Rain drops keep falling on my head!

Since I'm still on my crutches, I certainly could have used one of these today! This guy looks like a total dork. My hat umbrella would most definitely need to have been much bigger. This one doesn't even look like it would keep his shoulders dry. My question is, when you close it, wouldn't it cover your face?

Yesterday, I had my second PT visit in the morning and first post-op appt. with Dr. Bharam in the afternoon. Both seemed to go smoothly. Bharam seemed to think I was making great progress. He reminded me that since I'm not the "typical" patient for this procedure, that he and my PT would be keeping a "close eye" on me. I had already gotten scolded (at PT) for showing up with only one crutch (whoops!). What can I say? I was feeling stronger and thought it would be more manageable to have one arm free. ugh... oh well, back to two it is (at least for one more week).

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I can stand and walk a bit on my leg pain free, but aches and pains seem to be popping up in other places (apart from my left hip). I'm so happy with the progress that I've made so far (and please don't get me wrong), but yesterday I just felt so sad about it all. I was just so overwhelmed with sadness last night as I crutched home in the dark. I started to feel the dreaded hamstring pain which is what got me to where I am right now. And that combined with all the other pain (from compensating) just started to get to me. Both PT and Dr. Bharam's packed with patients (I suppose due to the holiday coming up) and not that I felt rushed, but I just began to feel a bit like a guinea pig or a lab rat in that some things about this whole procedure/recovery are still so vague. I know I have to stay positive, it's just been difficult to do. I don't like being in such a vulnerable position; having to have people help me with things and tell me what I can and can't do. It just doesn't suit me. I guess it's good in a way because it's definitely slowed me down for a bit, but I just wish that my anticipated outcome was a bit more clear. At least then, it would be easier to keep my chin up.

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Maybe I just need to go back and read my posts on postiive thinking. ;)

What causes a Labral Tear?

Because so many people have been asking me this question, I thought I'd post it. The following is information on Labral Tears courtesy of www.hiplabraltear.com:

What Causes the Hip Labral Tear?

Almost 80% cases of hip labral tear have no known direct cause. Tears may occur with a slow progression in human life. The known caused factors include degeneration, injuries, osteoarthritis and problematic recurring activities and movements on hip joint, may cause hip labral tear. Many osteoarthritis patients suffer from hip labral tears (acetabular labral tear). Because hip fractures may tear their labrum. However the contribution osteoarthritis to the development of the hip labral tear is still a controversial issue within the medical society. On the other hand, majority of the physicians in this field believe that there is a close relationship between osteoarthritis and labral tears.

The cause of hip labrar tears (acetabular labral tears) are

• Capsular laxity
• Femoral acetabular (acetabulum: concave surface of the pelvis, it is the socket of the hip joint) impingement (impingement syndrome that affects the hip joint)
• Dysplasia (pathologic abnormality in maturation of cells within a tissue)
• Trauma
• Degeneration
• Bony pinching
  

There is a theory that supports the idea that the cause of hip labral tear is because of femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) which generally occurs two forms; pincer and cam. FAI is a disease where the bones of your hip joint come too close and touch tissue or cause too much friction. Thus femoroacetabular impingement is associated with articular cartilage damage and labral tears and as a consequence a hip arthritis may arise at a younger age than usually takes place.

Physical activities that involve force adduction of the hip joint in association with rotation in either direction be likely to worsen the pain.

The length of the leg is also an issue. If one leg is shorter than other leg, this may affect your walking and may put pressure on your labrum. There are specially designed pads
in your shoes to support you for a proper walking.

Recovery is still going well and I can bare weight on the leg, but I'm trying not to as much as possible. I'm up to 80 degrees on the CPM machine (started at 40 degrees), so I'm at my max already with no pain! I have my post-op appt tomorrow at 2pm, so I'm excited to get feedback from my doctor on my progress. My PT homework is going well and I've also been able to ride the upright bike again for 20mins pain free. I'm excited about the progress I've made so quickly and hope it still keeps moving forward at that pace. :)

I'm too sexy for my crutches!

Good morning, party people!

Here is a picture of me before my first outdoor crutch-about on Wednesday night
(day after surgery).
PS: I look kind of crazy.

Recovery is going well so far and now that I'm an "old pro" at my daily post-op routine, I'm kicking it up a notch to add some new homework (courtesy of my PT duo of Ben Gelfand and Rebecca Kalb at STAR Physical Therapy). My first session of PT was last night and I was able to do the upright bike for 20mins (very very slowly)!

I'm amazed at how much stronger I feel every day. I was crutchin' around like a fool yesterday (to/from PT) and am paying for it a bit this morning. My leg is a bit sore and so are my arms. Oddly, my right glute (opposite leg) is super tight. I think because I've been using my right leg so much more for stability. So, I have to be careful not to hurt anything else while compensating the next few weeks.

