This past summer, after almost two years of hoping and planning and wishing and a lot of hard work, my husband Kent got a teaching job back in Maine, and we were finally able to move our little family back cross-country, by car and 24-foot rented Budget Moving van.
Did we really get that all packed in one day??
My dad and brother came along for the ride, and it was an epic six-day journey. That's right--six days!
Goodbye, California!
We will miss our family, but not the financial chaos!
Can you imagine? Two parents, a grandpa, an uncle, and two kids in a 24-foot moving van packed to the gills, and a small Honda Accord complete with two bikes on the back, driving over 3,400 miles in 6 days flat.
Kent and my brother Roy somewhere in West Virginia
The cats, of course, got to fly. Again. In my next life, I think I'll be a cat. I am firmly convinced they have it made.
We got back here, but couldn't move into our own home because it was rented out in July and won't be available until July of 2011. We then found out the condo we were going to rent--which belongs to my in-laws--was so trashed that we're still in the process of putting it back to rights. It meant massive cleaning, painting, carpet cleaning, spackling, fixing, and deodorizing. It was a mess. And there is still painting to be done.
Then, in the middle of it, while I was still trying to get organized, I got a job. A teaching job. A REAL job. I haven't taught in years, and I haven't taught fifth grade in even longer, and I was hired with exactly three days to get ready before kids arrived--and half of that time was taken up by staff meetings as well. I'm still trying to get organized there too. It's only a one-year position, so the temptation is there to just say, "Oh it's a temp job," but I don't work that way. The kids deserve nothing less than my best.
Needless to say, with the move, new job, commuting, and the chaos of two major life changes in very short order, I got yet another sinus infection! After that got better, I thought, OK, finally, we're back in business--then I ended up with some strange heel pain that came on slowly but relentlessly on the Sunday before Columbus Day. Then this week, I ended up with something unknown but tummy-related that kept me out of school all this week so far.
The good news was that since today was a holiday anyway, I was at least able to go finally see my Orthopedic doctors, the same crew I saw years ago when I had a knee problem. I hoped that the foot doc I saw today would be able to give me good news about my heel.
Instead, she immediately diagnosed me with Plantar Fasciitis.
Well that figures! I ran, what--three half marathons, two triathlons, and multiple short- and long-distance runs including a 20-miler? And NOW I get Plantar Fasciitis??
Sheesh! How completely absurd is that!
So the healing process begins. The doctor gave me a shot in my heel, and it turns out there is a LOT of inflammation there. The first stick was unpleasant, but as she pumped in what I think was a steroid, it HURT. A LOT. She nearly had to scrape me off the ceiling with a putty knife! She said if the inflammation wasn't bad, it would have gone straight in. However, my fascia is not in happy shape right now so it was bad enough to nearly make me pass out.
The shot helped for a while, and now that I'm sitting on the couch, it's starting to hurt again. She also gave me some Sore Dawg insoles for my Nikes, which have been morphed from running shoes into everyday shoes. The speed laces make them a bit tight, though, especially with these new inserts, so I think perhaps I should put in some regular laces now.
As if morphing from a triathlete/runner to a half-couch-potato teacher isn't bad enough, now I'm even losing my speed laces!!
Watching people run here in Maine has been difficult. The plantar fasciitis came on the first weekend that I actually felt like we were getting our lives under control: Columbus Day weekend. Things had settled down, I was settled into my classroom, the condo was in reasonable shape, and I was thinking about starting to walk and run again. Then Kent and I went to Boston for an evening out without kids, and the next thing you know--wham. I can't walk. Fast-forward one month and the doctor is telling me I have to take it easy until this inflammation goes away.
In two weeks, we'll be heading to New York City for Thanksgiving. That Wednesday is hubby's and my 20th anniversary, and the next day--Thanksgiving--we are thinking of taking the girls to see some of the parade. However, with plantar fasciitis, I will have to rethink exactly what we do and how long I'm on my feet. Part of the plan is to visit with my brother and go see the King Tut exhibit, but now I know that plantar fasciitis is going to put the kibosh, as they say, on all my wonderful plans.
Ah well. Rethink, change, adapt, adjust. Get healthy, stay on top of the correcting, get through this year, and hopefully get my life back.
Just one. Small. Step. At. A. Time.
That's all it takes.
My first physical therapy appointment is set for next Monday at 5; meanwhile, I need to do some stretches, use ice and an anti-inflammatory such as Advil, and when I get out of bed in the morning, I need to do some stretches, such as using an exercise band to pull my foot back or trace the alphabet with my foot.
Hopefully this will resolve soon. I don't want to wait months or, worse yet, a year for this to get better. I do also plan to get rid of my super-cute LL Bean flats in grey houndstooth check that I wore to school. I somewhat suspect that the lack of arch support in these shoes contributed to my problem. I have never worn such flat shoes before, and I have somewhat high arches. I remember being surprised as I went upstairs how completely flat they were. However, they were wicked cute, and I wore them quite a bit early on this year, but alas--they are simply not meant to be.
Instead, welcome to my new "school shoe of choice". So my shoes will not be cute, but they will be comfy--or at least as I can make them. Sometimes I wonder if even these pinch a bit. I need to ask my Physical Therapist that question on Monday.
