Everything I Did to Heal My Stress Fracture

I hope I never, ever get a stress fracture again! I have been trying to document this journey, however, so I made a list of things I did/have been/am doing in my healing process. I am not a doctor, nutritionist, or physical therapist. This is just my protocol based on my own research, as well as the recommendations of the experts I saw:

1. I drank coffee with RNWY collagen in every day for a least a month. I started this because I thought I had a tendon injury, but when I found out it was a stress fracture, I continued, as there is some limited evidence that collagen might help with bone healing (Karaytug, 2021; Sun et al., 2025). It might also help with bone density, something I want to build in order to avoid future such injuries (Ask the Doctors, 2025; Konig et al, 2018). While I knew that rest might help my healing most, I also wanted to help my body along where I could. As an ongoing practice, I still drink coffee with collagen two to three times a week.

2. I stopped running. Yes, I probably should have done this first, and yes, I ran on my stress fracture. (I don't recommend this.) At first, I ran ignorantly, but after diagnosis, yes, I ran five more days (a mile a day). I didn't want to abandon my run streak. I was taking the orthopedic PA's advice to "do what pain allowed" and using it to my advantage. I wanted to convince myself that I could run through healing. I was in denial. But then I talked to my nurse mom, who advised doing no impact activities only. The next morning, the pastor preached about selfishness at church, and I realized it was time. I was still hurting. To submit to God and my husband, I needed to stop running. No other gods before God. No purposeful selfish decisions that would harm others. (I also knew I would not be running that weekend when we went to California for my brother's wedding, unless I tried to sneak around under the cover of darkness, and that was not my plan.)

3. I ate, a lot, especially sugar and simple carbs. After the finding out about my injury, I was very hungry. (I was just coming off a half-marathon, and I think the initial pain probably blunted my appetite.) I also felt very stressed, so my cortisol may have been triggering stress eating. Increased sweets cravings, especially for chocolate, was documented in at least once research study of individuals with fractures (Nicoll, 2019). Since I heard that bone healing is energy expensive, I indulged myself (Brown, 2019). This did lead to weight gain, but I figured I could either be mad that I could not run because I slowed my healing by restricting calories, or feel different in my body and hopefully run again. I chose the latter.

4. I reduced my salt intake, and I stopped putting salt in my hot chocolate. With exercising so much less, I didn't need quite as much sodium. I also heard that salt might leech calcium out of the body (Tiyasatkulkovit, 2021). I wanted to keep as much calcium as possible around in order to rebuild my bone!

5. I started taking calcium chews, and then added a vitamin D supplement. Was I low in either nutrient? Not technically, but I don't eat a lot of dairy, and my vitamin D was below the 40 plus recommended for runners (Momaya, 2025). My dietitian said one 1,000 mcg supplement could not hurt me, so I took it (and I am still taking it).

6. I ate a bowl of fortified cereal with whole milk almost every night for the first twelve weeks of my recovery. And on that note, I switched most of my dairy products from low fat to skim, as fat boosts vitamin D absorption (Dawson-Hughes, 2015). Extra fat could also contribute to the energy surplus my dietitian recommend. While I am not eating cereal every night anymore, I am still trying to eat lots of dairy, as much as possible of the full-fat variety.

7. I started seeing a dietitian to help evaluate me for any nutrient gaps. Yes, I like to research, but she has a degree in this stuff. It is good to consult experts.

8. I hired a physical therapist (PT) with a speciality in bone health in runners, specifically stress fractures. There are actually two PTs in my area with this expertise, but I went with the one I could afford, and that was closer to me. She did not take insurance, so this is expensive, but is by far the most worthwhile resource on this list!

9. I waited to run. I about broke (down) several times, but I figured if I had hired experts to help me, I needed to stick with the plan. This was really difficult, especially when I felt really terrible in my body. With a lot of support from my husband and the Lord's strength, however, I made it. Now, I am trying to hold myself back and only run what the PT prescribes, so as to keep my stress fracture healed and not break anything else.

10. I started lifting heavier than ever. My PT suggested this to help build my bone density. I even started using barbells. Apparently this is good for my longterm health and longevity, so it is something I plan to continue doing.

