Rant and Gripe

I'm getting on here so late, it looks like you are already well on the mend Rich:applaud: -- glad to see that you are "back" in the swing of things:wiggle: Boy, stay away from the board for a couple of days and there's so much reading to catch up on!! My aches involve non-swimming plantar fasciitis that I continue to work on healing! It has been bad enough though to be painful when pushing off the wall!! I am now feeling hopeful that ART is helping and will finally cure this malady:groovy:

..... away from all activity and sports and swimming. This morning, slipped in my bedroom and fell face first. My chest hit the top corner of the humidifier. As I tried to open my eyes, I also felt like continuing to sleep but realized and decided that the "bed" was too uncomfortable. Succeeded in opening my eyes and found that I was on the floor. Tried to get up and yelled in pain. Took me about ten minutes to v e r y s l o w l y get up. Pain in the chest on breathing deep; pain on breathing. Pain worsening. X-ray at the hospital: rib fracture. Pain killers (Tylenol 3) and no activities for nigh on six weeks. I didn't know it, but they do not tape a chest for (a) fractured rib(s) anymore; it impedes movement (thus reducing pain) but also impedes breathing which could lead to pneumonia. Every once in a while, I forget myself and my "body" tries to take a deep breath; I feel (and actually hear) the grinding of bone on bone. Guess the only swimming I'll be doing in the near future will be "surfing" (and no :drink: with the Tylenol 3.) 0:mad: :frustrated: A few years back, I broke a rib snowboarding (2nd day into a seven day trip). I purchased the smallest boys t-shirts I could squeeze into (with the help of a friend) and wrapped about 1/4 roll of duct tape around me. I managed to ride for the next 5 days, but the inability to breathe deep on top of altitude and pain meds made the experience "transcendental". I tried to swim using a lycra top and duct tape but found it too difficult to breathe. Hope you're feeling better soon. disclaimer: don't try this at home.

And make sure a scuba diver is handy at New Englands- in case your dentures fall out when you're swimming ;) Getting old does indeed suck. I can't bear to color my hair yet, but if I keep plucking all of the grays I'll be bald soon!

Karen- my wife tells me that she does not colour her hair either; some mysterious natural process returns it to full auburn glory every so often. I am well-trained, I make approving comments and only roll my eyes when her back is turned; although I think maybe now she can tell when I do that.

Note - we will have at least one massage therapist on deck this week-end at the meet. I think the cost is $12 for 10 minutes. It's the same massage therapist who keeps the Harvard varsity women's team loose and relaxed. -Rick

Kyra, You get better and qualify for Nationals. I am going SOLO to Nationals and can have some fun- I'd love to meet everybody :cool: I'm debating whether to go to the doctor myself. In the past two weeks I gone through 6 boxes of tissue and nose goo is a lovely green color... decisions, decisions.

I finally got my shoulder looked from a fall I had back in February. I had to get a cortisone shot in my rotator cuff! Now I have to take 3 weeks off. If it heals, I'm cured if not its a tear!:frustrated: Ouch! Can you move your arm? I had a cortisone shot shortly after I started swimming again. Do you really have to stop swimming altogether? Can't even paddle around? I hope it's not a tear!!! If they suspect a tear, make sure to get an arthrogram, not a regular MRI, so they can really see where the problem is. My knuckle is the size of a plum after jamming it on the wall during a 50 free. I feel sure it will be fine shortly.

Got a deep cough from my nephew from the ski trip to Tahoe the week before last. Then, on Friday the spring allergies kicked in, so the coughing and sneezing are fighting for air time!!! And finally, last evening I stepped bare-footed on my dog's cigar-shapped raw-hide, and though I only felt the initial pain when I stepped on it last night, this morning I limped to practice, and could not do the dry-land workout, though I tried. I then limped through my day at work (all the while still coughing as the sneezing has subsided for now due to the rains).:frustrated: :frustrated: :frustrated: Another reason to love swimming, is foot injuries are not happening while swimming and swimming can be done with foot injuries :applaud: :applaud: (I would be frustrated if I still ran daily!!!!) However, air is important while swimming and deep coughing is not so compatible with side breathing and LCM. :rofl:

I finally got my shoulder looked from a fall I had back in February. I had to get a cortisone shot in my rotator cuff! Now I have to take 3 weeks off. If it heals, I'm cured if not its a tear!:frustrated:

I finally got my shoulder looked from a fall I had back in February. I had to get a cortisone shot in my rotator cuff! Now I have to take 3 weeks off. If it heals, I'm cured if not its a tear!:frustrated: Fingers crossed for you Bill!