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strategies for coping with injury

Posted on January 22, 2020 by runswithpugs

Strategies for coping with injury is my follow up to last week’s post on the Mental Burden of Injury. It’s one thing to be bogged down by all the emotions and sadness, but it’s another to dig out of it. However, if we don’t overcome,

Honor Your Feelings

I am pretty terrible at this, but honoring your feelings is a critical part of the process. People suffering from longterm injury or illness are going to experience sadness, anger, depression, anxiety, bitterness and a whole range of emotions. Swallowing them isn’t one of the best strategies for coping: it’s ok to acknowledge those feelings and let them out.

Talk To Someone

Sure, it’s cliche, but you have to talk to someone. Anyone. Reach out to your partner, a friend, a parent. Let them know you just need to vent and then let it all out. Sometimes, it helps to have a shoulder on which to cry. Be sure to let them know you aren’t looking for solutions, but you just need to give voice to what you’re feeling. Advice can be great, but in these moments, it’s not always what we need to hear. It’s also more than ok to find a therapist for these conversations, if you need a little more help.

Join A Support Group

The beauty of the internet is that it’s easy to find things like support groups, virtual or physical. While it can be hard opening up to strangers, it’s comforting to know you are absolutely not alone and that others can commiserate and even share their anecdotal experiences. I find it helpful to chat with people who have gone through similar injuries or circumstances, just to know what I’m feeling is normal. Try checking out The Injured Athletes Club on Facebook, as a start.

Redirect Your Focus

While we all know you would rather be running (or whatever your activity of choice is), in this recovery period, it may be time to look at other options. Focusing your unused energy elsewhere may keep your mind off the things you can’t do and help you pass time more quickly. If you can’t be active one way (running), can you do something else like upper body weights or swimming? Maybe you can take up a new hobby if you’re confined to the couch. Learn to knit, conquer War and Peace, start a 5000 piece jigsaw puzzle… Do anything to pull yourself out of your own head.

Be Gentle With Yourself

I know I often fall into a spiral of beating myself up when I’m down. My frustrations center on me not being strong enough or good enough. I get angry that my recovery isn’t progressing as quickly as I might like or that I am so limited in some things. It’s not ok, and I have to remember to be kind. Take the naps. Get the proper nutrition. Challenge yourself but don’t push too hard. Love yourself and show yourself grace. Nothing good can come from constant self-criticism or negative talk, so be gentle as you heal.

Remember, you are not alone. It may not get better on your terms or in your time, but progress isn’t linear and things can improve.

I am linking up for Tuesday Topics with KookyRunner and Zenaida.

Please visit these lovely bloggers, plus check out some of the other blogs on the link-up, and don’t forget to share your own post, as well!

What are your favorite strategies for coping with longterm injury or illness?

Please remember, you are not alone. If things feel like they are too much or you’re afraid you might hurt yourself or others, text HOME to 741741 in the U.S. (please refer to https://www.crisistextline.org/ for other options) You can also call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or chat online at https://www.imalive.org/.

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week 3(20): conserving energy

Posted on January 20, 2020 by runswithpugs

The overwhelming theme of this week has been “conserving energy.” It seems I only have so much (it’s increasing as we go), but I had some big events on the calendar, and I needed to make sure I was in the right frame of mind and body.

Sunday – pt exercises + recumbent bike

After Mr PugRunner went to 9Round, he took me to the gym, so I could get in some bike riding. It was a bit of a rougher session for me, but I did it anyway.

I also started the Team Nuun #nuubie challenge: the idea is to plank for as many minutes as the date. I’m not quite there yet, and I have to modify to plank on my knees due to my current condition. Sometimes, you do the best you can.

Monday – physical therapy, 60 minutes

On Monday, I was back to PT with the therapist I originally didn’t love. However, things were much better this time around. We meshed a bit better, and spent a little more time reviewing my goals (He was very focused on my driving again. I am way less concerned). I felt good afterwards, even though we worked hard.

Tuesday – pt exercises

My plan for Tuesday was rest. We have focused very hard on being able to use our theater season tickets, and Rent was the show of the night. Rent has always been a favorite, but I was so anxious about managing. I did my PT stretches at home and then attempted to chill the rest of the day, conserving energy as best I could.