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There are probably some other things I could add to this list, but these are the main ones. Which contributed most to my healing? I don't know. Probably all of it. If I could make one recommendation, however, it would be to train smart and fix nutrient gaps before a stress fracture results. That is a whole lot better than needing advice about how to heal a broken bone!

References:

Ask the Doctors. (2025, July 30).  Study indicates collagen peptides can increase bone density.

UCLA health. https://www.uclahealth.org/news/article/study-indicates-collagen-peptides-can-increase-bone-density

Brown, S. E. (2019, December 9). How to speed fracture healing. Better bones. https://betterbones.com/fractures-and-healing/speed-up-fracture-healing/

Dawson-Hughes, B., Harris, S. S., Lichtenstein, A. H., Dolnikowski, G., Palermo, N. J., & Rasmussen, H. (2015). Dietary fat increases vitamin D-3 absorption. Journal of the academy of nutrition and dietetics, 115(2), 225–230. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2014.09.014

Karaytug, K., Arzu, U., Ergin, O. N., Bilgili, F., Unverengil, G., Bayram, S., & Sen, C. (2021). Effects of Collagen- and Arginine-Fortified Osteokine Supplementation on Fracture Healing. Cureus, 13(10), e19072. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.19072

König, D., Oesser, S., Scharla, S., Zdzieblik, D., & Gollhofer, A. (2018). Specific Collagen Peptides Improve Bone Mineral Density and Bone Markers in Postmenopausal Women-A Randomized Controlled Study. Nutrients, 10(1), 97. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10010097

Momaya, A. (2025, August 18). Should I take vitamin D as an athelete. Momaya sports medicine. https://www.momayamd.com/blog/should-i-take-vitamin-d-as-an-athlete/?bp=47902 

Nicoll R. (2019). Sickness behavior may follow fracture as well as infection. Brain, behavior, & immunity - health, 1, 100002. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbih.2019.100002

RNWY. (n.d.). RNWY foundation. https://rnwy.life/products/foundation?srsltid=AfmBOoqU6wWmXDD7Gyzy-F1kRCyx8OdoJoBe896SQxm77xyjbYPI6pKM

Sun, C., Yang, A., Teng, F., & Xia, Y. (2025). Efficacy of collagen peptide supplementation on bone and muscle health: a meta-analysis. Frontiers in nutrition, 12, 1646090. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2025.1646090

Tiyasatkulkovit, W., Aksornthong, S., Adulyaritthikul, P., Upanan, P., Wongdee, K., Aeimlapa, R., Teerapornpuntakit, J., Rojviriya, C., Panupinthu, N., & Charoenphandhu, N. (2021). Excessive salt consumption causes systemic calcium mishandling and worsens microarchitecture and strength of long bones in rats. Scientific reports, 11(1), 1850. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-81413-2

The World is My Oyster (Or Is It?)

I remember that morning very clearly, the day of my masters graduation. I went for a jog in the crisp clear air, and as my feet hit the pavement of my oh, so familiar route, I thought, “The world is my oyster. I can do anything.” I felt a sense of freedom that day, a sense of exhilaration, a sense of anticipation. Little did I know that my decision to pursue counseling licensure in Arizona would require nine months of back and forth correspondence with the state counseling board, or that finding a job and community in Arizona would be so hard or so time-consuming.

But here I am, two and a half years later, living in Arizona, working as a counselor. As 2019 has begun, I see many open days before me. I know that I can fill the pages of this book of my year as I choose, but I also realize that my time and energy are limited. I can do anything, but I can't do everything.

I enjoy fitness, but it isn't my life. Besides physical therapy, I basically have 30 minutes a day to commit to exercise. That means I can choose weights or cardio, but not both. I have to choose what is more important. I just don't have time or energy to throw around the weights and hit the streets for my preferred three mile plus runs.

I've finally gotten to the point where I'm getting more invitations to do social things, but I just don't have time for all of them. Sometimes, I need to stretch and expand my horizons by hanging out with new people and doing new things. Other times, I need to say, “No,” in order to focus on investing more deeply in the relationships that are most important to me.

