Every January, for the last 8 years, I have had strict fitness goals and plans. January 1 us usually the starting point to extreme training and goals for me. Today, is February 9 and I don’t have a specific goal set, for this year.
Not that I don’t want to compete this year. I have a spinal cord injury, and my back is in a lot of pain. I had my third back surgery in September, last year, and my spine still hurts. It feels defeating. I want to have a “goal” and something to drive towards, right now.
Both of my SI joints are fused. Which limits the flexibility and range of motion . In fact, it reduces more than 50% of flexion, and axial rotation of the SI joint with minimal, less than 5% increase in range of motion in the lumbar spine. My lumbar spine is where my injury is. L4 L5 S1 and S2. Its so bad that i now have scoliosis of the lower spine.
I was told back in 2015 that I’d need a spinal fusion, eventually. That back then I was too young. I am now (cough) older and expected my surgeon to approve the spine fusion. But without a new MRI, he won’t approve it. But, the catch is…..I have a spinal stimulator implanted that is NOT MRI compatible. Which is frustrating. To swap out the non MRI charge port, the company who made it wants to charge me $22,000 to replace it!!!! That doesn’t include the surgeon’s time, anesthesia, medical hospital or anything! And I have a sternum, dermal piercing, I’d have to get removed. At which point I can have an MRI that may or may not show anything. Its so frustrating.
Every day, I choose to be positive and get in training and workouts, but they are not like before. The intensity isn’t the same and its hard not to be critical of myself. Even my push-up form is suffering cause my pelvis is fused and so my lower spine, where the injury still is, has to do most of the work and its painful.
This is a photo of me doing my push-ups and didn’t realize until after, that I had a cute photo bomber. Look at him! This is one of my favorite photos now.
I love this k9.
xojoxo
