Steve sent me this link and now I'm passing it on to you. Barry Manilow to sing in Portland for Cystic Fibrosis. Portland-area readers, I guess you know what do do - go buy tickets!
Been a bad week of running. A week ago, I had a doctor's appointment with my sports doc. I mentioned that I had some shin splints, but of a moderate level. He adjusted my orthotics by gluing more foam on the bottom, to tilt my foot and get my knees aligned. While I can't argue with the effect on my knees - no pain there - the last three runs have been full of shin splint pain, pretty bad - and so those runs have been short. I need to suck it up and see if I can run past the pain, at least once. I have to do calf-stretches like crazy, of course, as well as my foam rolling and other exercises. This is all getting to be quite a drag. I went back to the doc today to say things are getting worse not better, and he added MORE foam. Well, I guess I'll try a run tomorrow morning. I'm really intending a full six-mile Prospect Park run; but we'll see. If I can't get past these shin splints... what's going to happen January 14th?
I have spent much of Christmas break sorting through medical statements and trying to get any medical bills settled before the New Year. I still have two providers to go - thick folders of endless paper to sort out. It was in frustration at one of these providers (who is essentially billing me four times what I owe), that yesterday, for I think the first time ever, I went out for a couple miles jog solely to work off the stress. Sure, I had shin splints again and wasn't surprised, though it took almost a mile for them to show up. Maybe the stretching is starting to help.
Anyway, my annoyance at the confusing billing practices and the confusing statements from my insurance is still high...but I'm getting a handle on it all and at least the first place called back today to say they'd "settle" for what I claim I owe (v. what THEY claim I owe.) I call that a victory.
Quick reminder: shin splints or no, I'm going to run the Houston half-marathon, raising money for Team Boomer. I'll take a handful of Tylenol and just do it. I don't think I'll set a PR, but I am hoping for a second-best. The amount I've raised so far is pretty good (and is more than what shows in the ChipIn widget in the upper-right corner), thanks to donations sent in directly, but I still have a long way to go. Won't you chip in before the New Year? Thanks!
3 comments:
Numbing the pain and running through shin splints, that sounds so self-destructive. What is going to happen if you do not take care of yourself?
Happy New Year :o)
For what it's worth, shin splints aren't chronic. They will get better. Have you thought about running on a trail? Easier on the body I think.
good luck.
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