I just want to thank all my friends and family for their thoughts and well-wishes this week. It's meant a great deal to me to have so many friends and fellow runners so concerned with my recovery. From the bottom of my heart, thank you!

And so the come back mission is on, baby! Stay tuned!

We All Need Somebody To Lean On

Whether it's through blogging or posting on discussion boards, our resources and ability to lean on other runners/athletes for support is infinite. When I was at my most heightened point of frustration with my injury, I turned to a Runners World discussion board for support. It was a few days after my initial diagnosis when I found one of the longest and largest discussions in under the "injury" section titled "torn labrum in hip". The discussion was initiated in September of 2004 and has about 2,098 posts and over 110,000 views. Of course, I have not read the entire discussion, but I have followed the stories of a few of the more frequent runners who have posted. I have also posted there, seeking advice.

When my PT and Doctor gave me the nod for surgery, my PT (in the presence of my Doctor) told me that I would be "underwhelmed" with the recovery. So, I had myself taking tomorrow (surgery day) and Wednesday off with the idea that I might be able to return to work on Thursday. However, I'm starting to think that taking a few more days off might be a better option after reading a response from another runner who has gone through the same surgery. I have posted his suggestions to me (from the discussion board) below,

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TheRunnerChick, I live in NYC so I can give you some advice. The CPM machine only bends your knee and hip to a certain degree determined by the doctor. Although it does look a bit crazy the motion it does is very simple. While you should be able to strap yourself into it you won't be able to lift it so someone will have to set it up for you. I did wear a hip brace. It's not too bad. THe first week really is the hardest...is there someone who can help you for the first week or two? At least drop by and do basic household things and help you out?
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As for getting around NYC: I assume you have a week or two to just rest. You will need it most likely. You definitely do not want to go crutching around NYC in the first week even if you're feeling good. One, you don't want to overdo it and two if you are in a crowded area you definitely do not want anyone bumping into you. I would not attempt the subway on crutches. Wait until you are off of them...just not worth the risk of hurting yourself especially if you're by yourself. You could probably manage the bus, but it's hard because although you are on crutches you still really have to be careful not to overdo it and prolong your hip recovery. I took taxis. Yes, expensive, but I wasn't taking them often and it was the best way for me to get around. I am in school and I live about 3 blocks from school so I would go there and back. When I needed PT, doctor's appts, etc...I took cabs. My groceries were delivered from Fresh Direct and I had roommates in and out if I needed something. I did have to do a lot on my own and it's struggle, but hang in there, take it slow, and know that you will be frustrated at some points, but it will work out. Let me know if you have any other questions. Good luck!!

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So maybe my original plan needs to be tweaked just a bit?? I suppose I won't really know what I this recovery is going to be like until I'm at that point, but I think the advice of "taking it slow" is something we can all benefit from when on a come back mission (like me).

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Anyway, just wanted to promote sharing (again). I plan to continue posting on the Runners World discussion board as well as my blog to keep everyone posted on my progress. I promise not to make every post about me (because that's boring). If you know other runners who could benefit from more information on this injury, forward them to my blog or to the discussion boards on runners world. I know there are other helpful resources out there too, so if you would like to share them, please add a comment to this post.

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Godspeed, mighty runners!

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- TRC

Oh, that's hot!

So, it's four days until surgery and I really wanted to show off all of my flashy (post-op) accessories!

READY OR NOT....


Accessory # 1: The (deluxe) Bledsoe Philippon- Post-Op Hip Brace:




Oh yea, baby! You know you want one!





Accessory #2: The (incredibly comfy looking) foot positioning brace

As "Vivian" from the medical supply company told me (in her life long smoker sounding/native new yorker accent) ,

"if you have any friends with crazy fetishes, now's the time to invite them ov-ah"

Wow! lol!




Accessory #3: The Knee Continuous Passive Motion (CPM) Machine


I'll be riding this baby (the CPM machine) four hours a day!

Sorry boys, I don't think the chick's included. :)








Oh, and there's so much more! Just wait until you see my ice machine! wooooowhoooo!

I'd show you, but I just wouldn't want to make you too jealous! :)

Running in the Rain!

I'm heading up to Central Park tonight to do a short (ceremonial) fair well run with RUNNYC! It's been so long since I've gone up to run in the park and it looks like this will be my final chance to do so before surgery next week. I'm a little bit bummed because it's raining here in NYC, but as my grammar school track coach, Mr. Guano always said, "It never rains on a runner". :)

See ya in CP!

Free Ballin' !

