Like a Brick to Water!

I feel like a swimming newbie. It's only 3 weeks since I've swum and I now seem to have that sinking feeling.

I'm not even going to try to suggest that a brick might float, but if you push it fast enough through water it gets some momentum before plummeting ungraciously to the bottom. My swimming feels very ungracious at the moment, BUT I must admit that despite that, it is nice to be back in the water and getting my body moving again.

Speaking of bricks, I seem to have some brick cement stuck in my leg at the moment. That pesky blood clot has decided that it will stay for the time being thank you very much. 7cm of blood that quite likes my lower leg. I have tried telling it that it would be better off moving on, but it hasn't seemed to work. The world of DVTs is a pretty confusing one I must admit. There is new treatment protocol for below knee clots (like brand new)that says after an initial 7-14 day anti-coagulant treatment period, you just leave it alone. And it might dissolve over the coming 6 or so months, or it might not. In the meantime, go to emergency if you get breathless - does that include when I start Ironman training?! ;-)

The media portrays DVTs as such potentially life threatening things that when you are told by your doctor that 'no that's it, we'll stop treatment here and see what happens'; it's a little perturbing. Indeed even my doctor treated it like an emergency when it was first found, but I guess that's to get treatment straight away and stop it progressing. But if protocol has changed then who am I to say otherwise? So the advise I have from the doctor:
Carry on with rehabilitation of the knee as per the physio's instructions
Go to emergency if you get breathless (Uh, right, OK, one I'll try to remember)
Avoid massage on that calf (what, like forever?!)
Wear compression socks when flying (OK I do that anyway)
Be prepared for swelling and pain when you increase exercise (oh great)

So Ironman NZ 2011 is still on the cards at the moment. Watch this space as I start my programme in 4 1/2 weeks time. I can guarantee I will have freak outs if my calf if hurting. It even hurts still now, it's like having a mild cramp permanently. But that will happen right? And it's normal?? So for the time being, try to ignore dodgily cemented left calf and concentrate on ITB and knee rehab. Bendability of my knee is getting better, weight bearing is getting better and I'm even allowed to do a 10 minute wind train session; it's not quite pain free, but it's good! DVT, what DVT? Oh yeah right that one that permanently hurts and has a remote chance of breaking up and causing a pulmonary embolism.....mmmmmmm. Not that it's on my mind the whole time.

Off to swim like a brick :-). Keep on training girls and boys, I'll join in soon!

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