Six months post accident

Today marks six months since I was hit by a car while running. While I found information on pelvic fractures in the elderly, I could not find much for younger people and nothing for runners. If someone has a pelvic fracture and has questions (or needs to vent), I am always available.

Flashback:
Super Bowl Sunday (February 2nd) I was scheduled to go for my 10 mile run during my Glass Slipper Challenge training. I successfully complete a HOT 5 mile run the day before so in order to beat the heat, I ran at 6 am. My plan was to run up the hotel zone in Cancun. I figured this would be the easiest and safest route since I did not have to cross any roads. A little over half way through my run, I heard a loud noise and turned to the side. I had a split second to process a car was sliding towards me. The pain was excruciating. I was on all fours screaming (I am not too proud to admit this). Later, I figured this was because I was putting pressure on my broken pelvis. 

Despite the corruption of the tourist police of Cancun, I was eventually able to find out that the guy who hit me was drunk. He went over the median, two lanes of traffic, and the curb to hit me. This was at 7:10 in the morning. The ring in my pelvis was stable so I was able to fly home and did not need surgery. My American doctor diagnosed me to have three fractures in my pelvis which required 6 weeks of non weight bearing on my right leg. I could not move. It took all my strength to get out of the wheelchair to go to the bathroom. By week 2, I noticed significant muscle loss in my right leg and butt. I started physical therapy later that week and continued physical therapy for 16 weeks. This was a huge turning point for me because it helped wake up my muscles so by my 6 week checkup I could start walking with crutches. A week later, no crutches (yes, I still got sore if I tried to push myself too hard the first or two after I started walking). I missed almost all of my winter and spring races, but salvaged the NJ Half by signing up for the relay and walking my portion of the race.

Shortly after that I was cleared to run. It was 12 weeks and 3 days after the accident. Four weeks after I started running I was able to complete my first race- Hibiscus 5 miler. 

blurry action shot

Today:
I am mostly symptom free there are still a couple of issues. My achilles feels like there is a knot or something movable on it. It was bothering me since I started walking, but with a recent week off of running it has been pain free. 

Recently while walking I felt a pain in my pelvis (roughly 5 1/2 months post accident). I am not sure if I just twisted my leg slightly while walking or what, but every once in awhile I felt a pain. It did not seem to bother me running until a week or so later. After the Electric Run I took a week off from running, cycling, everything except strength training. The next run I had was in Mexico City and it went well. I do not feel pain, but it feels like my pelvis/hip area is always popping in and out of place. Example: like cracking your elbow or another joint. Oh yes I did survive running in Mexico this time. I ran along a major road but then into a park. No cars here.

There are smaller issues that I am not sure will clear up. My hip flexors are always tight if I am not always stretching them (like at my desk during the day type stuff). I seem to have worse circulation in my right leg. Whenever I crouch down where my leg and knee are bent then stand up, my leg then feel like the it was asleep and painfully waking up. This is only after a few seconds. Other than those issues, all of my other pains and symptoms have cleared up. I am still a lot weaker and slow than before, but am working on it. My longest run post accident has been 7 miles and I plan on duplicating that next weekend.

Moving Forward:
I have an aggressive plan for the fall. The Philly Rock n Roll Half Marathon in September, the Wineglass Half Marathon in October, and the Philly Marathon in November. I am seriously considering downgrading the marathon to the half marathon. While for the most part I am meeting my mileage marks, I am so much weaker than where I feel I should be for training for a marathon. The deadline I give myself is the end of August. I will see how my body responds to adding more miles while I really get into half marathon training. Even if I have to downgrade, being able to compete and complete these races will be a huge accomplishment. It is not about winning a race, but about being able to run. I feel fortune and blessed to be at the point I am. I just want to get out there and run.



Don't forget to vote for me for the Runner's World cover contest 

or if please consider donating towards the Wounded Warrior Project. Every dollar helps! I am running my first half marathon post injury and hoping to raise $500.

Wounded Warrior Project

I decided against Team in Training for now. Originally I wanted to do TNT for a sprint triathlon, however, they were not offering on this calendar year. I chose to table the idea until 2015 and find another charity to run for. 