In the end it worked out. We had a lovely dinner at a local restaurant, and then drove up to Jacksonville. Mr PugRunner valeted so I didn’t have to walk far to the entrance, and he arranged for accessible seats. The show was wonderful, but it was a hard night. I wasn’t comfortable, and so many people stared, or came rushing over to help me. While I appreciated the kindness, I hate having spectacle made.

Wednesday – pt exercises

Obviously, on Wednesday, I was whipped. I really expected to do my regular exercises and then take the rest of the day to relax.

But not before some pug-assisted planking for the #nuubie challenge.

Plans took a turn when my Moms Blog boss asked if I would mind speaking to a reporter regarding a new high school coming to our area. It’s in my neck of the woods and would have an effect on our educational choices in the immediate future. Of course, I didn’t mind a quick chat. The reporter and I had a lovely conversation, and then he turned the tables by asking if he could interview me on camera.

He was very kind to agree to come to my house since I was unable to drive to meet him. I hate being filmed, but we do what we have to do sometimes.

Thursday – physical therapy, 60 minutes

And back to my original PT for my last session before Monday’s big visit. It’s still the upward flex struggle, but the therapist said that once the boot is off, things will progress. We will have more options for exercises and it will be ok.

Friday – pt exercises + core

As seems to be the pattern after a hard PT session, Friday was hard. I had pains in my arch and the sole of my foot, as well as soreness throughout my foot. It makes it so hard to get things done.

I had a little extra help however.

I had a lovely lunch with a friend. We went to a place that has delicious burgers, and it was nice to get out for a bit.

Little man came home with AB Honor Roll for his second quarter of 6th grade! He got straight to packing for a Scouts trip, and we all got to bed at a decent hour.

Saturday – pt exercises

Mr PugRunner took little man and some friends to the campout in the morning. From the quick reports I got, he worked on his axe skills and earned a Paul Bunyan award.

In the evening, Mr PugRunner and I rented Maleficent: Mistress of Evil and we both really enjoyed it. He wanted to see The Joker or Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, but I couldn’t handle anything super dark or with realistic violence (the threat of seeing bones break on screen is not appealing), so I was glad he liked it. I went to bed straight after the movie because I was hurting and tired. In addition to conserving energy, I’ve been incredibly uncomfortable this week. It leads to a lot of frustration.

Goal-getting

I don’t know how I feel about this week. Clearly, there was not much time in the gym, but I have faithfully completed my PT routines three to four times a day at home.

My frustrations were high, as well. I’m just very sad about where I’m at and how uncomfortable I am. To be honest, I thought I would be further along, or at least not in nearly as much discomfort, but such is not the case.

Tomorrow is the big day! I am hoping for a great report from the ortho, and that’s got my mind totally occupied. Even though we all have the Monday off for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, I’ll be conserving energy again for my appointment so I’m at my best.

I am linking up with the Weekly Rundown, with Confessions of A Mother Runner and Running on the Fly! Check them out!

Will you be joining me at any of the Best Damn Races? Don’t forget to register with my BDR discount code RUNSWITHPUGS to save on any distance at any BDR location! Remember, the code for Safety Harbor will expire on 1/17 so don’t miss out!

How was your week in training?

Do you ever find yourself conserving energy in order to handle the rest of your activities?

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the mental burden of injury

Posted on January 14, 2020 by runswithpugs

When I broke my leg in November, I was prepared for pain and discomfort in recovery. After my surgery, I wrote a little bit about some side effects I found surprising, but thought things would just move along. I was not ready for the mental burden of this injury. There is an emotional toll that rocked me to my very core, and while I am doing my best to be positive, I find myself very much in my own head these days. It’s not the best place to be.

It Could Be Worse

I get this a lot. And I understand that people make the comment in an attempt to be sunshine-y and glass-half-full. I try to keep in my mind that statements like this come from a good place, and technically, it’s true (I am grateful for that), but for me, in this moment right now, things are not fabulous. There is solace in the fact that I am dealing with a temporary situation and am making (slow) progress, but that doesn’t change the fact that I am dealing with the ramifications of a huge, altering trauma.

