Tag Archives: sports injury

Downward Slide, Part 2

26 May

After several days of rest, I hit the golf course yesterday. It has been too hot to stay home and be a sloth. The heat and humidity bites at the skin, making it very uncomfortable.

But it was an afternoon game, and I was expecting the worse. Luckily, there was enough wind to cool down the body. Anyway, it was the company and camaraderie that I wanted to have instead of staring at the computer and having designer’s block.

Sometimes it is not the game but the people and friendship. So there wasn’t too much walking and golf, but rather, laughter and chatter.

Separately, I discovered a possible problem with my game. My driver has a gap at the joint between the head and the shaft. My goodness! It is a miracle the club head is still intact upon contact for the past several games.

A loose driver head!

Could this be the reason for my recent downward slide? Most of my tee-offs have been short lately, thus, making the subsequent shots harder. I did notice this gap some time ago but took no heed of it. However, with my recent slide, I questioned everything, and this came to light.

So I used a different driver for yesterday’s game while the problem club was being fixed and recalibrated. Hopefully, after the adjustment, I can tee off well again with my regular driver and subsequently play better golf. Keeping my fingers crossed on this. But until then, more rest to manage the plantar fasciitis on the foot.

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Downward Slide

22 May

Lately, I have been on a downward slide in my golf game. It is disheartening. It is not like I don’t know how to play the game. I suspect it is the state of the mind. Sometimes some things are unexplainable, and this is one of those times.

Perhaps playing so much is not good but detrimental instead. I have picked up a new injury along the way. This time, it is plantar fasciitis of my right foot. And the pain level differs each time; obviously, it hurts more when I walk too much.

And when it hurts, it affects the concentration and state of mind. It becomes a domino effect, and I start a downward freefall. Everything falls apart, from the tee-off, and fairway shots with any club, to the short game and putting. It is demoralizing and aggravating at the same time. Sigh.

Barely a month ago, I was playing good golf. But now, I cannot hold myself up to complete a decent round of 18 holes. I need to manage my pain and control my state of mind to stay focused. Otherwise, I should consider taking a break from golf to rest and reset.

Tags: , , , ,

Never Assume

16 Jan

The back pain I mentioned at the beginning of the year led to more than what it was. One should not assume and brush things aside when in pain, be it a nagging back pain, pinched nerve, or pulled muscle. Initially, I thought with rest, the pain would subside, and I would be fine. But no, it was far worse.

For more than a week, I experienced excruciating pain five times which had me almost keeling over each time it hit. Something is not right with my body!

I consulted a doctor friend verbally and then saw three doctors for the recurring issue. And I also did several blood and urine tests to identify the problem.

And what a problem it was – I had kidney stones. Dang! By Thursday afternoon, the urologist specialist I visited ordered a CT scan to be done. And that evening, I was hospitalized. Everything happened very fast!

The next day, I underwent a cystoscopy and had the stones blasted to smithereens. Being sedated in the OT room, I could hardly give a first-hand update on the situation then; hence no story on Friday.

I am home now and recuperating well after being discharged on Saturday afternoon. I am thankful all this is behind me by now and in time to get ready to usher in the Lunar New Year of the Water Rabbit!

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Starting Off with a Bang

2 Jan

The New Year started off with a bang, literally. Fireworks went off at the stroke of midnight, and 15 minutes into the new year, the fireworks continued. We have gotten used to this, having firework displays close to home.

For many years, we don’t even have to drive out to join the merry-making crowd to see the colorful displays and usher in the New Year. The comforts of home, especially from the bedrooms, give us the best views without the crowd and sweaty bodies.

My New Year did not start so smoothly. I injured my left knee while golfing. To make matters worse, I pulled my back muscle too. And at the end of the New Year game, I was in excruciating pain from the back injury. During lunch, it was horrible; I was nauseous and could not eat. We left so that I could recover from this unexpected ordeal.

I felt like a machete was chopping my back repeatedly. Even the painkiller could not help. Why is my New Year kicking off so dramatically? Ugh. Thank goodness all that excruciating pain subsided with rest and some roll-on medication. Lesson learned: do not pull weeds at awkward angles before a golf game. Happy New Year, people!

Tags: , , , , , , ,

A Break from Golf

13 Sep

I am enjoying the break from golf after getting my latest tattoo. It is advisable to allow the tattoo to heal, considering where it is on my arm. So best to avoid exerting repetitive motions, as in playing golf, the better and faster the recovery.

Actually, for a change, it is nice not having to wake up twice or thrice a week for the game. Sometimes the obsession with the game is too much. So much so that whatever injuries we pick up along the way will never heal.

Before getting the tattoo inked, I was experiencing pain in my right arm, a new injury I picked up when I was golfing so often. My game suffered along the way, unfortunately, and my arm never had any opportunity to rest. But now, with the tattoo excuse, it is a blessing in disguise, and my arm is getting the much-needed rest.

I will rest for another week before picking up my golf clubs again. The skin above my Snoopy tattoo is peeling this week, signs of the skin healing and regenerating itself. By the end of next week, the skin above the tattoo would have healed, and the injured arm would have recovered. I should be back in action!

Tags: , , , , , ,

A Nagging Pain

22 Aug

I have been having this nagging shoulder pain for some time now. It probably came about from playing golf. Too much golf? Hmm. There are days when I am doing house chores, and the pain suddenly strikes when I use my arms too much. Ouch.