Support Wounded Warrior Project

The military has always held a special place in my heart so Wounded Warrior Project came as an obvious choice. I spent a very short amount of time in a wheelchair and have new found appreciation for those with physical disabilities. These veterans need our help. The mission of WWP from the Wounded Warrior Project website:

• raises awareness and enlists the public's aid for the needs of injured service members 
• helps injured service members aid and assist each other
• provides unique, direct programs and service to meet the needs of injured service members

In September I will be running my first half marathon (Rock n Roll in Philly) back from being hit by a car. I am fortunate enough to be able to recover and be able to compete in this race. Some others are not as fortune and need our help. As I train, I am trying to raise $500 for WWP. Please consider any amount for each dollar makes a difference. 

Support Wounded Warrior Project

Thank you in advance!

.

Dear Physical Therapy

It has been quite awhile since I have written and I apologize. Between taking care of my husband (foot surgery, we're getting good at taking care of each other), traveling for work (DC), and the World Cup (Go USMNT!), I have been a busy bee. 

I completed physical therapy a few weeks ago and wanted to share my story while it is still fresh in my head. I first went to PT 2 weeks and 5 days after the accident. At the time, I could not lift my leg up or bend my knee. My right leg was noticeably smaller than my left. I could not separate my legs in any way- even moving my right leg a centimeter to the side was a massive challenge. My right leg had virtually lost all of its muscle. Even though it was my right pelvis that was fractured, it effected my entire right leg and back. My core, butt, and leg were still swollen and at that point my rib was cracked. I felt broken. Going from training for the Glass Slipper Challenge (10k on the Saturday, half marathon on the Sunday) and feeling strong to not be able to put on my own socks was quite a shock. 

The day after the evaluation, I had my first real appointment. I had trouble getting up on the table and needed a step stool with a handle. Started off with some kegels and some breathing exercises to help with the core. I did the most basic moves such as pulling on a band attached to my foot so my knee could bend. The first couple of weeks were a lot of range of motion movements. The results were immediate. By the following week I had some movement in my leg. The few muscles that were left were waking up from hibernation. Once my leg could move up and down, I could start to bend down to pick things up (you never realize how much of a butterfingers you are until you can't pick anything up). This helped my quality of life tremendously. I started working on moving my leg from side to side. We did this by lying down and moving my leg/foot along a slippery board. I can remember the first time I tried the exercise and thinking how excited I was I could move my leg that way. All of my exercises were on my back. The exercises seemed so simple but were targeting specific muscles. My "cardio" during this time was an arm moving machine. Pre-accident I was in the athlete's range for blood pressure and had a healthy heart rate. The stress of the accident and stress of healing had caused my blood pressure to jump up and it never came back down. Without cardio and still trying to heal, I knew it would be awhile until I reached 'normal.' 

St. Patrick's Day brought the good news that I was allowed to start weight bearing on my right leg. The 3 1/2 weeks of physical therapy had me thinking I would be able to walk. I started off slowing easy pressure on my leg and a week after St Patrick's Day I attempted to walk without crutches. I took a lap around the inside of PT without any issues. All of the therapy helped me gain enough strength to start walking. I was still not allowed to run or do any hard pounding movements with my leg. The one fracture was at the Acetabulum (socket part of the ball and socket leg bone) so the doctor didn't want any extra pressure on that part of the bone. With me being able to do weight bearing and walking, the PT was able to introduce more exercises.

 

Step up on the box with the right leg. Step down using my right leg first.

Like a reverse leg press- used it as well to work my shins and calves

hamstring curl

steamboats- something I can do post-PT

hurdles- lifts my leg up and works the heal to toe movement

Six weeks after St Patrick's Day I had a follow up with my doctor. X-rays showed my bones are fully healed and I could now handle running. Quite possibly one of the happiest days of my life. I waited to talk to my PT a couple of days later. On April 30th I got the all clear from the PT and tried out running for the first time in over 12 weeks.

