Friday, November 21, 2014

yoga, injury, recovery....

My desire to support my friend, the yoga instructor, created an injury for me.  I went to her class yesterday and was having a difficult time getting through it.  She teaches at a much slower pace than I am accustomed to.  I force myself to stay not wanting to hurt her feelings.  Mistake #1.  I didn't get much out of the class outside of a tweak to my sacrum that I felt the remainder of the day.  I tried to rest and stay off of it before heading into work.  I arrive at work and immediately feel the injury.  I had not thrown it out of place but it definitely was tweaked.  I take a few alleve and hope for the best.  I tense up every time someone walks by me and I get irritated at my co-workers lack of personal space.  Seriously, I was tense and hyper aware of my surroundings.  My ability to bend from my waist was the issue.  So refilling a water was challenging.
I couldn't wait to get home, take a bath and use a heating pad.  By the time I got home from work, I no longer was interested in a bath.  I wanted to go to bed.  And, I scrapped the heating pad and opted for ice.  It's always ice for the first 24 hours and then add heat.  I slept, fitfully, and woke to find that I had improved a little.  I do not enjoy taking pain medication to mask pain.  I would rather confront it, head on, and work to a solution.  I took 3 alleve yesterday and felt bad about it.  So, I stretched to strengthen my sacrum, swore I would start doing sit ups to strengthen my core (the opposite of back pain) and went on-line.  I didn't want to have to go to a chiropractor for this.  I knew that I had not completely thrown it out.  Plus, I don't know of any chiropractors in Santa Fe.  Sure, I could call Melody and ask her who she could refer.  I am certain that she could help me in that regard.
I was not at that point yet.  I stretched.  I used arnica cream, my heating pad, ice.  I consulted the internet to see if there were any additional stretches that I was unfamiliar with.  Of course, there are.  I found a series of three videos that would address sacrum pain and how to stretch.  Mid second video my back pops slowly into place and I feel relief.  Eureka!  I feel so much better.
I know that I must be soft with my movements tonight and continue to stretch and baby my sacrum.  It is not a quick recovery.  It's all about strengthening.  I will return to yoga tomorrow.  In Albuquerque...there is not a class here on Saturdays that inspires me.  I have the day off and can make the most of it.  Heading to ABQ will enable me a chance to dine with little Jenn and check out the local flavor there.  It is something that I have not been motivated to do until now.  I believe there are more yoga options in ABQ and some great dining options.  I could thrift store shop, too.  I want to make the most out of being here.
I might have a friend in town tomorrow night.  Still waiting to hear back from Troy.  If, he does in fact, drive down to Santa Fe, I hope to make dinner.  I love my casita and hope to enjoy it.  My kitchen could be larger but it is homey.  I intend to make use of the space and entertain.  I was never able to do that in Phoenix and it is something that I enjoy.  I have beautiful wine glasses and knives from my time with Brian.  I gave my platters away which in hindsight was silly.  I should have lent them to Lindsay or Sara.
I am thankful for the injuries of the past to give me insight into how to heal myself.  I feel pretty great this afternoon.  And, I will trust my instincts.  I knew that I would sustain an injury from being bored in yoga.  I hate that I am right....

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