As a result of this nagging pain, my golf game has suffered. I find my ball striking distances have reduced. Sigh. Perhaps less golf to allow the muscle to heal? Then again, to do fewer house chores as well? Hmm. What a thought! Well, here’s wishing myself a speedy recovery.

Tags: , , , ,

A Terrible Start, Part 2

4 Jan

It looks like the negative vibes coming into the New Year have continued. Boo hoo hoo. When will I shed this?

On New Year’s day, we caught a rat, only for it to escape the next day! How did the rat manage to open the cage door? What stumped us was the unexplained fact that the cage was across the garden and on its side, and not at the original spot where we left it? Did the rat have assistance from the garden squirrels or otherwise? Creepy.

Lucky rat, it survived this round, but we will get it next time.

My first golf game for the New Year was a disastrous outing. Strange, considering just a week ago, I played one of my best games. And as if this was not demoralizing enough, I slipped and fell on the second hole. Although I was not injured, the mishap was enough to wreck the mental approach to the game. It was a downhill performance for the rest of the 16 holes. Sigh.

And last night, the aquarium pump started acting up with strange noises! It’s a brand new unit, hardly a year old, and this happened. I can cry with all these unfortunate happenings.

To top off the terrible start, my golf game this morning was even worse than Sunday’s game! I hope this is now rock bottom because when you’re right at the bottom and cannot go any lower, moving upwards is the next step.

I can only hope this belief will hold when I play my next game on Thursday. Let’s hope this terrible start to the New Year ends by then.

Tags: , , , , , , ,

Road to Recovery

17 Aug

It has been two weeks already since my mishap missing the last step on the flight of stairs. The donut on the left ankle subsided, but the bump on the right ankle is still evident, albeit smaller.

Bump has reduced on the right ugly foot

I have gone back to playing golf after resting for five days. And I played one of my best games ever, coming back with two under my handicap! I guess the break was not only good for the ankles but the body. However, to be safe, I wrapped my right ankle for protection. The weather was excellent, and the game was exceptional. And I didn’t let the ankle bother me.

Since then after that personal best, I have played three more games. And I’m pleased to say the ankle held up okay. I hope by the end of this week, the bump will subside and the ankle back to looking normal. The road to recovery can sometimes be an arduous track, but I’m hanging in there with exercise and positive thoughts.

Tags: , ,

Another Proud Moment

14 Aug
My beautiful home

The two-story bungalow is finally complete! Yay. Towards the end of the project, I was sidetracked with my busy golf schedule, cooking, and my unfortunate mishap. But all’s good now.

The set has been very challenging from the start. From wiring, wall alignments to dealing with fabrics, it was a test of patience and skills. But I suppose I can be forgiven if the set has not been perfect because after all, this was my first DIY project.

Gaps in the wall and windows but not obvious at a glance
Messy wiring & difficult sofas

The wiring was stressful compared to the cafe because firstly, it’s a much bigger set, and secondly, there are more light points. The biggest challenge, however, was dealing with fabrics. The pillows! Ugh. The last few pillows delayed the completion of the set. I sat myself down and got this over and done with when I couldn’t do other things much because of my recent fall.

Citizens of Gigglesville testing the sofas before the pillows were added

It was another proud and exciting moment when I switched on the lights. I could feel a sense of accomplishment. So now, this piece is being displayed on the dining table, together with the cafe.

Looks gorgeous when lighted up!

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Day Trip to Malacca

11 Aug

As I’m resting from my weekend golf to allow my injuries to heal, we decided to do a day trip to Malacca to keep busy, and not just stay at home. M2 had read about a dog cafe and thought it would be a good idea to check it out. And so we did on Sunday.

The drive was pleasant as traffic was not too heavy on the highway. We arrived at 11.30 am and decided to have an early lunch. Approaching the junction, we had a good laugh over the welcome signboard. Mamee Monster is a snack everyone grew up eating, my girls and I included.

Welcome to my hometown says Mamee Monster!

Hubby took us to Baba Ang, a Nyonya restaurant. He had dined here with his friends before, so he thought this would be a good choice rather than somewhere unfamiliar. However, we couldn’t order a lot as there’s only three of us compared to his big group of friends.

Nyonya lunch stop

The sambal on the okra was very good with a hint of dried shrimps in it. Likewise, the Assam Fish looked fiery but wasn’t too spicy for the taste buds. But the Tamarind Prawns was a letdown. It was expensive for only five prawns that weren’t even big ones. The Cendol dessert rounded up the meal.

A hot day and no crowd

After lunch, we drove around town. We were glad we took the sights from inside the car than on foot because the weather was extremely hot. I was happy I didn’t have to walk to stress the ankles. Sadly, most shops along Jonker Walk were closed due to the MCO restrictions imposed to contain the pandemic virus that has besieged the world. There were some tourists but not in overwhelming numbers.

Soon it was time to head to the dog cafe, The Huskitory. We had a delightful time mingling with all the Siberian Huskies and vying for their attention with treats. The dogs are very well trained but picky. They’d only come close to you if you have a treat in hand. Clever furballs.

It was called a Husky tsunami when the dogs rushed in
Simple dinner at the end of the day

The allotted hour went by quickly, and it was time to leave for home. Although traffic was heavy, we were in no hurry and simply enjoyed the drive back. The pleasant Sunday day trip ended with a satisfying dinner and a lovely sunset.

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

← Older Entries