Five Fun Facts

Well well, I've been mass tagged by both Jess and Jes. Neither of them specifically said "Doug, you're it!" They're both cheaters and said "teehee, you're all it! All of you!" But... I guess I'll count it, because I don't have anything else to talk about today!

The theme is five random things about me.

1. I check my email more than anyone ever should. Since I use Gmail, which auto refreshes my inbox, checking my email is simply a quick glance. Because of this, I usually know when I have email within 5 minutes of getting it. A lot of the time I delay responding because I don't want people to think I'm as weird as I am!
2. My last name, Cichon, is Polish. We pronounce it sy-kon. However, in Polish it is pronounced key-shown, so even my Polish professors can't pronounce my last name correctly. Only three people in my entire life have ever guessed how to pronounce it on their first try.
3. I'm the asshole who set the curve on the assignment we got back in my Numerical class this morning. Thats right, I got a 100% on an assignment worth ~13% of my grade. Ha! Also, the professor told us to have this assignment halfway done about 10 days before it was due. I started 3 days before it was due. Ha again! (Sorry, I had to brag a little!)
   
4. I never view myself as a procrastinator, but this semester I've started big time. I really need to cut it out. Its getting out of control, but I still am pulling the grades I need to.
   
5. My sister and I get along better than any siblings I've ever met. We probably talk online at least 4-5 times a week. And for some strange reason we always great each other with "BROTHER!" and "SISTER!" as though it was our actual names. I'm clueless as to where it started, or who started it, but it cracks everybody up!
   
6. I'm adding a sixth because I'm a rebel like that. Posting my metaphorical "Two Month Anniversary" entry a few days ago almost doubled my hits, since it comes up as the 6th result on Google. Apparently love was in the air two months ago!
   

And, since I seem to be making a habit of it, heres some responses to various comments made recently:

Dave - Its good to know I'm not the only one injured right now. How is your ankle healing up?

Amy - I haven't completely ignored your comments about walking. However I'm not much for walking just to walk, I do walk just about everywhere. Its about 3/4 of a mile to class, and I go there and back twice every day. I also walk to the pool, which is a little over a mile, 3-4 times a week. Also, if tri's really are more addicting than running, my social life is doomed forever!

Marcy - I'll take being a lunatic as a compliment, since you like the crazy ones!

Bill - Do we have to make another gentlemen's agreement after I run my 3 hour marathon?

If I just responded to your comment, consider yourself tagged. Since thats only four, I'm tagging SLB too, since he did me the favor several months ago!

Physical Therapy: It Begins

I decided to go with KORT for my physical therapy. I like the idea of them being a bigger organization, in case I stump one guy, it should be easy to get transferred to another one without huge problems.

So far, I like what I'm seeing. My PT, Rob, isn't a runner, but he seems to know his stuff. He's also very good at explaining at exactly what is going on with my problems, and the technique he is trying to fix it. I like understanding it, its my body after all! He seemed surprised that I, unlike every other runner, was okay with taking time off. It just took me two months to come to this nightmare-ish realization!

He did some strength tests on my legs, and my left leg is significantly weaker than my right in a lot of areas. Especially when it comes to my abductors and TFLs. Hopefully with some exercises, stretches, and some persistence on my part we can get this part of the puzzle fixed. I'm doubting this is the whole problem, but it is a problem to address.

Also, he's trying a technique called ASTYM. I don't remember what it stands for, except there wasn't a word for the Y. He said I was the first patient to ever ask about that, ha! ASTYM is used to break up scar tissue. I'm not overly enthusiastic about it, because, well, thats what A.R.T. was for too. The main difference is that it is done to the entire leg, not just the problem area.

Man, did that stuff hurt. He put something on my leg, cocoa butter, I think he said it was, and then used these plastic tools to break up the scar tissue in my leg. He mentioned girls don't like to have it done usually, because of how it really bruises up the leg. At first I was thinking "aha! Those silly girls!" but yeah, it really bruised up my leg; no joke! I might take some pictures of my leg later just to get some revenge on Nic for posting the picture of his disgusting toe!

But there is more to the ASTYM system than simply skinning me alive. I also have to drink lots and lots of fluids; but I already have that covered. I don't think I've peed anything with color in it for years. Okay, maybe its not THAT bad! There is a list of 8-10 stretches I need to do 4 times a day, too. I like this, too, because its very specific about what I can do on my own time to help my recovery. Before it was just "well, don't run. Or do. Whatever." Now I have a checklist I can go through. I can be very, very active about my recovery.

I also have a patch on my hip for the next 24 hours or so. Its pumping it full of steroids, hopefully helping it heal up a little bit. The medicine I was on recently was steroidal, and seemed to help. With the patch, though, it stays in this immediate area and is much more focused. Hopefully this change will make it help even more.

For now, I have several days until our next appointment on Tuesday. Until then, just a lot of stretching, hydrating, icing, and dreaming about being back on the roads.


On a completely unrelated note: Marcy, the Google result for "butt massager" was so your fault. The text Google found was from YOUR comment! And yes, when I looked at the search page, there were very, ah, interesting things surrounding my blog. My search was listed as slightly more relevant than vibrators. Thanks Google!