Happy Halloween, Y'all!

Make sure you hit the gym hard today!  I did a few really light shoulder/chest exercises and then ran 2.5 miles on a .5 incline.  I did two fairly fast miles after the warm up in 15 minutes.  Somehow I've got to get some speed work into my training before the Turkey Trot!

This fricken strained quad is still strained...6 weeks later. Ugh.  We had our last regular season soccer game on Sunday and although I warmed up quite a bit and stretched all it took was one full out sprint for it to seize back up.  So annoying and painful!  I've been using heat, Advil, and doing lots of stretching.  I'm hoping that all of this pays off before the first round of our playoffs this weekend!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

Cranberry Walnut Coconut Flour Muffins

I had plenty of time on my hands today due to Hurricane Sandy, so I started up the crockpot with some Balsamic Onion Pot Roast, threw some sweet potatoes in the oven, and roasted some asparagus.  My sweet tooth was getting the best of me, so I went on a search for all things "coconut flour" and eventually landed on these babies. 

Cranberry Walnut Coconut Flour Muffins

**Adapted from The Coconut Mama 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of coconut flour 
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt
• 6 eggs
• 1/2 cup of coconut oil, melted
• 1/4 cup of raw honey 
• 2 tbsp stevia
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries

Directions:

1.  Pre heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix dry ingredients together and set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, beat eggs and mix in melted coconut oil, honey, and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Let sit for 3-5 minutes or until coconut flour has absorbed the liquid.

3. Scoop batter into prepared muffin pan. Fill each muffin tin 3/4 full of batter. 

4. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Let muffins cool before serving. Store in airtight container in refrigerator. 

 

I Will...

Source

I love this message from the I Will Foundation!  Matt Long is an inspiring, amazing, incredible human being.  Please check out his story if you don't already know it.   If this doesn't make you want to get up and do something with your life, I don't know what will!

Now, let's get sweaty today!  Make a commitment to no longer wish or want, and just do it.

IT IS ON

Training, that is.  The stitches are out and I have the okay to start doing some very light lifting.  I have to pay attention to my body and take it slow, but I am getting my mojo back:)

So, here's to throwing out the Whole Life Challenge and the craziness of trying to get as lean as possible....and on to growing time.  I know that I can't lift heavy anytime soon, but I'm going to work my way up so that I can add some size over the winter.

Why throw out the Whole Life Challenge?  I just wasn't that in to it.  I do like the idea of staying away from most grains and dairy and I'll continue to do that, but the more strict things became the more I wanted to eat things that I normally don't even crave.  It just wasn't healthy for me.  I'd rather stick to a 85% clean diet and keep a fair amount of carbs so that I feel strong and I can grow.  Add into the mix that I ate whatever I wanted after surgery and just got into that downhill spiral of being depressed because I couldn't lift... Just not the right time for me to lean out.

I'm also incorporating more running so that I can hopefully PR at the Turkey Trot this year.  I had a great time last year, so this is going to be a challenge especially since I haven't trained much.   Lord knows, when I am running my appetite is a nasty beast.  Take away carbs and I'd be miserable to be around.

These babies are...

....coming out tomorrow!!

Maybe a little strength training later in the week?!

Hot tamale

Check out this too hot to handle wrist splint that my PT made me.  Pink camo all the way!  It's too bad that it is meant to be worn at night and my students don't get to partake in the fun.

And, as it turns out it is too uncomfortable to wear so I'm back to the old ace bandage at night.  It was fun while it lasted!

Good Thing...

...that I had that pity party a little ahead of time.  It turns out the pain killers that I took Friday night made me puke all night and half the day on Saturday.  Fun times.  I've only taken Advil since then.

I think I saved the best for physical therapy yesterday.  The first day at therapy has traditionally been rough for me.  I can watch surgeries all day on TV or online, but there is something about taking the dressings off for the first time and exposing the weak wrist that makes me queasy.  Luckily after just a few minutes I was doing a bit better with seeing my shriveled up limb.

The awful part of trying to get my thumb and wrist moving was finding out that a nerve had been compressed under the tight ace bandage.  Holy s*^& nerve pain is no joke.  I literally came out of my seat and let some special words fly.  The only way to get it to calm down is to massage the area which makes my thumb "zing", but that sounds way too calm for what it feels like.

So, welcome to the world of massaging, exercises, heat, and stretches.

On a good note, I made it to the gym Monday and Tuesday to do a little abs and legs.  I tried 20 minutes of cardio, but have opted not to do anymore because sweat can cause an infection.  The incision is WAY larger than I thought it would be.  It's about 3 inches long as opposed to 1 cm, which I was expecting.  I get the stitches out next Tuesday and then the cardio will be on:)

Still a little swollen and bruised, but so much better!

Pity Party

Yep, I'm going to have one for a few minutes and then move on.

 Let's see...I can't put my hair up by myself, button my own pants, can't dry my hair, write, shower without a bag on my arm, wash dishes, clean, vacuum, fold clothes, walk the dogs, type with two hands, pour dog food or fill water bowls, change the sheets, etc. etc. etc.

Sounds like a blessing to some of you...but a nightmare for me.  

Did you notice I didn't even complain about not being able to lift weights?  Yeah, that's how bad it is right now..not even on my radar.  Just took some pain meds, nausea meds, and getting ready to hit the sack with a pillow to prop up this throbbing arm.

Tomorrow WILL be better.  I promise.

Good night!

One-handed Baker

Woof...today was a lot worse than yesterday.  My fingers look like sausages and I'm definitely hurting a lot more, but I'm staying away from the drugs and sticking with Advil.  Other than sleeping and watching tv I didn't do much today.

