Friday, June 10, 2011
Continued progress
Yesterday I saw 6 patients. I was pretty sore at the end of the day and my back was really tired. I got a good nights rest and am back at it today. I felt stronger on my first patients this morning so that is progress. I also got a chiropractic adjustment today and some quantum neurology work which really helped improve my gait. My chiropractor made the statement that he's never seen anyone as bad as I was recover without surgery. I'd say this is a testament to the strength training I had prior to the injury and to the power of chiropractic, nutritional supplementation, an attitude of not giving up and not considering surgery an option. And most importantly the power of prayer. Though I'm not there yet, I do expect a full recovery. My patients have been wonderful and very understanding. I have the best patients ever and love and appreciate them all dearly. Thank you for your loyalty.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
So here's what happened
The fourth weekend in January I experienced some tightness in my right hip. It progressively got worse as the week went on. I spent most of my nights up walking because I couldn't get comfortable. By the weekend it was excruciating and incapacitating. I couldn't sit or walk without severe pain in my right buttock and down the leg into the ankle. I usually have a pretty high pain tolerance and have pushed myself through some pretty strong muscular pain in the past and can take a lot of pressure on trigger points but nerve pain is a different beast all together. I would bawl from the pain. Tuesday I got a cortisone shot and some pain meds which didn't help. Thursday I got a lumbar MRI which revealed a disk bulge with possible herniation at L5/S1. I got flexion distraction chiropractic treatments daily for a week which only gave me minimal temporary relief. At this point I had to crawl through the house. I couldn't straighten my right leg or put any weight on it. I used crutches for get to dr appointments. At one doctors appointment my BP was 160/108 due to pain, normal for me is 110/70. After any movement (ie getting into the car, getting into the chiropractors office, etc) I required the application of a cold pack for 10-15 mins while lying on my left side to get the pain manageable. I was very blessed to be able to get pretty comfortable by lying on my left side, though sleep was difficult.
At this point I moved in with my parents because I couldn't do anything for myself. The third week I saw a neurosurgeon and we scheduled a spinal nerve root injection. They did L5 and I got no relief and it was a miserable experience. They looked at the MRI again and did S1 which almost immediately gave me relief. The second injection wasn't quite as bad because some of the anesthesia from the first one helped. After the injection I got probably 50% relief and I could at least sit for a minute or so at a time and could walk with a walker. I started using an inversion table which would get me some relief. But at this point I stalled out and didn't make any further progress for almost 3 months.
I also got acupuncture which helped balance the pelvis but made it harder to put weight on the right leg. Because of the lack of progress and the sharp pain in the right buttock I had a pelvic MRI looking for a cyst or tumor which might be causing the nerve pressure on the 2nd of May. It revealed nothing and I started to progress. I was able to do a few exercises and weight the right leg. I started getting chiropractic care again as well as Russian Stim on lumbar spine. I lost a huge percentage of the stabilizing musculature of the low back. My spinal erectors were nonexistent. I've been making steady progress since and continue to get chiropractic adjustments and cranio-sacral therapy which is really helping. The disk is mostly healed now, most of my trouble comes from lack of muscular support. I can sit for an hour at a time and drive again. I even started back to work seeing a couple patients per day.
It's been a long road but thank God for the strength to get through it and some wonderful people in my life to help me along the way. It's been a great learning experience and I'm definitely stronger because of it. I've been able to see many blessing come from what would otherwise be a miserable event.
I still am not sure what caused the problem. I didn't bend over or lift anything to trigger the pain. My best guess is that I had built strength without building the appropriate flexibility. I scored poorly on my ASLR and was working to improve flexibility in the hamstrings and hip flexors but not enough to keep pace with my other training. I think that imbalance caused a weak link. I've also been trying to heal adrenal failure for a couple years and feel that my body was tearing down quicker than it was repairing which allowed the weak link to become a problem. But the good news is I got plenty of rest and am now starting with a clean slate and can build a nice broad foundation for future strength gains.
Many thanks to all those who helped me mentally, physically and financially. The motto at the head of this blog has never been truer, I struggle and I emerge.
At this point I moved in with my parents because I couldn't do anything for myself. The third week I saw a neurosurgeon and we scheduled a spinal nerve root injection. They did L5 and I got no relief and it was a miserable experience. They looked at the MRI again and did S1 which almost immediately gave me relief. The second injection wasn't quite as bad because some of the anesthesia from the first one helped. After the injection I got probably 50% relief and I could at least sit for a minute or so at a time and could walk with a walker. I started using an inversion table which would get me some relief. But at this point I stalled out and didn't make any further progress for almost 3 months.
I also got acupuncture which helped balance the pelvis but made it harder to put weight on the right leg. Because of the lack of progress and the sharp pain in the right buttock I had a pelvic MRI looking for a cyst or tumor which might be causing the nerve pressure on the 2nd of May. It revealed nothing and I started to progress. I was able to do a few exercises and weight the right leg. I started getting chiropractic care again as well as Russian Stim on lumbar spine. I lost a huge percentage of the stabilizing musculature of the low back. My spinal erectors were nonexistent. I've been making steady progress since and continue to get chiropractic adjustments and cranio-sacral therapy which is really helping. The disk is mostly healed now, most of my trouble comes from lack of muscular support. I can sit for an hour at a time and drive again. I even started back to work seeing a couple patients per day.
It's been a long road but thank God for the strength to get through it and some wonderful people in my life to help me along the way. It's been a great learning experience and I'm definitely stronger because of it. I've been able to see many blessing come from what would otherwise be a miserable event.
