Very upset..

fraffy

Cathlete
Hi Cathe.

You were the first person I thought of who could cheer me up. I am so depressed. Today I went ice skating and sprained my ankle really bad. :-( I haven't been to the doctor yet but I can already feel it swelling and becoming numb. I have an appointment for Monday. That was the earliest I could get in. Now I won't be able to work out for who knows how long. I have worked out to your videos for about five years, and recently I have been in a slump. But I have come out of the slump since your new videos arrived. And now this. I had tears in my eyes about it. I was really into the CTX series and loving it. I'm sorry. I just can't believe this has happened. I sure could use some cheering up. I hope that doesn't sound selfish or something. If you have time that is, I could use an encouraging word. If you don't, I understand. Thanks Cathe.

Sincerely,
Melanie :) (trying)
 
We can hobble together!

Hi Melanie! I'm sorry to hear about your ankle. But before I say more, let me tell you to immediately ice your ankle as often as you can for the next 48 hours. My doctor told me that you can cut down on your healing time drastically if ice and elevate an injury as frequently as possible for the first 48 hours. I also would suggest taking Advil (or something of that sort) every 6 hours or so during these 48 hours too. So before you read anymore, go get some ice :)!

Now, until your doctors appointment on Monday, you really need to respect your ankle and let it rest. Pamper yourself and rent a movie that you have always been dying to see. Read a book or get some fun magazines to browse through. Look through some pictures and/or put together a photo album of when you went on a vacation. Paint your nails or give yourself a facial. Ya know, do all of those things you normally don't have the time to do. Also, stay as positive as you can because depression and frustration can sometimes lead to an eating frenzy which will only make you feel worse. You can also shift your focus onto others to help keep you distracted. Bake your neighbors some cookies, or start to flip through catalogues to get ideas for family/friends holiday gifts.

After a strict icing program and your doctors appointment Monday, you'll have a better idea of just how long you will be pampering your ankle and what your limitations will be. Once you know that, we can take it from there.

I can totally relate to how you are feeling right now since I, too, am just coming off of a "hobble stage" since tripping on my son's toy and spraining my toe two weeks ago (just a few hours after the VF Roadtrip concluded, whew!).

I iced my toe and talked through all of my classes for a week. As I started to feel better, I did some upper body strength training in a seated position to keep the pressure off of my foot. I also did some crunches, pullups, and push ups. This week I am participating very lightly in my classes. I refrain from doing any moves that aggrivate my toe.

Sometimes it just helps to know that someone is in a similar situation. Well, I hope you feel better. Take care of that ankle and ICE ICE ICE IT!!!! I'm sending healing waves your way! Take Care!
 
RE: We can hobble together!

Isn't Cathe awesome! That's all wonderful advice and she knows exactly how you feel, I'm sure. I used to have this sort of trick ankle and every so often it would just turn under and I'd have a sprain for a few weeks. It drove me NUTS! It seemed like every time I was making progress in my workouts and body I'd twist it and end up sidetracked for weeks and just felt like it was pushing me back a few paces every time.

But now, next time that happens, if it does, I think I'll take Cathe's advice. I'd work the upper body with weights and do abwork and then at least I'd be getting the blood flowing and keep those muscles working. And that keeps the calories being burned higher even at rest. So don't feel like you have to totally stop, it's just throwing a little kink into your routine. But I love her ideas about pampering yourself, which people usually don't take the time to do. Go ahead and be all girly, that sounds awesome. And if you keep working your chest/back/shoulders/bis/tris/abs...that's still pretty darned good, don't you think? And it will be a break in your routine that will confuse your body so when you do go back to your cardio and workouts I bet you'll see a better result. I've always found that to be the case when something sidetracked me for a while.

But Cathe's right, just know that you're not alone and you don't have to just become a pile of goo. There's plenty you can do to work around your ankle and you can take advantage of the "down time" to really treat yourself a bit. Rent some movies you've wanted to but didn't have the time to watch, etc. And just know that even a month away from your routine will NOT erase the progress you've made. That's one of the wonderful things about working out and being fit.

Take care, and don't let it get to you! You can still keep pretty active and have some fun, too.
 
RE: We can hobble together!

Oh Cathe--- :)

You don't know how you just made me feel. I was reading your post and I felt tears coming again. (Could be PMS?) But thank you so much for your encouragement and advICE. (My ankle is on ice right now--just wanted you to know.) :) I think I am going to go to the upper body strength work for now. I have your PS series, so maybe starting tomorrow I can start a PS rotation. I think my ankle is really hurt though. It is hard for me to stand on it. And more than just my ankle hurts. The whole area of my foot hurts actually. I've never had an injury like this before. (Very lucky) SO I don't know what the doctor is going to say.