Just in case you've been in sort of a cave (as I have been) for the past 3-5 days and haven't seen this, I thought you might enjoy a laugh.

If anyone can tell me whether they figured out if this was staged or not, please let me know. Real or fake, it's still mighty hysterical!

Have a spectacular week ... and remember to "be well and stay happy!" :)

PDF Champions Marathon Team - Spots Available!!

PDF Champions Marathon Team

2009 Marathon Spots Now Available!

Are you interested in joining in the fight against Parkinson's by raising funds for research, education and advocacy? The Parkinson's Disease Foundation (PDF) Champions program is pleased to announce that we have secured several spots in four of the world's major marathons for 2009 - New York City, Chicago, Boston and Berlin.

PDF provides all runners with fundraising tips, singlets for race day and continual support throughout their marathon journey. All marathon spots must be secured at least 5 months before the race date. If you are interested in running for PDF, please contact Patrick Johnson at (800) 457-6676 or info@pdf.org to find out the details of our Marathon Program.
The 2009 PDF Champions Marathon Team has spots available in the following four major marathons:

ING New York City Marathon New York, NYNovember 2009 The premier event of New York Road Runners, the ING New York City Marathon is one of the world's great road races, drawing more than 100,000 applicants. The race attracts many world-class professional athletes, not only for the more than $600,000 in prize money, but also for the chance to excel in the media capital of the world before two million cheering spectators and 315 million worldwide television viewers.

Bank of America Chicago Marathon Chicago, ILOctober 2009The Bank of America Chicago Marathon is the pinnacle of achievement for elite athletes and everyday runners alike. This year, over 40,000 people joined for the race. Would you like to be one of them next year?
Boston Marathon Boston, MAApril 2009The world's oldest annual marathon, the Boston Marathon has distinguished itself as the pinnacle event within the sport of road racing by virtue of its traditions, longevity and method of gaining entry into the race. In 2008 nearly 22,000 runners completed the race. With PDF, you have the incredible opportunity to participate in this race.

Berlin Marathon Berlin, GermanySeptember 2009The Berlin Marathon is part of the marathon series, World Marathon Majors, together with four other large and tradition bound races: Boston, Chicago, London and New York marathons. In 2008, 35,000 runners in Berlin were cheered on by more than 1 million spectators.

For more information, please contact:
Patrick Johnson, Development Coordinator
(800) 457-6676 or info@pdf.org

You can also read about other PDF Champions and their inspiring efforts to raise, funds, through marathons and other creative endeavors.

Thank you for your generosity.

Marathon A-listers... such amateurs!

I was reading this article a few minutes ago and it got me thinking, why do we think it's such a big deal when A-listers run the NYC marathon? Well, I should actually rephrase that, because I don't think many New Yorkers actually care, but why does everyone else get hyped up about it. Yes, it's so very nice of them to run for charity and to also spend 4-hours surrounded by "normal" people, but really, why all the hype? What makes them different than the other thousands of runners out there shedding sweat and tears to raise money or just achieve a personal goal?


Although I must say that I found Actor Ryan Reynolds' post marathon comment quite humerous. After crossing the finish line, he told the Daily News, "I am going to allow three to four hours for my scary marathon face to go away and then I am going to eat my body weight in raw dough"

Huh! That's a heck of a lot of dough!! But let's get serious, only an amateur would care about their "scary marathon face". The rest of us just embrace it and go get drunk to numb the pain and to forget about how silly we look walking down the street. :)

But I am feelin' him on the dough comment. Personally, I dream of Philly soft pretzels after finishing a marathon. yum!!!!!!

I Feel it All !

NYC MARATHON 2008

Wow! What a show yesterday!



It may have been a bit chilly for spectators, but what an unbelievably perfect day for distance running!


Watching a marathon (especially in NYC) is truly magical. It's so hard not to let the passion that flows from over 37,000 hopeful, energetic, and enduring marathoners permeate your soul. It's incredible! And there's just something about the buzz of this city that puts the icing on the cake.. and make's you "feel it all". :)


Congrats to all the 2008 finishers!!!

All Aboard!

Where will you be at 4:45am the morning of November 2, 2008? If you are planning to join the other 40,000 some people running the 2008 New York City Marathon tomorrow morning, you'll most likely be getting ready to hit the road to get on over to Staten Island.

And if you're planning to make your way to Staten Island via the Staten Island Ferry, you may just see my bright and smiley face at the ferry terminal. I've signed up to volunteer tomorrow to help as an escort and "unloading marshal". I'm not certain at this point if I'll be actually on the ferry or just at the terminal (Staten Island side), but I'm pumped to help out in any way I can!

Hope to see you there!



Best of luck to all our NYC 2008 runners!

PS: Remember to turn your clocks back tonight!