Stacy's Mom

Well, since it's been nearly a month since I last posted here, there's a lot going on. I'll try to be succinct (though it's not at all my strong suit, so consider yourself warned).

It has been an amazing fall weekend. Temps in the low 70s, lots of sun, and the leaves were just perfect. Autumn is my favorite season by far, and I'm not sure you could find a better place to be than here. Couple that with mowing the lawn (do you remember?), hanging out at home (for the first time in weeks, it seems), Sunday Ticket, an extra day off, and some serious garage-related productivity, and I'm not sure I could have asked for a better weekend overall.

The eternal PT patient will soon be on supervised furlough. My therapist is cutting me semi-loose after this Thursday, since most of what we work on are things I can replicate on my own at home or at the gym. But I've also considered the thought that she might just be trying to give me the slip. I've stepped up the attack on my IT band in hopes of loosening it at least a little, but I've had pretty much no success so far. A patellar tendon brace brought some amazing results the first time I wore it, including the ability to sit in a right back-leaning stance several times without pain (which hadn't occurred in over a year). Those results lasted until the next day, when my knee notified me that I had made a poor choice. It has steadfastly refused to feel better since then, and the brace is suddenly quite ineffective. My therapist's quote: "Well, I'm glad you had your moment." This morning we spent some time going over modifications to stances and kicks that I can start with and work my way into over the next few months. The three exercises I'm allowed: a modified (narrow and 50/50 balanced) back-leaning stance (so, not really a back-leaning stance at all), a back kick from all fours (instead of standing), and a straight-leg side kick from the floor (for which I have apparently practiced the incorrect form for years). No front kick, no roundhouse kick, no nothing else. My therapist's quote (which she repeated 3 times): "We're not there yet, and it's going to take a long time." But it's all I want, and I've waited for so long.

So now I face the remainder of my week which, for a change, does not feature a business trip. Holding true to form (as these weeks always do), it's a long, short week that involves lots of extra stuff, including the annual Seido Benefit Tournament. No competing for me--just helping out. Perhaps being there will help me to focus on how I can adjust my training to be more in line with my current abilities. Of course, I've had about as much success with that over the last year as I've had at skydiving. I don't seem to be able to stop myself from wanting to do more than I'm able. That, of course, is the true chronic condition from which I have suffered all my life. I know it might be wrong, but...