Wait, Figgins is still on a team?

The NFL referees got back to work finally and will be officiating shortly.  That means that baseball season is quickly coming to a close and the NFL is actually gearing up.  

It's great to see the Padres and Mariners actually improve this year.  It's been fun to watch both clubs progress and, while neither are in contention, they are in a progression.  They are progressing toward the non-suck line  That's the line that says "Go ahead and wear that jersey with pride" or "At least we're better than the Red Sox".  Good place to be actually. It means the stadium isn't crowded yet but the baseball isn't as abysmal as it was last year or even earlier this year.

Did you know Chone Figgins still plays for the Mariners?  Not JUST sitting on the bench plays, but actually in the field, suited up, and taking hacks plays.  I thought they just made up a rare and incurable disease for him and left him in Buffalo or Omaha or something.  It reminds me of what the Padres did with Jason Bartlett before releasing him. Oh he was on the 15 day DL for about half a season before he was released.  

My man Jake Peavy is throwing well. Just the fact that he's throwing is absolutely unreal.  Remember that?  Detached Latissimus muscle?  Ouch.  

I was looking through my baseball stuff over the last week and on my Jake Peavy shelf (yep, whole shelf and it's spilling over) is the ball he signed for me (courtesy of Teri and Jenn) wishing me well.  Just seeing that again keeps you full of hope.

The hope is that when I start throwing next week, it all feels ok.  Yes, it'll probably be a tennis ball and it'll probably be about 15 feet, but it'll be throwing.  It'll be a big step and a huge early birthday present if I can throw without pain.  I worry about it a little bit.  I think you have to.  Resuming the activity that got you injured in the first place.  Even slowly?  How do runners feel running again after getting stress fractures? Do you take it easy? Do you wonder if every little pain is something to be worried about.

I don't know yet.  I get my marching orders on Wednesday the 3rd. Ken says it's easy to follow and should get me back on a mound in March.  

The last few weeks, I've focused my workouts away from that elbow.  I've done things like chest flies, shoulder raises, legwork, etc.  Anything I can do to stay away from that joint.  It seems to work and it seems to get the job done in a relatively decent manner.  Katy thinks I'm doing the Plyo tosses stronger and that my arms are looking like they used to before my injury. My elbow has been sore but at my new job, I have a right handed mouse so I've already requested to get my lefty back.  I think that's a big thing.  Switching to that left handed mouse is a good idea.  

Jake has a 3.40 ERA this year and, at some point, took a first step in throwing.  Mine is next week.

Progression

Quick Friday night post:

Hi everyone,

My throwing program starts on October 3rd. It's apparently pretty regimented and easy so I anticipate a lot of evenings in my garage throwing balls at a wall.

No obvious jokes please.

Nonetheless I honestly feel fantastic. The elbow has been sore a bit this week but I think it's getting used to a right handed mouse again.  I've given up my lefty since I got canned from PopCap.  Oh, did you know that? I got canned from PopCap but promptly found an awesome job at WildTangent. I'm having a great time.

Anyway, it's been sore a bit, but I've altered my gym routine every morning to get the most out of it.  I've avoided elbow movement and have concentrated on shoulders,  back, core, and legs to burn the calories. I've also taken up tabata training (google it) for my cardio.  It's working like a charm.  So, despite my happy hour habit during my brief unemployment, I've taken off all of that weight and amd strengthening everything around the elbow again.

I go see Ken again on the 3rd.  He's amazing folks.  Really.  If you get a chance, just Google Ken Roll.

Onward!

A lot has happened in the last few weeks which has kept me from updating this blog.  Once I can talk a little bit more about it I will.

Let me just say that overall, people are fantastic. I really have a lot to be thankful for and let it go at that for now.

My recovery has taken a big step forward.  I'm back to lifting some weight on it and even managed a few assisted pullups yesterday.  I think this is a pretty big corner that I've turned.  For some reason, everything feels stronger and hurts less.  What actually hurts is the muscle surrounding the ligament.  I haven't felt ligament pain in a while.

Now, I'm not saying I'm going to run out and start bench pressing 250 again, but I am getting more and more comfortable with the idea that I'll be able too soon.  I'll give it another test tomorrow with a bunch of yard work, but I really feel strong and able.

You want a little secret.  I threw a few rocks for the dogs at the beach last weekend.  I also threw two apples at the uber-annoying blue jays that seem to love our tree.  I missed, but it had a little gas behind it.  I didn't hurt afterwards either.