Every night, when I lay down, I remember the sound of my bones breaking. When little man runs up and down the stairs, it sends spine-chilling jolts through my injured leg. Even though I no longer need pain medication, I’m critically uncomfortable much of the time and there’s really no bandaid for that. (I hesitate to use the word “pain”, but there are painful days and then days where I just can’t get away from the sensations, and there’s no consistency to either).

Loss of Independence

If you’ve been reading here for any length of time, you would know that I am super independent. I am always on the move, and I pride myself on my self-sufficiency and ability to get things done. In a matter of seconds, I lost that independence and it’s demoralizing. Even though I’m more mobile than I was a month ago, I still can’t drive myself anywhere, and I should have supervision for showers and stairs. If I feel like a Starbucks, I have to ask someone for it. If I want to go to the store, someone has to take me. It’s like being a child again, and at 42, this stings more than a little bit.

Feeling Like An Inconvenience and Failure To Everyone

This one is hard to take, too. I hate the feeling that I am putting anyone out, even in my own family. Mr PugRunner has been at my beck and call for months, and even though marriage is all about “for better or worse”, this isn’t how I do things. The same applies to little man, my parents and friends. I am so limited in what I can do (again, because of the driving and the sheer exhaustion of planning) and I end up feeling like a failure of a person, wife, mother, and friend.

Anthony Tran

Everything Takes Planning

Back before my accident, I just did things. I didn’t have to consider or plan or have a game plan, unless I wanted one. Now, I have to calculate EVERYTHING. It’s exhausting and a huge part of this mental burden I now shoulder. I was so tired the other day, I didn’t even want to drink because of the effort it would take to go to the bathroom. To go out, I have to consider things like stairs and crowds and parking. My brain is just overloaded with the logistics and contingencies of every single situation.

To this end, I find myself becoming a bit of a hermit because it’s just easier and less terrifying to stay home. We went to Chick-Fil-A last week, and I almost burst into tears from the stress: it was so crowded, people were so loud, and little kids were tearing around with no regard for my leg (not that they needed to be aware, but I was on high alert every second). This is my new normal for the time being and it’s so draining.

Loss of Identity

This one may be the hardest. My identity is very tied up in my active parenting and lifestyle. What do you do when that’s gone, even if temporarily? Discouraging is not the precise word for these feelings. I love being in the middle of the action, getting out on adventures and spending time doing things with my guys. Sitting on the sidelines is not my jam, and it guts me to miss out on all the fun.

Sleep Is Not Relief

Sleeping used to be a given escape. It was easy to just work my butt off all day, the close my eyes and get some Zs. Now, the dark is just another hurdle. When everyone is sleeping, that’s when my brain and anxiety kick it into overdrive. I feel EVERYTHING around my injury, and getting even remotely comfortable becomes impossible. I’m not a good sleeper at the best of times, so the added insomnia has been a huge part of the mental burden. On the plus side, Mr PugRunner just introduced me to the joys of melatonin, so things are getting little better.

Anthony Tran

This was a hard piece to write. Vulnerability is something I don’t care to share very often, but I also think it’s important to know that long injuries (or even illnesses) come with a special kind of baggage. There are high highs and low lows and an overwhelming sense of defeat. It’s easy to feel swallowed whole by or lost in the situation. I can’t promise that it will get better, but I do believe in the power of hope. No matter what, I’m going to keep pushing forward, even on the down days.

Please stay tuned for my follow up on What To Do About The Mental Load of Injury in the next few days.

I am linking up for Tuesday Topics with KookyRunner and Zenaida.

Please visit these lovely bloggers, plus check out some of the other blogs on the link-up, and don’t forget to share your own post, as well!

Have you ever been devastated by a long term injury or illness?

Any tips on how you got through?

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week 2(20): one month post-op

Posted on January 13, 2020 by runswithpugs

The start of the week marked one month post-op for me, and I admit that a bit of doubt has started creeping in. Mr. PugRunner keeps saying I am in “the first quarter” of all this, but at this stage of the game, I really hoped to feel more like myself. Instead, I still struggle with exhaustion, discomfort, insomnia and lack of focus.