My PT worked in other exercises such as jump rope, jumping off of a box, and squats. My leg muscles were getting better, although nothing like they were before. I ran a mile every day in PT. It felt quite taxing at first, but my muscles got used to it and I started to increase my speed. 

squat down on one leg while the heel touches the ground

weighted three way hip- move my leg back then angled to the side then straight out

During this time, I worked outside of PT doing some of the exercises and working on my core. I would run an additional couple of times a week. Eventually I worked up to running 5 miles for a race in Hawaii. Once I came back I really thought I had to be at the end of PT. I felt I could do everything I needed to (just slower). 16 weeks after I started PT, I was finally done. I went from not being able to lift my leg to running races. My PT provided me with some information so I could continue with exercises post PT. Most of these I did while I was there.

There were times I was frustrated and thought I could have been moving fast, but overall I had a good experience with PT. I worked hard every time, usually doing a few more reps than required and asking to increase weights sometimes. So thank you to physical therapy and physical therapists everywhere. You helped me get to where I am which hopefully means I continue towards my races in the Fall.

Running again :)

Last Monday, I had my 12 week checkup with my orthopedist. The x-rays confirmed that my bone healed properly. The new bone looked exactly like the old bone so I am all healed! (bone wise)

He said my pelvis will always be unsymmetrical which may or may not be an issue with a natural childbirth of a large baby. The only other lasting issue would be cycling. The one broken pubic bone now sticks out a bit which is exactly where I would be sitting on a bike. He suggested if it bothers me on long rides, get a well padded seat. The good news is that the unsymmetrical pelvis will not bother me or prevent me from doing sports or running. When asked about running, he said YES and to 'go crazy.' You should never tell a runner this ;)

My main PT was not working Tuesday so Wednesday I gave her the good news. She then said ok we'll try the treadmill today. I honestly thought I would move up to the elliptical or treadmill in the pool, but nope. Straight to the treadmill! I was nervous and excited. They started me out at 3.5 mph walking then they upped me to 5.2 mph (about 11:32 minute mile). I could not stop smiling. I felt rusty but otherwise good. I only ran for about 7 minutes but I was sweaty and huffing and puffing. It's amazing how much harder it is to run right now. Two PTs were watching my run (part of the same team that have been helping me) and said that I was very symmetrical. A worry was that my weakness in my right leg might have my limping while running or favoring my left leg. Luckily I did not have this issue. 

man this is way more difficult than it used to be

Friday I continued running on the treadmill by completed 1 mile (still at 5.2 mph). I felt great doing it so I planned on my first outdoor run this past weekend. Previously I refused to go less than 3 miles, now I was looking forward to 1.5 miles. With a chance of rain, I added to my lengthy process to get ready.

favorite running capris... check

Brooks waterproof jacket... check

Garmin 620... check

heart rate monitor... check

waterproof Nike Pegasus.... check

RoadId... check

plastic bag for my iphone (yep I'm high tech like that).... check

running cap... check

I was going part of a normal route for me and a really familiar way out of my neighborhood. My mind kept wanting me to go faster, but my legs would only go so fast. It was a weird surreal feeling. I can safely say it felt a lot better going faster than a walk. I would take forever to get to a mile walking, but in no time I was at a mile and decided to turn around. I knew I would be going 2 miles instead of the planned 1.5, but I felt great. One thing that did bother me were my allergies! Ugh Spring! At least the view was nice.

In the end, I was a bit sore. My muscles felt like they ran much further, but at least it didn't hurt! I noticed no pain or aggravation in my pelvis. Cardio wise, I could have kept going so that is another positive. I was not sure how fast I would be after my injury, but it seems like 11 1/2 minutes is what I will be around. I guess that is better than the 12 - 13 minute range I thought I might be in. 

My goal all along was to start running in May. I actually was ahead of my own schedule starting April 30th. Hal Higdon has a 30 week marathon training plan. 29 weeks puts me at November 23rd which is the Philadelphia Marathon. There is no way to tell if my muscles will get better fast enough to really be able to train. One thing I can try to train for is the Hibiscus 5 miler (vacation race!). Game plan: 3 mile long run this weekend and 4 miles next weekend. Add some 1 to 1.5 mile runs and cross training with the bike and elliptical.