Work presents dozens of opportunities for training and learning, and frankly, just more hours, but I need to decide what I'm called to do and what I'm not. Work is a big part of my world, but not my entire world. I don't want it to become all-consuming.

I have numerous hobbies and activities I'd like to do in my spare time, but there just isn't always time for everything. I need to rest, too.

So the world is my oyster, but it's also not. Many opportunities lie before me, but I have the responsibility to choose which ones to crack into, and which ones not. I have to choose where to mine for beauty, and what mines to let others tend to. Life is beautiful, but I miss the fullness of that beauty if I never stop to appreciate it.

May God give me wisdom as I anticipate the days ahead and traverse with him the sands, waves, and seashores of this life.

Focal Dystonia: What Helps

I've written several times here about my focal dystonia. It's been a long journey, and one I am beginning to realize will never be over, save the Lord miraculously healing me. To be honest, the condition seems to be worsening again, but after working for nearly a year to build back the muscle lost to atrophy from getting botox, I'm focusing on finding any way I can to avoid that again.

What I've Tried:

• Avoiding crochet: I tried this for a year, thinking if I gave the repetitive motion a break, maybe my hand would get better. It didn't.
• A low-salt diet: I thought that lower salt might reduce inflammation, but it didn't seem to help, and I like my salt! So I went back to trying to eat moderately and not avoidantly.
• Botox: I already mentioned this, but it caused major atrophy of my arm and extreme weakness that I am still trying to overcome. The doctor said that botox will always cause atrophy, but that the last amount I received was enough for someone with an arm the size of my leg. Go figure!

What's Helped:

• Using an ergonomic crochet hook: This has allowed me to enjoy crocheting again. I still cannot crochet as long or as often as I like, but at least I can do something. The "fatter" handle makes the hook easier to grasp and helps reduce the dystonic clenching that happens.
• Physical therapy: This helped me recognize how the dystonia was affecting my whole body. It has helped me work on my posture and make other corrections to prevent and treat the neck and shoulder pain that come from the dsytonic contractions. It also gave me a home strengthening routine that has helped me rebuild my muscle. I'm on round three of the eight week program and have gained about three quarters of an inch of muscle back in my right forearm, which tells you how much I'd lost.
• Occupational therapy: This added to my physical therapy routine and gave me some ideas about the process behind the dsytonia. My therapist also recommended some special writing implements and other assistive devices for use when my hand is bothering me. One is the Pen-Again, which is an alternate grip pen that again reduces the clenching action I have with the dystonia.
• Oval-8 finger splints: The occupational therapist recommended these, and I think they help sometimes. They are supposed to stop hyperextension, but the therapist said they also might add sensory input. Whatever. If I'm having a hard day typing, I try them. They at least look cool (or so my kids say!)
• Changing my routine: The truth is, my life isn't the same as before dystonia, which means I have to do things differently. This means I don't play piano as much, or much at all. I use my left hand more. I have to remember to hold onto things strongly with my right hand. I use a stand-up desk at work to relieve shoulder tension. I try to break up typing into shorter periods. I stretch a lot.
• Acceptance: The mental aspect of dystonia is part of the struggle. I fought my diagnosis and its permanency for quite some time. I wanted to find an answer, a solution, but there isn't one right now. So I am trying to accept my condition and give thanks to God for what I can do. And little things like painting my nails helps me remember to do that.

Dsytonia is not a condition I would wish on anybody, but it's my reality, and by God's grace, I'm learning to cope with it.

Butterfly Run 2.0

I like running. Maybe I'll do a post some other time about all the reasons why, but this post will be about one particular time I liked running: The Butterfly Run this past weekend in Tempe.

The Butterfly Run is a partnership between Nationwide Children's Hospital and Big Lots. It is designed to bring awareness to pediatric behavioral health issues and raise money for research into the causes of and treatment of the same. This was my second time running the race (a recap of my first is here) and I will run it again if I can. I like running, but I'm also passionate about the mental health of children.

