Little bit of this and that!!!

Well today is Day 3 post injections and I feel good. Lower back is not sore, just still feeling muscular tightness for which I am still working on my flexibility. I am also on Day 3 of my exercises which Kevin has given me. It is only single leg squats 3 x 10 reps 3 times a day and I must admit I am holding my posture alot better. I no longer drop my hip on the leg I am standing on but rather I squeeze my glute and turn on my core muscles and this is helping me maintain my posture alot better.

My hip/groin tenderness is close to non-existent, I am so happy. Finally the uphill climb injury wise is stabilising, and I finally feel I am moving full steam ahead into the light.

Also, during these days where I am doing little exercise I have been doing alot of reading. And I came across the Toyota U.S Open Triathlon 2009 results and as far as my swimming is concerned I am not far off in the rankings for my 1500m swim. The Top 5 girls times are between 19:59 and 21:07. I did my 1500m in 22:48, so I am quite pleased with it. I know, I know Triathlon is a multisport event, but atleast I have one leg that's ok. Now it's time to get the other two working at an okay level. I will never be a fantastic runner nor a sprint cyclist but maybe, just maybe I can get them to a level where they will not let me down too much.

I would also like to give a "SHOUT OUT" to one of my friends Andrew C. on Daily Mile who is competing in the M7 marathon today. I know you will have done an awesome job Andrew and what a great accomplishment. I look forward to hearing all about it and hearing what your thought's were during your run.

Physio tomorrow, I wonder what it will bring?

What a find!!!

Just found the best site "Swim Smooth" after reading Triathlete Magazine. It is a 3D animated guy which shows the correct swim technique from absolutely every angle imaginable. All you need to do is follow the blog "Feel for the water" which gives you absolutely great tips and advice for swimming, articles and training. Also"Like" them on Facebook and download Mr Smooth to your desktop.

The 3D download is awesome. A fantastic birds eye view of a swimmer with every angle accounted for. You can even see how to breathe correctly and correct hand placement down to the fingers. I am gobsmacked. CHECK IT OUT and become a follower.

I figure we can all use whatever help is out there.

Morning update.

Well this morning I am pleased to say the sciatic pain is still non-existent and other than some tenderness in the area from the shots which Kevin said is normal, I feel fine. Last night was the first night in almost 14 years that I had been able to sleep on my back without suffering intense pain trying to then turn on my side. And I can assure you I was extremely hesitant to roll over but to my surprise "no pain". So just to celebrate the momentous occasion at 0135 am I rolled over again and again with a smile from ear to ear.

My hip/groin pain (Enthesopathy) is only slightly there and I think that's because I had my first dose of Fosamax and I have been resting too. So thing's are looking positive. I also did my first set of exercises given to me by Kevin this morning and I will do a boat load of stretches as well as I feel super tight.

So I am happy to report I feel improvement. How is everyone?

Quit fussin' woman.

So I woke up this morning bleary eyed and quite apprehensive after a completely restless night. Did my usual routine with the kiddies had a shower and got my hubby to put on those Emla patches where the doctor had marked with permanent marker 2 days ago. I really need to learn to settle down the brain, the closer the time came the more my mind went into overdrive and the more somersaults my stomach did. Truly not a good pattern to get into, this could induce chest pain, arrhythmias. What a drama queen I am. The waiting is what gets me. But if my last SI injections were anything to go by I was in for a doozie.

So anyway, I toddled off to the specialist with my husband as my support network and personal hand holder (squeezer) and waited for the inevitable. Kevin invited me in and could instantly see the look of sheer panic and he was quick to reassure me. He had mentioned previously that no-one has complained afterwards and after having had the injections, I can see why. The guy is a legend. He has been blessed with an awesome ability to give injections with needles about 5cm in length and not have it hurt one bit.
I can't even begin to tell you how good I feel. Within about 10 minutes my sciatic pain settled and the dull ache in my lower back was all but gone. I know this is the effect of the anaesthetic injected in with the steroids so I will have to wait till it takes full effect in the next 3 days. But so far so good. Kevin gave me one exercise to do 3 times daily till I see Lisa. And on Monday the fun begins. BRING IT ON. I am looking forward to the challenges that lay ahead as this will make me stronger.

I am a woman
on a mission

"Gabrielle Cilmi"

Show me some love.