Until next time...

12 week update and timeline

Fabulous news- my orthopedist cleared me for running!!!!!!!! But let's take a step back.

It has been 12 weeks and two days since I was hit by a car. Currently this is where I am:

hip/pelvis- bone not getting sore even when being on the for hours. muscles around it can get sore.
rib- no pain. only noticed when lifting heavy weight and that is minimal.
lower back- no more pain.
ear- not convinced I have 100% hearing, but pretty close.
foot/toe- no longer sensitive to the touch. Calluses have stopped bothering me. Top of foot is a little sore and needs to be stretched out. Convinced my toe was broken. Slightly different shape than the toe on the other foot, but doesn't bother me anymore.
stiffness/soreness- in general muscles are no longer stiff. My hip muscles and calf muscles can get sore on occasion. Knees will get sore with long walks.

Timeline:
Super Bowl Sunday: While running, hit by drunk driver who hopped the curb (actually he attempted to do a U turn, went over the median, crossed two lanes of traffic then hopped the curb onto the sidewalk). Diagnosed with three fractures in my pelvis. Lost hearing in right ear for a bit and was required to take medicine to fully heal the ear drum. Told I could develop a fracture in my ribs up to 4 weeks after the accident.
1 week: Leg and butt is swollen. Black and blue all over my side. At the end of week, can get in and out of wheelchair on my own. Muscles stiff and have bad back and rib pain. American doctor confirms diagnosis. Pee has been a good color so kidneys are ok. 
2 weeks: Stop daytime pain meds. Still have back pain and am very sore and stiff all over. No longer need to take ear medicine. Start practicing on crutches. At the end of week 2, suddenly start feeling popping in rib. Can breathe fine, but rib is very sore. 
3 weeks: Notice muscle apathy in legs and butt. When laying down, cannot lift leg. Start going to PT at the very end of the week. Using crutches more and more. Was able to go up and down the stairs with crutches. Regular doctor visit. Heart rate and blood pressure are up significantly from normal numbers. Severe pain when sneezing. With rib and hip pain, feel very broken and in pain a lot.
4 weeks: Only took pain meds a couple of times at night during the week. Less hip pain, but still back pain. Still have trouble lifting head without support. 
5 weeks: No hip pain from coughing or sneezing. Completely off of pain meds. Back still sore and hurts. Started back at work part time, but foot is still swollen and cannot wear shoes. Starting to get calluses on hands from crutches. Started getting lightheaded. 
6 weeks: Still have bad back pain.  Cleared for weight bearing. Can put weight on right leg. Tingling in foot when putting weight on it. 
7 weeks: Slowly eases into walking using crutches- two then one. Able to use recumbent bike slowly. Foot still swollen, but going down. Able to shower by myself.
8 weeks: Off of crutches, walking unassisted. Using recumbent bike faster and longer. Attempted to walk .3 miles, rested for a few hours then walk .3 miles more. Had bad pelvic pain. Very sore in injured parts. Too much too soon.
9 weeks: Able to get foot into a shoe, but still slightly swollen. .45 mile completed without any pain. Late in the week, one mile walk completed. Regular doctor checkup- still have high blood pressure and heart rate. Still getting lightheaded, but doctor says because of the accident, symptoms could continue for months.
10 weeks: Two walks ranging from 2 mile to 2.77 miles. Started to feel like I was hitting my max for my hip during my 2 mile walk but a few days later could do 2.77 without issue. Getting better by the day. Getting less and less lightheaded. 
11 weeks: Knee and calf pain from standing and walking a lot with flip flops. Still needed cushioned shoes. No more back pain. 
12 weeks: Walked 4.63 miles in preparation for half marathon relay. Completed my first race post-injury. Walked 6.4 miles in my fastest pace yet. Bone is fully healed. Cleared by orthopedist to run. Blood pressure down from high, but not quite at normal amount. 