Yours in hopefully better health soon,
--K
5 comments:
What an adventure, my grandma grew up in Maine and I have loved the state the couple of times I have visited.
Here are some tips for Plantar Fasciitis that I came across on this website/page (http://www.kurufootwear.com/plantarfasciitis)
Exercises
There are a few simple exercises that can bring relief without further intervention. These exercises include:
Place a frozen bag of corn, cold beverage can, or tennis ball under the affected foot and roll the foot back and forth while applying weight. This method provides a stretch and ice massage simultaneously.
Icing the bottom of the affected foot in the morning and evening can reduce pain and inflammation.
Exercises that strengthen the foot and arch can also be helpful. This can include heel lifts or calf raises on the edge of a step.
Another exercise is called marble pickup. With this exercise, put a handful of marbles on the ground and individually pick them up with your toes and drop them in a nearby box or cup. This exercise focuses on increasing the strength of your foot muscles.
Stretches
Proper stretching every morning and evening can help reduce the pain and/or inflammation. Suggested stretches include:
Heel Dips. While standing, place your toes on the edge of a step and slowly lower your heel below your toes and hold for 15 seconds. This will stretch the achilles tendon and calf muscle. Repeat 2-4 times for the affected foot/feet.
Towel stretch. The towel stretch stretches your arch. In a seated position with your legs stretched flat in front of you, loop a towel around the toes and ball of your foot. With your hands, pull the towel towards your chest while keeping your knee straight to stretch the bottom and arch of your foot. Hold for 15 seconds. Repeat 2-4 times for the affected foot/feet.
Wall Stretch. Face a wall and place your hands against the wall. Place the affected foot behind you with the toes pointing towards the wall. While leaning against the wall, attempt to make the heel of the affected foot flat against the ground. This will stretch your calf and arch. Hold for 15 seconds. Repeat 2-4 times for the affected foot/feet.
Night Stretches. For those suffering from more severe plantar fasciitis, wearing night splints at night can be used to stretch the foot. Generally, these night splints stretch the heel and arch while you sleep, keeping the plantar fascia from getting contracted during the night.
Best of luck with the new teaching job and nightmare of settling into a new city. We just moved to San Diego from Salt Lake so I understand a bit of what you are going through.
Wow, what an adventure . . .cross country move, new job, but at least you are in an awesome place. My grandma grew up in Maine and I have loved it both times I have visited there.
I came across some tips for Plantar Fasciitis that might be useful on this website/page (http://www.kurufootwear.com/plantarfasciitis)
Exercises
There are a few simple exercises that can bring relief without further intervention. These exercises include:
Place a frozen bag of corn, cold beverage can, or tennis ball under the affected foot and roll the foot back and forth while applying weight. This method provides a stretch and ice massage simultaneously.
Icing the bottom of the affected foot in the morning and evening can reduce pain and inflammation.
Exercises that strengthen the foot and arch can also be helpful. This can include heel lifts or calf raises on the edge of a step.
Another exercise is called marble pickup. With this exercise, put a handful of marbles on the ground and individually pick them up with your toes and drop them in a nearby box or cup. This exercise focuses on increasing the strength of your foot muscles.
Stretches
Proper stretching every morning and evening can help reduce the pain and/or inflammation. Suggested stretches include:
Heel Dips. While standing, place your toes on the edge of a step and slowly lower your heel below your toes and hold for 15 seconds. This will stretch the achilles tendon and calf muscle. Repeat 2-4 times for the affected foot/feet.
Towel stretch. The towel stretch stretches your arch. In a seated position with your legs stretched flat in front of you, loop a towel around the toes and ball of your foot. With your hands, pull the towel towards your chest while keeping your knee straight to stretch the bottom and arch of your foot. Hold for 15 seconds. Repeat 2-4 times for the affected foot/feet.
Wall Stretch. Face a wall and place your hands against the wall. Place the affected foot behind you with the toes pointing towards the wall. While leaning against the wall, attempt to make the heel of the affected foot flat against the ground. This will stretch your calf and arch. Hold for 15 seconds. Repeat 2-4 times for the affected foot/feet.
Night Stretches. For those suffering from more severe plantar fasciitis, wearing night splints at night can be used to stretch the foot. Generally, these night splints stretch the heel and arch while you sleep, keeping the plantar fascia from getting contracted during the night.
Best of luck with your recovery . . .
Thank you very much for the great suggestions. I was familiar with all the stretches at the end of your post, but the idea of a bag of corn or cold beverage can was a new one, as was the marble pick-up.
My friends who have suffered from this have also suggested a frozen water bottle for rolling under the foot.
I am expecting to talk to the physical therapist about getting a night splint to use. I want to do everything right to get this taken care of. I was always so smug about being careful about running and stretching, but when I stopped running regularly, I forgot to keep stretching. That and the teaching with the flat shoes definitely didn't help!
Thank you again for the information. I'll get a cold bottle or can and start right away! :)
--Karina
I just want to thank you both for the suggestions. I suffer with this ailment and now I will have something to try other than orthodics to combat the issue. Again thank you soo much!!!
I just want to thank you both for the suggestions. I suffer with this ailment and now I will have something to try other than orthodics to combat the issue. Again thank you soo much!!!
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