So, the strapping worked really well. Loved it. But physio lady wanted to give ultra-sound a shot. Stressed that it would have been better when the knee was first injured but thought it was worth a go.
Wheeeeeee! My knee is fantastic! Now, it could all be a coincidence, with the exercises, strapping and not running for a week all combining for a great result. But, honestly? I think it was the ultra-sound machine. It felt great from that day on. Three more sessions and it still feels great. Test will be Friday when I go for a run. I've been doing plenty of walking, gym and karate, but Friday morning I'll go for a run and then see the physio in the afternoon. I so hope that it stays good.
I'm going around without thinking, 'knee hurts, knee hurts, knee hurts' at every step. And that is a miracle after 5 weeks of 'ouch' every step!
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Ouch!
I have been having physio on a dicky knee for the last few weeks, and last week she decided to try strapping it. I had no idea what this meant but it sounded like fun so I said sure. Ten minutes later I left the building with a few bits of tape around my knee and thinking that this was quite pathetic and no way would this help my knee.
Two days later I was very reluctant to take it off (she said to remove it after 48 hours) because it was like a miracle! I had no pain in my knee for two days and I could run, do karate and climb stairs with no discomfort at all! I couldn’t believe that such a simple thing could have such a big effect.
Anyway 10 minutes later in the shower I was really reluctant to remove the strapping because it HURT! I have never bothered shaving my legs above the knee. There doesn't seem to be much hair there and I rarely wear skirts that short. But, wow, oh yes indeed, there is hair there and it was determined to hang on to both the tape and my leg and I was in agony. Much worse than waxing because I couldn't get a good pull on the tape it was so wound in on itself. I could only tug half an inch at a time. Agony!
I was down there on Monday again and explained how brilliant the strapping had performed and how my knee was unstable and sore again after only a day out of the strapping. So, after the exercises and so on she said, ‘I might strap that up again.’ I said 'Sure!'
This morning in the shower, again agony, wince, wince! But I am prepared for the next visit; I have shaved up a little higher than usual :-)
Two days later I was very reluctant to take it off (she said to remove it after 48 hours) because it was like a miracle! I had no pain in my knee for two days and I could run, do karate and climb stairs with no discomfort at all! I couldn’t believe that such a simple thing could have such a big effect.
Anyway 10 minutes later in the shower I was really reluctant to remove the strapping because it HURT! I have never bothered shaving my legs above the knee. There doesn't seem to be much hair there and I rarely wear skirts that short. But, wow, oh yes indeed, there is hair there and it was determined to hang on to both the tape and my leg and I was in agony. Much worse than waxing because I couldn't get a good pull on the tape it was so wound in on itself. I could only tug half an inch at a time. Agony!
I was down there on Monday again and explained how brilliant the strapping had performed and how my knee was unstable and sore again after only a day out of the strapping. So, after the exercises and so on she said, ‘I might strap that up again.’ I said 'Sure!'
This morning in the shower, again agony, wince, wince! But I am prepared for the next visit; I have shaved up a little higher than usual :-)
Saturday, March 17, 2007
One fish
Went out fishing with my Ex again this morning. I was already to take Jack down to the Farmer’s market for a bacon buttie for breakfast when he called. Apparently the sea was flat, the weather was warm, and he really, really, needed a boat driver.My two older sons were unavailable and Zoë was going to have her first snorkeling attempt out in the deep. How could I refuse? Well, I did hesitate for a bit. I had promised Jack that bacon buttie and my husband isn’t very keen on me going on expeditions with the ex-husband. But, what the hey? He is away in Auckland at a conference and then a tiki tour of Pahia in the Bay of Islands, and so I went.
It was a flat sea and lovely warm weather and I’m getting better with the boat handling – even managing to drive it up onto the trailer when coming home. But flat as it was I ended up with a queasy stomach – probably from a guilty conscience.
