TKD had me in tears today :(

[ShelleyK]

I suffer from Osteo, inflammatory and Rheumatoid arthritis...yah I got triple whammied
Anyway, today was awful for me, I was in so much pain I could barely get through warm ups We had just started doing drills and I had to go to the locker room before the tears came. I feel like such a failure. I came home 40 minutes early and here I am now feeling sorry for myself and pissed off beyond all recognition that I actually let this arthritis affect me like it did today. Normally I can get through training with a few little pit stops but today...no can do. :idunno::waah::sadsong:

 

[terryl965]

My wife has some of the same thing as you and she uses alot of Dit Dat Dow on the problem are's and she does OK everyday.

 

[bluekey88]

Shelley, you have my sympathies. Osteo and Rheumatoid arthritis run in my family...I also suffer form a serious case of gout (since I was about 14). I know how bad joint pain can be.

That being said, lighten up on yourself You know better than anyone that there'll be days where this stuff is gonna kick your @ss. It's not some failure on your part, nor is it weakness. It is simply the way it is.

On these days, take it easy. If you have to skip classs, so be it. The next day, when the pain is less...then get back to work. It's not quitting, it's a "tactical retreat." In the long run, as long as you stick with it, you're not a quitter or a failure.

Hang in there!

Peace,
Erik

 

[arnisador]

Tough break! Well, better to miss some classes than let it stop you all togetehr. Keep on keepin' on!

 

[ShelleyK]

Looking that up now...not sure where I can buy it locally though...

 

[ShelleyK]

That being said, lighten up on yourself You know better than anyone that there'll be days where this stuff is gonna kick your @ss. It's not some failure on your part, nor is it weakness. It is simply the way it is.

On these days, take it easy. If you have to skip classs, so be it. The next day, when the pain is less...then get back to work. It's not quitting, it's a "tactical retreat." In the long run, as long as you stick with it, you're not a quitter or a failure.

Hang in there!

Peace,
Erik

Thank you, I needed to "hear" that, because Im so hard on myself I DO see it as a weakness in me.

 

[clfsean]

Looking that up now...not sure where I can buy it locally though...

Look up Dale Dugas on this board. He can help you out with that.

 

[ShelleyK]

Will do thanks

 

[clfsean]

Will do thanks

No problem, hope he's able to help.

 

[Miles]

Wow Shelly, that's tough combination of ailments! I hope you can find a way to continue to train.

 

[ShelleyK]

Wow Shelly, that's tough combination of ailments! I hope you can find a way to continue to train.

Thats only SOME of my ailments
I also have:
Spinal stenosis...I think its located in lumbar 1 & 2 or 2 & 3
asthma
plantar fascitis (fascia ligament was too short in my left foot arch so I had to have surgery to lengthen it, so I get charlie horses easy when doing stances) I had surgery for a mortons neuroma in my right foot...this is basically a benign tumor located between my middle and ring toe, caused by damaged nerve endings from ill fitting shoes/and wearing high heels

And yet...I still train 3 days a week....
Arent I just blessed? LOL

 

[granfire]

Thats only SOME of my ailments
I also have:
Spinal stenosis...I think its located in lumbar 1 & 2 or 2 & 3
asthma
plantar fascitis (fascia ligament was too short in my left foot arch so I had to have surgery to lengthen it, so I get charlie horses easy when doing stances) I had surgery for a mortons neuroma in my right foot...this is basically a benign tumor located between my middle and ring toe, caused by damaged nerve endings from ill fitting shoes/and wearing high heels

And yet...I still train 3 days a week....
Arent I just blessed? LOL

yep, blessed indeed!

Looking at it from the bright side, as long as we hurt we are still alive...(seems I am very much alive this week, too)

Keep on trucking, as much as moving hurts, not moving would hurt even worse. And you did not have crying hizzy over the form...

 

[Jenna]

Goodness Shelly, that is some list you have. My hat is off to you for persisting through it. I would be willing to bet that your constitution, stamina, doggedness and determination are WAY greater than you give yourself credit for!

