MIKA

I was going through my briefcase today in my office looking for something. As a traveling sales guy my briefcase is a bit of a black hole with a collection of everything; aspirin, phone cables, even emergency sewing kit--you never know when you are going to "pop a button" an hour before a big presentation. I pulled out a tube of something that looked out of place. 

"Mystery" balm I discovered

It resembled something you would find in a woman's purse...some kind of lip balm with the words "lavender," "in your dreams" and "MIKA" in bold letters as the product name. I had no idea what it was or how it got there. I ask my wife who was sitting nearby if it was hers or knew what it was. It seemed like a cliché...a man asking his wife what a mysterious woman's item was doing there admitting innocence over an innocuous item. She informed me the "other woman" was my sister. 

My sister Kim is a nurse and spent many evenings visiting me the second half of July as I sat in my hospital bed writhing in pain. Daytime was rough enough but evenings in the hospital were more like a nightmare. Kim offered MIKA as stress relief and something that might calm me before I attempted a couple hours of narcotics-induced sleep. A gift of love and kindness. A smile came to my lips when I remembered getting the balm then and why I had it in my briefcase. It made me once again reflective of all the love and support I've received since my accident.

Day 1 of PT at Steadman Hawkins

It seemed to be a fitting symbol that got me to where I'm at in my recovery. I made great strides in the last week with my MRI diagnosis of a torn labrum, separated shoulder,  and "sick scapula." The later is not cool skateboarder lingo, but a term for "really jacked up" shoulder blade floating without the expected muscle structure and range of motion without pain. I have begun physical therapy at the world famous Steadman Hawkins clinic (hey...if it's good enough for Missy Franklin and John Elway, it's good

My first run since July

enough for me) to strengthen that area and felt strong enough to throw a mile and a half of running into my long walk on Saturday. I took it a step further and ran a full three miles yesterday. Yes, I RAN! Significant in that this was my first running since the middle of July. I ran the three miles at around a 9:40 pace and the lungs, ribs, and shoulder seemed okay. Far from my 5K PR pace of a 6:13 mile, but I was happy that my lungs could manage three miles a mere three months after my right lung collapsed. Yes, last night and today I was quite sore combining the running with the twice-a-day shoulder exercises. I'm certainly not ready for 5-6 days a week knocking out 50+ miles, but I'm thrilled to label myself a "runner" again versus a walker (not that there's anything wrong with walking.)

I will continue to take it slow in "ramping" this up and "listen to my body." Yes, it's stressful to not be where I was at in early July hitting the podium in my last run race over the 4th of July. Yes, it's stressful to watch the fall marathon results come in as I'm envious that I'm not out there. Stress? It's okay...I have MIKA.