Listen to your Gut

My words of wisdom for today:

Listen to your gut.

When you have that "something's wrong" feeling and you can't shake it, believe it.

A few weeks ago, maybe 3 weeks ago now, I noticed my foot was hurting. I couldn't pinpoint any specific event that caused it, I just noticed it. That's not to say it didn't hurt much; it hurt quite a bit. But I have a famously high pain threshold, and I tend to ignore little aches and pains as part of growing older and part of working out regularly. I did start icing and compressing this foot pretty much as soon as I noticed it. But, of course, I could walk on it, so I did. And I continued to work out on it.

A few days in, I said to my Hubby, "I think I may have a stress fracture" but I didn't have any 'proof' other than the pain. So, I kept doing what I do.

After a couple weeks of icing and compressing with no improvement, I finally decided to visit a doctor. So, I looked up orthopedists and podiatrists on my insurance's provider website and started calling around. I took an appointment with the one who could see me soonest.

First visit.... he examines my foot and talks to me. He 'thinks' it's a sprain. He tapes it, tells me to wear the tape for a couple days, then go for xrays and come back to him in a week. In the meantime, I can work out, as tolerated. (insert rolling eyes here)

In my mind, I thought the xrays should have come before the diagnosis and the okay to continue working out. But what do I know, right? I'm not a doctor....

Yesterday was my return visit.

My gut was right. I have 2 fractures in my right foot.

If I has listened to my gut, I'd be 2 weeks ahead in the healing process.... but no. I didn't listen to my own body; I ignored it; I didn't trust it.

Hard-learned lesson: Trust your body. It tells you when something is wrong, if you'll just listen! Don't push it down and push on; injuries heal with rest and time. Give your body rest, and time.

Photo from yesterday

Serendipitous Moments

I was outside a few minutes ago, puttering.

I had watered my flower beds and pots.... dead headed a few plants, pulled a few weeds, hosed off the deck....

I was pondering the plants I probably should move before they have a chance to become too established because I didn't plant them in the very best location. This was my learning year with this yard. I wasn't real sure of the sun and shade situation. I wasn't sure how hot it would get, how sunny, how dry, how rainy. So, I did the best I could with the information I had at the time, but in hindsight, I should have planted some things in different locations, and it's not too late to undo and redo.

So, I came inside and grabbed my camera. My thought was to take photos of the beds so that when I start moving things around, I'll remember where other things are, like bulb plants which are no longer "there." And also, so I'll remember next spring when I go to buy annuals which did particularly well, or not.

I started out downstairs, snapping here and there. Loving the Mallow that finally bloomed into gorgeous dinner-plate-sized white and fuscia deliciousness....

I moved around to the side, snapping away....

At the top of the beds, by the driveway, I was focusing on a lovely little Day Lily blooming there, a dainty shade of mauve, who will benefit from the moves I'm contemplating.

A movement in my peripheral vision caught my attention. A monarch butterfly was perched atop a purple coneflower!! As I shifted my camera to her, she clung tenaciously as the breeze tried in vain to dislodge her.... the breeze fluttered, her wings fluttered, the flower head bobbed, but she held on as I snapped off 28 frames!

Now, let's hope one of them is a keeper!!