Physical Therapy - Week 8

This week was a big week.
I mean, sort of.
Basically what happened is that I "graduated" from two of the exercises I'd been doing - the hip dips and straight leg raises - and moved on to a more advanced version of another. Stephanie also added one new exercise to the mix.
So, hooray! Progress!
Despite my strong desire for some sort of massage instead, the Astym® is still going strong. The bruising isn't nearly as massive as when we started, but the sensation of my muscles crunching is still present, and there are definitely some areas that are tender by the end of that part of therapy. Those areas have never been so grateful to see a foam roller.

The instruments of torture; Stephanie uses the one in the middle on me.

Even though one exercise (which I cannot figure out how to do at home yet) was added, so I really only have one less to do, I felt like yesterday's session went faster. It's been taking me at least an hour and a half to go through all the exercises. But since my arse is feeling stronger, I've been working really hard to stick with it on a daily basis (I may or may not have promised myself a little piece of jewelry if I go a full week without skipping a day…) so that I can hear those four magical words: "You can run again."
On the home front, Husband surprised me by initiating a conversation about where I was headed. I guess maybe I've been down in the dumps a bit more than I'd realized, as he suggested that we start looking into an elliptical, "so you can do some cardio even if you're restricted from running as much as you used to."
To be honest, my feelings were kind of hurt at first. After all, the whole point of physical therapy is to get me running - and cycling - again. So to have him suggest the elliptical, a machine that neither of us really like, just so I can do aerobic training with less of an impact on my delicate hip, was….startling.
But I saw his point and also understand that he doesn't see the progress I'm making (neither do I, to be honest), and I appreciated the suggestion for that, since we had discussed a treadmill at some point, and he'd shot it down, saying we don't really have the room. We still don't, so making that suggestion so that I can move again was a big deal for him.
I really really really really really the the elliptical, though. I don't know that I'd use one at home, even if we invested in one. I do think I'd be more inclined to use a treadmill.
So I asked Stephanie about it, and she said that I'd get more use out of the treadmill, not just because I'm more inclined to use it, but also because I can work a greater range of muscles on it. On the elliptical, I can go forward or backward, and I can go fast or slow, but basically, I'm repeating the same motion. On the treadmill, I can incline - and on some, decline - as well as walk sideways and backwards. Plus, I can walk or run, and I could even train Zooey to walk on it when it does get too hot for her sweet little paws.
But at the same time, she did reassure me - maybe she saw panic in my eyes? - that yes, our goal is to get me running again and at the same level to which I'd been used to. She knows I want to run a full marathon someday and doesn't want me to hang that idea up.
I'm not saying that we are going to go out and buy a treadmill right now, though. It's something we need to consider and then budget for. And if the numbers are similar, I may prefer to join a gym so that I have the opportunity to add on yoga and pilates in a setting that I'd actually do it (it's not easy to do your yoga when your exercise room is also the play room). Zooey wouldn't get the benefit of it that way, but we'll see what happens.
For now, I'm happy that the change in the PT routine means that I am truly gaining strength and I'm one week closer to hitting the canal again. It won't be soon, but it'll be sooner.