Search the Community

I skipped last round of the challenge because... well, because. The previous challenge I had participated in, I had accepted that I'd be using crutches for at least another year (I already had nearly 9 months under my belt - plus two months from ACL surgery). Then I met a magic chiropractor the same day I had met with a surgeon to schedule foot reconstruction. The chiropractor made some tweaks and adjustments. If my leg hadn't been so atrophied from not being used I think I could've walked out of his office without crutches. However, I walked 2 miles two days later with my crutches slung over my shoulder on the return trip. It has been six weeks and I have very little pain (the pain is from days when I overdo things). My biggest problem now is holding myself back because I'm super excited to return to normal. I'm not exactly sure what happened. What exactly the chiropractor did so that I could walk without pain and swelling? His reply was I had damaged a part of my brain from a climbing accident I had 20 years ago and he was helping my brain remember that I had a left leg. It's a similar rehab used for people who have strokes. So with the second chance, I want to make sure that I live with more intentionality. That is what this round is about. I plan to: - Continue rebuilding my body. I'm currently doing an upper workout with dumbbells, pilates with a lower workout (I'm allowed to do 3 sets of 3-5 squats and lunges), something cardio (I can walk, bike, or run 40 minutes per day), yoga sessions on the floor or in a chair, and chair cardio. I don't have a set schedule but I'm trying to do weights a minimum of two times a week. Right now I base my exercise on how I feel pain-wise. I push my limits. - Remove pounds. Since my visit to the magic chiropractor, I have removed 5 pounds. I have 25 to go to return to my weight before my first ACL surgery. I don't want my weight to be my focus, but I can't ignore that it's a tangible goal I'm working on. I'd like to keep the trend of removing half a pound to one pound per week. My target weight is one that I felt the best at when I was in great shape (about four years ago). The goal for the end of the challenge is to be 2-4 pounds lighter. - Be intentional. My hubby and I had one of those arguments where we weren't fighting about the issue that triggered lost tempers but something deeper. Truth spilled out and I realized that I have to stop putting others' needs before my own. Putting myself last makes me a tough person to live with. With that in mind, mornings are mine to work at my novel or freelance writing projects, to read, to paint, to draw, to workout, to do whatever I want for me. The afternoons are for teaching my teens, working with clients, running family members around, doing errands, catching up with extended family members, preparing meals, etc. My intentional me time needs to happen 4-5 mornings a week. - Push my comfort zone. I got cozy in the life I created. I hadn't realized it until I faced losing another year to eighteen months to recovering from a surgery that didn't have guarantees of fixing the problem. There are so many things I hadn't done yet that I really wanted to do. Yes, they can be done with knee scooters and crutches but it becomes much harder. So with intention, my comfort zone needs to grow. Here are the things I plan to have done by the end of the challenge: Meet a stranger for coffee. Fill out Submit the paperwork for my family to get our passports. Reconnect with a long lost friend. (They aren't really lost, I just haven't spoken to a few of them for a year or more.) Fill out and submit my application for the church band. This one freaks me out because I want to sing for the band and I've haven't sung in front of people since I was 12 years-old. Pay cash for everything. (This will help accelerate the funds we're setting aside for our mega road trip to the Southwesterly states - NB, CO, UT, NV, CA, AZ, NM, and KS.) I haven't decided how frequently I want to post updates on the forum. I'm thinking I should try for at least 3 times a week. I've noticed when I don't check in regularly I feel disconnected from everyone. And, of course, I want to follow everyone more regularly too.