed together when I twisted my ankle, which was a really fast and hard twist. I'm not sure why they haven't healed.

What it means is more healing time, and more wearing my big shoes (not so great in this heat!).

I'm anxious to do some cardio, but there's little I can do with my ankle like this. I have been doing weight training, adapting for the ankle limitations. I've done 5 minutes on the elliptical trainer, which seems to stress it the least. Dr. said not to do a lot of walking - repetitive stress.

Sigh.

No one has mentioned low bone density or "considering the patient's age" or stuff like that, so I think I'm okay there.

I guess I just can't do things the normal way - have to get all drama about it!

Pray for healing!

Rant on clothes shopping....

It is soooo frustrating to be tall and try to find clothes that fit!

Today I was trying to find workout pants, not full length but not shorts. I went to a Lane Bryant store. Years ago they had a whole section of clothes for tall people. Nowadays all they have is "women's sizes" - meaning, LARGE. I understand that they need clothes to fit them, but I get CRAZY that no one seems to care about tall people. So often I hear people say, Oh, how nice to be so tall! Well, I don't mind being tall now that I'm an adult, but I sure would like that admiration to extend to being considered worth making clothes for!

The saleswoman at Lane Bryant kept saying they had tall sizes, but I couldn't find any - just 22's and 28's, ++++ etc. They only had dress pants, and few at that. She just gave me a withering look, like it's my fault I'm not LARGE. (I guess it is, tho. Hmm. Maybe I should just get fat again.)

And MEN have Big and Tall stores. Is this prejudice against women? I don't get it.

I've looked on the internet, but all I could find were long pants. Oh, there was ONE shorter pair, but the "waist" clearly didn't cover the navel. Yeah, right.

Arghhh!

Lazy Day

We are all getting a little rest, this "extra" day after the Fourth of July.


Here's Robert, napping on my NEW Split Rock bag. Nothing is complete around here till it's been baptized with cat hair.








Here's Sister, napping in one her fave spots, not looking especially petite....








Hope everyone had a great Fourth! We were invited to a friend's house last night, whose yard looks out over the great fireworks at the Tucson Country Club. Fun, nostalgic, etc.

Thank God we have the privilege to live in this free nation! Let us not forget we need to take responsibility to maintain it.

Back to Fitness!

Today I had my first training workout at LA Fitness. I joined because my Curves closed (sob!). I knew the now-nearest Curves was too far away for me to be as loyal in my workouts as before. I know myself when it comes to exercise - I don't like it! The LA Fitness is about the same distance, ~1.something miles. My husband Jim has been a member there for awhile.

Last week I signed up for some training so I can really get started well and have professional guidance on what to do - there have to be a thousand machines there! Today was the first session. My arms are rubber right now....

I really am more suited to couch-sitting and knitting, alternated with some cat-feeding and brushing. Oh, and crossword puzzling. But I surely do feel better when I work out, better mentally and physically. And the memory of my mom's osteoporotic spine is very motivating.

I am so fortunate that this is available!

Personality Quiz

A friend on Ravelry posted this, so I filled in the quiz and these are my results: (can't resist a quiz!)

Your Personality is Very Rare (INFP)

Your personality type is dreamy, romantic, elegant, and expressive. Only about 5% of all people have your personality, including 6% of all women and 4% of all men You are Introverted, Intuitive, Feeling, and Perceiving.

How Rare Is Your Personality?

Blogthings: 100's of Fun, Free Quizzes and 3 Stupid Ones

Turns out, I got the exact same result she did! Is this because we all want to be "very rare"? Interesting...