My friend sent me some Thrive stickers. I specifically told her I don’t deserve them, because most days I feel like I am merely surviving, treading water, existing from one day to the next. I mean, sure I try to find the joy and the laughter in every day, but you gotta admit, mom-life is pretty full of mundane tasks and adulting when you just don’t wanna. I get through the wake ups, the breaskfast, the off to school, the workday, the commutes, the autistic meldowns, the dinner, the homework, the showers, the bedtime and eventually fall into bed exhausted and resolve to do it all again the next day. Lather, rinse, repeat.
But my friends tend to be stubborn and she sent the stickers anyway. Tonight I decided to put them onto my sassy new cane.
Because the reason I am even consenting to having my leg bones sawed off and metal parts inserted into my body in the first place is because I want to THRIVE! I want to live these next howevermany years on this rock with as much laughter and adventure as possible. Even while acknowledging that most days will be the Lather, Rinse, Repeat as noted above. So Thrive Thursday it is.
From Merriam Webster:
Definition of thrive
-
to grow vigorously
-
to gain in wealth or possessions
-
to progress toward or realize a goal despite or because of circumstances
I really like definition #3. That’s what this blog is all about. I want to run again. Everyone tells me that I should never run again. But I am going to make progress towards a goal, despite my circumstances. Maybe I will never hit that goal, but I’ll do what I can to move in the right direction.
Today I Run-Walk-Run’ed (ran?) for 2 miles. I used my trusty GymBoss to set a very knee friendly interval: 15 seconds of light jogging, 45 seconds of walking. I am slowly getting my speed back. (By “speed”, I certainly don’t mean any accepted definition of speed, no need to check Merriam Webster…its all relative!) I got under 15 minutes/mile today. I felt great while running.
Isn’t that the irony of Osteoarthritis of the knees? I call it the reverse activity pyramid:
Running is less painful than walking.
Walking is less painful than standing still.
Standing still is less painful than getting up from sitting.
While running, the knees are just in a state of dull ache, but nothing too bad. Its the kind of pain one can live with. Like I have done all my life. Then once I stop, the knees swell up, or something, and walking becomes painful and stiff. Standing still is the worst! And lord help me if I sit down for a spell and try to stand. Whew!
All of which makes me think…I bet there are people out there running without that constant dull ache. Man, imagine what that would feel like? Maybe one day…I will THRIVE!
Running with Gladys 