From the monthly archives:
I was just thinking, when I move back there are so many of you I want to catch up with how about we organise a regular monthly gathering. That way all us health and fintess girls can catch up over a coffee.
Who’s interested?
Me
Charlotte
Kek
Shar
Sara
Combat Girl
Irene
Jewel
Katie
UPDATE: See “My Schedule” in my right sidebar for details. 
)
Monday 26th May 2008 saw me back at Olympic Park Sports Medicine Centre to see my surgeon Dr Simon Bell. Here’s my original post after my first surgery six months ago. He was happy with how my AC Joint was functioning so that was good, the surgery obviously worked.
But my shoulder failed a couple of other tests that he conducted so it’s back to surgery I go ladies. I’m booked in for a shoulder arthroscopic decompression on the 30th July. I picked this date so that it would allow me to have already moved and be settled in before having to deal with my shoulder recovery. What this means is that not only is he going in again to view the shoulder but he’ll also be shaving away some of the bone from the acromion. (see below for picture)
It’s pretty straight forward like my last surgery. This time around I’ll be staying at the Mercy Private Hospital in East Melbourne. It’s only overnight so I’ll be in and out before I know it. Although the recovery will be different, this time it’ll be six weeks before I can do any upper body weight training again. So this will obviously slow down my progression and was another major contributing factor to my not competing this year.
I have to do what’s best for me and best for my body. That way, when I do move forward I’m in the best possible position to do so. What will be will be and I’m okay with that. )
As promised, here I am with my first of many blog posts to get you up to speed with what is going on in my life.
Well as you all already know, I have been faced with one hell of a challenge this year. I’ve had to face and deal with my mother’s terminal illness, cancer. Mum has been living with us ever since so that we can provide her the full time care she requires. Unfortunately she is deteriorating quite rapidly and the level of care is getting greater and greater each day.
In the not so distant past I have been there in times of need and even taken care of my father through two successful kidney transplants and one kidney rejection. At the time I thought that was difficult and challenging, don’t get me wrong it was but in comparison to what I’m going through now it was relatively easier to manage and cope with. There is a significant difference between being there for an ill parent to caring for an ill parent. I have had to learn this the hard way unfortunately.
We have also recently been extremely lucky to be granted service postings back into our location of choice, RAAF Williams in Melbourne. This now allows us to provide my mother better quality of life and more accessible treatment. Moving at the best of times is stressful enough but on top of our current circumstances it’s going to be an even bigger stress this time around and I’m feeling it already.
So my emotional eating has gotten completely out of control. I’m betting that my cortisol levels would be through the roof and this is obviously doing my mind and body no favours for my competition preparation. My heart’s just not in it this year, everything was a struggle and it just wasn’t fun anymore. I always said that when it stopped being fun that I would gracefully bow out and this is what I’m doing. I won’t be competing this year. I have so much going on in my life that I had to make some changes before I headed for a breakdown of which I’m already pretty close too.
I had the best of intentions. I had the inspiration and motivation. I had the drive and determination. I had the dreams and goals. It didn’t matter because at the end of the day I couldn’t do whatever it took. I struggled from day to day, still do. So I swallowed my pride and finally made the decision I’m sharing with all you now. It broke my heart and tears are welling up in my eyes right now as I type this but I just couldn’t do it anymore. I tried my best but my best wasn’t going to be good enough for stage this year.
So where to now? That’s a good question, I think I’ll save that for another post. It’s late and I’m pretty exhausted emotionally now. My decision is exactly that my decision and I now know I’ve made the right decision for me and my family. Thank you for listening. xx