However, I did get some dijon mushroom chicken going in the crockpot, cooked up some brown rice and invented a new cookie recipe.  And let me tell you, the kitchen smells amazing!

Choco-Walnut Banana Coconut Flour Cookies (long name I know:))

Makes 12 cookies

Ingredients:

• 4 tbsp coconut flour
• 1 mashed banana
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp xylitol brown sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Mix all ingredients until well combined.
• Form into balls and place on cookie sheet (spray first)
• Bake at 350 for 24 minutes

Dijon Mushroom Chicken

Dijon Mushroom Chicken

Ingredients:

• 3lbs chicken breasts
• 1 family size can 98% fat-free cream of mushroom soup
• 1 package of fresh sliced mushrooms
• 2 tbsp dijon mustard

Directions:

• Put chicken breasts in bottom of crockpot and pour the remaining ingredients on top.
• Cook on low for 6-8 hours
• Serve on top of brown rice.

Out of Surgery

Let me start by saying that I loved the new MJH!  Everyone was friendly and kind and the facilities were beautiful, including a huge nice OR.  The nurses listened to me about my tiny rolling veins and did their best to get the IVs in...one was successful, the other had to wait for the anesthesiologist bc we blew out one.

Surgery went well.  Apparently I was feeling some pain so I was given a little more "happy juice" and don't remember a whole lot.  The cyst was under and wrapped around my tendon so it was larger and more involved than Dr. D initially thought.

Of course I was starving afterwards so we ate at Sticks and then Arch's...YUM. I'm waiting for the block to wear off, but so far the pain is bearable. I know well enough that will change this evening. PT is set up for Monday and I hope to just miss one more day of work.  Until then I'll be icing and keeping this thing in a sling.

Thanks for all of the kind thoughts.

And, this hunting and pecking with my left hand sucks.  Just saying'.

Almost...

... this girl almost scored two goals!  One hit the crossbar and the other was barely stopped by the keeper.  I'm determined to get one in the back of the net.  

I hit up the soccer field this Sunday after taking a week off for my quad to recover.  Recover, it did not. I wrapped my quad, but it hurt during the first sprint and continued the rest of the game.  I iced it and took some advil afterwards....guess it is just going to take a little longer.  

The team we played against was NOT nice.  They were rough and rowdy and I hit the ground hard several times.  That'll happen when you are running into 200lb men!   My poor tootsie got stomped on which resulted in cleat bruises and a lot of swelling.  Bruises I can deal with! 

I have to take this weekend off since I'm having wrist surgery tomorrow.  I'm hoping to be back on the field next weekend!

I'll leave you with my fugly foot. :)

Apple Picking!

It was a beautiful day for picking some apples!  Oh and yes, eating some apple cider donuts...  There was no denying that I was going to inhale at least one or two;)  These are the times when I do not even feel like it is a cheat.  We get these donuts once year and I do not eat donuts any other time of the year, so what is there to feel bad about, seriously?

I can't wait to make some clean eating desserts with these bad boys:)  My wheels are already turning with ideas!  We came home with braeburn, fuji, golden delicious, and granny smith apples all ready to be eaten.

Excited after she got over her fear of being held up so high.

Laughing, but yep that's a tear running down her face...someone Rich knocked her head into a branch. 

Cheese

Look at those beauties

Time to eat 

The monkey in the group

I'm 15 1/2 apples tall! 

A Little Tupac

I thought I could use a little Tupac this morning after yesterday's events.  I saw the orthopedist about my wrist and have surgery scheduled for next Wed, the 10th.  He is going to do a De Quervain's release of my tendon and remove a cyst.  The x-ray did not show a bone spur but did show the soft tissue swelling.  The good news is that although everything I'm reading online shows a 6 week recovery, Dr. D is aggressive and wants me lifting in 3 weeks.  He even said if I'm up for it I can do cardio within 24 hours.  Heck yeah!

Anyone interested in watching a video of a similar surgery?  Yeah, didn't think so.  But in case you are a nut like me, here's the link.  At least this time I know exactly what they are doing on the other side of that blue sheet!

More info on De Quervain's Tenosynovitis.

Let's get this thing done and move on...  I plan on growing some legs over the next three weeks:)  Gotta stay positive!

Freakin Wrist

It's been 4 years since the original fracture of both the radius and ulna and internal fixation of with a plate and 7 screws.  Since then the plate and screws were removed (botched surgery...don't get me started) and additional surgeries were needed to clean out the joint, remove bone spurs, etc. hence the scar on the top of my wrist (the original is on the bottom).  I spent 112 days in therapy during the first year after the surgery, a record for the practice.  

It then took 2.5 years before I could even do a push up or start to lift anything heavy.  It's been just about a year now that I've been really pushing my wrist with pull ups, push ups, and dips.  Of course that means I was due for another issue.  

While doing weighted pull ups on Friday I felt a searing pain, but it was bearable.  It then got worse as I did push ups and continued with a chest workout.  When I got home it was killing me so I iced it and took some Advil.  I continued the ice and Advil all weekend, eventually putting on the old splint as well after calling the on-call doctor.  I even turned to tramadol on Saturday because I couldn't sleep, but even that didn't cut the pain.  

So, here I am waiting for the doctor to fit me in to his schedule this week, but pretty much positive that I have a raisin-sized bone spur in the same place that I had one before that is cutting into my tendon.  Fabulous....strained quad and jacked up wrist.  I want to get in for an appointment, set up surgery, and move on!  

On a lighter note, here's a meal that I enjoyed last week...chicken burger on spinach with a side of fresh green beans and bean salad.