1 year 7 months - Mom noticed me limping today...

Saturday, May 31, 2014

I had family dinner today to pick up some Zongzi, a yearly traditional food made during this time. My grandma makes the best! It's so yummy!

After dinner on my walk to my car with my mom, she said to me she notices me limping. She asked if I was ok and it made me sad. Usually I wouldn't even limp until after about 30 minutes to 1 hour of walking. I told her it could be the cold, or maybe the shoes I wear sometimes. This is just something that happens. She just seemed very sad and it made me sad. It was the first cold day of the nice sunny week we've had in San Francisco. 

This entire month has been very emotionally tiring. This weird ankle started acting up with the clicking and limping more often then usual. I'll get an MRI this coming Thursday.  I continue to do Yoga, and Stationary Biking. I'll see what happens after scheduling and getting in some Physical Therapy. I feel like I just took 100 steps back in my healing. Thing's just happens.  

1 year 7 months - First time back at Bikram Yoga!

Saturday, May 24, 2014

My first time back at Bikram Yoga! It's been about 7 years? It was a 10 a.m. 90 minute heated class and I felt like I just got beaten up haha. I came in with a mini migraine and the heat and heavy breathing during warm up helped make it go away. I was already sweating up a waterfall but it felt so good and relaxing. 

I have stopped doing regular yoga for a few weeks and already it feels like I've lost it all. I was doing so good going about 4 times a week now down to 2 times a week and on only weekends. Today, I absolutely lost all balance on my right ankle. These were all the poses I could not do. 

                           Balancing Stick                                     Standing Bow

                              

           Standing head to knee                                     Tree

I will strive to do more yoga and gain back balance to my right ankle. I only lasted about 60 minutes of the class and was in a rested laying down position for the final 3rd of the class. I may have been a bit dehydrated too as my headache slowly came back, also felt a bit dizzy. My ankle is fine. I'll be back for more and hopefully can last a bit longer in my next class. Or maybe just go back to regular yoga. 

1 year 7 months - 1 year Physical Therapy Anniversary!

Thursday, May 22, 2014

Happy 1 year Physical Therapy Anniversary to me!!! 

I can't believe I forgot to write my 1 year Physical Therapy Anniversary on May 7th! 1 year flew by fast. I'm still within the month so it still counts! Yup, that plate and 9 screws is still inside this right ankle. The scar healed nicely, it lays over my hardware so close you can see the ridges of the nails from when you look at it a certain way. 

How I am feeling? For sure not 100% but still a healing process. As of the late few months, I've notice some random spasm pinches that stop me from walking for just a second. I am also noticing some clicking around the bottom of my ankle when I stretch, move a certain way, or when walking. I wonder if it's just the tissue inside that's healing. I also still get tired after walking for too long. It's really random, some times I'll get tired after just 30 minutes, and sometimes I'll last up to an hour before I start to slow down. And anything over hours, you can clearly see my slower pace and a baby limp. Then it feels hot and sore in the ankle. I have contemplated months ago for requesting for another handicap sign because it's a pain to carry my 35 lb. dog food and heavier bags of grocery days. Sometimes I wonder if the running aggravated, and stressed out my ankle. I stuck it out for a few more months, did more walking and still not much of a change. Maybe because I gained a few pounds too? Nooo..... I don't really know. I did schedule an appointment for a checkup with my Surgeon for next Friday to get an xray of my ankle to make sure nothing is loose and hoping it looks well. I have some questions of concern and wanted to see if it was even possible to get a handicap placard to make it easier for me.

I am sad to say that I have stopped running since the last time. I don't want to feel that uncomfortable feeling, being sore for days, and sometimes limping afterwards. I know I was gung ho and so excited at the beginning. But really I do feel like I have extended myself a bit then when I was just started out. I have since picked up yoga and it's really helping me build back my balance on this ankle. Very slowly but surely getting there. I have to be diligent about going to yoga classes often enough in a week to continue the strengthening of my ankle. The teachers are so kind and helpful in making sure I am safe and not in pain. I will be sure not to push myself too far or get too excited with poses like I did with running and over extending my capabilities. I I am starting to love yoga!

Most importantly, I am happy to be walking! A coworker of mine just fractured his ankle and came to work with crutches and a walking boot. It brought back so many memories. Over time, it does get better. Last year I called it my hermit year because I was tired by 9 and became sort of anti social and focused on healing. This year I call it my YES year! It's time to get back on my feet, get out there and do more activities. I continue to do some of the physical therapy exercises. Aiming to eat healthier, and getting in shape so I can one day again try running! I am getting older and need to take care of my body. I am very excited for the next year! I just have to stay focused, keep going, and staying positive along the way! I wonder what I'll accomplish by next year. I'll be back in a year!

