Ski Day Fail

Trying to make a knee brace look good.

This year I made a switch from Ski Instructor to Ski Team Coach.  You may think there isn't much difference between the two, however, you would be so wrong!  Although the fundamentals of skiing is the same, ski racing is a whole new ballgame!  Now, I have had a lot of competitive experience throughout my life, but nothing I've done compares to ski racing!  Slalom, GS, whatever...it's all intense!  Basically you throw all fundamentals to the wind and it's all about getting down that mountain as fast as you possibly can!  The kids on ski team are amazing!  So much talent and so little fear (at least they don't show it).  Instead of spending the day on the mountain on Greens (sometimes blues) and teaching how to wedge or parallel ski like previous years...I'm spending the day running the kids through gates or skiing crud on black diamonds (hoping that I look like I know what I'm doing, ha!)  I was hoping that switching to Ski Team Coach it would push me a little more and challenge me with teaching higher level skiing.

Unfortunately, it all came to a halt when I ate sh#t while doing a warm up run with my group.

Yes, a warm up run!  So lame.  I wish I had some epic story to tell...but alas, I don't.  Just skiing down (it was a groomed run and everything) making some GS turns with my group following along behind me when I caught an edge and down I went.  I felt my knee twist and it hurt like the dickens.  I sucked it up and tried to shake it off by skiing a couple more hours with my group...but by lunch I had to throw in the towel and accept the fact that it wasn't getting better.  

The next day I got it checked out, x-ray showed fluid/blood around the joint and I was referred to a orthopedic specialist.  He suspects a meniscus tear.  However, an MRI would tell us for sure.  I'm under workers comp. and instead of an MRI they have decided I should do a few weeks of physical therapy.  So, in the meantime I get to accessorize with a sweet knee brace.  And no work.  No ski team.  No nothing.  

 (warning: a lot of complaining coming)

I feel old and helpless.  I hate not being able to move like I normally would and do the things I normally would do.  Not only is my knee an issue but my hip is starting to pay the price as well.  I'm not sure if it's because I'm of how I'm walking or what, but I think my hip is hurting worse than my knee at this point!  I wake up with it aching soooooo bad!!!

I feel like such an old lady!  (wait, did I say that already?)

Anyway, this has been a difficult stretch for me.

I've been pretty down and out...I hate that.

How am I supposed to survive the winter if I can't ski?!

I'm hoping that nothing is actually torn and with a little time off it will heal up in no time and I'll be back to my normal self...instead of bitchy mom, who is about ready to just chop my leg off completely because it's pretty much useless to me at this point.

Tomorrow I meet with a physical therapist.

Wish me luck.