Today I had my 12 week checkup. I had more x-rays standing then with my leg to the side. At my 6 week checkup I couldn't stand up in order to take the x-rays. I also struggled to move my leg to the side. This week I did not have a problem with either. My orthopedist was very pleased with my progress and said I was fully healed. You could easily see how the new bone looked like the rest of the old bone. My pelvis will always look a bit disformed because the broken bones never really shift back into place. Luckily there will be no lasting effects. I can run and 'go crazy' as my ortho said. Now, I wait and see when my PT clears me. 

Yoga!... sort of

One of the major drawbacks to a broken pelvis is loss of flexibility. For awhile I could barely move my leg a centimeter to the side. My three weeks of PT while my pelvis was still fractured helped me gain some up and down flexibility. I still struggle with the side to side especially if I need to twist my leg in any way. My muscles are just extremely tight and some movements aggravate my one healed pelvic fracture. I never really did yoga pre-injury. As I got more serious about my running, I needed deeper stretches so I incorporated some poses to my stretching routine. 

My attempt of yoga had mixed results. Certain poses I could tell were stretching me out while others I just could not do properly right now.

I can finally bend me knee enough to be able to do child's pose. 

I have been doing this pose for years. Great abs stretch. My back is well enough that this pose is not an issue.

I regularly do bridges at PT. This week I started doing one legged bridges. 

Things are starting to go downhill with the downward dog. My hamstrings and calves are still tight. I could not even get my feet to be flat against the mat.

I would like to be able to bend my upper body a bit more for this pose. 

First time doing this pose.

This was a tough pose. Previously I could hold it much longer. My upper body lost a lot of strength.

Not being able to complete this pose is tough. I sit like this regularly and previously was able to put my nose to my feet. I am pushing down on my right leg, but that is as far down as it will go. The twisting of the leg to the side is barely getting better. Gaining flexibility is not progressing as quickly as the rest of my injury.

This was one of my favorite poses pre-injury. I cannot even come close to completing it now. My right leg cannot twist far enough over and my hip flexors are too tight. I also tried doing this switching sides, but my right leg hip flexors are also too tight. 

I purchased  a strap and am going to work with that. My favorite pose is the Lord of the Dance. I really want to be able to do the pose. I can do a spinal twist so that my right leg is crossing over the left, but if I apply pressure on that leg to get a deeper stretch, it starts hurting my pelvis. Since it is not just that I am tight, but actual pelvic pain, I am avoiding this pose. Every now and again I try it to determine if my pelvis is feeling better, but that's it. Garland is another pose I did frequently that am working to be able to do again. My leg strength is not there so holding it is just not happening right now.

Off to the beach this week!

Lessons Learned

One reason I wanted to start this blog was because the lack of information out there for a young person with a fractured pelvis. I found plenty of information about older people, but very little on a younger person's experience. Over the past 8 weeks I have learned a few lessons from my experience. I hope this can apply to anyone with a major injury especially a lower body injury. 

•  It does take new bone 6 to 8 weeks to form (hard callus). My CT scan showed my fractures were worse than the x-rays showed, but it still only took 6 weeks. The pain with the bone started going away at week 5 and mid-week 6 I really felt healed. It helps that I am young. Apparently it can take longer when you are older.

•  Go to PT as soon as you can. I started going at the end of my 3rd week and do not regret it. Even though I could not do weight bearing on my right leg, it helped me wake up the muscles that were left and slow down or prevent any further muscle loss. As someone who enjoys working out, I very much enjoyed PT. It was the closest thing I had to exercising while waiting for the bone to heal. Also, listen to your PT. Don't be lazy with the exercises, but don't be superwoman too. Have faith- you will get better with each visit!

• It helps being young and healthy. There is very little you can do about being older, but everyone can affect their health. I cannot imagine being in my 80s or obese and having a broken pelvis. Not being able to walk on one leg, having back pain, and being uncomfortable sitting literally affect every aspect of your life. Being in reasonably good shape helped me get around with crutches when I needed to. My body heart rate and blood pressure both increased, but from athletes’ number to normal, healthy people’s numbers. I truly believe the healthier you are, the better your body will react to trauma and healing. 