Ryan Alvis, my TJ brother and I met up at a recent Indians game and shared a few stories. He's really been a big help even though he doesn't realize it.  He even confessed that he threw a football....and it felt ok.  If we get on the same team next year...people better look out.  It will be absolutely frightening.

Hiatus

Hi all,

I'm going on hiatus for a little bit. There's not much new to report and frankly, August is going to be a brutal month.

I'll resume the blog posting in mid-September when I get to start throwing a tennis ball. That should be awfully interesting.

Until then, catch me at PAX speaking in the Unicorn Room at 8pm on Friday August 31st.  The presentation should really be a bunch of fun and it's going to be the culmination of a pet project of mine.

Good days and bad days

This is the latter unfortunately.  

This is one of those days where you can really feel the ligament move around and it actually hurts.  It's not just sore or inflamed, it flat out hurts.  

You never know what you did to make it hurt either. Was it a bad lift at the gym? Was it weeding yesterday?  Was it something simple like moving the seats back in the car?  

Who knows?  All I know is that it hurts today.  So, it's going to be an "ice twice" day.  Once now...while it's hurting, and once again after I run through my PT routine this afternoon.

Long road.  It feels like it just gets longer and longer.  I have to remember though that I can do a LOT more now than I could in the beginning.  It's actually pretty amazing.  I'm doing shoulder exercises with 5 pounds now instead of 2.  Just a lot of different and interesting things that you realize you can now do.  That's probably important to keep in mind as you recover.  You need to have your little mileposts as you go and be sure to recognize each time you pass a milepost. 

It's easier to say than do, but it's important.  

Been a while

It's been a bit since I've posted and I sincerely apologize. There frankly hasn't been a lot to say lately.

My rehab is progressing.  There are a lot of days where it's frustrating that I have to spend so much time on it. Just last weekend I was going through my normal workout on a Saturday when it came time to go and I was only halfway through my bouncy ball work.  Katy was good enough to let me finish and STILL help me do my tosses with the plyoball.

She's had to get used to that.  The workout is that I stand facing away from her with the plyoball (2lbs) in my right hand.  I have my elbow forward and palm down.  I then have to flip the ball back to Katy who catches it and hands it back. We do a series of these (2 sets/20 per) which includes me being prone and flipping it back as well as Katy tossing it over my shoulder while I'm on a knee.  I then have to catch it and complete the throwing motion backwards back to her.

Well, her patience is great though I've thrown it a bit hard a few times and have nailed her right in the chest.  She has stuck with it though.

The site is still tender every day but I feel like the numb spot has only gotten smaller.  It seems that the scar tissue is starting to break up around there.  I've also been more diligent with icing right after my PT.

It could be a while before I'm back throwing.  The surgeon said 3 months from my last checkup which puts me in mid-September.  That's not much fun.  I'm not sure how much more I can do in the next couple of months that is so vastly different from what I have been doing.

It keeps feeling like I'm hitting walls and I want to keep moving forward.  It's frustrating more than not. The biggest thing is that the work is getting easier and easier. Even in my gym workouts I've started putting 3 pounds in my right hand for most exercises.  So, that's something I guess.  The PT work is definitely making me stronger.  That's a plus as well.

They said this would be a long road and I'm only 3 and a half months in.  It feels much longer than that.

Wax on....

Whoa boy have I been busy!

I've learned a few more new workouts from Ken.  The latest is a series with the giant yoga balls.

Pick up the ball and put it on a wall with your hand holding it in place.  Give a little bit of a lean into the ball just so there's some pressure on it.

Now, you do the Mr. Miyagi routine:  Wax on (rotate left 20 times) Wax off (rotate right 20 times).  Then you paint the fence (move side-side and up-down 20 times). I think the one thing he didn't do was move diagonally, but here you do. Diagonally right and left 20 times each.

Did I mention you do this all facing directly toward the ball and then repeat standing to the side of the ball? Oh, and do both arms.

This will absolutely make you stronger.  I've seen the results in the gym many times already and am becoming a very firm believer in these small muscle exercises.  They support the bigger muscles which I can easily hit in the gym.

Speaking of the gym, I started lifting again with my right arm. I did dumbbell bench presses with a whole two pounds in my right hand.  That's right folks...be wary of my might.

One other quick thing: Sounds like Jamie Moyer is with the Blue Jays farm system and should pitch against the Rainers on Thursday.  If you are in Tacoma, get there!