Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Physical Limitations

This seems to be a fitting topic for today. I had my massage therapist appointment and Raincloud had an appointment with the equine chiro/laser therapist. (he's fine, just a few spots weren't quite right)
We all have limitations, some are physical some are mental. Some are "fixable" or at least workable. Others are for a lifetime. I'm aiming to talk about this without whining, I'm pretty matter of fact about it now. So if it seems to be a pity party that's not how I've intended it (change my tone of voice in your head!) ;)
My physical limitations... where to start. I know I've mentioned a little bit before. I have pain daily, sometimes worse than others. I'm used to it for the most part... on my "good days" I almost forget that I have pain. Fortunately these are becoming more the norm. :) I have a great massage therapist (Chrissie) and an awesome chiropractor (Dr.B). I see Chrissie once a month for an hour and a half. Sounds like heaven but it hurts like hell. :) I used to see her every two weeks for an hour, but she's moved to another province and now comes here once a month to treat clients. Dr.B I see every other week. She's a tiny woman but powerful!
Part of the reason I need these treatments is that I when I was younger I had a stretch of bad luck. (I'm in my mid 30's now, this period started was I was 16) In about 5 or 6 years I had 7 car accidents. For the record, I am NOT that bad a driver!! I was never the person "at fault". :) Most of the accidents weren't that serious. A couple times I drove off the road, into the ditch. Unfortunately this would be off the highway. :x (not my fault, black ice, snow storms... fault was "road & weather conditions") A couple accidents were minor fender benders.
The worst one, which was incidentally the first one, is also the one that I think most affects me physically. (affects, effects... can never remember which is which!)
Kimfer & I were coming home from a riding lesson. Kimfer was driving her mom's car. As we drove past the town of Martensville a girl (who only had a learner's permit) pulled ONTO the frickin HIGHWAY without stopping. Yup, smart... pull out of town onto the highway into the side of our vehicle. Even crappier, for me, was that her car plowed right into my side of the car. Now she wasn't going THAT fast, but we were going highway speed (100 km/hr. or approx 62 miles/hr.) We spun around 1 1/2 times. To this day my whole right side is f'd up.
Major accident #2 was when I got rear-ended in my cute little Toyota. I was driving down a busy blacktop road (speed limit 90 km/hr). This road had a "T" intersection where you could either go straight or turn right. The speed limit changes here from 90 to 70. I was slowing down and signalling to turn right. The lady behind me didn't see me signalling and was also failing to slow down for the new speed limit. WHAM! She hits me from behind.
Now that accident could have been a lot worse. I found out afterward that they (police, vehicle repair people, anyone who saw the car and the accident) were shocked that I walked out with little more than bumps, bruises, muscle soreness and whiplash. Turns out that my spare tire may have saved me. I had just got new tires for my car. It was a little Toyota sports car with the wide, low profile tires. I kept the best of my old ones for a spare. So instead of the usual little tiny "donut" tire spare in my trunk I had a big-ass full size tire. The entire trunk and most of the back-end of the car was collapsed around this tire which in turn took a heck of a lot of the impact away from me! Thanks Dad for teaching us kids to keep a good spare tire :)
The 3rd major accident was at a relatively slow speed. I was driving down the main street in Warman when a lady turned left into the front end of my car! She was driving a mini-van and I had a little Toyota (yes, the one from above, it had survived!) I was going 50 km (the speed limit) and she just up and turns into me. I was pretty shocked. So was she, she got out and started screaming that she had kids in her van.
When I could breathe again I said to her "Then why did YOU turn your van into ME!?!" (there was a small moment when the "rescue crew" thought I'd puncuted a lung)
This accident was unfortunately the end of the line for my Toyota. The reason it makes the top 3 for me is that my seatbelt tightened across my chest and caused damage to my shoulder, plus yet again whiplash!
On top of these car accidents I've had my share of falls from horses (haven't we all!) Thankfully the only thing I've ever broken is the tip of a finger. And that was handling a horse on the ground. (I am furiously knocking wood right now... don't want to jinx myself!)
To add to the accidents there is the fact that I'm chubby. Exercise would help with that but I seem to hurt myself when I exercise. Then too I am also "large busted" (not a great thing for a rider!) Its a vicious cycle I tell ya! lol
I am trying to work out more and watch what I eat. I bought a treadmill which I use, and not as a clothes hanger! And I am looking for a personal trainer to show me how to exercise correctly. (have to find one that fits my weird schedule though!). But, so far I have lost 10 lbs on my own! :)

9 comments:

  1. Hi cdncowgirl,

    I am frantically trying to let all the people who I have quoted know about it before they stumble upon my latest post, but you got there first! (I wanted to give people the option to decline if they object to me using their comments for my own self-publicising!)

