Here in Saskatoon the sun is shining, it is no longer -45 with the wind and I am allowed to go outside for short walks :D
Back in October I wrote a post about an injury to my back that I had just suffered. "... I was warming up to paddle and my back, that has caused me some trouble over the last couple of years, was back to its old tricks. Everytime I would take a stroke there was a sharp pain that made me feel like I was injuring myself. Over the years I have dealt with pain. Pain in my shoulders, pain in my hips, cuts from boats and who knows what else, but this pain was different. It was like a part of my spine was tearing away from the rest. It sounded silly when it came out of my mouth but it was the best way I could describe it ... The pain did not subside. If anything it got worse. I went from just having pain to also having my leg give out at random. Sunday came and went and the pain did not get any better. Sitting on a couch was painful and it started to occur to me that if I could not sit on something comfortable and soft how on earth could I sit on the seat in my boat?"
And, that was the one question I had to truthfully answer. I still believe I chose right correctly. My team mates stepped in, they raced, they put everything on the line and we as a team did all that we could.
After the games I came home to recover. I was in physiotherapy everyday trying to rehab my herniated disc. I posted some updates through November. There were some VERY exciting days. The day I was allowed to do physical activity, the day that I was allowed to bike HARD and then there were the days that I got to sit back down on a paddling machine. Now those days I was excited ... but the excitement quickly left me disappointed and wanting more. Every time I would try to paddle I would find myself in pain. I started to question myself, was I really in more pain than I had been in before or had I suddenly become acutely aware of it? Maybe along the way I started to shy away from the pain instead of barreling through it ??
So some tests were in order.When the tests were done and the options were on the table I had some decisions to make. I was nervous and not 100% convinced I was doing the right thing by choosing surgery. But, last Tuesday I reported to the hospital to have a discectomy
I was admittedly nervous and scared. That night after surgery I was sore and exhausted but something was different. All the back pain I had been experiencing, for longer than I truly would admit, was gone. Don't get me wrong the incision was painful but the pain along my spine and the pain that would go through my glutes and down my leg ... it was just gone.
I want to thank my family and friends for being so supportive. I also want to thank Craven Sport Services, Dr. Beavis, Dr. Kelly and Dr. Woo as well as all of the nurses who helped me while I was under their care. I felt truly taken care of ...especially when I woke up and they offered me a popsicle!!! It was like they knew me ;)
Apparently today is one of the gloomiest days of the year. I hope that today you find reasons to smile and that the winter blues don't creep up on you.
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