• Don't compare your current state to your old self. It's ok to look your old self as your goal to *eventually* get back to, but you have to focus on the little goals along the way. Think 'hey I can do 30 reps instead of 20' or ' this week I can pick stuff up off of the floor instead of having to wait for someone to help me’ (this is a big deal when apparently you have butterfingers).  I didn't think step 1- run at my old pace. I did and am focusing on many steps along the way including step 1- bone heals, step 2- walk, step 3- walk unassisted, step 4- strength the muscles to so I can use the elliptical, etc. I even set mini goals like being able to get myself in and out of the wheelchair by myself, get in and out of the shower without sitting on the chair and swinging my legs over the side; walking up and down the stairs normally without having to put both feet on each step, etc. Accomplishing these goals helped motivate me and gave me a pick me up. 

• You will lose muscle and you will gain weight (unless you have some crazy metabolism that can handle barely moving for 6 weeks). It is very tough to see all of my muscles wither away. All of those squats and lounges grr…. My right leg and right butt cheek obviously have the most muscle loss, but every muscle on my body has gotten weaker. I couldn't lift weights (main due to my rib injury), do any cardio, pushups, planks... nada. since previously I was running 20 miles a week in addition to doing squats/lounges/etc, my left leg has even gotten weaker.  I have come to terms with the fact that my body will look different and there is very little I can do about it right now. I also know I am dedicated and motivated so I will be able to get my body back once I can get moving. 

• Bad things happen period. You cannot prevent everything. I ran early enough that people were out and about, but late enough that it was light out. I wore bright clothes (white shirt, red shorts, blue shoes… just realized I was very patriotic that run). I ran on the sidewalk going against traffic. I didn’t even have to cross any roads on my run. Sometimes bad things happen that you have no control over. You just have to accept that fact. 

·         #1 lesson I learned:

• I am stronger than I imagined (and I bet you are too). My body protected me after the initial excruciating pain to the point where it was a manageable amount of pain until I had to be moved. The accident also raised my pain threshold (I view this as a very good thing considering I still plan on having kids at some point). Nothing these days hurts *that* much. My mind is more focused and determined. I am only looking ahead to my goal of getting healthy and back to running. I refuse to allow myself to think of ‘what if’ or ‘if I had done this differently’. It will not change the past. I always knew I was tough, but this just confirms it ;)

The only reason I do reflect back is thinking about if I had not been conscious how would the hospital known to call my husband? For the future, I am getting  RoadId band. You can add emergency contacts plus any other medical conditions just in case…

Every day I'm shuffling

The orthopedist said over the next seven to ten days I need to ease weight onto my leg. The first couple of days I used two crutches to put some weight on but not quite an even amount. I started practicing using just one crutch and by Thursday I was only using one crutch. The switch to one crutch has really improved my life. I can shower by myself and carry things with my free hand.  This means I can organize my laundry, wash dishes, do basic cleaning, etc.

There are still a lot of challenges. When lying on my side, I can barely lift my leg. My inner and outer thigh muscles are pretty weak right now. My leg gets stiff after keeping still all night. I have very little flexibility twisting my leg. Somewhat disappointing considering one of my favorite stretches is the yoga position pigeon. 

working hard in PT

The next phase in my recovery is to be to walk unassisted. The PT said we will try this on Monday. Each day has been easier and easier to walk so I am very optimistic that I will be able to achieve this. The doctor did say I am cleared for no and low impact exercising so I managed to *slowly* do the recumbent bike as well as some arms and abs exercises. It was amazing to feel somewhat normal. 

gotta start somewhere

This has also motivated me to look into triathlons. I can work on cycling and swimming to get me back into shape and train. I have NO experience in either so I started searching for the smallest triathlon I could find. Here are some I am debating:

Maxon Dixon Sprint- .5 mile swim, 18 miles bike, 3.1 miles run

PA Warrior Tri & Du- .4 mile swim, 12.5 mile bike, 3 mile run (also optional 3 mile run instead of swim)

Keystone State Triathlon Super Sprint- .25 mile swim, 9 mile bike, and 2 mile run

TriRock Philadelphia Triathlon Sprint- 800 meters swim, 15.7 miles bike, and 3.1 mile run

7 weeks down...