I'm nervous. Tomorrow is D-day. I am getting those injections into my SI joints and although I have total faith that this is going to work, I am still "scared outta my pants". If you have seen the size of those needles than you will know the depth of my fear. Lucky thing though, the doctor gave me a prescription for some Emla patches. These are topical anaesthetic patches which take about an hour to work and once active, stay that way for about 2 hours. This should essentially numb the area whilst the needles go in but I will still feel the solution until the anaesthetic inside the solution kicks in.

So after the injections I pretty much have to rest till I see physio on Monday and as a result of my limited activity over the next couple of days I squeezed in another swim session last night and a nice easy indoor trainer ride today. My swim session went as follows:

• 500m Fr/s warm up
• 10 x 50 Fr/s kick with flippers and board
• 4 x 300m Fr/s catch up with pull bouy
  
• 200m Br/s cool down

Then today's trainer was 12km's in 30mins with 4 x 2min sessions in the aero position. I still only have the flat bar roadie so I improvised and put a cushion in the centre of the bar and leaned forward onto it. It did the trick.

Wish me luck guys for tomorrow. This is STEP 1 in Barb's transformation in becoming a force to be reckoned with - or so I like to think.

Things I would like to own.

These are some of the things I would love to invest in. Can you see a familiar theme throughout them all?

Could it have always been that simple.

I do believe I have just spent the last 14yrs of my life in a complete fog. Going from doctors to specialists and back again being treated for a condition which they had no idea from where it originated from. I have endured scans, medications - some with horrendous side effects, injections and mental anguish in the hope that whatever the specialists were doing was going to help. But guess what it never did and it would come in waves.

So fast forward 14yrs and I have a new physio and new specialist and I have come to find out that I needn't have gone through any of that if they had of soley focused on my core and stabilisers. Basically the inflammation in my Sacroiliiac joints came about (from what he believes) is the laxing of my muscles, joints and ligaments during my twins pregnancy, due to the effects of oestrogen on the things I have just mentioned. And because the SI spaces are not smooth but rather jagged they have grinded on themselves and caused the inflammation. And as the inflammation continued and progressed the less space and more rubbing/friction happened and we had a revolving door effect. So as the pain progressed one always compensates and holds themselves differently, things tighten up, other things give way and you end up with muscles that are not supporting your skeletal structure whatsoever.

Also my abdominal muscles were severely stretched obviously due to a twin pregnancy and to this day when I do a crunch or situp I have a ridge that travels directly from around belly button to top of stomach which shows they have not meshed. Now as a result of all of this the following things have happened to my lower body:

• inadequate core strength
• inadequate stabilisers
• extremely tight muscles in back and legs
• continued irritation of SIJ's
• resulting injuries
• inflammation of ligaments
• the list goes on........

SO, with all of this to play with he strongly believes that he can help me and for this I am greatful and am going into the next couple of months with extreme excitement, anticipation and nerves.

This coming Thursday I am booked in for Cortisone injections into my SI spaces. The aim is to reduce the inflammation and pain and get focused (really focused) on improving my core and stabilisers. I know I have been doing all my stuff at home but when things hurt you don't give it your all. So thats where the injections come into play.

I am then booked into physio on the following Monday and he will have a letter for me to give to Lisa with everything that he wants me to do. If after 2 weeks the pain returns he wants me to come back and see him and it may be another round of injections followed by continuation of physio. He made a really good analogy in regards to the injections and inflammation. He said its kind of like trying to put out a bushfire, you cant just use the hose once and turn your back and walk away. The embers could re-ignite and you have your bushfire happening all over again. He see's the injections and inflammation in much the same light. As the inflammation settles and I become pain free I am able to work my back, core and stabilisers more and they are then better able to support me and my back. Make's sense.

So, I also mentioned the groin pain and he tested me for muscle pulls, or hip problems and it is pretty much neither. I have Enthesopathy in the right lateral side of my symphisis pubis. He was testing all my muscles and ligaments and then he touched that part of my bone and I almost touched the roof. "Easily fixed" he said, I have to take one tablet a week of this medication for 4 weeks and it will reduce the inflammation. Pretty much a drug they use for osteoporosis. Mum is not on this anymore so I cant even scab some off her....lol

So all in all, even though it all sounds doom and gloom in terms of needles, I can see a light. A bright light and for that I am eternally optimistic. I can't keep going the way I am or I will never see my dreams come to fruition.

So I am going to "DNS" [did not start- my version...lol] , can't DNF myself cause I haven't even started the next 2 runs. And yep, that includes my Half Marathon. Small price to pay I think for my health and ability to complete the bigger picture.

Nothing is impossible
to a willing heart.

"John Heywood"