{shove this ice bag up your ars!}

A week ago Saturday, I ran 3.5 miles from my house to the local library.

Half of the way to the library was uphill which made the half coming home, downhill.

I felt strong and determined.

Everything was great....

until I got home.

Once I sat down, I could feel pain and swelling on the inside of my ankle.

I just thought that I'd probably not stretched enough before the run.

I started massaging the area along with moving my foot in all directions hoping to loosen up the muscles/tendons. 

BIG MISTAKE!!!!

The swelling and pain got worse!

I pretty much laid in bed the rest of the next couple days with ice packs.

(which numbed some of the pain, 

but hasn't helped with the swelling)

Tuesday I showed up for my running group.

My ankle was still swollen, but not as painful after popping a few Ibuprofen.

I was running and running and running and then BLAM!

At about the 4 mile mark, my ankle gave me the F-U and decided it was NOT going any further.

I had to finish the course in a brisk, excruciating walk.

That was a week ago.

I haven't ran since, nor can I hardly walk for long periods of time without my foot throbbing from the morphing into a kankle.

It's not pretty.

AND, It is very frustrating.

AND I am still ankle-cuffed to my industrial ice bag.

I finally went to a podiatrist once I got it through my thick head that this injury was as stubborn as I was.

He took X-Rays and pushed and prodded and asked if it hurt when he "did this".

And I was like, "Yes it hurts you assmunch!  Doesn't the beads of sweat and gritting teeth clue you in?"

Then he wanted to watch me walk.

His comment was, "Yes!  You have quite a limp.  This looks to be very painful for you."

I wanted to punch him.

Anyway, he came to the conclusion that I most probably have a stress fracture.

"REALLY?????  YOU THINK SO INSPECTOR GADGET???"

The internet pretty much told me that without making me pay a $25 copay to be a torture victim.

Apparently x-rays will not show a stress fracture so I now have an appointment on Friday for a bone scan.

In the mean-time,

 I am to NOT run for 6-8 weeks,

I am supposed to continue to ice the injury,

 (I'm this close to being an Eskimo with all the icing I've done),

and take a shiz-load of calcium and vita D.

( I know how Sally Fields feels now as she promotes Citrical for old lady bone density)

I've pushed myself through this program with bronchitis, aches, and exhaustion.  I wanted to come out of it a strong winner in my own body....and I believed that I would with the will power and commitment that I gave.

(The race is this Saturday)

The harsh acceptance that I will not graduate at a finish line......

makes me disappointed, frustrated and very sad.

Ostriches, ankles, ice bags and turning 40 SUCKs!