Taking baby steps (literally)

Happy St. Patrick's Day indeed! Today was the big day. I had my six week checkup with my orthopedist doctor. After a few x-rays, he confirmed that new bone had formed and I was cleared for weight bearing on my right leg. I am suppose to ease into putting more and more weight on my leg, but this is a huge first step. The healing phase was a long one, but now I can focus on walking again. I am not cleared for running or anything with impact for awhile, however, I can start walking and exercising. 

Once I was at home, I started putting *some* weight on my leg. I put half my weight once to make sure I did not have any sharp pains in my hip (something the doctor said to look out for). For now I am using the crutches to slowly start putting more and more weight on that leg. My foot is very tingly and sensitive, but with more movement and less swelling I imagine that will go away soon. 

I am not afraid of working hard or being sore. Hopefully the PT will push me as hard as she can that is still safe. Ready to start phase two of my recovery!

Quick update

A brief update- I am almost at a full 6 weeks since the accident. My hip feels great with minimal discomfort. I can sneeze, cough, and laugh without any issues. My rib still is sore and has been acting up a bit. My back however is not much better. There is swelling in the lower back which I have been icing a few times a day. I tried longer hours at work and with ice, kept the lower back pain to a minimum. Monday is my big appointment with the ortho. I imagine x-rays will be done and then he will determine if I can start putting weight on my leg. PT has really been helpful with my muscles so I am very hopeful I will be walking soon :)

Will update more on Monday when I know more!

I can see the light at the end of the tunnel

Blog posts are slightly irregular since there is not much to report while I am still healing. I’m at 4 ½ weeks into the 6 to 8 weeks. PT has been really helping. Yesterday while laying down I was able to move my leg to the right and back. It was a huge accomplishment since previously I could barely move it to the side without any pain. My muscles definitely feel sore from being used. My foot is still sensitive. I rarely if ever put a shoe on. It still looks a couple of shades darker than my good side.

(sorry, not the most attractive feet!)

It is a weird feeling but I can tell the bones are getting better. Coughing does not hurt (although I can still feel it in my hip). My pelvic bone doesn’t have any pain when getting up and down. It does not hurt as much to flip onto my stomach to sleep. I still feel like I’m sitting on something so there are definitely a couple of weeks to go. It just gives me some hope that I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

I was able to go back to work for a couple of hours. It felt great to get out of the house and get some sense of normalcy. Unfortunately working a full 10 hours a day does not seem possible yet. My back muscles get sore after a few hours. I wish I knew how long that phase would last…

With everything going on I hope to do the DUI Victims Memorial 10k in May. I feel after my experience it is important to do.  I highly suggest doing a run for charity. It is a different kind of motivation.

find more info at http://padui.org/

Counting down the days until I get back to running!

Half way there!

Today marks my first race missed. I would have completed the Enchanted 10k this morning and started preparing for the Disney Princess Half Marathon. The Glass Slipper Challenge would have been a really good test for me and a first step towards mentally preparing for a marathon. I have been really positive throughout this experience, but missed race days might be my weakness. I will be avoiding Instagram (@ladylionrunner) for sure this weekend.

(Glass Slipper Challenge medals I would have earned- image from runDisney)

On a more positive note, tomorrow registration opens for the Marine Corps Marathon lottery. My goal for 2014 is to be able to complete this race. It might be a bit ambitious considering I'm sitting in a wheelchair right now, but I have more determination than ever!

Today also marks the end of three weeks. The doctor said 6 to 8 weeks so it potentially means I’m halfway to healing the bone! I started PT this week to help keep as much muscle as possible. I worked on range of motion exercises and stretching out the hip. I already feel a difference and it feels amazing. When laying down, I can slowly bring my leg up and bend my knee. I feel incredibly tight so any stretching or movement is really needed. The PT also said once the doctor gives the ok I can work on running in the pool. Looks like I’ll be in the market for an exercise bathing suit. I considered training for triathlons after all my races for 2014 so I will still be able to use the bathing suit after PT is over. Any recommendations on what type?

