Upgrade #1 - how my body handled it

Jul 07, 2009 12:19

Upgraded one of the Finance machines today; noticed that by the end of the upgrade my knees while not having stood much, were feeling sensitive.

I evaluated that due to getting in and out of the chair frequently (although consciously, according to the special way the physical therapist has now taught me to leave chairs) still caused a bit of a new sensitivity. I decided to go home immediately upon finishing the upgrade and treat it as if it were a "work out," which, the physical therapist advised icing after every intense or not so intense workout. Walk a lot? Ice it. Lots of stairs? Ice it.

So, machine upgrade #1 felt very similar to an actual work out might have felt. Seeing as I have yet to narrow these things down, I am really beginning to see how often I get in and out of chairs in my job. Think about it. My job requires me to go from desk to desk. Talk to people - and once I get a good grasp on what their issues are, I usually ask them if I can sit down and take a look-see, right? And sometimes I have to have them test things out a few times before I get to the bottom of their issue; IE, more sitting down in their chair, getting up, sitting down, getting up.

Sometimes the less polite people would have me stand there side ways. Now days I get pushy about seating. It seems sitting and standing the way they advise IS a work out for me. It IS NOT my natural movement pattern. If it were, I gather my problems would not be happening.

Stairs. I've been paying extra attention to stairs. I'm unsure I'm doing it the way they "want," but then again, perhaps I am. I go slowly down stairs and up them now, in order to ensure my knees point outwards, and not inwards.

We'll see how the rest of this week goes. I did get an OK for 30 minutes a day of some sort of low impact exercise. IE: a walk. Biking on the bike machine (blah) or the e machine. The other therapist suggested going backwards on the e machine to strengthen the hamstrings rather than my quads. It could be an exercise in slow and confusing movement, but it might also be just what my spot training would prefer :P

My online nutritionist definitely informed me that it is not uncommon for people to gain 5+ lbs virtually overnight on NSAIDs. I can attest that this is exactly what happened to me. Good news is I am betting once they're out of my system (it can take a couple weeks after you are done taking them) that the weight will probably drop off pretty naturally on its own. (Here's to hoping, cause now I am realizing my ass wasn't so bad before...... silly?)

When you are as self aware about how your body feels like I am, you can literally feel the difference. I know that I'll never be able to gain weight and not notice. It can't "creep on," without me seriously feeling it. Ever since 2007 when I made some life changes, it has been something I am acutely aware of. Double edged sword. I try not to obsess, but it is hard for me. It's an effort to realize that size, shape, and weight are not everything. The world does not crash down around my shoulders when I fluctuate during circumstances like the meds. It is OK and temporary.

Regardless, playing these things by ear and going as easy as possible is my goal. I prefer to burn a few extra calories a day to try and do damage control for the past 2 weeks of sitting and doing ABSOLUTELY nothing, as well as the past 3 weeks of zero work outs at all. What so ever. So starting slow with walks on some days, a bike ride (machine perhaps is safest), and the e machine other days - will probably be my best bet. I really would like to ask about CT, because I did not get a chance to. Now I am stuck waiting till my next appointment. Then again, I might call the clinic. I also fully intend this week to make use of my hand weights instead of ignoring it. If I feel like my arms are still in motion, I think I will feel all around happier.

Yoga must wait. I have other goals: learn how to stand on one foot the way she wants me to without falling over. I had really good balance before. But that was with my incorrect biochemistry. Now I'm being asked to balance more on the outside of my foot than I ever have. Square one with balance.

I also had an appointment with a therapist. (Employee Assistance Program). This is in an effort to find communication solutions to work with regarding my quest to get things through to my boss effectively. And not to mention - I do struggle with being down about the fact that I went from being an ultra lean athlete with a whole scheme of goals for my life that I thought I had a pretty good shot at obtaining... to an average Jane. Average Jane works, but honestly? I am not going to give up on my dreams. I just know now that I have to cope with waiting, and a lot more work than just being an athlete used to require of me. Limitations and training side-lining is a lot more work than just working yourself up.

The tendons feel a lot better.
The new found wealth of softer fleshier body is irritating at worst.
I'm jumping into a more strict diet approach to do a few things for me:
1- Help with losing some extra wealth.
2- Help with stabilizing my moods by eating wholesome, self prepared meals.

This is important to me.
My mentality is greatly impacted by things.
I need to take charge and give myself the best shot at being happy and stable that I can have. It starts with the diet. End of story.

In 30 minutes, I go to the first team meeting in quite some time. 3 weeks? The one before my medical leave was canceled. Team meetings generally represent where I feel unimportant and over looked, or pressured. It exposes a lot of attitudes that tend to trigger my stress buttons. They require a lot of patience on my part. Here's to hoping it all runs smooth and I am positive, energized, and neutral in the meeting.

-Angela

injury, work

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