Taking control of that "second job"

[cjsmith]

I'm probably still doing too much, but it's improving.

1. Today I ended, or suspended, sessions with one of the physical therapy places I had been using. It's expensive and I'm not at all convinced they've done a thing for me. (I'm also not fully convinced they haven't, so I may be back later.) This brings PT sessions down to 2x/week and shortens my daily exercises considerably.

2. I'm not guilting myself over skipping exercise in the wheelchair yesterday.

3. I've had my giddy fling with that parking placard. What a great object to have! From now on, though, I'll use it only when it truly makes a difference. At lunch today I really could have walked from the back of the restaurant without much problem. Those spots can be saved for people who need them more, or for times when I'm having a bad pain day.

My gut feel says that what my feet need right now is a) that tape for a while (PT), b) strength in all the little muscles of the foot (PT exercises), c) better alignment of the pelvis / hips / knees / ankles (chiro), d) good arch support (orthotics). Plus maybe some inflammation-calming thing, be it lotion or herb or frequent icing or medicine. So that's what I'll do.

4. No, I haven't quit square dancing limping yet, and yes, physiologically I absolutely should. (I have a goddam parking placard because it hurts to walk far! I realize how crazy this is.) I have obligations, though, as a dancer. I'm partnered with rfrench for an event in October. Finding partners for that weekend is done way in advance -- it's already months too late for Rob to find someone else. If I bail out on him, that's a big deal. I really really don't want to do it. I'd rather hobble in pain for two weeks afterward than bail out on him for this. So I am hoping to hang on until October. I will use the placard to conserve steps/pain/energy while I can, and if I neither deteriorate rapidly nor improve radically between now and October I'll quit square dancing then. That event would be a good dance to go out on.

Comments

[anisoptera.livejournal.com]

Once your foot stops hurting so much you may need gait retraining but dancing may do that for you anyway.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

My PT has mentioned gait retraining, too. After this much time "training" myself to compensate for the ouchies, I'm not at all surprised I'd need to relearn a better way to walk.

The impression I got was that while I'm not ready for gait retraining now, I might start on it soon. I am trying very hard not to think this is a promise of future improvement. :)

[dr-scott.livejournal.com]

Ouch on giving up square dancing for the duration. OTOH, it was mentioned you would be guest-calling for the ECR club night soon, which is great. You can always call and do the dancing in your head. :-)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Yeah, giving up square dancing is going to be very difficult. It's not just an activity - it's a fair chunk of my social life. But I do still get to call. I'll see you at the Reelers in just a few weeks! 8-)

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

There's a woman on alt.support.arthritis to whom white water rafting is so important that during rafting season she takes prednisone and asks her doctor for cortisone injections in her wrists, even though it's a lot easier on the body to avoid them. This doesn't mean it doesn't hurt -- she gets pain, she gets swelling, but she can raft, and she must raft. Maybe dancing will be that for you.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I can understand where she's coming from, I think. I'd have a hard time choosing between square dancing and running, because for me running is very like that. But square dancing is more likely to be possible than running is.

[apparentparadox]

As for that October event, what would rfrench do if you broke your leg the day before? He'd just have to adjust & deal with it (and whine a lot). Have you two really considered & looked at who might still be available to go as a partner? Has everyone really already been booked?

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

If I broke my leg the day before, we'd both whine a lot, yeah. :) I'm not sure EVERYone has already been booked -- the folks he has gone with in the past are booked.

I was talking to him about it and I had to face the question of whether I would hang on until October and get the chance to go to one of these before I drop out, or not hang on until October and maybe never go to this event at all. I'd like to try to go once. Clearly my next research needs to be in the direction of "what painkillers work". :)