Injury and Recovery

For five months, since my fall at a race, I've done physical therapy, steroid injections, back and core exercises, and limited running and working out.  Nothing seemed to bring relief.  

Next week, I will have a surgical procedure to remove a piece of a disc in my lower back that appears to be pressing on the nerve leading into my right leg. The MRI’s, taken four months apart, have shown some positive changes in the disc injury but I’m still experiencing the symptoms of weakness and numbness in a portion of my right leg.

The hope is that the feeling and strength will return to my leg and I'll be able to get back to running and lifting again after a couple months recovery and rehabilitation.

This will impact my goals for early 2020, at a minimum, but I'm dedicated to the idea of full recovery. While I don't plan to make any short-sighted decisions, I will continue to challenge myself to do my best and push my limits when it is right to do so.

I've been very fortunate in life. I put myself into a position years ago that allowed me to hit a low. I had so much support and encouragement when I decided to make a change and that support never went away as I challenged what I previously thought impossible of myself.

I have tried to translate the support I’ve received into supporting people around me and it’s fed back such inspiration to me in return!  I have seen some close friends achieve remarkable goals in the past few years and I continue to see them challenge themselves further.  I love to cheer them on and I’m appreciative of the opportunity to do so.

The thought of surgery has left me with some fear. The "What if's" represent an unknown that I don’t like to dwell on.  There are also positive “What if’s” and that is what I’ll focus on in the coming days and through recovery.

One thing I am certain of is that I’ll continue to feel the love and support of my friends and family no matter how this works out. 

Thank you to everyone that has ever shown me that support in any way.  It has not gone unnoticed and I will always appreciate and cherish it.

Thank you to everyone who has allowed me to be present for their successes.  It means the world to me that I can witness your accomplishments firsthand or from afar.

Work hard.

Celebrate love.

Be grateful.