Day 154: Rehab

I only had about seven people in Zumba this morning.  I don't know if it was the extremely cold weather or that they just don't like me or it's just too much work to come face fifteen entirely different routines.  I'm hoping it's the first or third.

The ladies who were there told me they loved my class, music, and routines.  I know I'd fare better with a younger crowd.

After Zumba, I showered, took care of Eisley, then left for rehab.  She had me side-step on the treadmill for 10 minutes (five minutes/side), then she watched me walk.  I had my sneakers on, which masked some issues, so she had me take my sneakers off.  She also rolled my pants up above my knees and lifted the back of my shirt up to watch my spine.

Overall, it was a good look.  She said I'm walking from higher in my spine, which is causing the pain around my T6/T7.  She also noticed a wobble in my right knee and ankle.  She said I need to strengthen my foot, and hip, which should help correct the inward bend of my knee when I push off to walk.

I did some hip strengthening exercises lying against the wall.  They were harder on my left side than my right. Then she watched me walk again and said the problem was a bit better.   Next, she had me do an exercise to strengthen a muscle in my foot.  It was really difficult, but more mental gymnastics than anything.

I sat with my feet flat on the ground.  She put a penny under the ball of my big toe and a pen under the arch of my foot.  I had to keep my "toe" touching the penny, keep my heel on the ground, keep all my toes relaxed, and lift my arch away from the pen.  It doesn't seem that hard, but if you actually set that up and try to do it, it's difficult.  I found myself tensing up my hands while trying to do it.  After I mastered the action, she had me hold it for 10 seconds then relax for a few reps.  Then I had to do it on the other foot!  It was not any easier trying to figure out how to move my left after doing my right.

Look at your foot right now and try to move just the arch without moving anything else and without rolling your foot to the side...

It's hard, right?!

She also mashed on my spine and found where it was aching and pushed it back into place and pushed my sacrum back, too, since it was wonky again.

I cleaned up a bit for the maids when I got home and then I got Mom to agree to get her hair done where I had mine done last year.  We headed up there and she tried to tell the stylist that she wanted Lisa Rinna's hair.  However, I butted in and asked what she kind of hairstyle she thought my mom should have and would be easy.

She told my mom pretty much everything I'd been telling her.  It's astounding how often I'm right.  I don't see why everyone doesn't listen to me in the first place :)

She didn't cut much because she told my mom that she needed to continue to grow her hair (as I had said) and did help her to style it better and show her what products to use or not use.  My mom was using too many products on her hair and pretty much just needs hairspray.

Her hair looked amazing, but when we got home, my dad said, "Oh GOD! What did you do?"  Not dramatic at all, right?  He's very conservative and doesn't like change, which is impossible to do in life.  Her hair looked terrible before and he's only liked it about once, but she can never duplicate a haircut or style and even if she does, he doesn't have much positive to say.

It was like this morning when she showed us a blazer she'd purchased and he said he hated it and it looked like crap.  I had to ask what specifically he didn't like (he doesn't like things that "look too small"), which turned out to be the cropped sleeves.  Again, he's not into "fashion" and what's currently stylish.  He's worn the same stuff forever, also because men's fashion doesn't really change that much.

I am trying to get him to calm down and not be so generic with his criticisms because they're not helpful and because it irritates me to no end.  It doesn't help that his hearing is slowly going (which he'll NEVER admit) and if I don't say something loudly and super-clear, he'll say "what" about a hundred times... I told him he's going to have a hell of a time when Eis starts talking because she won't be able to speak where he'll understand.

As great as he is with her, I'm glad I'll be gone when she's walking, talking, and learning to do stuff.  I don't think he will be able to stand her dropping, spilling, and messing things up all the time.  He'll probably just implode or something.