Last January, I went in to my orthopedic surgeon because my "healed" broken pelvic bone was bothering me now that I could run again (it had been six months since the accident and I was not allowed to run until Jan. 1st). I asked for a prescript for physical therapy. He gave me one, but said running might not be an option for me any more as sometimes, such bone breaks permanently weaken the bone making it too sensitive to put that much stress on it. I wanted to cry! I was a bit angry with him on that statement because it seemed so insensitive, real as it might be. He had no idea how important this was to me. To label me disabled to run at this point was heart crushing. I tried to tell myself to be thankful I could at least walk, and I truly am, but running and tri training have become a big part of my life. It keeps me off medications and I absolutely LOVE the community. What it does for me physically is probably not as much as what it does for me psychologically.
With prescription in hand, and on a friend's recommendation, I went to a physiotherapist who specializes in pelvic disorders. In a short time, I was on the road again running pain free! NO SWAN SONG FOR ME! My first race of the season was a success, though slow, in that I was able to finish standing up and with a smile on my face!
With my good friend, Dina...We ran together the entire 8K (5 miles) through downtown Chicago. One of the most fun runs I've ever done!
With my granddaughter, dressed as a Shamrock herself, Charlotte (10 months).
The only obstacle left is my foot. After buying a new pair of running shoes, a different brand, an irritated joint at the top of my foot has been interfering with my run training. I had to return the shoes and go back to my old familiar pair in a new version. My foot is still tender, but it has slowly been getting better. I've had to cut back on my running but have been able to gradually increase it as my foot heals. Foot stretching with a band has really helped. I'm trying to avoid more visits to a P.T.!
Next race up: A 5K run May 19th put on by my computraining coach (Computraining: Your bike is hooked up to a computer where you get feedback on mph, distance, power wattage, etc. With a group of other cyclists, a cycling workout program is provided with a coach guiding you along the way. MAJOR WORKOUT! Lots of sweat!). Again...I won't be running all out, but just having fun with friends as this foot heals.
Hoping for total healing by June 9th when I do my first triathlon of the season. This year, I am raising funds for the race's sponsored charity that is very special to me. The Ovarian Cancer Research Fund. My mother passed away from ovarian cancer just three weeks after her diagnosis. Now a co-worker of mine is about to go through the same thing. Her mother has been battling ovarian cancer for two years and now there is nothing left the doctors can do. I am racing this event in honor of her mother and her journey as well as in memory of my dear, sweet mother. If you would be so kind to help me out with a donation to this important organization, I would be so grateful. Click on this link to get to my fundraising webpage: OCRF Page of Lynn Kirchhoff OR...you may make a donation offline by making the check payable to, OCRF and give to me. Please E mail me if you need my address at: teniswhiz@aol.com . My goal is to raise a minimum of $500, but hoping to raise at least $1,000. Thank you so much for considering a donation to this worthy cause.
Right now, there is no reliable routine test for ovarian cancer. The C-125 test you may have heard of is NOT a diagnostic test. It is a tumor marker once used for screening, but gave too many false positives that led to women getting total hysterectomies (some in their child bearing years who wanted to have children!) unnecessarily. Ovarian Cancer is curable in the very early stages at 98%. The problem is, there are no symptoms this early and a physician would have had to bump into while treating the patient for something else. This rarely happens. Subtle symptoms show up when the disease is very advanced and usually no longer treatable. Ovarian Cancer is one of the silent killers. A blood test has been in the works that would measure the very tiny change that occurs in the blood when ovarian cancer begins. It has been a challenge to get this blood test to be reliable enough to market. More research and development needs to be done, but researchers are optimistic that it will happen. The fund also supports research and development for better treatment options for those needing chemotherapy. I hope and pray that one day soon, our medical community will have the tools it needs to wipe out this and all cancers.
That's it for now. If you would like to be notified of future blog entries, please click on the "join this site" link on the right side of this blog. I hope to keep it updated throughout the racing season and not only post on my progress, but provide useful information such as articles related to health, recipes, tips, etc.
Take care and God Bless You All!
Lynn
