my titles seem to have nothing to do with the content of the post lately

Remember way back last season? I took a hard fall and messed up my back pretty good. Nothing? Here.

Well, the x-rays that the chiropractor took showed not a pretty picture. Traumatic spondylolisthesis. That's a lot of syllables to say that I fell hard and broke something. My back is pretty screwed up. It explains a whole lot. He was astounded that no one had before thought to take films of my back before. Nope, send me on my merry way to physical therapy, strengthen up the muscles, but ignore the underlying cause.

Long story short, twice a week intensively until it's closer to right. I'm pretty sore today from the adjustment. On the bright side of things, my back doesn't hurt as bad either.

the core of it all

Through the post of another climber friend of mine from the Florida days, I heard of a pro climber's very similar-sounding back pain.

Read it here.

The genesis of mine, as best I can tell, was from a bad fall on a snowboard last season. My lumbar region was swollen for three weeks. It was fine after that; I'd started running again and riding my bike. Come June, I'm down in Florida for Mom's birthday. Showering off after a run, I'm immobilized with shooting pains from my back down my left leg. When I got back to VA, started with the physical therapy.

He said I had a "weak core". Eight weeks later, my back was a little stronger, abs were a lot sorer. No problems until the last month or so. It's been debilitating at times. A few tricks to keep me upright while sitting. A trip to the chiropractor on Monday to attempt to straighten it out. We'll see how it goes.

Final California reflections coming soon.

birdbrained

Having just gotten off the phone with my cousin and getting sick of telling the story, here's one for the ages. No, it's not about Shezad & Maria's wedding, though that was the reason for the trip down south.

It's about a bird.

Whilst taking pictures in the backyard at my cousin's house in St. Pete, I heard the sound of what I presumed to be an eagle or falcon or vulture or some other wicked nasty raptor.

It was a macaw named Pete. Boy, was he pissed!

She and I checked him out as he continued to shriek like a banshee. We left for breakfast at my favorite family restaurant, which coincidentally, is the only family restaurant left in my family. I guess the bar wasn't technically a restaurant, though the food made national headlines once. Too many hot peppers on a sausage sandwich for a local cop, and a waitress got arrested. But I digress...

Upon returning from breakfast, Pete was still pretty upset. He'd gotten lower in the branches, and we were still curious about his mood. Come to find out he was awfully territorial, and we were in his bubble.

Neighbor happens by, gives us a little background, and goes to get some kumquats for Pete to munch on. Meanwhile, he's getting lower and lower in the tree. Helpful Eagle Scout that I am, I decide to help Pete reach his perch by offering an olive branch (so to speak) for him to get out of the tree.

Bad idea. The second his weight was on the branch, he latched onto my index finger quicker than go. I somehow managed to get the bolt cutter strong beak off before he did any major damage. Though I sit here typing one hospital visit later, and I can only now actually type somewhat competently. Three days later.

That old saying, "Don't poke the bear," should be amended to, "or the short-tempered macaw." Both may surprise you with their ferocity and quickness. Guess I ain't climbing this week!

quibble

"you haven't gone more than a week this summer without a new injury," she quips. i took it as the joke it was intended, but then i realized, there's a good bit of truth to it.

for the better part of the summer, i've been going to physical therapy for a snowboarding injury reaggravated by running when i was home for mom's birthday. the toll: four weeks of physical therapy, two times a week. the benefit, a stronger lower back and the beginnings of a six-pack.

as that injury abated, i did something to the middle of my back. not sure what, but the vertebrae between my shoulder blades somehow torqued itself out of place. amateur home chiropractics did not help the situation. two weeks later, i woke up magically feeling better.

my subconscious compensation for the initial back injury apparently wore out my left leg. no sooner did my back feel better than my joints all screamed, "hey, my turn!" last night at the gym, my first real climbing injury in quite a while.

quirky V5, confounding us all. big, tensiony first move. bump left hand up to bad sidepull, adjust feet, go big left. ceiling right heel hook, suck in the core, and reach for a bad sloping edge. left foot out of sight, turn that drop knee and POP! i crumple to the ground, motionless on my face, holding my left knee in agony.

so here i sit today. just iced it, some vitamin I, wrapped up tight, gingerly moving. man, it's hell getting old!

nursing

myself back to health that is. the whiplash-like symptoms are gone, thank God! the bruise on my lower back is still there, but it's not reminding me every single step.

climbed for the first time tonight in about a week. went well. i sent a long standing project of mine. ok, it was only 2 weeks, but give me some credit! anyhow, i was careful of any falls or anticipated falls. no major mishaps. if this injury lingers, maybe it will help my climbing. sounds crazy i know, but my footwork improved vastly when i sprained my ankle. it helped that i had to be really deliberate about foot placement and movement to not tweak it. with this, i make sure that each move i make is going to stick, and i'm ever aware of the jarring my body takes when i just jump off after i send. perhaps i'll be more ninja-like when i land once i finally heal...