The course this year was once again at Kiwanis Park. We went around the opposite way around, however. I did make all the turns and got in the full race this time, unlike last year when I had to run around a little extra to get in the 5K.

One of my friends ran with me, and my best friend from Arkansas watched, so that made the race extra fun. I've been sick and haven't been running that much or that hard lately. I've also been focusing more on physical therapy for my dystonia and gaining muscle than I have been on speed training. But somehow, I made really good time and set a personal record on this course. I also got first place in my gender/age division (only six people, but still, I'm thankful). 

The weather Saturday was beautiful and I got to go to brunch and spend time with my best friend after the race. We ate at The Uprooted Kitchen, wandered the gardens surrounding it, and then went shopping at Marshall's. 

I like running for a lot of reasons, but this weekend, I particularly liked it for the ways it allowed me to connect with causes and people I care about. My heart was filled and I came back from my "mini-vacation" a happy girl. Thank you, Lord!

Chocolate Zucchini Proats

I've been trying to eat more protein since my dystonia diagnosis and all the physical therapy I've been doing. But I'm also struggling to eat my veggies. These overnight oats covered all my bases and left me with a little more free time in the morning since they were pre-made. This recipe was a win for me, so I thought I'd share it with you, too.

I like bittersweet chocolate, so if you like things sweeter, feel free to add sweetener. Otherwise, enjoy as is.

Ingredients:

1/3 c quick oats
1 c grated zucchini
3 t dark cocoa powder
1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 t ginger
1/4 t cardamom
2 scoops protein powder (I like the organic pea protein from Trader Joe's
1 c water

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients thoroughly in a bowl or large jar.
2. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
3. Enjoy in the morning!

Some Questions are Okay...

I've received a lot of questions about my hand lately, mostly because of the new finger braces I'm wearing. Some questions are okay. (Some aren't.) And it's okay to ask about this.

Basically, my hand condition (focal dystonia) is permanent. I've got neurological miscommunication that makes some fingers contract and some fingers flex, both at the same time and at different times. I'm in my last week of occupational therapy and still doing my at home strengthening program. The finger braces are supposed to help my fingers do their jobs, especially typing, and the at home program is supposed to help restore the muscle mass lost due to botox. My therapists say it will take awhile for that to happen, though.

I wish there was a cure for dystonia, but there isn't, so I'm learning to accept it. It helps that I'm realizing there's more to life than my hand. At least I still have a hand.

So here's to coming up with concise answers to the hand questions, doing my job, being diligent about therapy, and seeing how things go. Barring a miracle, this is life, and I want to live my life, dystonia or not.

Walking Around These Halls

Walking around these walls

I thought by now they'd fall

But You have never failed me yet

Waiting for change to come

Knowing the battle's won

For You have never failed me yet

Elevation Worship, "Do It Again"

This hospital corridor is becoming far too familiar. After several years of making the rounds of all the doctors, I've been referred to Barrow Neurological Institute, and after multiple, multiple visits, I've received the prognosis is that my condition is chronic. This dystonia is permanent. As much as that is bad news, it is good news. I can seeking a cause for my condition and just start accepting it. Right now, acceptance looks like physical and occupational therapy. Long term, it looks like living in a new way.

I never thought that I'd have a chronic health condition at age 30. The doctors continue to tell me how "young" I am. I know I'm young and that's why I don't want more botox. But I also accept that I belong to a fallen world and that I am aging and that life will never be perfect.

I have prayed and prayed for my hand condition to go away. I have seen the inside of more doctors office than I can count. And while healing hasn't come, I can testify to this: God hasn't failed me yet. He is God over the halls of the hospital, sovereign within the walls of dystonia, and Lord of my life.

God is Up To Something.

It's been a pretty crummy few weeks. I've struggled with sleep, obsessed about the stupidest things, worried about my health, felt unworthy, gotten overwhelmed, and had decision fatigue. Then I got that flat tire. I may be ridiculous when I say this, but I got the idea that God was about to do something.

I have faced spiritual opposition every time I tried to take action regarding my professional career. I renewed my license the Monday that all this started. I had been praying a lot about some things before that, and then suddenly the importance of those things took a back seat. 