Two week progress

Swelling has gone down, although my foot is still sensitive. My back feels a lot better, but not quite 100%. Today I can hear popping in my sore rib. The doctor in Mexico said a fracture might develop later even if he could not see one on the X-ray. I still have a black and blue elbow but it is not sensitive to touch anymore. I have been working on using the crutches but still feel like a baby giraffe learning how to walk.

I can sit for longer periods without feeling sore, but my rear end is pretty much always sore. With running, I am use to being hungry ALL the time but now I’m rarely really hungry. With a few exceptions I am trying to keep up with eating well.

I have had some good milestones these past couple of weeks. For one, I can get to the bathroom on my own. I can get in and out of bed although I still need helping prepping the bed to go to sleep. I was able to take the crutches downstairs, but I do not feel steady enough to do this without someone nearby. These little movements have made me feel more independent.

My Glass Slipper Challenge and Cherry Blossom 10 miler were both deferred. Unfortunately the Hershey 10k would not defer my entry. I am still hoping to be able to walk the NJ Half, but I will know more once I get to talk to the PT. The doctor has allowed me to do some basic movements in order to help keep muscle atrophy at bay. I fully expect to be able to run by the Hibiscus 15k although I am not sure how much training I will be able to get in. Before being hit, I joined a Glass Slipper Challenge group on Facebook. It is really disheartening to see the excited ladies talk about their costumes or the details of the race. I had to leave the group so I could avoid negative thoughts. Luckily I bought outfits I could reuse for running anytime. However, I was wearing the red Under Armour compression shorts when I got hit. (of course that was my first time wearing them grr) We simply could not get them off and over my broken hip without cutting them. 

My new goal is to register for the Marine Corps Marathon. It is a lottery system this year so I may or may not get it, but I want that to be my ultimate goal back to health. 

And now starting from the beginning...

Everything in my life changed in an instant. One minute I was training for the Glass Slipper Challenge and the next minute I was on the ground in extreme pain.

The Glass Slipper Challenge is a runDisney race which consists of the Enchanted 10k on the Saturday and the Disney Princess Half Marathon on the Sunday. This race was my first back-to-back race and my first I had to travel for. I was excited to get out of the bitter cold that had been hanging around all winter. I much rather run in the cold than the heat, but this was a particularly rough winter. Immediately after the Glass Slipper Challenge, I would have to start training for my three races in April. While I had run most of my life, I had just started racing the year before with the Hershey 10k as my first race. 

On January 31st, my friends and I traveled down to Cancun for a mini vacation. This was the end of week 7 out of 10 of my Glass Slipper Challenge training. I would have to complete a 5 mile and 10 mile run. My 5 mile run was later in the morning when the temperatures were in the 80s. The miserable heat convinced me to wake up early the next day and start my run right at sunrise. At 5:15 am, I woke up and started my pre-run routine. Shortly after 6 am I started running up the hotel zone of Cancun. Further up the hotel zone there is a walking path maybe 10 feet off of the road. I stuck to that path and hit the end of the hotel zone then turned around. The walking path had just ended right before the Grand Park Royal so I went back to the sidewalk, running against the traffic. At 7:10 and about 5.73 into my run I heard a loud noise and turn around. I saw a car sliding towards me. There simply wasn't enough time to get out of the way. The car hit me and I felt pain I could never explain.

(my ride back to the resort after being at the police station)

Pelvis fractured in three places, contusion on my lower back, what felt like bruised ribs, minor whiplash, my entire leg was swollen and tingling, all of my muscles felt tight and sore. I learned at the hospital a drunk driver crossed the median, two lanes of traffic, hopped the curb, and had hit me.

I started this blog to chronicle my recovery back to running. I no longer think of trying for a PR or working on building on my distance for my ultimate goal of a running a marathon. Right now I am trying to mend my hip to get back out on the road. I want to come back stronger than ever and am determined to do so.