Day 321 - 1 Year Ankleversary!

Tuesday, September 24, 2013 - Week 53

Happy 1 Year Ankleversary to me!!!

It's been exactly 1 year since I've broken my ankle! Time really flew by. I still can't believe, just thinking back how I was in a cast for close to 3 months and another 5 months of physical therapy.

I went from crutches, splint, cast, surgery, a plate with 9 screws, and now back on my feet! 

1 Year ago, a little too happy after the emergency room and some morphine haha. Shortly after I was inside Walgreens waiting for my pain meds and gagging into a to go throw up bag given to me from leaving the emergency room. 

1 Year later, my right ankle is of course bigger then the left because of the hardware inside. My scar is still somewhat the same. I consider myself still recovering. I am not completely 100% as expected. I would say I'm about a 97% today. I just got back from a mini weekend vacation to NYC and was able to walk from 9:30am - about 3am. However, I was sort of limping by the end of the night and was extremely tired. I do notice, if I do go hiking or running for close to an hour, I will go home a bit limpy and very sore. The sore will then last about 3 days. I should possibly shorten my runs to half an hour or even to 15 minutes. Gradually build back up and continue running at the track. I have been cycling on a stationary bike at home for the moment. I'm so excited! Can't believe still how fast time flew by and to remember what I went through at the beginning was tough. I've made it through and now I'm here happy and able to do my everyday normal things again. =) I'll see how I feel in another few months. I definitely feel improvement as the days move forward. I still continue my stretches and some of the physical therapy exercises most days. To a better year of recovering!

Day 305 - First time back to playing Softball "was how I broke my ankle..."

Sunday, September 8, 2013 - Week 50

I got a text this morning at 9:45 am to go play Softball at Gellert Park! It was my first time at this park and it was so nice! The weather was perfect too! I love this Indian Summer weather. We didn't play a game but just took turns hitting and catching. Softball was how I broke my ankle!!! I was excited and nervous at the same time. Excited because I missed hitting and catching, nervous about running on the uneven grass...

When I was hitting, I can feel a bit of pressure on the ankle when I turn to swing. I wasn't in pain but it was just a new feeling for me. Twisting the ankle to swing does feel a bit funny. I was so excited to use my gear again! It has been sitting in the closet since my injury. 

I definitely feel the sore coming on the ankle and in my arms. I will use my Dit Da Jow to get rid of the sore. September 24, 2013 will mark my one year since injury! I can't believe it's been almost a year. Time really flew. Being on the field reminded me I just graduated from Physical Therapy just in May! I'm getting back into sports slowly. Had a lot of fun today! Thanks for the invite friend. I'll be back to play again!

Day 284 - Scar is itchy when in the sun

Sunday, August 18, 2013 - Week 47

I went to a baby shower at Beresford Park, San Mateo. It was such a nice day, clean park with a lot of playgrounds for the kids and even a skateboard park! I got some tanning action and wanted to get a little bit more color.

My scar is itchy when I'm in the sun for too long! Mostly at the very bottom edge was the only itchy part. I guess my skin is thin and sensitive still. I did put sunblock on. I wonder if my scar will fade even more overtime?

Day 271 - Jumping Rope for the first time!

Sunday, August 18, 2013 - Week 45

I bought a jump rope! I figured, if I can run I should be able to jump rope? I've since stopped running because every time after I run I feel very sore and limp for about 2 days after. So I stuck with stationary cycling at home. So I thought, let's give jump roping a try. 

I lasted about 25 jumps before I start to feel tired. Jumping and landing on my feet is a bit uncomfortable. I feel about 85-90% comfortable jumping. The shock against my ankle sometimes feels like a tiny pinch. Maybe it's too much impact on my ankle when I land. I am not in pain but more of a discomfort feeling. Hopefully it gets better over time? I should try jump roping at the track next time because the floor is cushioned. It's not impossible but I can jump rope!

Day 249 - Ankle swelled up for the first time...while vacationing in Hawaii!

Saturday, July 27, 2013 - Week 42

I'm back! This is the longest I've gone without writing! It's been a good 3 weeks since my last post. I went to Oahu + Maui for 12 days for a vacation, my birthday, and for a good friends' wedding! I was a bridesmaid! It was a great trip and I didn't want to come back! I can't believe my 10 month mark just hit 3 days ago! 

I was really nervous to wear heels for the wedding. Especially walking down the aisle on grass! But these grass heel stoppers saved me from tripping or digging into the grass! I also took an 800 mg of ibuprofen prior to my long day of wearing heels and it truly saved me from any sort of soreness or pain. 

I did my very first hike since my injury up Koko Head and I felt completely fine. It looked like a long ways up and I didn't know what to expect and was a bit nervous how my ankle would take it. I've done this hike once before and I knew it would take a lot of strength to get up those ginormous steps. It is nothing like the Stairmaster at all. It's much harder and it burns!

But on my way down, I definitely felt a bit of pressure and soreness. Because the steps were so high and far apart, it was safer to just go down on my stronger left leg. If I take the first step with my right, I can definitely feel the pressure tingling up to my calf. Because of the huge step I take, it feels like I am stomping into my step. With my entire body weight, I actually felt a tiny pinch which wasn't good. Felt like a quick sharp pain. About half way down, my legs were starting to feel week and it started to tremble. I was using too much of my left leg as my weight support for each step down. Glad I took an Advil before the hike. I was noticeably slower and sort of limping by the time I got to the bottom. Great views of the city! I made it down safely is all that matters. I wasn't too slow either so I felt great! I was pretty sore after that hike and I'd be happy to do it again someday whenever I go back. So happy I was ok! I'm ready for more hikes in the future! 

Over the week long of a lot of walking, my ankles swelled up for the first time! I had cankles! 

I definitely felt tired and sore but not in pain! I was also getting very tan and it looked like my scar area was getting red. I guess the skin on the scar is still sensitive. Then it eventually tanned and blended into my skin color. Ahhh I miss Hawaii! I had too much fun! 

Day 226 - Sore from cleaning...

Thursday, July 4, 2013 - Week 39

Happy 4th of July!

The weather was perfect today! It was very sunny and it felt great to have a day off! I spent about 5 hours cleaning my kitchen, and standing for that long wasn't good for my ankle =( . After a day of cleaning, I went over to celebrate 4th of July at a friends house and noticed my ankle was verrrry sore and tired. Next time, no more standing for that long period of time! 

At least I got to see some fireworks!

Day 221 - Second day back to running at Lake Merced!

Saturday, June 29, 2013 - Week 38

This time, I chose to run later in the evening. It was a very hot day. I did the usual run then walk for every few minutes. Definitely less people running at around dinner time. I felt a bit tired today and again by mile 3 I feel spent. For some reason, this time my ankle felt like there was more pressure and a tiny bit of pinching towards the end of my run. I think it could have been because I walked from home to the lake. My ankle definitely felt a little strained and very tired. I walked the last mile and then to add to that, walked back home which was about another 15 minutes. I had a tiny baby limp going on. 

I waited a week to write this because I was actually really sore for a few days and was limping. The soreness lasted until Tuesday, July 2. and I had a noticeable baby limp to add to that. Maybe I should cool off on running and walking so much all at once. I should just stick to stationary cycling and run for shorter distances in the future. Surprisingly, I have never really gotten any swollen ankles from all the time's I have been sore or feeling a little strained and tired from walking/running so much. Ankle's are still the same. I really do wonder now if it has anything to do with using my chinese medicine practically everyday. If so, Dit Da Jow really works!

Oh, ignore the pace haha. I ran out of batteries and I guess it continued to record my pace after recharging.