1 year 7 months - First time taking Power Yoga class!

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

It's my second day back in the gym! I decided to try out this Power Yoga class. It was extremely fast and I was working hard and dripping sweat. I am feeling the soreness in my entire body right now. My ankle is also a bit sore and tired. No pain! I'm feeling really good.

To my surprise, I was able to hold my half moon pose on my right ankle! However, I was not able to look up like the example image below. I had my gaze on my mat. I was shaky but was able to hold it up for most of that time. I'm so excited! I'm making progress in building my balance back. The teacher made sure I was doing okay. I felt stronger and comfortable since starting yoga about a month ago. I'm excited to do more yoga! 

1 year 5 months - Yoga Class #3

Friday, March 28, 2014

Happy Friday! Good way to end the week with yoga to relax my mind.

This time a friend joined me. I pretty much sweat throughout the entire class again. My ankle is still with no pain. I must wear good shoes to prevent that. Since Monday's class, I haven't felt sore for more than a day. Mostly in my arms and surprisingly in my ankle.

However, I do notice that when I walk for long periods such as 30 minutes up to hours at a time, I will get tired and slowly start limping. I have been contemplating on asking my Surgeon for another Handicap Card. It would definitely make it easier on me if I had one. I just figured after about a year out of Physical Therapy I'd be more progressed than I thought. I'm so wrong, it really takes time for ankles to heal.

This time in class, in some positions when I do some twists with the body I can feel a tiny crack. The kind like how you would crack your knuckles. Tiny little pops but it didn't hurt! When I do these leg bearing moves like the Warrior III pose example below, I can't stand or balance for long.

I also had a bit of discomfort and lost a bit of balance holding the reverse warrior pose as well like the example below. I was shaky holding my bad ankle leg bent. Felt some pressure and tiny bit of tingling. I hope my strength and balance improves as I take more classes. I just bought another yoga deal from Groupon for Hot Yoga! Will do that once I'm done with this Groupon deal. I love it!

1 year 5 months - Yoga Class #2

Monday, March 24, 2014 

I am back for more yoga! My second class! I was still sore from Friday's class and now 2 days after my second class I feel less sore. This time there were more people in a Monday class. About 15 people this time. Lucky I got there early for a space in the back.

I absolutely had no balance today nor any strength to hold my weight on my right ankle long enough for a pose. The tree pose like the example below I could not even do today. 

The warrior #3 pose in the example below was also difficult for me. I held this for maybe 10 seconds at most. I was very shaky and felt tired. No balance for this one as well. 

I'll see how yoga class #3 will be for this Friday. I look forward to it!

1 year 5 months - First time back at Yoga!

Friday, March 21, 2014 

My first Yoga class since I broke my ankle! I took a picture of my scar, the very bottom was itchy last night. A little bit of the scar part was raised where it was itchy. I was told this would happen once in a while and that it was normal. I had dry legs, got a bit of a tan too. Looks uneven and dirty haha. I swear my legs were clean.

I went to my 5:30 pm class and met my teacher with the best name ever! Bija Pretzel! Love it! She was very kind and welcoming. I also got a new yoga mat my mom gave me. It looks really pretty and so different from the usual yoga mats I've owned before. 

This was a Level I-II class, where I can return to the fundamentals of yoga.  I was most nervous about the balancing poses. I can't completely cross my legs comfortably anymore, my ankle feels like it's still a bit stiff to bend all the way down where the ankle meets the floor. I definitely feel the metal against the ground and it wasn't comfortable. Probably still not use to it. I sat like this example picture but my right leg was slightly higher and off the ground. 

I was surprised I was able to hold a bit of balance when I did the tree pose like the example image below. I was feeling ok with the weight baring. Except that my foot was more on the knee area and not as high up the leg to hold this position. I did get a bit wobbly. It took a lot of concentration. 

The one legged stand was the most difficult for me to balance. I couldn't hold it for too long and my body started to feel heavy on the ankle. Example of this pose below. For the most part, I felt great! I can't wait to go back for my next class. I hope to gain more balance by the end of my 20 classes from this Groupon deal I purchased. I'll be sure to have more updates soon after my next classes. So relaxing!