I am so sorry to hear of your injury also. :-( This may sound bad, but it DID make me feel better to know I wasn't alone. I really hope that doesn't sound bad. I don't mean it too, but I think you know what I mean. :) I am so glad yours is healing!
Right now, I think I will go get the book I have been reading and plop down on the couch (with my supply of ice, of course) and be a lazy blob for the rest of the night. :) That sounds pretty good.

Cathe--thank you SO SO SO much. You just don't know what a huge improvement in my mood has just happened from reading your post!
I'll let you in on what the doctor says. I hope it isn't really bad.

Thanks Cathe--you really are great!! :) :) :)

Melanie

Oh--as a little side note: After I posted that first message, I plopped down on the couch, depressed and miserable, and as I was flipping through the channels, what did I see--Cathe doing Interval Max on one of the channels. That was really depressing, because I had PLANNED on doing IM today! Don't think so now, though. :)
 
RE: We can hobble together!

Lex..

I wanted to say thank you to you too! Cathe is great, isn't she? It is good to know people are in the same predicament. I said that in my post to Cathe. I don't mean it to sound that I am happy that someone has an injury. I just mean it helps to know others are in the same boat. I feel sooo much better after reading yours and Cathe's posts.

I think I will take the advice too, and work the upper body. And then when my ankle heels, I "shock" my system by starting the cardio back up again.

Thank you so much for your reply. You and Cathe have really helped me tremendously. :)


Melanie :)
 
Hi Melanie!

Just wanted to say that we are thinking of you and hope your Dr. appointment goes well. So glad too that Cathe & Lex could "UP" your spirits! :D Hang in there and enjoy getting your upper body & ABS in great shape while you recoup. Also, I had to laugh when I saw how you wrote the word advICE!! Was that a typo?? Pretty cute either way. Keep us informed on how your ankle is doing. Your-Friend-In-Fitness, DebbieH :)
 
I understand your pain.

I chipped a bone in my toe about 4 weeks out from
the Cathe trip. Luckily I was able to recover enough
to go and have a good time, but I completely stayed off
of it the first few days as much as possible so it could
heal properly.
Loretta
 
Another hobbler

I just had a doctor's appointment this morning. I'd originally injured my knee a little over a year ago (playing racquetball) and was repeatedly told it was no big deal. I just reinjured it in September when I was on vacation (coming off of a bike on a steep hill) and on Monday it gave out on me rather painfully as I was going down stairs.

During the interim, it'd been feeling okay, but never quite the same. The doctors had told me I probably had a STRETECHED, not torn, ligament. I was back doing just about everything I had been doing (except tennis & racquetball--sustsained lateral movements were not the most comfortable) and was feeling stronger.

Well, today's sports rehab guy told me that he's pretty sure it's a torn ACL, and badly at that, so my only option (other than leading a completely sedentary life beginning at age 25) is knee reconstruction. :'(

I am definitely getting a second opinion, but I am SO BUMMED. I have never had any broken bones or any kind of surgery in my life. Obviously, there are worse things that I could be having surgery for, but I'm still pretty down about it.

So, Melanie, you are definitely not alone. I hope your appointment on Monday goes well. Being as athletic and in shape as I know you are, I'm sure your recovery will be quick & that you'll be back to 100% in no time. :)

Jessica
 
RE: To everyone

Wow! I never expected so many responses! Thanks guys! I sincererly appreciate it. :)
I'll let you all know what the doctor has in store for me. I really hope it's not gloom and doom.

To Debbie--the "advICE" was intentional. I am glad it made you laugh!! :)

To Loretta: I was sorry to hear about your toe. How awful for that to have happened four weeks before the Cathe trip. I know if a Cathe trip was coming up in four weeks and I was lucky enough to be going, I would not be very happy right now. (About my ankle I mean). I went on one Cathe trip in the fall of '98. I had SUCH a good time! It was easier for me to go then because I lived in Maryland which is pretty close to NJ. Now I live in Texas--which isn't exactly "get in your car and go to NJ" as Maryland was. I am glad your toe heeled in time for that trip. I hope you had alot of fun. Cathe really puts it to ya in those classes, doesn't she?

Last but not least to Jessica: BUMMER! I am soo sorry to hear that. I don't know what I'd do if that happened to me. But didn't Cathe have to have that same type of surgery for that that you will have to have? If so, then you know you WILL be able to get back in shape. It may take a while, but you will be able to. Hey--I should take my own advice. :) And I am sure you are in GREAT shape also. We all are if we are doing Cathe's videos.
But I know you must be bummed anyway. I sure hope it all works out well.

Thanks again you guys..I really really appreciate the encouragement. :)


Melanie
 

Our Newsletter

Get awesome content delivered straight to your inbox.

Top