New Year, New Me

With each new year comes new chances.

This past year was filled with both very good and very bad occurrences. The very bad being two injuries, one right after the other. In May, I sprained my left mcl and sublexed my kneecap on a no-wind tandem landing. Thankfully, no surgery was needed and I was back in the air two months later. Two months after that, I tore my right acl, mcl, and did extensive cartilage damage to my right knee, which resulted in surgery. I'm back walking again and I almost have my full range of motion back. The muscles in my right leg have shriveled up and disappeared though. I won't be back to jumping until the spring.

On to the good-
the best thing that happened to me this past year (or probably ever for that matter) was forming a relationship with my boyfriend, Roger. He's a skydiver too! I could go on and on about how great he is, but I'll just sum it up by saying that I'm crazy about him (crazy in a good way, not crazy in the stalker way).

But the new year is upon us, and like I said, with each new year comes new chances. Considering that I'm a sport psychologist by trade, I don't make new year's resolutions- I make GOALS! My goals for 3 Ring Necklace this year are to sport at least 10 new designs every month, start selling necklaces in the pro-shops of at least one other dropzone (besides Skydive Dallas), and sell necklaces at least one boogie. Help me out folks! If you're going to a boogie and you'd like 3 Ring Necklace there, give me a shout! If you want 3 Ring Necklaces sold at your dropzone, give me some contact info and we'll talk!

Blue skies everyone and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2 months and counting

It's been over two months since my knee surgery and what a journey it has been. Between laying on the couch for 6 weeks using a CPM (Continuous Passive Motion) machine for 6 hours a day, non-weight bearing on crutches for 6 weeks, dealing with narcotics withdrawal, and watching my quad muscles disappear before my very eyes, I have been trying to stay upbeat. For the most part I have been mentally ok, but there were days were I would just sob and all Roger could do was hold me. He'd tell me encouraging things, such as I'm a strong person and that I'm going to get through this. He felt that he wasn't helping at all, but truly it was the best thing anyone could ever do for me.

There were other times when I realized that the best medicine does not come in a bottle. During my most painful hours of the night, my cat Lily would climb up unto my chest and start purring. She's look at me as if she were saying, "Well, are you just going to lay there or are you going to pet me?!"

I'm no longer on crutches. I walked with a cane for a while, but I'm not using that anymore either. My biggest challenge right now is my leg extension- getting the lower part of my leg to swing to full extension when I'm walking. I also don't have my full flexion back either, which has been a very painful journey in and of itself.

But what is keeping me sane right now is reminding myself of how far I have come, rather than how far I have to go. I'm walking, I can take a shower standing up, I'm not on pain medicine, and I'm back at work. Hopefully in two months from now, I'll have double the improvement that I have now. :)

Post Op Haze

Yesterday was quite a day. To say the least, anyway.

After being stuck my three times with the IV and waiting for 3 hours, I was finally wheeled into surgery. It was questionable whether or not the acl needed to be replaced but the cartilage needed to be fixed without a doubt. The surgeon removed my screw and saw that my acl was indeed torn. He replaced it with a patella tendon graft and fixed the cartilage. I was in surgery for 4 hours, while Roger paced the halls of the hospital, wondering why the waiting room phone was not ringing with updates.

All I remember is being wheeled down a hall, having the plastic mask put on my face and then I was in the post op area. The surgeon yelled to me across the room that yes, the acl had been replaced. My heart sank but I accepted that it had been done for a good reason.

Right now I am on the coach at Roger's, icing my rubber leg, and feeling out of it from the pain killers. I am concerned but hopeful. Roger has been wonderful and I am so lucky to be with him!

Not again!

Roger, my boyfriend (who is also a skydiver), and I went for a hot air balloon jump the day before Labor Day. Long story short, I damaged my right knee and I'm going to need surgery next month. I am still on crutches after 9 days, but the swelling is down and my range of motion is slowly coming back. I won't be able to jump for at least another 7 months. I am not happy with myself at all :( I am trying to keep myself busy by paying more attention to promoting my necklaces.

If you haven't seen my new designs, check out 3 Ring Necklace on Facebook. Any necklace you see can be made as a horizontal design, mini 3 ring or a bracelet!

WAHOOOOOO!!!!!

Well the rain finally cleared up last Saturday after waiting patiently until 5:00pm. I was able to get my hop and pop, and a kiss pass jump with my sweetie. Then the bad weather rolled in again and we called it a day. I would have been perfectly happy with those two jumps, but the weather gods smiled on the dropzone once more on Sunday. Blue skies, nice wind (a little bumpy though), and four marvelous jumps. I would have made one more jump, but I discovered a nickel-sized hole in my pilot chute. I bumped off the load so I could get it replaced. That was a $100 surprise!

It's so nice to be back in the air again! I'm not running yet, or doing tandems, but just being able to jump again is a blessing.

Rain, rain, go away

It's been 7 weeks since I injured my knee, and thankfully, I didn't require surgery. Now that I have my knee brace, and I'm at the dropzone, of course it is raining! I was so excited all week long to be able to jump this weekend for the first time in 7 weeks, but Mother Nature has other plans. I am patiently waiting for the weather to clear, at the same time, contemplating giving up and leaving the dropzone. Here's hoping that the weather will clear and I can get at least a hop and pop to end my jumpless streak!

4 weeks down

It's been four weeks since injuring my knee. It turns out that I sublexed my knee cap and I sprained my MCL. No damage to the ACL or cartilage, and thankfully, no surgery is needed. There is no more swelling and I am attending physical therapy twice a week. I have about 3-4 more weeks to go before I'll be back in the air. Hopefully, that time will fly by, rather than creeping along (because it feels like it's creepy along very slowly!).

In the meantime, I am busy updating my beads and making new designs. I have posted new pictures here and on Facebook. If you haven't become a fan, add 3 Ring Necklace on today!

Skydive Dallas has added 3 Ring Necklace to their gear shop. So if you're in the area, stop on by and check them out in person. The pictures really don't give them justice!

Lastly, 3 Ring Necklace has been selected as Artist of the Month from Jenafusion. Check out the posting on http://jenafusion.blogspot.com for full details. Thanks Jenafusion!!