Harder than I thought

Ok. So, I was really excited when I got a sports wheelchair last week - mostly because it goes so fast and you can make really cool turns in it. But using a wheelchair while playing tennis (a sport I never trained in) with all guys who've both played tennis a lot and are experienced wheelchair sports people was more than a little intimidating.

So, I asked if I instead could be in a group which was all about having fun (winning is only a bonus), getting the heart-rate up (not the frustration level) and maybe a bit of one-on-one coaching (before I look like a complete, non-athletic jerk). It's all just a lot too much at once.

Headache
I've had a headache since yesterday. I worry about the cause of it, of course: after having one vein burst in my head, I'm none too thrilled at the thought of another coming along. Headaches are something I got intermittently before but from now on, I'll probably always worry that the next one is another stroke coming on. But don't worry. If this goes on too long or gets much more painful I'll do something about it.

To shoe or not to shoe
I met with the shoemaker today to look at the possibilities of either shoe inserts or whole shoes to increase my walking speed and create a better stance so I don't cause injury to my joints over time.

For now, we are going to start with a simple insert that will help to hold my ankle at 90 degrees. This may help in swing phase (when I need to swing my foot forward, I have trouble lifting it so it sticks to the floor). It may also help in keeping my foot from turning inward but I doubt it.

I'm hoping for an insert versus a complete shoe because then I can wear it in normal shoes (maybe even with my Teva's). I mean, I don't want to walk around wearing ankle-high boots in summer. How utterly unattractive would that be?

Birthday wishes
Before I forget, I'm sending a birthday shout-out to our friend, Kathy, in Rice Krispy treats we trust. Hope you and yours have a nice little special day together. I'm gonna make some treats this weekend ('cause I have the marsh and the krispies. Why else?).