...recalculating... Bumps In the Road

Happy Asian-American Pacific Islander Heritage Month! I'll try to get back to my #newblogTuesday blogging streak each week this month to celebrate and elevate AAPI voices. First, here's an oldie but goodie of me and my rugrat in our matching Asian American Girl Club outfits:

Back when she was still onesie size

I actually need to get her the kid size shirt now!

Welp, I got my MRI results back last week and...

The good news:

LATERAL MENISCUS: Intact.

CRUCIATE LIGAMENTS: Intact.

COLLATERAL LIGAMENTS: Intact.

EXTENSOR MECHANISM: Intact. 

CARTILAGE:

MEDIAL COMPARTMENT: Intact.

LATERAL COMPARTMENT: Intact.

PATELLOFEMORAL COMPARTMENT: Intact.

JOINT FLUID: No significant knee joint effusion.

BONE MARROW: No evidence of fracture. 

The bad news:

MEDIAL MENISCUS: There is free edge radial tearing of the body and posterior. There is subluxation of the midbody along with a meniscal flap fragment, best visualized on images 18-20 of series 6. There is a horizontal oblique undersurface tear of the posterior.

So it turns out that I did quite a number on my medial meniscus from that silly sneeze. I have since heard from 2 friends that have thrown their backs out from a sneeze, so I feel slightly less silly. I admit I was pushing my luck thinking I could just go on a 20-mile fun run on hillier terrain without a proper buildup (obviously I got a little cocky after that 23-mile run I pulled out of my butt). I have also since learned that breastfeeding hormones can cause your ligaments to be more lax, so I give the toddler partial blame and we have put together a concrete weaning plan this next month. ;)

aborted "epic long run once a month" training plan

The good news about the bad news:

I’ll be having a little “clean-up” procedure—ok technically it’s a surgery, but it’s arthroscopic and lasts only 45 minutes. I’ll be able to walk without restrictions the same day and full recovery is expected within 3-6 weeks. It’s scheduled for next Friday, 1 month exactly since the fateful sneeze.

When I look back at the last 5 years (I could go back more, but then I just start sounding like I’m full of excuses), every year has had some bump in the road or two as far as physical activity…

2017: hit by a car while biking for the second time = neck issues

2018: fell during a trail race and hurt my shoulder (supraspinatus tear of the rotator cuff)

2019: tore something in my foot (partial tear of lateral cord of plantar fascia) in June and then had pneumonia in July

2020: pregnancy!

2021: postpartum!

Which is kind of funny (not really funny) because I consider myself pretty injury proof. This data begs to differ. Let’s just say after 2017 and 2018 incidents, I finally signed up for Aflac supplemental accident insurance that was offered at work!

So once I'm recovered, I’ll just look back on this as another bump in the road. I just need to stay consistently active, injury free, and not do dumb things. I'll do whatever it takes to keep me active until the day I die! Sometimes I feel like an old school car GPS, where you go off course and that friendly female robot voice says "RECALCULATING..."

And I am laughing, reading my Q1 update in March: "So I may be pivoting my season opener to be a local trail race. TBD. I don’t like to commit until I’ve had more consistent training and tend to sign up for most races last minute as #MomLife can be unpredictable..." That season opener ain't happening this month. I'd say other than a global pandemic, this is as unpredictable as it gets!

But I'll be smart this time and do what I can to be careful and running around again like this little squirt.

I also encourage you to celebrate AAPI month with a poke bowl or boba drink!

side note: haven't let her try boba yet 
as she might still choke on the boba bubbles!
SOON THOUGH