First Day Back

These days it seems that things just don’t go as planned. My first day back on snow was not an exception to this and did NOT go as I had hoped. It was nice to be back out in the sunshine and on the snow, but beyond that my day was not very fun. I didn’t think I had high expectations but apparently even my low expectations were too high for my ability at the moment. For the first time since I was young I felt inept. I am good skier and to feel like a beginner was very disheartening. I know that I didn’t ski as bad as I felt but it was still very poor skiing. I was on the only open slope, which is a green run. Usually I just bomb around and make lap after lap but I was only able to make it through 4 runs. This was beyond my goal of one but it was by sheer will. My right leg just wouldn’t cooperate with me and I had very little control of my hip. Putting pressure on my right leg was a challenge mentally and physically. I walked away from the day very disappointed and nervous about my ability to ski. I’m crossing my fingers that it will truly just be a matter of time before I’ll get it back. I'm not giving up, but it appears that I'll have to give myself more time than I thought, my race season seems to really be slipping away, I want so bad for this to be temporary!

Start of the 2008 Ski Season

15 November. Six and a half months post-op and my life is still not back to normal. I’d like to say that little by little things are getting better but that is not necessarily true.

My sensation did finally start to improve last week but my mobility and function are still much more limited than I think they should or want them to be. Yesterday, while at work for a class, I tried to lift a pram (cot) with a teaching dummy on it (who weighs like 100lbs) and was able to do it but barely. As soon as I got it into the lock position I nearly fell over as my leg just recoiled underneath me. Maybe my expectations are too high, maybe I’m not doing the right things to get better, I don’t know. Either way, it’s been difficult. I decided today as I was coming home from teaching a class that I want to try to ski, before the ski area opens. I ran into one of my WP coaches it’s either tomorrow or Monday…
… so tomorrow it is! This may not be one of my brightest moments but I have to try, and if it doesn’t go well then I know my season really won’t start for awhile. And if I make it through a run or two and can still walk at the end of the day, the light at the end of the tunnel will be shinning a lot brighter. I have no expectations, my goal is to simply get my boots on, get to the lift, and make it through one run without falling over or crying. Who know maybe it’ll go great and I’ll ski the whole morning. I’ll do a test run with my boots tonight and hope for the best tomorrow.

Below is a photo of my friend T saddling up her horse Casey for me to ride with her and then another of my Aunt Nancy with me riding the horse JR at my Mom/ Aunt’s ranch in Iowa. They say horseback riding is good therapy right?!