Zoë wasn’t allowed a go with the spear gun, but she had a bit of a splash with Ben’s super long flippers and saw a few fish big enough to eat. Stephen only got one fish, enough to feed the family though. 
This is Zoë measuring the paua.They have to be 125mm long. Last weekend they got hauled up by a fisheries officer and had their catch painstakingly measured. Unfortunately Ben had made the measure a couple of mm short and 11 of their 40 Paua were judged undersize. They got off with a warning but it was scary Zoë said, as the officers have the power to take your boat, car and gear if you break limits on size and quantity.Back in town by 2pm and Jack got a chocolate croissant for lunch instead of a bacon buttie for breakfast. Happy all around?
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Breasts are go!
Today I bought a chest guard; complete with a nifty wee crop top so it doesn’t lose it’s position, and a pair of kickers! Guys wear groin guards and the ladies protect their breasts :-)
I now have all the gear for sparring (mouth guard, gloves, etc) which is good, as the adult yellow belts have been invited to join Thursday night sparring class!
It is so much fun! I’m allowed to kick, punch and generally whack other people as hard as I like and because I’m a yellow belt they are not meant to hit me too hard. Sounds like a fine idea.
I’m really enjoying it. I imagine when I get a decent knock one day I’ll feel a little different. One of the brown belts took a decent elbow strike to the head tonight and was looking a bit woozy and not too happy.
My daughter gave me a fairly hefty kick to my thigh and I thought Hmmm, this could get really painful in a few months. If nothing else it’s a fantastic cardio workout.
I now have all the gear for sparring (mouth guard, gloves, etc) which is good, as the adult yellow belts have been invited to join Thursday night sparring class!
It is so much fun! I’m allowed to kick, punch and generally whack other people as hard as I like and because I’m a yellow belt they are not meant to hit me too hard. Sounds like a fine idea.
I’m really enjoying it. I imagine when I get a decent knock one day I’ll feel a little different. One of the brown belts took a decent elbow strike to the head tonight and was looking a bit woozy and not too happy.
My daughter gave me a fairly hefty kick to my thigh and I thought Hmmm, this could get really painful in a few months. If nothing else it’s a fantastic cardio workout.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Changing roles?
I'm just home from taking my dad home from hospital - one week in a medical ward and then four weeks in a psychiatric ward. Ugh, what an arse that depression runs in families - so much to look forward to.
He seems a little happier. And it will be much nicer to visit him at home rather than the locked down psycho-geriatric ward. Some scary people in there!
It's really difficult trying to decide how much of your father's life you can take over. Is he really past looking after his finances, garden, house, etc? He doesn't know what he wants to do or not do and then he gets miserable about it all. He acts like a child and yet I feel tentative about offering too much advice.
It is going to be a very long year, I feel.
He seems a little happier. And it will be much nicer to visit him at home rather than the locked down psycho-geriatric ward. Some scary people in there!
It's really difficult trying to decide how much of your father's life you can take over. Is he really past looking after his finances, garden, house, etc? He doesn't know what he wants to do or not do and then he gets miserable about it all. He acts like a child and yet I feel tentative about offering too much advice.
It is going to be a very long year, I feel.
Spare Thyme?
What's a girl to do with an empty vegetable garden?
Weed it? Plant some winter veges?
How about sowing your own name in mustard seeds?
Very handy...
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Dad goes to the dentist...
Still visiting my dad in hospital. Today is a field trip to his dentist, first time out the door for weeks! I imagine it will exhaust me...
I will report later.
I will report later.
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Phoebe's Baptism
I’m a Godmother!
Phoebe is no longer ‘my first husband’s second wife’s child, or ‘my daughter’s half sister’ (ugh).
She is my Goddaughter! I am delighted that I have an ‘official’ status in this wee girl’s life.
I assiduously looked up Godparent duties when they asked me if I would be one of her Godmothers, (Anglicans are, apparently, allowed two godparents of the same sex and one of the other - Catholics only being allowed one of each) and found that I have little to do unless the parents neglect their duties.
