Go large or go home

Thanks to everyone who has been able to lend their support for the IA families. There has been good progress and lots of money raised. The children are being cared for properly, travel visas are being issued, and steps are being made to ensure ALL IA clients are able to complete their adoptions. There is still a very long way to go, but at least financing is in place and there is lots of attention on Parliament Hill and in the media.

See Barbara's blog for some details.



And now for something completely different.

Remember my running injury? Well I do. After rolling my eyes at my mom's constant nagging suggestion to follow up with my family doctor, I finally got concerned that things weren't healing themselves fast enough and made an appointment. It turns out the official diagnosis is Lateral Compartment Syndrome. When my doctor first gave me a referral for physiotherapy with that written on it, I pretty much ignored it. It just looked like a boring and benign noun phrase. My physiotherapist assured me it is not. She was excited because she hadn't had a case in a couple of years. She also said most people in my case would have just had shin splints. I would have LOVED to just have shin splints (I know they suck, I've had them before).

Anyroad, she gave me the best explanation for the injury so far. Basically, the muscle became swollen so quickly it cut off blood to the nerve*. She said I am lucky to not require surgery to repair blood flow (which the ER doctor told me was a possibility but I thought he was just being over dramatic) and then she told me to Google the term and I did, much to my disgust. Here's a link to one of the non gross sites. Do NOT look at this link* - my boss almost lost his lunch over the pics. And don't go to the WIKI definition, either!

Prognosis: A nerve repairs at the rate of a mere 1 mm per day. Translation - no running (duh!), no walking for exercise until I have full foot mobility and sensation (at about 75% right now) and I can walk without overcompensating. I can start on a bike for a few minutes at a time (I'll need to get my bike tuned up first, though), and she gave me some strength exercises to do at home combined with ice-ing. Next week I also report to a sports medicine clinic and may have to follow up with some nerve analysis of some sort. Whoopee! As ALK said, "You don't do anything by halves, Weatherfield." Ain't that the truth.


p.s. ALK - there is a band with my name!!



* So how does The Hulk manage, then?
** I TOLD you! And I'll bet you enlarged the pictures, too.