Broken Bostonian attemping to refill life meter

[Quinnicus]

In the first email from NF, we are asked what are we struggling with RIGHT NOW. This is my story.

 

Three months ago I was hitting it HARD. Rocking the paleo/keto diet, Couch to 5K Running program, and StrongLifts 5x5. I was lifting heavy, eating awesome, and Oh! I started playing rugby again.

 

Two months ago, I messed up some ligaments in my ankle at practice, but kept playing that week. In that weeks game, I got blindsided by a dirty tackle, the direct impact of which happened on the outside of my right knee. The result? Fractured tibia and 3 sprained ligaments. Can't play for the rest of the summer.

 

Five weeks ago, I began getting intense pain in my lower back, coupled with radiating pain down my right leg. Diagnoses? Severely herniated disk that was compressing a nerve root. Four weeks ago today, I had invasive back surgery to shave down part of my spine, remove the herniated part of the disk, and decompress the nerve root. Then, the incision got infected. 

 

Oh, and did I mention I have severe inflammatory and degenerative arthritis? Which is what cause the herniation in the first place. Apparently my spine is riddled with arthritis, and too unstable to support me playing sports ever again. I'm 28, and I've been an athlete my entire life. Now I'm facing a lifetime of surgeries that are normally reserved for those aged 60 and over. 

 

So what am I struggling with? Three months straight of injury, I'm recovering from a very invasive spinal surgery, and I'm never going to play competitive sports again, something that has been a huge part of my identity for as long as I can remember. 

 

Now I need to change my diet and find a brand new way to work out, because what I've been doing in the past won't work for me anymore. My doc says that the two things that will save me from excessive surgical intervention are weight loss and core strengthening. So here I am. Trying to change my life. Trying to get my life back. I've got a decent diet going - lost almost 3 pounds last week just sitting on my couch playing video games (I'm not allowed to do anything more than walk at this point, and I'm still nervous walking without anyone to help if I lose my balance, since I still don't have full control over my right leg and get weak very quickly). 

 

My beginning stats:

 

Age/Sex/Heigh: 28 year old female, 5'4

Beginning weight: 208

Current weight: 203.5

Goal weight: 160

Goal profession: Ranger 

 

So that's me in a nutshell. I still haven't figured out what I can do for exercise, as my surgeon still hasn't cleared me to do anything except walk. But I start physical therapy in 4 days, so I'm looking forward to that. I'm looking forward to getting to know all of you though, and have a new community to reach new heights with.

[Terinatum]

Welcome Ranger,

Saying sorry about your injuries feels like a little too late, but I will say it anyhow. Why because it sucks to get sidetracked so severely. The change in mindset will be the hardest part I imagine.

Couple things:

• have you gotten a second opinion about your prognosis? No disrespect to your doc, but spine issues are so hard to truly determine that it's possible there is hope, just maybe not all that soon. I wouldn't write it off just yet.
• have you been cleared to do any exercises that you could do without impinging on your knee or ankle?  You could probably start core work right now. 
• have you counted how much you've already managed to get through during all this crap? You are a winner at heart by the sounds of it. Work with that!

Good Luck