Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Month 8 of Competition

UPDATE:  My brother-in-law has done a LOT of improving since my last post.  His accident was 46 days ago.  He talked the first time around August 22nd and has now begun to speak in complete sentences.  He basically knows everyone.  He does sit up and get out of his room during the day, but walking is still a long ways off.  Please continue to pray for him and his wife.   
 

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Another month of competition is in the books, and it was a good one.  Not only did I have the largest total so far for the year but....

I WON!!

Yup, victory was mine.  Thanks to a head cold (she is doing much better now) I was able to pull ahead and maintain my lead.  She did end up with a higher month end total that me, but the winner is the one who reaches the monthly goal first.

 August (goal of 60 miles):
Miles walked: 43.41
Minutes exercised: 1310 = 43.67 miles
Water intake 28/31 days = 6.25 miles
TOTAL: 93.33 miles
 
I was skeptical there for a little while as my foot was really beginning to pain me.  No, not the foot that had surgery in May, the other one.  The mornings were the worst.  I would wake up and sit on the edge of the bed and contemplate if I wanted to crawl to the bathroom or brave taking a step.  I knew that once I got going it would at least slightly improve, but the pain was excruciating.  I do my daily walks at 5am and it would take until about a half to three-quarters of a mile before the pain would mostly subside.  If you used the pain scale (10 is kill me now and 0 is pain free), the first step would be at about an 8-9 and by the time I completed the first mile I would be down to about a 4.  It would never get any better than that.  There are days that I really wish I could get new feet! 
 
I am a stubborn one and I figured I could just gut my way through this.  It would improve, right?  I felt like I was just being a wimp.  The thought of "what if it DOESN'T improve and you have to have surgery on it too?" crossed my mind quite often.  After that, and much pressure from loved ones, I made an appointment with my foot doctor.
 
I have seen Dr. Foot more in the last 6 months that I have my endo.  After some poking (why do they always find the most painful spot?) and stretching it was determined that plantar fasciitis was the culprit.  A cortisone shot and tape and I was good to go.  I had to take it easy for a day, preferably two (read: no 2 mile walks), but that it should get back to normal pretty quick.
 
It did.  The first step morning pain was gone and my walk pace had picked back up.  A week later I went back for the follow-up.  I got fresh tape and instructions to remove the tape in 3 days.  If my foot didn't continue to improve, or if the pain came back, I was to call them immediately.  Dr. Foot said that if it wasn't better we were not going to wait as long with this foot as we did on the previous one. 
 
Thankfully, it is basically back to normal.  No pain in the morning, and only a little soreness after my walks.  I call that success!
 
September's exercise goal is also 60 miles.  We were both so close to having a perfect water intake month in August.  September we will be perfect!  So far it means that we've had to watch the clock more closely and even skipped a nap or two, but we'll make it. 
 
September is also my birthday month. 
 
She won her birthday month, I'm doing my darndest to win mine.
 
Wish me luck!!