Whether or not I'll get the answer I want about any of those matters, God wants me to pray. And I confess that I let the crumminess of life distract me from that spiritual responsibility.
I went to the occupational therapist and the physical therapist the two days before I had the flat tire. I got super overwhelmed about all they asked and expected of me. And I started thinking about that instead of about loving others, doing good in the world, or praying. And then the flat tire.

The flat tired changed my perspective some. It helped me realize that there is still good in the world. It made me grateful. And it convinced me that I need to persevere.

When God works, Satan works. And God is always working, so Satan is always working. 
Therefore, I am rebuking Satan in Jesus' name and praying to accept what God has for me. I'm not expecting some pie-in-the-sky reward for my faithfulness, but I am looking forward to seeing what God will do, because I know He is up to something.

How a Screw and a Flat Tire Reminded Me of the Goodness of God

"I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living."

~Psalm 27:13, New International Version

Last Wednesday, on the way back from an early morning physical therapy appointment, I heard what sounded like a tire popping. I catastrophized and thought my car might collapse to the ground, and strand me, but it didn't. So I drove to work and worked out my day. As I went to get in the car (with a kid) to go home, however, a work van waved me down and said, "Do you know your tire is flat?"

I was like, "No."

"Do you have a spare?" They asked.

"Yes," I said and started moving stuff around in my trunk to get at the spare. I got out the spare and the two men changed my tire in under ten minutes. I took the kid home, took myself home, and got Dad to help me make a plan for fixing my tire before I drove to the airport early Saturday morning.

I'd had a pretty overwhelming day that day, but this incident reminded me that life could be worse. I could have gotten stuck on the side of the road between physical therapy and Prescott. I could have tried to drive on my flat tire and damaged the tire rim or my car. I could have had to wait for Dad to come change my tire at work. 

But God in his providence provided two nice men to drive into the work parking lot at just the right time. I knew they were safe because they were in a work van. They were willing to change my tire and didn't ask for compensation. I have reason to believe that God orchestrated this series of events, too, because I said something to the men about the fact that I don't believe in coincidence. The one man replied, "He makes everything happen for a reason." Yes He does!

God is good and there are still good people in the world. "I [do] see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living" (Ps 27:13).

Craveable Chocolate Oatmeal Muffin Cups

Returning to physical therapy means early mornings. I decided I'd rather sleep in and eat breakfast in the car than get up early. That meant figuring out an on-the-go breakfast. I've been craving chocolate, and you know I like oatmeal. So I searched for a recipe and found these chocolate breakfast oatmeal cupcakes from Chocolate Covered Katie. I subtracted some sweetener, substituted some and came up with these delightful and satisfying chocolate oatmeal muffin cups.

The dark cocoa in these muffins makes them slightly decadent. The applesauce adds sweetness without overpowering. Almond butter adds protein and satisfaction. It's a pretty good combination. So without further ado, here's the recipe.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1/4 c cocoa powder
1 T baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 1/2 c water
2 T almond butter
1 1/2 T vanilla

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 380 degrees.
2) Grease 12 cupcake tins. (I used coconut oil.)
3) Mix together dry ingredients in a large bowl.
4) Stir together wet ingredients in a smaller bowl.
5) Add wet ingredients to dry and stir.
6) Bake at 380 degrees for 25 minutes.
7) Allow muffins to cool in the pan before removing.

I put my muffins in the freezer after they cooled and pop out a few before I leave in the morning, but how you eat them is up to you!

Disability or Ability?

I've been to the primary care doctor, orthopedic doctor, chiropractor, neurologist, physical therapist, and a specialist. I've had two MRIs and two EMGs. I have received numerous injections of botox. The problem isn't any better, my hand that is. I wanted a fix. I wanted a cure. But I'm beginning to think this is a permanent condition.

I've always been privileged: able-bodied, smart, and pretty healthy. We didn't have tons of money growing up and I had some illnesses, but nothing was permanent. Not this. This hand issue appears that it is going to stay the same, if not get worse. I have a disability.