I still am not sure what caused the problem. I didn't bend over or lift anything to trigger the pain. My best guess is that I had built strength without building the appropriate flexibility. I scored poorly on my ASLR and was working to improve flexibility in the hamstrings and hip flexors but not enough to keep pace with my other training. I think that imbalance caused a weak link. I've also been trying to heal adrenal failure for a couple years and feel that my body was tearing down quicker than it was repairing which allowed the weak link to become a problem. But the good news is I got plenty of rest and am now starting with a clean slate and can build a nice broad foundation for future strength gains.
Many thanks to all those who helped me mentally, physically and financially. The motto at the head of this blog has never been truer, I struggle and I emerge.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Cheat day
Yesterday was my cheat day. Biscuits and sausage gravy for breakfast, scone for a snack, chimichanga for lunch, pizza for dinner, some morels and chocolate mousse with raspberries for dessert. Fasting from lunch today until lunch tomorrow.
Last night did a few sets of single leg DL with 16kg, mostly triples. Suitcase DL x 95# x doubles, can't remember sets. DL moves tested positive but not spectacular.
Did a couple horseshoe ISO's and they tested very well. Goblet squats x 16kg x 5 reps x 3 sets tested well too.
Last night did a few sets of single leg DL with 16kg, mostly triples. Suitcase DL x 95# x doubles, can't remember sets. DL moves tested positive but not spectacular.
Did a couple horseshoe ISO's and they tested very well. Goblet squats x 16kg x 5 reps x 3 sets tested well too.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Yummy
I came up with a crazy concoction for dinner tonight but the flavors and textures were awesome. Nitrate-free bacon fried then add and sauté shallots, garlic and curly kale. Season with salt, crushed red pepper, top with Parmesan, avocado and sardines.
Past 2 days have been LOW carbs, tomorrow is cheat day. Looking forward to biscuits and sausage gravy for breakfast.
Saturday's training. Snatches 16kg, :15 sec on :15 off. 4 reps per arm per :15 x 12 mins. 96 total reps.
Monday: Ring pushups, sets of 3, pinch block DL 35# , chest expanders
Tues: 1 set of 15 20kg rows R/L , reps done quickly. Farmers walk 2- 24kg 70-80 yds
Past 2 days have been LOW carbs, tomorrow is cheat day. Looking forward to biscuits and sausage gravy for breakfast.
Saturday's training. Snatches 16kg, :15 sec on :15 off. 4 reps per arm per :15 x 12 mins. 96 total reps.
Monday: Ring pushups, sets of 3, pinch block DL 35# , chest expanders
Tues: 1 set of 15 20kg rows R/L , reps done quickly. Farmers walk 2- 24kg 70-80 yds
Thursday, April 22, 2010
back to the blogging world
I've been MIA for a while but all is well. I've really found my groove with the biofeedback testing. I train 3 days per week, usually Monday is a pressing day of sorts, KB presses, barbell MP, dips, etc. Wed has worked really well as DL day. I get some of my best training on this day. Big gains in volume and weight. Last night I pulled 255# conv DO for the first time in a very long time. Friday or Sat has been more of a play day with emphasis on circuit training. I've been using Battling ropes some, I'm not sure I like the undulations or rope pulling better, both are a LOT of fun. Doing some swings and snatches also. I do some active recovery and core stability work on Tues, Thurs.
I was trying to do some running in my VFF but have slacked off. By end of summer I'd like to complete a 5k in them with a respectable time, for me, under 25 mins. I'm in a race with a friend to see who can sculpt the best 6-pk abs by August. And just for fun I'd like to pull 300# DL by then.
My training will probably add in a little more interval training with explosive moves such as sprinting, snatches and swings. I'm going to play around with some diet stuff also to achieve these results.
Overall I'm feeling good, both physically and mentally and I'm making good progress. The plan is to stay a little more current with posting my training logs.
I was trying to do some running in my VFF but have slacked off. By end of summer I'd like to complete a 5k in them with a respectable time, for me, under 25 mins. I'm in a race with a friend to see who can sculpt the best 6-pk abs by August. And just for fun I'd like to pull 300# DL by then.
My training will probably add in a little more interval training with explosive moves such as sprinting, snatches and swings. I'm going to play around with some diet stuff also to achieve these results.
Overall I'm feeling good, both physically and mentally and I'm making good progress. The plan is to stay a little more current with posting my training logs.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Newest update
Last week I had trouble getting anything to test well so I've mostly abandoned the 40 day concept and am just going with what feels right and tests well. Generally just having fun with it. Last week I had a day of nothing but BB MP and BB curls. I haven't done curls since my mullet days, with the exception of plate curls and gripbell curls. But intuition struck me and it tested well. Had another day that chest expanders tested well when nothing else would. I'm still sticking with general principles of a hip hinge movement, a squatting move, pressing and pulling. I test a couple of these first each time. I try to find two opposing moves if I can, such as goblet squat and chins the other day or conventional DL and BB MP yesterday. I go until they stop testing well or I feel I've had enough, whichever comes first. I then typically test a swing or snatch, perform 20-50 reps using the above principles. If I still can get a good testing response I throw in some fun stuff like bending or grip work. I must say this new strategy is very liberating. I train 4-5 days per week, sometimes continous.
Hopefully my Gym Movement DVD will arrive today, it's been over a week and a half now. Though I'm getting a grasp on this I still have a bunch of questions.
Hopefully my Gym Movement DVD will arrive today, it's been over a week and a half now. Though I'm getting a grasp on this I still have a bunch of questions.
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