And the Prognosis is....

Damage from the last storm. The roots of a huge redwood that, had it fallen towards where Ed is standing instead of back, my car would have been no more! This picture relates more to the second half of the post :)

So...I've finally seen a doctor.

Wait.

I did already see a doctor....

I guess the big news is that I saw one within 30 miles of my home, and so am finally going to get physical therapy!!!!

I love my new doctor. She is nice and good, and, when telling me about what I should do, her first words were, "well, running is what you love, so we should keep you doing that"

Yep....fabulous :)

Her best guess (or I guess diagnosis) is that there's a pinched nerve thing going on, that has something to do with my L4 and L5 vertebrae (I know the L4 L5 and the nerve are mixed up in some kind of injury thing....not sure exactly how)

My current treatment plan includes taking an aleve 2 times a day for two weeks and then heating my back and leg before runs and then icing it after. It's her belief that running won't make the leg worse, so I'm taking that as my green light to ease back into things. I'll still take it easy until I see a physical therapist, but I feel like things are looking up. The physical therapist is treating me for "leg pain, back pain (not there so much, but my doctor wanted to give them the leeway to do back things), and a lazy kneecap (hopefully it'll stop popping out of place!).

I've had two wonderful runs in the last three days down on westcliff (I don't know...I'm feeling trail shy lately!). I did 4 miles monday and 5 today! Today's run was lovely with breaking waves and the odd spectacle of a world war two era (?) huge plan doing circles around the bay launching parachuters out of it. It was fun to watch, and I wasn't alone in my spectator role. I'm still not sure what was going on, but it was a nice distraction. Five miles is the furthest I've run in probably over a month, and it was just lovely :)

Monday's run was a little more exciting. Since it was a holiday, Ed and I enjoyed a lazy wonderful day. The weather here has been c-c-c-old! (Jean, please refrain from telling us what "real" cold is...this was cold to us, okay?!? :) ). Ed has a thing against running in the rain, so we went out in the afternoon as the weather was seemig to turn

or so we thought.

As we starting driving down the hill *plitter-platter* rain started coming down. "Honey?" "You'll like it" I told him "promise"

Now, I've always been a big proponant of rain running. However, somehow these rain runs seemed to have been when the temperature outside was in the 60s and the rain was refreshing and just right to keep you from overheating. We began the run in the mid 40s and very wet! It wasn't seeming like quite the greatest idea.

But, we ran. I love running with Ed (that was the activity of our first date after all) and we hadn't done it in a while, so it was still great, if cold. The rain stopped and we warmed up a bit, enjoying the jade green ocean with its white peaks and thunderous roars. As we passed the mile and a half marker (invisible yet present) it became noticably.....wetter.

Soon, rain was coming down in torrents! Ah....that's right. This is what I love! Apparently just a sprinkle doesn't cut it. I need full on soaked to the bone downpour. It felt wonderful. And then..."honey? This is pretty hard....I think it's hailing". No..... I put out my hand, and sure enough ice was landing in it. It started stinging a bit, but it was beautiful and funny and cleansing. We chose that as as good a turn around spot as any, and within five minutes we had left the storm. The sun began breaking through the clouds, playing a light show on the waves and blinding us with the reflection. I kept breaking into smiles and giggles and could only justify myself by explaining, "it's so beautiful!" Ed admitted that running in the rain actually was pretty amazing. Looking up to campus and home, the sky was an ominous black, clouds heavy with the threat of rain. But on the waterfront, the sun was piercing the cold air, drying our clothes and exposing the luminous nature of the world all around.

Indeed, it certainly was beautiful