150 Degrees...

...of ACTIVE shoulder flexion. THAT is HUGE my friends, when last I was measured, I had to work hard (really hard) to get to 125. It's getting there and any of you are allowed to remind me of that if I get mopey or bummed or whatever - cool???

xo - laura

LIFE

well... feel like the veil of grouchiness has been lifting, i can do more, my shoulder feels like it's on the right track, i have lots of fun plans, blah, blah, blah...it has been under wraps for a few days and i am starting to feel more like me, however it is not gone yet - sigh - not really sure what to do with that or to do about it...my guess is that as "things" (read: health insurance, paper submission, back to work dates, full ROM, etc, etc) get settled, it will continue to diminish...

that being said, i have had a lovely time house/dog/husband - "sitting" this week...Syd is fantastic company, Blondie is a love and the sun is out a lot more in Burlingame than in SF!  Although, I miss Soxie and my own bed - a LOT.  

Gotta run, early "get-up" in the am...think non-grouchy, focused thoughts for me...

xo

Back on the bike

FINALLY! it has been since about november that i have ridden my bike, dr. ma gave me the ok on monday and today was the maiden voyage. i am down the peninsula in san mateo, dog, house and husband sitting for a few days and the bike made the trip - i figure it's better to start on flatter roads and if the sun was out too, all the better. so, i made a date with karen from the pool and she put the bikes on top of the car and we went to Canada and 92 - bicycle sunday, no less :) a bright sunny day with a little breeze and off we went, no more than 15 minutes in and i'm out of breath (*^%#&*(^^@#*&.. it was fun to be out, the shoulder held up fine, it (along with most everything else) was pretty tired when we finished. We rode for about an hour and a half and between 12-18 miles...into woodside and the whiskey hill loop. I was gassed in a big was on the last two "hills" to the car...but gassed is a GREAT place to start! I hope to get out twice more this week.

The shoulder is making slow steady gains, it's pretty weak but feels like it's moving better nearly every day. I also got the green light to swim the breaststroke and have done that a couple of times too - also pretty weak and EVERYTHING is sore the next day. I expect nothing less tomorrow and will smile through every bit of it!

Namaste my friends.

Dark Knight and Other Crap

If you liked Batman Begins, you will love this one! My advice, make SURE that you pee RIGHT before it starts and don't drink during...it's kinda long. Saw it Friday afternoon with a medium sized crowd, it was dark and creepy and Heath will make you think that Jack was the Easter Bunny as the Joker...that's all I'm saying. SEE IT!

Shoulder continues to weigh on me, I hate not being able to do the stuff I want - blahblahblah - how many times to I have to whine about that one???? L I F E L E S S O N S ! ! !

I guess it's getting better, but I do worry that it needs to get better faster so that I can go back to work and certainly before my insurance runs out...that would be me freaking out - stop it - stop it - stop it...

Really sick of my paper and all the "help" that I am getting, I am frustrated with it, feel like the rules change every single freaking time that I get comments back....

Gray and foggy every day - Life is Good

Family-time in The O.C.

I know own not one but two new pairs of vans, with the assistance of my 17 year old niece. I have seen my nephew play baseball, my niece play basketball. I have had iced mocha's and a pedi with the teenager, had lunch with my mom and her new husband with my sister-in-law, had more iced drinks with pops and now the killer bbq chicken that my bro is famous for. I have hooked him on the tour de france, I watch the tape delay while sitting on a stationary bike and he joins me for the end with his newspaper and coffee...IT HAS BEEN FANTASTIC!

More later, off to watch a movie...xo

Patient vs Patience

VS

It's me against myself in this one folks...how hard can it be? Some days, harder than you can imagine and others it's a walk in the park. I am gaining understanding, empathy and a bunch of other "stuff" that can only be obtained by going a mile in someone else's shoes. My PT had the "check the attitude at the door" talk with me last week and I really, really tried this week...between that and a trip or two to the pool...my shoulder feels better than it has yet..120 degrees of flexion (180 is normal and a month ago I was barely at 90)...Focus on the positive; what is it that you CAN do that you couldn't about a month ago?

1 - Drive

2 - Get a swimsuit on (all of you out there, try to put a speedo one-piece on one handed...especially if sweaty at all)
3 - Actively get my hand up the wall

4 - Pull my pants up bi-laterally

5 - chop and dice things

6 - open bottles

7 - hands behind my head - feels soooooooooooo good

8 - tie my shoes

That's the short list for now...

Off to The OC to visit the family and practice some more patience....Later

Back to the Lab

Today's dissection was the medial compartment of the thigh, the adductor muscles, the inner thigh, the muscles that pull your leg to midline of the body...you know those machines at the gym that you sit on and squeeze your knees together???? THOSE are your adductors, they are pictured below...the thigh is fascinating to me and the parts that I am really thankful for the review of is where all the nerves run. The kids are awesome and smart and funny and prepared and ask GREAT questions...LOVING THIS!

Yesterday was PT, my arm IS moving better (he made me admit) and he reminded me to be patient and just keep working and being positive about what I CAN do that I couldn't do before...I love how he uses lines on me that I have used on my patients...I get to start pushing some weights...1lb in side lying external rotation...I have 3 exercises with theraband, the second wimpiest band...not bad and I do feel it...I got into the pool both yesterday and today, it feels really good to be able to move my arm effortlessly overhead (buoyancy of the pool is FANTASTIC) and the added bonus is that the chlorine is drying up the final vestiges of my axilla (armpit) heat rash. :)

That's all I got today, sweet dreams!