Monday, July 22, 2013

Diastasis Recti Go Away...Far Far Away!


So I used to do forestry work about a decade ago and I could lug around a chainsaw with ease.  Today though is a different story.  I am frumpy, poochy, and just feel more like Jaba the Hutt than Princess Leia.  Although I don't think I ever felt like her in the first place, but I think you get the picture.  I have found out that my muscles tore apart and its going to take some time to get them to close again.  It is called diastasis recti and you literally have no abdomen strength.  There is a hole in your abdomen muscles and your organs are exposed till you can get the muscles to bind back together.  I asked my physical therapist how long it took for her to close the gap and she admitted to me it took a year...WTF?!?  A whole year?!?

Geez this whole business of having babies definitely takes a toll on your body and if you are a man then spare me the I understand phrase.  Yes I get that you made the choice to become a couch potato and to lose your definition.  My choice was to have a baby, but not in a million years did I think it would lead to a gaping hole in my abdomen.  I guess it is more likely to occur with subsequent pregnancies and yet it is not frequently discussed amongst pregnant women.  I had never heard of it till my physical therapist showed me why I was struggling just to pick up my daughter.

Well I'm on my way to recovery and who knew that I would be pulling up a pair of spanx over my jiggles.  I certainly had no clue that diastasis recti would make me succumb to buying a pair of spanx.  I mean who wants to wear a binding like corset in this day and age.  Now I don't wear it all the time, but if I am doing a lot of activity then its definitely spanx time!  Good news is that after wearing the one size for about a week, I'm almost ready to jump into the smaller size that they have.  On a good note, I found out that wearing it has helped the gap get smaller.  I really wish I had tried it earlier and I keep telling my pregnant girlfriends that they need to think of spanx the moment they have that baby.

Now there are exercises you can do to help heal and I wear the spanx when doing them.  I kind of visualize the muscles coming closer together as I do them.  I can't help, but think "knit faster, knit faster."  A girlfriend of mine suggested kayaking and I thought wow I don't have the abdomen strength to do anything like that.  I sometimes have to ask my husband to pick up our infant daughter from my arms and then help me up off the floor.  Yeah, diastasis recti is no joke.  So back to the exercises I'm rocking right now and I admit I don't find myself dedicating the time that I need to.  I am just that busy most days.  If you google Sahrmann exercises, you can find a plethora of information or watch the exercises on youtube.  Best part is if you are a LOTR fan then you can conjure up the name it closely resembles.  I swear I wondered what my physical therapist was saying the first time she pronounced it.

Anyway, please don't think you are some badass who can skip to exercise five before you complete the first one.  This is not a race and as I said before diastasis recti is no joke.  If you have ever done the 100 in pilates then the first step of moving your tummy to the ground should be an easy concept for you.  Trust me I'm a long way off from ever doing those 100s.  However, I'm not afraid to admit I'm not ready to do even one pilates move.  You just had a baby so please be easy on yourself.  I think this is even harder because we know how we once were.

Yes a long long time ago...


Monday, July 15, 2013

Too Much Stuff Part 2!

Okay do you remember where I spoke about having too much stuff?  I am blown away at how much stuff I truly do have!  So about a month ago we got news we would be moving due to my husband's job.  It has been about four years since we have moved anywhere and its amazing at how much has been accumulated in that time frame.  I decided this month that I would spend trying to clear the clutter before taking the ceremonial moving step and taping a cardboard box and coming to terms with packing everything I own.

Now you might be saying, but ahhh just throw it in a box Kerri, who cares about how you pack.  Well I could do that, but then the move takes twice as long to accomplish
and then there is the unpacking on the other side.  I have done quite a few moves in my time and this time I truly want to be organized.  I want to pack the items I truly want in my life.  The things I do not are either recycled, trashed, or given away to people.  We had a garage sale a couple of weeks ago and I realized why I haven't done a sale since 2007.  It is a lot easier to just give it away!!!  I had a girlfriend who wished me luck because she said she was done with the haggling and being petty over small items.  Overall it was a good sale and we were able to get rid of things.  HOWEVER...you had to know that was coming!  However, there was a gal who was bound and determined to get a brand new maternity gown for a dollar less.  I finally sold her the item, but in all honesty I wish I hadn't.  She was that snooty I could have gotten it cheaper at such and such store kind of person.  What a pain and I seriously feel sorry for the kid she is going to have.

No I'm not sorry I just said that either.  This is the truth blog so I will go ahead and admit it.  Some people were not meant to be parents I don't think.  Anyway, back to my move.  Since we plan to go galavanting across the country I want to get rid of items.  Yes, I have been giving things away free on a website I'm a member of.  Well problems crop up on that site too.  People want you to drive here or there for them to get something free or even worse never show up at the agreed location.  One gal who failed to show up wanted another item I had posted and I politely told her that I was planning to give it to the next gal in line on the forum.  She was upset about it and I told her I had held the first item for three days and she failed to come pick it up.  Seriously, why would I waste my time in trying to give her another item?  So there you go.  My horror stories about giving away something for free.  I do think that when the times come, I'll just make a large run to Goodwill, but I had wanted to give to people in need first.  Why does that have to be so difficult?!?