Thankful, Part I :o)

Welllll, my back/neck started hurting a couple days after my post about the lady who prayed for my neck. I do think that I was healed, but I re-injured myself...again.

Now, I'm realizing that my cycle de re-injuration :o) continued for 8 months because of muscle imbalance/weaknesses in my upper back, shoulders, and neck. Lately, I've gone to Daren Kosters who is a specialist in the Muscle Activation Technique (MAT) - and I've felt a lot better. Basically, I have some muscles that were not firing at all (slackers!), so my body was constantly compensating to succeed at whatever motion my brain was telling it to do. PTs, chiros, orthopedic docs, neurosurgeon, sport meds, MRI, xrays, and now also MAT...all conclude the same thing - soft tissue is the culprit.
But before when I was completing the prescribed exercises, I used cords, bands, & light weights, which was too hard. My body's way of completing the task was by using the default (stronger) muscles, so all the exercises were just reinforcing my problems....

At this point, I'm still in a very slow progression...Right now, I'm working on doing one swimming stroke in the air with correct form and muscle use, and the goal is (of course) to be able to complete an entire triathlon while maintaining proper form and muscle use! ...baby steps ;o)
So, in sum, if you keep re-injuring yourself and everyone thinks you're crazy...try a MAT specialist - maybe your brain doesn't realize how inefficient it is using your body and that's the cause of your problems! ;o) It's always nice to have information that proves you're not crazy...

My new medical mystery has to do with my ticker. To explain, I'd rather post a few pics - the first is of Stephen's heart from the polar heart rate monitor graph, and the next 3 are mine. In his, he is working really hard. Mine are from times when I was just cruising...
Maybe I wasn't sweating enough to get a direct reading (?)...maybe atrial fib? maybe something else? how long has this been going on? I don't like training with HR gadgets, and I just recently started wearing this contraption...I'm sure that in time, we'll get more data and conclusions...or maybe I am crazy? :o)

Stephen's heartbeat polar RR graph

mine

mine

mine

Starting next week, I will wear a monitor for 2 weeks and try to capture my heart freaking out.
...to be continued :o)
But until then, Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Updates

Mouse Update:
I have killed 8 mice!! But the good news is that I think I got all of them since the PB and cheese hasn't been licked off the traps in the past couple days. Yay!
Flu Update:
After 2 straight weeks of feeling like I had the death plague, I am feeling alive again...still a little weak, but much better!
and last but most certainly not least....Neck Update:
A few days ago, I was at a Toastmasters meeting (I joined for fun since I have more time on my hands w/o fully training). During the break, a lady asked about my neck (I gave her the 10-second version that ended without an explanation as to why after 6+ months, my neck still hurt). She asked if I believed in the power of prayer...and I said, "yes, definitely" and then she prayed for my neck, and I haven't had pain shoot up my neck since!
I've biked a couple times and swam since then and it hasn't hurt, so....I'm building back up!
...filled with thanks to the Lord,
bethany :o)

Lab rat experiment proved Gu = quality fuel

It feels like winter showed up almost overnight. All of the sudden, early mornings are in the 30s! What?! Seemingly just a couple weeks ago, the heat index was a consistent 110 - 115! I already miss the heat...

But apparently, so do our little mice friends! In the past couple days, they have invaded our kitchen! Ugh. Yesterday, I opened up the pantry and a mouse dropped off the TOP SHELF! I thought I might faint. I also found a Gu energy gel chewed open yesterday, leaking out onto some other food in the pantry. "RATS!!!" (literally) ;o)

Needless to say, Stephen went out last night to get some traps and foamy stuff to block up the holes. It's been a whole night & day where those pesky little mice have escaped their traps, WHILE licking off some Smuckers Natural Chunky PB on the trap.

...No wonder they have eluded death - their energy yesterday was Gu! haha...and now they are getting delicious PB! These mice are going to get expensive if they continue to avoid the grave. I need to feed them with ultra refined sugar + crisco...or better yet, I should go down the street to the Tulsa fair & get them some fair food! Surely, then they would just have an instant heart attack.

At the same moment that I was pushing the "Publish Post" button, I heard a "SNAP!" - and looked in the kitchen and found that the Gu energy had (finally) worn off...

1 down, ??? to go!

Running with TU has definitely been a highlight lately! :o)

Just before the half-year mark for my injury...

A little bitty huge piece of good news: The Univ of Tulsa cross country coach is letting me train with them! They are so nice + speedy! It's fun & exciting, & I'm so thankful.

:o)

http://www.thebranch.org/videos/Creation_Calls.mov

Dot-dot-dot...

R&R + chill pills (ie, TLC) - biking - swimming = a happy neck...or at least happier neck.

at the park last Fri with S's parents...was missing S though ;o)

After having a post-race meltdown a couple weeks ago upon realizing this season that never really started is prematurely ending, I think my neck/back is feeling slightly better...but still not 100%. When I am backing up while driving, my neck sort of lets me know it's not 100% yet...and also sometimes when I'm running, I look behind me to cross the path or road, and I [still] sort of need to turn my body + neck to fully see if a car or bike is coming.