Phoebe’s other Godmother is her Aunt Eileen and her Godfather is Dave, a good friend of Stephen and Jane’s.
She was baptised at home last Thursday. The Christening gown was Stephen’s twin sisters gown.
Saturday, March 03, 2007
I am pathetic
I weighed myself this morning, it wasn't down as much as I wanted - for a variety of reasons (one pretty bloody obvious reason actually!). And so I ate chocolate. Like that is really going to help the cause. Duh, dumb, dumb, dumb...DUMB.
It's such an arse that I use food both as a reward for losing weight and as commiseration for not losing weight. Damned if I do damned if I don't.
Truly, I am pathetic.
It's such an arse that I use food both as a reward for losing weight and as commiseration for not losing weight. Damned if I do damned if I don't.
Truly, I am pathetic.
Thursday, March 01, 2007
Hot and Cross
Joy. Oh, Joy! My darling husband, who is a bit of a stickler for Catholic traditions, has always made it pretty clear that hot cross buns were only for Easter week itself. None during Lent as this is a penitential season and one shouldn’t indulge too much.
Hard work for me as I adore Hot Cross buns, the hotter and the crosser the better… dripping with butter and hot from the oven, little tangy bursts of dried fruit and peel, Nummy, nummy!
A few weeks ago I was mentioning how I didn’t like having to wait until Easter for them and I thought it would be a good idea to eat one a day, as they have a cross on them and that would remind you of all that it should. And he said that Lent hadn’t started yet, so why not eat them now? So for a week we ate hot cross buns – even chocolate ones. And then I stopped buying them Ash Wednesday.
A week goes by with me smelling them each time I visit the supermarket and at morning tea time when others bring out their hot cross buns. But, no, I am resigned to waiting – it’s possibly even good for me. And then, a wee miracle! Seán reads in our 2007 Lenten reflection book that (and I quote),
‘Baking hot cross buns on Good Friday is an old custom that has now extended to the whole season of Lent.
Hot cross buns often have raisins or dried fruit to give them some taste, but no sweet filling because Lent is a penitential season.
However, white icing is placed on top and always in the shape of a cross – as a reminder that Easter is coming’
Hurrah! Life as I knew it has changed! Hot cross buns were purchased that day and the next and the next. The kids love them in their school lunches. One amusing wee thing is that I am on a carb-free food thing for a couple of weeks and I am still hot cross bunless for another seven days. Then watch out! But not chocolate ones, I suppose?
Hard work for me as I adore Hot Cross buns, the hotter and the crosser the better… dripping with butter and hot from the oven, little tangy bursts of dried fruit and peel, Nummy, nummy!
A few weeks ago I was mentioning how I didn’t like having to wait until Easter for them and I thought it would be a good idea to eat one a day, as they have a cross on them and that would remind you of all that it should. And he said that Lent hadn’t started yet, so why not eat them now? So for a week we ate hot cross buns – even chocolate ones. And then I stopped buying them Ash Wednesday.
A week goes by with me smelling them each time I visit the supermarket and at morning tea time when others bring out their hot cross buns. But, no, I am resigned to waiting – it’s possibly even good for me. And then, a wee miracle! Seán reads in our 2007 Lenten reflection book that (and I quote),
‘Baking hot cross buns on Good Friday is an old custom that has now extended to the whole season of Lent.
Hot cross buns often have raisins or dried fruit to give them some taste, but no sweet filling because Lent is a penitential season.
However, white icing is placed on top and always in the shape of a cross – as a reminder that Easter is coming’
Hurrah! Life as I knew it has changed! Hot cross buns were purchased that day and the next and the next. The kids love them in their school lunches. One amusing wee thing is that I am on a carb-free food thing for a couple of weeks and I am still hot cross bunless for another seven days. Then watch out! But not chocolate ones, I suppose?
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