Thursday, February 7, 2013

Setbacks

"Februalia was the Roman festival of ritual purification. The festival, which is basically one of Spring washing or cleaning (associated also with the raininess of this time of year) is old, and possibly of Sabine origin. According to Ovid, Februare is a Latin word which refers to means of purification and derives from an earlier Etruscan word referring to purging." WIKIPEDIA

It's par for the course, isn't it? No sooner have I begun my own physical, mental and spiritual Spring cleaning than I've had to visit the doctor twice in a week.

The small sebaceous cyst (not dangerous) on my chest had grown larger and was becoming painful. I'm now on penicillin, and if that doesn't do the trick it will have to be surgically excised.

The second problem was the niggling muscular pain at the back of my upper left thigh which I developed after my walk along the Viking Way last Thursday. It suddenly got a lot worse, and the upshot is: I have a strained hamstring. I'm astonished how painful and debilitating this is. I've pulled muscles before, and although they were painful in certain positions, and although they took longer to heal than I hoped, the whole situation was bearable. But this strained hamstring is painful all the time no matter what posture I'm in (though some positions are better than others) and seems to affect my whole locomotion. I can't get comfortable in bed — lying on my side is out of the question. It's difficult to put on trousers and socks, and to get up from a chair. And when upright I can hardly walk (without groaning and general melodrama). The co-codamol I've been prescribed hardly cuts through the pain.

So my new exercise regime is on the back burner for a while. However I've already lost a fair amount of weight, which I'm pleased about, and this state of relative immobility is a good excuse for meditation, for reading lots of books and for listening to lots of music.

I'll give more details about my weight and the type and amount of food I'm eating in my next post. In the meantime I'll groan my way upstairs and go back to bed!

13 comments:

  1. Well wishes to the thigh. It's frustrating to have to slow down when you've made yourself a list of things to get done... and I'm sure at least some people would say the old "your body's telling you to slow down" at this point! I absolutely won't say that... but enjoy the meditation, books and music for the time being. Action will come again.
    x

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    1. Glad you didn't say that, Rachel! And glad you didn't say "your old body's telling you..." instead of "the old 'your body's telling you...'"

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  2. Sorry to hear about these little setbacks, Robert, but these, too, shall pass. Physical setbacks always throw me into a bit of depression initially, but I soon realize that the physical issues are compounded, rather than improved, when I overlay them with my own negativity. I'm with Rachel on this one — find joy where you can while the body heals. Those rolling hills and winding paths will still be there when the hamstring returns to full service.

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  3. It does sound like a unexpected opportunity for meditation, reading and listening to music. That's how it often goes for me when I make a constructive life plan. Kind of like in the fairy tales when a person is inevitably presented with obstacles when trying to go forward.

    And thank you for the Merton quote on Turnstone. This last weekend my cousin and I did a 24-hour retreat at a Benedictine monastery just over the border in Canada. It was a pleasure to talk with a kindly and lively spirited monk in his 80s who sat down to eat breakfast with us on Sunday morning. Had he lived, Thomas Merton would have been in his late 90s by now. The food was excellent. The monks at Westminster Abbey are good cooks and enjoy good food.

    http://www.westminsterabbey.ca/kitchen.html

    The monastery property allows for walking in the woods and across the fields-- maybe even running for the younger monks!

    http://www.westminsterabbey.ca

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    1. I like the idea of being a character in my own fairy tale, am. I saw the pictures of your monastery retreat on your blog and it looked a really lovely, restful place.

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  4. Well, your not alone. I'd been trying to get back to my "fighting" (read that hiking) weight! Maybe even my running weight!! Aw hell, maybe I could get running again?!! But no. No such luck, a serious case of plantar fasciitis has me hobbled at the moment. So I'm reduced to starting up yoga again. Which might also prompt meditation too. So it was rather nice to see I'm not alone in being forced to explore other means and methods of getting where I'd like to be! Wishing you well.

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    1. I once had plantar fasciitis, Karin, and unfortunately it can take ages to disappear. But it will. The yoga sounds good. Thanks for your kind wishes.

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  5. . . . best laid plans . . .

    Very disappointing. And the pain sounds excruciating. I do hope the pain has eased, and will keep getting better, and that you'll take full advantage of the immobility to listen to your heart and spirit. Knowing you and the reading you do, you'll probably finish three books in the duration!

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    1. The pain now receding, Ruth — the problem is, if you walk around too much, thinking it much better, the next day you're in pain again. Rest, rest and rest — not something I'm particularly good at. Yes, now on to my fifth book...

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  6. Oh dear!
    Well, i cant remember all the in's and out's of what i am trying to say, BUT, the gist of it is, when you cannot get about, you can move your muscles whilst laying down, in small crunch kind of ways, as if dancing in yor head, and letting the imagined movement effect the muscles in a small way...............needless to say i have tried this system for years, cant say it worked but i had fun trying, the ballets i have danced, so beautifully!
    No really you can do small stomach crunches, and good breathing all is not lost, you also try a good massage from a reputable masseuse!

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    1. Hey, that's interesting CC, I've been doing those little exercises when lying in bed! It's amazing what you can do with a little imagination. When I'm not dreaming about that masseuse you mention.

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  7. Injuries are the worst. You sound relatively unfrustrated and philosophical. In a similar predicament, my blog posts and the air around me would be full of expletives. I have no patience for pain.

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