You're hardcore!

Well, the shin pain has improved a lot.  Tylenol helps.  Against doctors orders, against my better judgement, and with a lot of tape (and the help of a sports medicine web site with detailed taping instructions), I played half a game of hockey tonight at about half intensity.  When I mentioned the possibility at the office, I was told, "you're hardcore."  I got a slow warm-up and I was a stride behind the play most of the time, and I missed some passes that should have been easy.  The team needed the relief, though.  I just trailed the offensive play, screened the D, screened the goalie, and on the defensive end I just checked their left D.  There was a short bench.  Believe it or not, whatever was tight in my shins and ankles loosened up.  Warming up those muscles and stretching them out has done wonders.  I also discovered the source of the shin stress.  My shin pads have a seam in the middle of the shin.  The padding on either side of it is compressed and broken down.  Falling on my knees is like falling on a small stick across the shins.  It's time for new shin pads.  I have ice on my shins now, and I'm relieved to be assured that the pain isn't some neurological disorder, gout, or something terminal.  The doctor was right, but it's clear that I'm not playing hockey tomorrow or next week.  I want this to heal for good.

It's better than I had previously thought.

I merged onto I-435 northbound at Eastwood and was behind a black hearse with a flag-draped casket inside. That changed my day. My problems seem pretty small.

A Happy Birthday

I'm 35. I could wax philosophical, but it really feels just like 34, and 33 before that. I'm another year wiser. Rich and Lisa (and kids) took me to dinner at Carmen's. They seated us upstairs, and the power went out up there, which means the music was off and the table was lit by the candle only. By the time we finished our salads, they had the lights and Sinatra back on. The folks at the table next to us were under the emergency light and it shone directly onto one guy who used his napkin to shield his eyes for the duration. At another table they couldn't get their check, because the computer was off, and the printer, thusly. I had beef tenderloin rigatoni, which they call Rigatoni ala Carmen. It was good, but not as good as the Chicken Spedini, which I usually get. I'm just burned out on chicken at the moment. The storms rolled in as we left and the weather felt good until the rain started coming down.  Another noisy little squall just woke me up, so. . .

Back in motion.

I went to the office today, then I went to the gym for the first time since last Friday, when my shins began feeling like fire. I think Oxaprozin, an Ace wrap, and two Extra Strength Tylenol got me through it. I also think there may be consequences later. It's chest and biceps day, though. It's nothing shin related, except a little warm-up on the treadmill. Getting the blood flowing felt good. Now, all at once, it's time to eat, time to ice my shins, and time to go pick up some keys which Lisa borrowed. I'll probably take my ice bag with me and go see if Lisa cooked extra. Otherwise, I'll end up in a "drive thru" somewhere.

On the work front, there's some sort of management shuffle going on to consolidate things and improve services. It sounds like they're forming a committee to evaluate headcount and such. Maybe we'll get some more people.  Maybe we'll get pink slips.  <shrug>

Hungry when I wrote this.

I haven't really had to leave the house for the past few days, aside from a Monday night snack at Fox & Hound with Alexis, a new found friend.  I've been "working from home" during the day.  I was prone on the couch with a heating pad on my leg and staring dizzily at my laptop screen and chilling out on antiinflammatory meds yesterday.  Lisa was sweet to bring me some needed grocery items, which amounts to milk and yogurt. Mom knows to bring some quality Ideal brand bread from down south, and she left some here after their visit this past weekend. I grew up on that stuff, and still love it. I used it to make sandwiches with some Arthur Bryant's brisket which was left over from their visit.  Dad agrees, Arthur Bryant's is good, but it's not as good as LC's.  Tonight, big gay Adam drove me over to Salvatore's for a real meal..  The Tilapia Alla Fresca there is pretty amazing.  White wine reduction and oranges?  Yes!  They tend to give you a huge side of pasta with the non-pasta dishes.  If I were 100 pounds larger, I might try it.  The to-go box is wrapped in Saran and calling my name from the fridge right now.  I worked a midnight maintenance window, and now I'm kinda wired.  Maybe some food will help.  The fact that this post is all about food, really, is a good clue.  Chow time.

Ow, my shin

Well, the shin pain turned out to be a stress fracture. I have been aggravating the shin splints inadvertently just by walking around a lot, not to mention playing ice hockey and doing hack squats. So, it was swelling up yesterday and the doctor said to take it easy.  Now I'm on an anti-inflamatory prescription, which makes me a little dizzy and Tylenol Extra Strength. I'm supposed to take it easy on the legs until the pain stops. No hockey this week.

Pain management

That slap shot to the left ankle didn't leave a very deep bruise, but I can feel it if I step or flex my ankle just right. Ibuprofin is my friend. My body also relocates constant pain. If I have a muscle with a knot in it, my wrist or knee might hurt until I work out the source of the sympathetic pain. Today, the sympathetic pain was in my right shin. I massaged the left ankle to work out any tightness, the shin pain stopped. I just hope I never get a sympathetic pain situation where I can't find the source or the source is somewhere I can't massage. . . or I can't find a friend to massage it.