2010: The Year My Body Fell Apart

Ladies and Gentlemen:

What follows is a tale of limping, pain and dark circles, the likes of which the City of Angels has never witnessed. May I present to you, in her broke-down, tore-up-from-the-floor-up finest, your girl.... Los Angelista:

Just kidding. Sort of.

In the past two months, my body has pretty much decided to go on the fritz. Gone are my days of happily running miles on end. I can barely hobble from my car to my front door... and I'm starting to worry I'll never run another marathon again. Thanks, Patellar Tendonitis!

Yeah, my left knee is all jacked up. Sometimes I don't feel anything, and then other times -OK, pretty much anytime I try to walk more than a block, climb a flight of stairs or exercise at all, POW! Pain!

What's on deck to fix it? X-rays and awaiting health insurance approval for a physical therapist.

Today's also the one month anniversary of my car accident. Car accident = chronic pain throughout my back, neck and right arm. I get occasional numbness in my right shoulder, arm and hand. When I sit for long periods of time (more than 20 minutes) without a pillow behind my head, I'm in pain. Great, because I tap on a computer keyboard most of the day while sitting at a desk. That means I'm in pain. So when you see me during the day and you ask me how I'm doing, um, the answer is NOT SO GOOD.

But don't worry, I'll lie and hiss through my teeth, "I'm FABULOUS! Everything's ponies and rainbows!"

I've been to the doctor. They did x-rays and all that fun stuff. Right now I'm waiting for insurance approval for an MRI. The doctor's prediction? Nerve damage. Did I mention I have prescriptions for fun painkillers and muscle relaxants? I sure do. I have loads of them. Just don't tell Lindsay Lohan, mmkay?

Hopefully I begin physical therapy next week for all that rigaramole.

I know there has to be a light at the end of the tunnel. In two months when marathon training starts back up again, I'm praying I'll be all healed up. I am praying because otherwise, you're going to have one very sad Creature From The Black Lagoon listening to depressing songs that make me cry. Songs like this and this.

Here's hoping my physical state improves dramatically so I can drop the painkillers. Although I will say the muscle relaxers are kinda cool get back to walking, running, and sitting in a chair without pain.

photo courtesy of Flickr user BBaltimore.