SNAP!

Ever have one of those days where it's like...a nightmare?

The other day I heard this horrendous noise underneath my balcony. (I live in a third story condo.) I wanted to know what machine created that God-awful noise so I went out to the balcony, got halfway up on my tippy toes and SNAP! A searing pain shot through my foot and up my leg, efficiently bringing me to my knees. I must have crawled into the house - I don't remember getting inside. All I could remember was thinking 'this can't be right. I must have imagined it.' I kept trying to get up and the pain was excruciating. And I had the day so carefully planned out, too. I was to meet a friend in a couple of hours. Yeah. That didn't happen. Instead I found myself in the emergency room with just about everybody else in the county, including a rather 'Grizzly Adams'-looking gentlemen who hadn't seen the likes of soap and water in at least a year. I kept thinking that, based on my environment, I would certainly walk out with the plague, and asked my husband if we could just leave. Nope, he said. "Have you noticed you can't walk?" Yes, but that's nothing next to dying with some flesh- or brain-eating bacteria I was pretty certain I was about to catch. Especially from the coughing coming from Grizzly Adams.

Five hours later, I was called into a room. Two sets of x-rays later, it was determined I had fractured a bone. From getting on my tiptoes? WHAAAAT??? So I was wrapped up nice and pretty and sent on my way.

As it turns out, navigating on crutches was NOT as easy as it looked. First of all, tucking anything under my arms is painful. My trigger points from fibro are the worst on the inside of my arm! Secondly, well, I'm just clumsy. But as I was leaving the ER, I heard a gentleman at the registration desk holding his chest and saying he was dying. The nurse explained he was not about to buy the farm, his vital signs were just fine. "But my heart is beating out of my chest," (insert wheezing and panting noise here.) "Go sit down, Mark. There are two people ahead of you." As I was wheeled outside (I opted not to use my crutches for the first time in public), "Mark" approached my husband and said, "Can I buy a cigarette from you?" Again, WHAAAT?!!! Dude was dying a minute ago inside. I guess he just wanted to finish himself off. 

Anyway, I thought this cast was rather plain looking. I fixed that. 

Two days later, I sat in the orthopedist's office.

He was not amused by my fashion sense. Well, what does he know, anyway. He explain to me that, yeah, it appeared the tendon had snapped and separated from the bone and that it needed to "rest" for the next six weeks. I questioned him about the tendon and told him I'd been having problems with that foot for the last three years. I proudly showed him my new expensive tennis shoes with the special made inserts that I'd just laid down $200 for. "Yeah, we don't like these." We don't? 

He explained to me that the arch support was wrong and since I have a high arch anyway, I needed something completely different from what I was wearing. I said, "Well, that's what the podiatrist recommended!" Truthfully, I was envisioning all that money spent going right down the drain. And while I despise the obnoxious color of them, they truly are the most comfy shoes ever! (Psst, they're Aesics.)

"Yes," he said. "Podiatrists are great on recommending orthotics and making a bunch of money." I knew that from previous experience but this podiatrist didn't make anything off of this. I went to a running shoe place that videos you walk and provides shoes and inserts to help stabilize your gait. At any rate, I proceeded to explain that said podiatrist had been injecting my tendon with cortisone to squelch the swelling and pain. It would only last a few weeks at a time. Bingo. That's the problem, I was told. Cortisone weakened the tendon and all it took was my nosiness and getting part way on my tiptoes to finish the job. Snap! Tendon detached from bone. Nice.

 See? This is why I have little trust in doctors. They try to put a Band-Aid on the pain instead of getting to the actual issue. The MRI done by the podiatrist showed bone contusion, bone marrow edema, and peroneal tendinosis. (Fancy term for bruised bone, bone marrow swelling and tendinitis of the tendon.) His solution was to shoot it with cortisone and here I am...wearing this for a minimum of  six weeks,..

