Back on the Blades

When we were away on our Tri-State Christmas Family Tour, I really missed my roller blades. I finally found an exercise that I LOVE, so I was sad that i couldn't just take them with me and exercise like crazy while we were traveling (that would have been a feat in Wyoming in sub-zero temps, no sidewalks, icy roads, hills and snow banks).

That said, when I got back on them upon our return to hell, I mean Arizona, one of my worst fears were realized: gravity. However, it couldn't have happened a better way (well, it not happening at all would have been the better way, I know): A) The baby was not with me in the stroller, B) Christian was with me on his bike C) It was Chris's day off so he was home. All three of those were lucky occurrences.

While I love rollerblading, I can't really do it without the jogging stroller. It's a balance thing. Plus, I stop and slow down easier with the jogging stroller. This previous Monday (1-2), I rollerbladed with the the jogging stroller (sans Alexander) to Walgreens to get a couple things (the jogging stroller could hold the bag, in addition to giving me the balance I need) and Christian came along on his bike.  Well, I didn't know that the front wheel on the jogging stroller had previously come off (that would have been important and useful information).

As we were coasting back home adjacent to the  busy road, the front wheel of the stroller came off and I was suddenly on my butt and elbows, and yes, in pain. Not to mention, with it happening there on the sidewalk parallel to a busy street, I wonder how many cars whizzing by got the entertainment of Suburban Mom Biffs It On Side of Road.

What I probably looked like, just before biffing it. 

No, scratch that. THIS is what I looked like as I was biffing it. 

Christian returned on his bike after he realized that I wasn't behind him anymore. I can't remember if he asked me if I was okay or not, but he did get right to work fixing the wheel. Somehow, despite the pain I was in, my cell phone was in reach and I called Chris to come get us (aka scrape me off the pavement). I was in bad shape. Christian, being the gadget genuis, fixed that wheel right up and informed me that it came off a few weeks prior when they had a babysitter and she took the kids to the park. Yeah, that would have helped to know about at the time!  Anyway, by the time Chris arrived, he and Christian were able to push the stroller and put in the truck, and I was promptly escorted home where there was a sofa and Ibuprofen.

My elbows were all scraped and bruised and my tailbone was not happy. I thought that was the extent of it, until I woke up the following morning. I found out the muscular pain and injuries were more than the tailbone and elbows. It went all around to my mid-section and down to the legs. I also found and felt bruises that I was not aware of previously.

What also wasn't fun from a purely superficial standpoint, was I weigh myself each day, and I had jumped up 3 pounds the morning after the accident. I knew it was from the muscle swelling and the water retention as a result, but a higher number on the scale is a higher number on a scale! That is even more troublesome, especially when you're coming off Christmas and a New Year's Eve party and having a helluva time getting the weight to go in the down direction again from a mere "Christmas Survival Maintenance".

I went to "officially" weigh in today and while I'm still sore, those three "injury" pounds were mostly gone. I described to Nicole, my consultant, what happened to me and showed her my elbows. She said, "you have got to the be the 5th client this week who has gotten hurt!" That may be, but mine isn't the result of a New Year's Resolution that I can bet the other chicks were. I started Rollerblading last Fall.

Anyway, I put the baby in the stroller today and rollerbladed up to the elementary school to pick Christian up. My legs still hurt and my tailbone voiced its displeasure, but it was certainly not as bad as the previous few days had been. Now let's see how long we go until the next biff.

But as you can see, I got back on the blades today and it turned out okay! 

Yeah, if anyone for a moment thinks that's me, I suggest an eye appointment. I obviously DO NOT wear elbow pads, though I should. 

But you weren't looking at her elbow pads, were you?