    Anyway, sorry to hear about your bad back problems. I think for some people they wouldn't continue with horse riding with that many problems, would they?

    I know chiropractors can be excellent, I have had to use one several times during the past 3 or 4 years, but my problems are only weight inflicted (spine is straining carrying all this weight).

    Hope you manage to get some relief for yours.

    Best wishes,
    Sharon

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  2. Wow - that is alot of car accidents. No fun at all! Hopefully the chiro and massage can help with the pain. I too have a brilliant chiro - she is a miracle worker. A monthly massage would probably really help my sore neck and shoulders from being hunched over a desk all day.

    Congrats on the 10lbs! That is awesome! Every little bit helps - I'm trying to do the same myself, but keep coming up with excuses...

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  3. Don't go wave'n your "I'm big bust'd" in my face :-p! Those boobs probably saved your life too, not just the tire.
    OMG, can people no drive in Canada?? (don't mean you of course)
    I hurt myself when I xercise too, I'm so uncoordnated it's not funny, how I stay on a horse is amazing.

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  4. I just have this natural magnetism for accidents... I'm accident prone and clumsy myself!

    My chiro used to ride. She has noticed that when I ride I walk better and my hips are less stiff. :)

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  5. Congrats on the 10 pounds!! You are right exercise will help you in more ways than that - your mood, sleeping habits, and your ability to resist illness will all improve with exercise.

    I am a HUGE fan of exercise I have had an exercise schedule since i was 14 - and I think it helps me a lot, in riding and in life.

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  6. Oh! BTW - no offense to you Cowgirl - but folks cannot drive in Canada. I took a trip up to Crystal Lake last spring to keep a friend company while she was picking up a filly.

    It was the most unnerving drive ever - 7 hours on a Canadian HWY never once saw a patrol car. People were exceeding the posted speed limit by at least 20 (KPH is that the correct translation?) And yes were we using the Kilometer - not Mile portion of our dashboard. And passing us on these mountain roads on even on blind corners! It was as if they were going to die if they didn't pass the truck and horse trailer doing the speed limit.

    Very, very unnerving.

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  7. I actually think the majority of people are bad drivers these days. My reasoning is that people have become so complacent about our vehicles. They are just an extension of ourselves and our space. Especially with how much "personalizing" we can do with custom this and that. People have forgotten that what they are sitting in is a potential weapon. Also everything is so rush rush rush. Heaven forbid being the guy in the second car at the red light instead of the first.

    I will confess, I am a speeder too. However even I think its ridiculous how much people speed. Also there are some situations/road conditions that I do NOT speed. (ie school zones/constructions zones/poor visibility)

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  8. haha not all Cdn drivers are that bad - we are usually courteous and polite! You guys should try driving in Quebec! Those drivers would put the drivers out west to shame! I live on the border between Ontario and Quebec and let me tell you - it can be mayhem!

    And our police are terribly short staffed, so they have little time to patrol the roads!

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  9. Holy crap CDN- I think you need to get a TANK! ;)

    Hey you are not the only ones with boobages. (Yes that IS a word..hehehehe) Check out www.equestraincollections.com
    They have a bra there by ENELL- called the No Bounce Bra. I. Love. It. I wear one of the ahem larger ones, and I can ride, jump on the trampoline, and run after the kids wiht no back pain, no shoulder pain, no boob pain. My back health has improved over the 12 years I have been wearing one too. Kinda pricey, but check it out!! I wear one all the time now- not just for riding. So I buy one new one per year, and rotate it in among the older ones. They last a while!

    Hey we are on the same track with weight loss- I have upped my water intake, cut out sweet tea and such, and have my coffee in the mornings... Between that, and running around after the kids like crazy these days, the ounces are slowly going away. YAY. Now if only the boobage would melt too....

    Keep up the good job there girl, and check out investing in a tank ;)

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Wordless Wednesday ~ new trailer!