But at least I have my bow. I have an appointment in 3 weeks to see the doctor again and if it's not better, we get to do an MRI and possible surgery. Somehow I doubt it'll be better. Why? Because I keep tripping!!! Apparently I'm determined to shred whatever tendons haven't been damaged and prevent the damaged one from healing. Not sure how I'm going to explain that come my next appointment. 

But I have been sitting at the computer working on some things in my shop. Now you can save money by bundling items! For instance, if you buy a heat pack and pain rub bundle, you save $7! And you can save on the headache mask and inhaler bundle and the neck pack with headache mask. So go take a peek and save enough  for an extra stop at Starbucks!

Take a Bath, Already

No, I'm not insinuating you're dirty. Unless you've been digging in the dirt,then you are. But take heart (and a shower!) because if you've been digging in the dirt, you're probably sore; sore back, sore hands, sore legs... We're about to fix that. 

I'm sure you've bought or walked by those pretty jars of bath salts. They look so nice in your bathroom and once in awhile you even remember to use them. Well, after having done some research on them, be prepared to go grab them and get in the habit of it. 

Bath salts are useful for more than just looking pretty on your shelf and smelling great. The benefits are actually far-reaching.

They benefit your skin. Some of the nutrients found in bath salts are magnesium, potassium, calcium , bromide and sodium. These are easily absorbed into our pores and can purify your skin on a molecular level, improving the radiance, tone, and texture. Magnesium helps us fight stress and combat fatigue; calcium keeps water retention under control, promotes healthy bones and can help stave of osteoporosis. Potassium balances moisture levels in our skin. Bromide soothes tired muscles. Sodium manages the balance of lymphatic fluid in our bodies. So salts not only benefit our skin but our entire bodies, from the inside out.

Salt detoxifies our skin. When the warm water opens our pores, the minerals in the salts deeply cleanse, drawing out impurities, pollution, oil and dirt from the skin. Regular use has even been shown to decrease the appearance of fine lines by plumping the skin and balancing moisture. And adding essential oils increase your health benefits, as well.

Epsom Salts

Epsom salt isn't really a salt, it's a pure mineral compound of magnesium and sulfate. Both are readily absorbed into the skin. Magnesium is very beneficial for the body, as it reduces inflammation, eases stress, soothes back pain and limb pain, and draws toxins from the body.

                How does it work?

Stress drains the body of much needed levels of magnesium and increases adrenaline (thereby causing irritability.). When you use Epsom salts in a bath it is absorbed through the skin and replenishes magnesium. Magnesium helps produce serotonin which is the mood-elevating chemical in your brain that creates that feeling of calm and relaxation. By soaking in Epsom salts the magnesium ions help you relax and reduce the effects of adrenaline.

Epsom salt also relieves inflammation, which can be beneficial in treating sore muscles. It also helps regulate electrolytes, ensuring proper function of muscles, nerves, and enzymes. The magnesium is known to be critical in the proper use of calcium, which serves as a main conduction of the electric impulses in your body.

The sulfates in Epsom salts help flush toxins and heavy metals from the cells which ease muscle pain and help the body eliminate these. By soaking in Epsom salts, your skin is, in effect, performing reverse osmosis; the Epsom salt is pulling the salt from your skin and the toxins along with it. (Osmosis happens when there is a solution balance between two liquids with a permeable barrier. The liquids are your blood and the bath water, the barrier is your skin. Liquids are transferred between the barrier until both sides have equal salinity. Note: Adding 2 cups of baking soda will draw out acidic toxin) Take three baths a week and soaking for at least 12 minutes. Don't use soap, as it will interfere with the action of the salts.

Have a sunburn? Add lavender to your soak. It's disinfecting, anti-fungal and antiseptic properties will help. Had a rough day? The lavender will ease nervous tension and pain, as well as enhance circulation. 

I made this bath salt batch today: 

It's vanilla/lavender with dried lavender flowers and leaves. Do you think I should carry it in my shop?

So grab your salts and go take a bath already! Your body will thank you.