Week 6 - let the torture begin

I haven't been updating much because I had a slight relapse this week. We started therapy and that caused some significant swelling. I did get about 8 hours of riding in this week so I am starting to ramp up my training.

My Dr. had warned me all along that weeks 5 and 6 would be tough as we start "opening" my bite. Perhaps I am still living in the adolescent mindset of "it won't happen to me" because I heard him, but didn't really internalize it.

This "opening" of my bite was the first time I have had the urge to uncontrollably defend myself. I have heard a lot of people comment on trying to kick their dentist and such, but I have never had that feeling before. My Dr. has been absolutely wonderful throughout this whole process and I am sure happy I managed some restraint.

Basically, he asked me to shove this stack of tongue depressors in my mouth as many as possible. After I struggled to my maximum opening, he then pushed down on them and shoved two more in! I thought I heard muscles and tendons tearing and my squirming and whining had Fion telling him to stop. Years of athletics, reading training books and coaches telling me that stretching needs to be slow and painless to be effective, didn't help in my assumptions of how this would go.

The good news is that I have made great progress on my own this week and I doubt I will have to go through the Dr. pushing me open again. Since he has been following my blog, I will mention that 5 years of Tae Kwon Do experience may suggest you let me handle the stretching - otherwise my foot might accidentally end up where you don't want it ;) Three more sticks and my goal is reached!

Here is my progression of pictures from day 43 back. I am still a bit swollen on the left side (image right) from the torture this week....:

(2-25-07 Day 43) (2-11-07 Day 29) (2-7-07 Day25)

(1-30-07 Day 17) (1-27-07 Day 14) (1-24-07 Day 11)

(1-21-07 Day 8) (1-18-07 Day 5) (1-17-07 Day 4)

(1-15-07 Day 2) (1-12-07 Day 0)