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Showing posts from 2016

This was inevitable...

So....the PRP didn't work. That's a bit of a lie, it worked a little bit (things are less "crunchy"), but not well enough that I'm better and able to dance. No, in fact, the doctor that gave me the PRP injection actually recommended that I go see an orthopedic surgeon that specializes in foot/ankle problems. Good times. So I've been waiting 3 months to get in to see AnkleDoctor's nurse (the "gatekeeper"), who one HAS to see prior to seeing the doctor. I saw her a week or so ago and she was basically like, "Girl, you've done everything else, I think we need to have AnkleDoctor do surgery to put your tendon in place and clean up the gunk in there." So, now I'm waiting AGAIN, this time to officially consult with the doctor. So, it looks like I'm surgery-bound. I just don't know when. Will I be able to dance in the winter show? Will I be hobbling around on crutches during Thanksgiving and Christmas? Only time will te

A Rather Large Update

Man, I have been on an adventure (if waiting for things to happen one month at a time can be called an adventure). I got an MRI in mid-May, and found out I had the following problems: Chronic tendonitis in my peroneal tendons (not surprised) with some possible subluxation (movement) of the tendons out of their proper placement (yuck). Inflammation in the front part of my ankle joint Bursitis in the bursa located behind the Achilles A small tear in my Achilles (?!) Basically, my ankle was a hot mess of inflammation from overuse. We're all shocked, I know.   I discussed the results with my PT and podiatrist, and the latter decided that she wanted me to get a surgeon's opinion (as she no longer does surgery). I ended up going back to the first podiatrist I'd seen when this first started a thousand years ago , and he decided the best thing for me to try at this point would be a PRP injection. PRP stands for platelet rich plasma. They take some of your blood, c

A Small Update

I wish I could say that no news is good new but alas... I spent 4 weeks in the boot full-time (even sleeping), and another 2 weeks in it part-time (out at home, in everywhere else). As of yesterday, I am now boot free! YAY! Alas, the ankle feels EXACTLY THE SAME, so next week I'm off to get an MRI. Cross your fingers for me, everyone!

THE BOOT

So. This is happening. After much frustration, and still feeling like the Ankle of Doom wasn't getting any better despite my best PTing efforts, I talked to the doctor and it was decided that I should try wearing The Boot in order to try and see if immobilization would calm things the heck down.  Since we have a two week dance break it seemed like a good time, but it turns out that I'm stuck in this sucker for FOUR WEEKS. Not only that, but because my body can't behave itself, I get to graduate to a tall boot next week (I'm wearing a short one in the pic above), because I'm still getting too much movement and my peroneal tendon is POPPING. Speaking of peroneal tendons popping, during the PT session prior to my doc visit, I noticed popping when I went to point my foot, and the PT said it may be peroneal instability (the doc agrees), which basically means my tendon is moving in and out of its groove (though not completely subluxing over the bone). This could

Medieval Torture, or PT?

I keep mentioning the Graston technique , and thought perhaps it would be good to actually show you guys what it looks like. Here are some of the tools the PT uses on me: They really do look like torture implements, don't they? And here is a very short clip of her working the top part of my ankle/foot (she also does the back, but I flip onto my stomach for that and can't film it, heh!) I have a pretty high pain tolerance, and generally this doesn't actually feel terrible unless she hits a tender spot. I just hope it works! The PT says that everything feels better to her than it did just one month ago, though when I did some releves for her in pointe shoes the other day, I could feel/she could see that my flexibility in that ankle isn't quite there yet. I just want the pinching to go away :(

New Goals

There are apparently stages of grief with injuries , and I think I've hit them all. One of my last posts was definitely during what I was thinking of as my "depression" stage, and today's post may very well fall under "acceptance." One of the newer exercises that the PT is having me do involves standing on one leg on the flat side of a Bosu ball and doing 15 rond de jambes (3 sets--my leg really feels it by the end)--without holding on to anything. The other folks there are thoroughly impressed with my ability to balance; I've taken to calling it my "circus act."  It has really been the inspiration to kick me out of my depression, because it has made me realize that I'll come out of all this even stronger than before. Maybe I'll even be able to do this: On releve! Can you imagine? (I can't really, but who knows!) Positive thoughts ;)

Thanks, Universe

It's funny how often I get frustrated with something, come and complain/vent about it on this blog (which is its own sort of therapy), and then a day or two later the universe is like, "Girl, chill. Have some encouragement." We shared class with the kiddos again the other day, and when we do center together we split into groups of "kids" and "adults." The teacher gives each group a different combo, they perform it, and then we switch places. We had switched so that it was the adults turn, and the teacher said to the little ones, "When you're waiting your turn, watch Miss Glorie [me]. Watch her upper body--she moves exactly the way a classical dancer is supposed to move. I never have to correct her." I was humbled, and flabbergasted, and thanked her profusely for such a compliment. She danced with BOLSHOI, you guys. Handpicked from when she was young. I don't think I could receive a higher compliment, really. (I still like correcti

The Never-Ending Ankle Saga

Six months. SIX MONTHS. Half a year of ankle pain of varying degrees (that still hasn't gone away). To say that I'm frustrated would be an enormous understatement. To make it even more annoying, I've been dealing with this issue off and on for nearly two years. I've seen two different podiatrists and now two different PTs. These past six months, I have not been able to dance fully. My relev é  is restricted (and therefore so is turning), and I am not supposed to jump (except rarely to demonstrate for students). I have basically (I feel) been half dancing for half a year. I keep diligently doing my PT exercises every morning, am currently going through two PT sessions a week involving the Graston technique (ow), and yet the ankle is still being a jerk. My at-home PT assistant is especially helpful. Current PT says that I have a lot of scar tissue (past sprains, wear and tear over the years) that is both restricting my ankle mobility and causing an impingement

Correction Craving

Does anyone else LOVE corrections? Well, it turns out that I really do. I've been getting increasingly frustrated over the last couple of months because the current teacher of the advanced class, while complimentary of my dancing, does not give me corrections (and Lord knows I'm not perfect). She'll sometimes give other adults corrections, but mostly she leaves us alone and concentrates her efforts on the teens/kids. Which makes a certain level of sense. I mean...she can't train any of us adults towards a goal like YAGP, or for auditioning to be in a professional ballet company. But that doesn't mean we don't want to be better dancers. In addition, she's been obsessed with choreographing a piece for the summer show so we haven't been doing much center work. We've also been sharing the class with kids, because attendance has been sparse. Barre and anything we do in center is fairly simple. Personally, I like having something to focus on, somethi

Step Nemesis

One of the things I pride myself on is my ability to quickly learn and adapt to new dance steps and styles. I think ballet is a fantastic foundation for all types of dance, and my background as a classical dancer has been a benefit more than once. However, every once and awhile I come across a step that completely befuddles me. Most recently this is a tap step, not a ballet one (I don't often post about tap on this blog, but in addition to ballet I take jazz and tap classes). Y'all. PULL BACKS. I can't figure them out. The entire class was struggling with them at first, but slowly, one-by-one, everyone else in class has gotten the hang of it while I'm still scrapping across the floor like a goober. Very frustrating. Part of my problem is that I have trouble letting my ankles relax (something tap does that is very contrary to ballet). I also haven't found a visual that speaks to me. "Think up," my teacher tells me, ever so patiently. "Think of