I've seen plenty of people operate with disabilities. They don't make a big deal of it. They just live. But me? I feel in the spotlight. I wonder what people think when they see me type fully with my left hand and with only one finger of my right hand. I have to explain why I don't play piano much anymore. I drop things. I have strange pains. My arm has atrophied and makes me feel self-conscious. This condition is embarrassing. I'm frustrated.

I can focus on what this condition of dystonia takes from me, but in some ways, it's a gift. It reminds me that I'm human. It forces me to slow down. It teaches me to pace myself. It requires me to ask for and accept help. It makes me recognize the benefits of health insurance and access to doctors. It provides me the opportunity to identify with others who struggle. I can't change the fact that my hand doesn't work like I want it to, but I can change the way I view this condition. Do I see dystonia as a disability, or an ability? My perspective on dystonia makes a difference in how I cope with it.

"This is All Good News"

"This is all good news." That is what the doctor said after conducting yet another nerve study of my arms and hands. I had hoped that this study would reveal the cause of the incoordination and dropsy and clenching and pain of my right hand. I even got excited when the EMG tech said my nerve responses were slow (but then he used a blow dryer to warm up my hand and that fixed the "problem").

(My marked-up, poked-up, post-EMG-test-hand)

I've been struggling with this hand issue for years now. I thought it was carpal tunnel, but then it wasn't. I went to the chiropractor. I visited the neurologist. I underwent MRIs of my neck and spine. I tried a Parkinson's medicine. I got botox. I went to physical therapy. Nothing really changed.

So when the doctor told me the test showed no cause for my problems, I felt disappointed, and angry, and discouraged. I am thankful that I do not have muscular dystrophy or multiple sclerosis or some incurable disease, but I wanted the doctor to find something wrong so he could fix me. The lack of results from my test wasn't good news in my world. 

My mom and I have a weekly tradition of walking and talking on Saturday mornings and on our walk today, she brought up Romans 11:33. This verse says, "Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!  How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!" As we talked about God and his inscrutable ways, I thought about my hand and how God says he works all things together for good for those who love him (Rom 8:28). My hand issues do not feel good. The lack of diagnostic results from my test do not feel good. But I'm not on the other side of the table. I'm not the one with the medical degree and the background knowledge needed to interpret the tests. I don't know what it would really be like to get the test and have results that pointed to a terrible diagnosis.

I think it's like that with God. We pray for healing and hope and help and other good things and we don't see God come through. Life doesn't go well and we don't feel good. But we don't have infinite knowledge. We don't see our lives as the tiny specks they are in the grand scheme of God's cosmos. We don't know how our pain and sorrow and grief and other "not good" things might fit into God's eternal plan.

The "not good" of life is hard! I am not at a place where I can fully accept a diagnosis of dystonia as the only reason for my hand issues. I get angry when I can't type well or when all the tendons and muscles in my forearm hurt from trying to use my hand. I still plan to go to Phoenix to see another doctor in order to get a second opinion. I am not happy with the "good news" of my tests.

But in the midst of it all, I still have to claim and believe in God's goodness. I have to recognize God's goodness in spite of my worldly suffering. I live in light of God's goodness, and that exists in an entirely different cosmos. That otherworldly universe is about God's glory, not just about what seems and feels good to me right now.

Afghan 56

With God's help, I finished another afghan! This afghan is the one jumbo skein baby blanket from Yarnspirations. I completed the blanket in Red Heart cherry red, and yes, it did take just about one skein of yarn.

This yarn was a lesson in patience and in the tolerance of imperfection, as I could not seem to keep the edges straight. I'll point out that the blanket seems a little warped in this picture, and it is, though the picot stitch edging helped. Overall, I am just glad I finished. My dystonia helps me focus on finishing my afghans, rather than on making them perfect.

As for my dystonia, I notice my hand getting worse. It is harder to type. I find my hand clenching some when I try to do things like chop food in the kitchen. My ring finger and pinkie cross in what the physical therapist called, "scissoring." Whether it's related or not, my right elbow has swollen and started to hurt. I did see the doctor on Veteran's Day, but I declined botox in favor of another EMG nerve test. That is scheduled for a few weeks out.