I cured my lifelong asthma (10mth fingers crossed) by following a simple shallow, controlled breathing system by a guy called Buteyko (books on the subject are easily found).

Seriously though, give yourself credit girl for your persistence and strength of will! That you are here, training away, speaks volumes my friend Take care of yourself
Yr most obdt hmble srvt,
Jenna

 

[igillman]

Shelley - Just keep doing whatever you can do on any given day. Some days you will be able to do more than others.

I had to quit TKD because of heart damage caused by high blood pressure. Yes my cardiologist actually said to me "no more exercise". I still do forms and some one-step sparring in the basement along with a little bit of kicking.

My point is, your body will only let you do so much anyway. Both of us are on the lower end of the scale, you because of pain and me because of my heart. So what do we do? We accept what he have and do what we can when we can do it.

Sure, we would both like to get out there with the others and run and jump and kick, spar someone and break a few kicking bags (my do-jang breathed a sigh of relief when I told them). But we cannot, for you it would hurt too much and for me it would be the second to last thing I ever did (the last thing would be to clutch my chest and fall over which I do not believe is a valid TKD move anyway).

Rather than focus on what you cannot do, after all you cannot lift a car or swim faster than Michael Phelps either, focus on what you can do. For you, every kick you make is an achievement, every minute you are out there is something good. Cherish that time, get as high as you can. I only made green belt before I had to stop. You should perform every kick with a smile, every jump with a grin and every punch with a satisfying noise. Some days you will get 10 smiles, 5 grins and 25 satisfying noises, some days you will only get 2 smiles 1 grin and no noises but at least you were smiling

I hope that you make it all the way to black belt, but enjoy the journey, no matter how long it takes or how hard it feels at times.

 

[ShelleyK]

If I could triple thank all of you on this board I would do it in a nano-second! Thanks for perking me up today! Im smiling more now and Im not in as much pain as I was earllier.
I do have this stuff called Sombra which is a natural pain relieving gel that I got from my nurse practitioner/masseuse at my chiropractors, I think I will ask the hubby to give me an all over body rub with it LOL

 

[RRepster]

Hi Shelley,

I have similar issues - herniations and nerve damage to be specific. TKD just isn't possible anymore, it's a hard art and it's sport focus has made it an endeavor for the young IMO.

My solution was to a) switch to internal kung fu (Chen Tai Chi, and Hsing-I) and b) practice my TKD forms still but much more slowly. This of course means tournys are out of the question if you do that and you'll likely not advance since it seems TKD has no ability to adapt with people's abilities. BUT perhaps your experience will be different. Ask your instructor to be able to work with your abilities instead as Christopher Reeve used to say. This is the chance to test if what your organization and instructor says about TKD being mainly about mentality anyway is really true or if its just fluff they say.

take care,

Rob

 

[IcemanSK]

Shelley, my sense of you from other boards is that you "quit" is not a major word in your vocabulary. Yep, it stinks that you have these things that get you down (physically & emotionally) for a time, but you won't allow it define who you are or stop you from doing what you love doing.

Keep it up, my friend. One day at a time.:bangahead:

 

[clfsean]

Have you had an opportunity to get in touch with Dale Dugas yet?

 

[karatemom]

I have one word for you .... PINEAPPLE !!! seriously google it... the bromelain (sp?) in the pineapple will help tremendously with your pain
you have to eat every day though and it's best on an empty stomach.
Buy either fresh or the ones in the plastic containers - NOT cans.

My MIL is eating it 2-3 times a day and has almost no inflammation or pain.

 

[ShelleyK]

Shelley, my sense of you from other boards is that you "quit" is not a major word in your vocabulary. Yep, it stinks that you have these things that get you down (physically & emotionally) for a time, but you won't allow it define who you are or stop you from doing what you love doing.

Keep it up, my friend. One day at a time.:bangahead:

That is SO true about me...Im no quitter! I will take time off to re-coup but then Im right back on the wagon!