Some weeks just don’t go as planned. I will explain Monday later, because that was the day that saved the week. I have not been able to run now for over 2 months. I have a knee injury, and I have been going to therapy for this. I have been making progress, and so my therapy has also been advancing, and then after Tuesday’s session, I went backwards. I had the same knee pain as when I started and then developed another bruise on the inner aspect of my knee. I was hoping I would be running soon, but my knee had other ideas and showed me that I am not ready. I had to get creative again with the therapy, and I could not walk for 2 days, so I did my arm exercises. Afterall, my word for the year is “adapt”, so I had to adapt. My knee is now already better, and I am back walking, but will see what therapy says next week. Like the first picture, sometimes you have to “pull yourself back up” even if you really don’t want to!
I have also had a “cold” for the last several weeks, and it really hit this week. The last 4 nights I have not slept because I am constantly coughing. Rest. Fluids. I even tried some chicken soup (my mom’s solution!). This is improving now too, but man is it frustrating. Dealing with the knee, and then the coughing, and sleeping more during the day because I can’t at night…I was thinking first that this week was a total waste…and then I remembered I had the grandkids on Monday. How could it be a waste when I got to spend time with them! Life did not become bad because the grandkids were there. It became hard because life happened afterward. Those are different things. Maybe the positive isn’t finding a silver lining. Maybe it’s recognizing that even in a difficult week…I still had Monday! That doesn’t erase the cough. It doesn’t fix my knee. But it reminds you that one difficult chapter does not define the whole story. We got to play outside all day Monday playing. I was looking back at the pictures I took of them, and one last Sunday when Tom and I did a long walk with our dogs instead of running:
No question, the day I spent with the grandkids outweighed everything that did not go right the rest of the week. But the biggest thing is that this week is coming to an end, and next week is ready to begin. So yes, did I not have such a great week overall? Yes. Was it all bad? Absolutely not! My knee hurts…I am coughing…I am not sleeping… and I am frustrated. But I’m still here. Some weeks, that’s enough. What didn’t change this week? Sarah…the grandkids…my commitment to exercise…my values…my gratitude. Sometimes we just need to be resilient. Take the good with the bad. Really appreciate the good when it does show up. Does this mean we all need to learn to “adapt”? I guess there is no doubt why this is my word for the year! Different doesn’t mean defeated…just figure out a way to adapt! I am still moving forward…we all need to keep moving forward…and as I always say, “Keep moving everybody!”
Who knows, someday Connor may someday become an NFL quarterback! Look at that form and determination!!!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day of newest streak: # 851