Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Epic Healing Week--1st Installation!

So, since my training is minimal, I figured I have time to write in my blog, and cook, ignore the laundry, catch up on some trashy tv, and finish my book.

On Monday, I went to my normal sports chiro, and we decided on a really focused strategy for my recovery. It is called the "Throw darts and see what sticks" strategy. I think that is an official medical diagnosis. I filled him in on all of my appointments for the week, and we decided to move forward.


Dart 1: Emory

Oh man I was excited. Going to the big dogs and getting some answers. They are going to just KNOW what is wrong with me and how to fix it.

And....well....Guess what? They don't. Regular doctors are a serious disappointment (sorry doctors). The answer: "You have contusions on your knee (really, bruises? You think? I fell like 15 times....I know that!), and you have inflamed tendons." So now I know.....exactly what I already knew. Awesome. I mostly felt bad that I had gotten a substitute teacher and my kids weren't getting a good lesson so I could be told what I already knew. The RX? Physical Therapy, advil, and call in 6 weeks. Great. Really thought long and hard over my treatment didn't ya?




Back to less traditional stuff, since I am clearly not a big fan of the traditional treatments (who would be?).

Dart #2 Sports Chiro who focuses on Active Release Therapy

This was such a different experience than emory. I was really nervous about going. I love my regular sports chiro guy, and I was only going to try out some of his different techniques. He spent a long time with me, and I move in every possible way. He then did a lot of nerve work and a ton of ART.

He asked me what my pain was on the pain charts. Now, really I have a hard time with these.

I don't really get it. He kept on making me walk down stairs to see if the treatment was loosening anything up.

He said, "what was your initial pain level going down the stairs."

I said, "Well, I am reading this book called Unbroken. It is all about Louie Zamparini, who was one of the hopes to break the 4 minute mile. But then, he had to go to war in WWII. His plane crased, and he had to survive in a tiny raft for months in the open ocean fighting sharks and starvation. Then he was captured as a POW and had a really sadistic guard who beat him unconsious daily. I feel like HE gets a pain chart. Really, I am just whiny cause I can't run, so I don't even think I am on it."

Dr., "um....I guess I have to clarify that this is YOUR pain chart, and not HIS pain chart."

Me, " well I guess maybe a 3. I mean, I don't want to walk down any more stairs, or I could turn around and go backwards."

Dr., "well, if something hurts enough that you want to stop immediately, that is more than a three."

Ok, well, this book is really good. Even if I it makes you seem like a jerk in the Dr.'s office, you should read it! It'll change your pain scale!



Oh right....back to the dr. So, he kept working on me, and I kept going down the stairs, and this went on for a while. It was cool stuff, but I was still hurting going down the stairs. The LAST trip down the stairs though, was awesome. I felt about 90% better.

In his words, "We're on the right track." Fantastic. This was one of the first times I have started to feel better! I made 6 more appointments, and I will be back on Thursday. (I don't do things halfway very well).

Dart #3 a.
Phyical therapy that my awesome teammate Andree told me about. I will be headed there tomorrow after I see the Dart #2 Doctor again.

Dart #3b.
Physical therapy. I have a second PT appointment at a place I have been before on Friday. Figure I will just keep it and make a decision later on who I will continue to work with. I have plenty of darts people.

Dart #4
I am considering acupuncture. I have done dry needling, and that might become Dart#5, but not acupuncture. Figure it might be worth a shot. I talked to a guy my coach recommended. I am going to keep thinking about it!




In the meantime, I am doing a lot of swimming. My coach made me take today off because maybe I had been swimming too much..... ;-) OH, which reminds me that I am REALLY excited that SBR sports is going to be sponsoring Team Trakkers! That means that very soon, I will not have to smell like chlorine ALL the time, because I am going to to get some tri swim! I will tell you about it later!!



*********************************************************************
Any more dart suggestions?

Anyone tried acupuncture?


12 comments:

  1. You will get this worked out...faith :) See what jessica says about dry needling because they can do that there. Definitely let me know how the appt goes-I will be thinking positive thoughts for you!!

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  2. Love your blog Kacie..Love you,too! And all is going to be well soon!!
    Can't wait to see you Saturday!
    Love, Mom

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  3. I am reading Unbroken right now!! SO GOOD. I went to bed at 9 so I could read it...stayed up till 11 or so reading...about 1/2 way through..crazy amazing story

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  4. acupuncture is awesome! I even get it for my chocolate lab (murphey) for his back/leg problems.

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  5. So sorry your still hurting. I know it is hard to even consider the idea of taking it easy, but maybe that could be Dart #22 or 23?

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  6. Active Release Therapy. I wrote a review on it. I went from having to pull out of a race due to a knee thing in December, to taking a day off for a ART session, to training that next day. Fixed my swimming in zig-zags from a torn rotator cuff and a bad tracking shoulder, to swimming straight in 4 sessions.

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  7. HAH - I totally get what you mean about the 'pain charts.' When they say 10 = the worst possible pain, then I think "well, i've yet to feel that one - i haven't had kids yet"

    good luck with the darts! believe and you will get better

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  8. 1. Feel better. Someone we went to college with has suggested to me that not having knees has its advantages. I agree. Plus, she thinks they're gross.

    2. Perhaps this goes in the opposite direction than what you're feeling, but here's another option for pain scales, much more amusing than the one you posted:
    http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/02/boyfriend-doesnt-have-ebola-probably.html

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  9. so glad the ART seems to be getting some things worked out. Ask him (or her) about what you can do to avoid it happening again as well! :)

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  10. Thanks everyone! Huge improvements continue! I will update a part 2 soon!

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  11. Man.. sitting on the couch watching trashy t.v. sounds good to me. I might just go out an injure myself just so I can do THAT! Can I eat a lot of chocolate too?

    Seriously, I will pray that you recover speedily! Hang in there!

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  12. Sounds like you're on the right track. For the record, NO ONE, especially my coach has ever told me I've been swimming too much!

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