Will you please pray with me that I will find some answers for this issue? I am thankful that I have a hand and that it kind of works to crochet afghans like this one. Still, I am frustrated, and I'll admit a bit grumpy and mad about the issue. I just want a certain and precise diagnosis so I can either fix the problem or figure out how to deal with it. But maybe that is not my lot. Either way, I have to learn to be content, rest, and trust God about it, and I am struggling to do these things.

Taking a Day Off

Those of you who know me in real life know that I'm a chronic "doer." Over the past few weeks, though, I've pretty much done myself in. So when the opportunity came to clear my schedule and take a vacation day yesterday, I did. Sure, I felt a little guilty. Yes, I wondered if I could have made it another day. But when I woke up at 7:25 am instead of rolling over to turn off the 5 am alarm, I was glad I decided to take a break.

What have I done today? A whole lot of nothing. Well, I did change the sheets on my bed and do two loads of laundry. I did my physical therapy exercises. But those are things that needed to be done. Besides that, I fixed myself a nice breakfast and just allowed myself to sit.

I scrolled Instagram and watched a few YouTube videos. This one about Cole LaBrant's vows to his adopted daughter at the wedding to her mom is pretty sweet.

I did a little computer work (writing this blog, prayer verses, etc.). I wrote my family an e-mail.

I watched an Amazon Prime movie: Pitching Love and Catching Faith. (It was a mostly clean movie, but struck out on the faith aspect. I wouldn't necessarily recommend it. I stayed in my pjs through lunch, more social media, and a nap. Then I finally changed into "real" clothes to go for a jog. Albeit at a slow place, I made it through three miles. This was my first jog in over a week. And I felt like I finally had some energy!

After jogging, I stretched and spent some time in my happy place. My best friend bought me that floor pillow, and it's awesome. There's something about sitting on the floor that makes me feel calm. My 25 cent library magazine and crochet were welcome companions for my quiet retreat.

Next came Thai food with middle school friends.

And then a wrap up of this blog post on the computer, nightly snack, and bed.

I like to be productive. I like to justify my days and my life. And yesterday was justifiable. Just not in the traditional sense. It was a needed break and a needed rest. I didn't get a lot done, but that's not what rest days are about.

Afghan 55

Another month, another afghan. I made it part of my self-care practice to try to crochet three rows a day in September. I achieved my goal most days. The problem was that this afghan was supposed to take only four hours. 

Instead the blanket took the month to made. Admittedly, neither the pattern nor the color are my favorite. The blanket is very imperfect, and I fear too big for more newborns.

The blanket is done now, though, and I can move on.

I am moving on in other areas, too, like with my dystonia. I have started physical therapy and though I am not sure it is helping yet, I am trying it. The last injection of botox did not really seem to have an effect, and I notice that it is harder to type and that I find my hand clenching more. It is a sure thing that I have lost strength in my right hand, as the physical therapy tests show that my right hand is 50% weaker than my left hand, and it should be about 10% stronger, as it is my dominant hand. So I'm working with hand putty and exercises daily, therapy twice a week, and continued inquiry into what is really going on. (Both hand therapists think I may have more nerve issues.)

I am thankful that I can crochet some for now, and I hope that this blanket will be a blessing to some baby in the future.

Afghan 54

Pinterest is a great place to find baby blanket patterns. (Find my Projects board here.) The book of patterns my friend game me has been wonderful, but something I just want to search for something new. That is how this afghan came to be.

The pattern is baby bean by Left in Knots. The stitch is a variation of cluster and is repeated row after row. (I completed about 108 rows before edging in a single crochet stitch.) For the afghan, I used most of a Super Saver Jumbo skein of petal pink from Red Heart. The finished product measured 22 by 33 inches.

As for my hand, it lets me do about three rows of crochet a day, which is better than nothing when it comes to stress relief. The last shot of botox did not hurt much, but did not seem to help with the clenching and discomfort. The next step is hand therapy with a physical therapist. We'll see how that goes. This focal dystonia might just be something I have to live with.