It's Been One Of Those Summers

I won't bore you with a ton of recapping but will touch base on a couple of things. 

This spring it all started when I was diagnosed with Calcific Rotator Cuff Tendonitis in my right shoulder.  My shoulders had hurt for a couple of months before going to the doctor when my right shoulder became pinched and I couldn't move it above my waist.  It was so painful and my range of motion was limited to my arm by my side!  Thankfully, my physical therapist is the greatest...including patient!  After a couple of months, I began to operate more like a normal person with continued therapy at home for 6 months or the end of the year.  Then part two of the summer began.  As I was running, the bottom of my shoe caught the rubber piece between concrete sidewalk pieces and "grabbed" me causing me to be off balance and I fell.  I landed on my right shoulder cap hard.  It broke completely off my shoulder joint with some dislocation causing tremendous pain!!  Now, my left shoulder "appeared" to be in the same predicament as the right one as I was unable to lift my arm above my waist...and the PAIN!!  Three weeks later, I began physical therapy AGAIN.  I had the same therapy as before along with a lot more exercises.  Did I tell you I have the BEST physical therapist????  Stretching is definitely in order for me this year.  My poor shoulders have really taken a hit this year.

I am finally getting better with a lot more therapy ahead.  At this time, I am still unable to move my arm behind me far, am able to almost move it all the way above my head [not there yet] and the most limiting is out to my side [like a chicken wing].  It hurts so much to move it out still.  I'm not as faithful to my exercises as I should be or maybe I might be better now.  And, when I get stiff, I also get angry with myself for not pushing harder on my consistency and intensity.  It's kinda hard to carry so many things and to do the therapy wherever I am...setting up and breaking down all the time. 

On a good note, we are not the kind of people to give up easy.  Even with all my problems lasting most of the year, I refuse to give up...detained, yes...but not giving up.  I've missed my running and it has definitely taken a seat back since spring.  Once I began running after the tendonitis episode, I fell and back to Square One I went!!  Again...not giving up, when I was able to move my shoulders without pain, I began walking...and walking...and walking.  I had signed up to do the Talladega Half Marathon earlier this spring and that was coming up.  As a matter of fact, I had already trained up to about 7 miles when the accident occurred.  Determined to do this for MANY reasons but especially to honor Kent, I began running just a little bit with the walking.  Then I decided to do a run/walk plan at Talladega.  It worked and I am very excited to have been able to do it.  For now, I am trying to increase my running miles but it is going slower than expected.  But, I will not give up!!  It may not be quite like I wanted, but it will come in due time.  St. Jude's Half is the first of December and for now it looks like it is a run/walk plan again...BUT...I will do it!! 

We are so blessed.  Kent seems to have struggled a lot with his feet this year, too, constantly fighting gout, pain and swelling.  Not being him, I can't add much to this except he has suffered a lot and has had to medicate and ice them a lot!  I've felt so bad for him because it has changed his running, too. 

We, also, began serving God with a new fellowship of believers.  We have been so blessed to be a part of them.  So many new things have happened within a year but all in all it has been good.  We are healthy and pushing through the things that wanted to bring us down.  Hope you can say the same.