Not sure if 'the lump' translates to pictures very well, but this is the mystery injury that kept me kicking this morning. (Photo by Paul Tenorio/The Washington Post)
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Well, I feel like a gimp. Not a wimp. A gimp without a limp.
Okay, Dr. Seuss, I am not.
Yesterday afternoon I noticed my wrist was hurting. I ignored it other than to say to myself, ‘Hmm, my wrist hurts.’ Then last night, probably around 5 p.m., I noticed my wrist really started hurting. I ignored it again.
Finally around 7 p.m. or so I decided to actually LOOK at my wrist and see why it was hurting. Well, the large amount of swelling on the wrist probably has something to do with it.
I am a genius.
I have a pretty decent-sized lump on the inside of my left wrist, noticeable enough to be visible from a distance and enough for Jeff to see it from a few feet away without me saying much other than, ‘Could I have done this yesterday while I was diving?’ and then sticking my arm out.
The weird thing is, I don’t remember hitting my arm on anything at all. I’ve thought and thought and can’t remember any sort of incident that could have caused this huge lump on my arm. So that’s kind of worrisome. The good news is, while trying to think of a title for this blog I listened to the song “Lump” by the Presidents of the USA for the first time in forever.
I got a much-modified set in order to make sure I didn’t do anything else to make whatever is wrong with me worse, and an evil eye for not icing it or taking any Advil for the swelling. And an order to go to an Urgent Care Center to have it looked at.
Instead of a swim set I did kick only, and it was a set of 10 25s, 10 times. On the way down I was kicking on my side and on the way back I was doing butterfly kick on my back. There was breath control involved (4, 3, 2, 1, 0 on the way down) but it obviously was not a workout that stacked up to what everyone else was doing in the lanes around me.
I hate being ‘injured’ because I always feel like such a wimp for not doing the full set and it really keeps you from feeling like part of the group when you’re doing something ‘easier’ while they are all working hard. I knew it was the smart thing, though, especially when I would do one stroke and feel it on my wrist, but still, it’s no fun.
Plus, doing the kick set leads to things like Pat Sullivan calling me a wimp and pointing me in the direction of the girls’ locker room after practice. Pat, my mother would take offense to your insinuation that girls are wimps.
As a matter of fact I can hear her now spouting off a story about how she waited with two broken bones in her wrist for her dad to get home from work, or played the rest of a half of indoor soccer at goalkeeper despite a finger that had been kicked into 20 pieces. Both are true stories.
(Regarding the finger – Some lady kicked the soccer ball full blast when my mom was picking it up, thankfully not hitting her face. My mom didn’t see that the finger had swollen nearly five times its size until she took off the goalie glove at the half. The finger had literally been shattered. She had surgery soon after and had several pins inserted, and because she didn’t do vigilant rehab it still does not straighten out to this day, thus the nickname, ‘The Evil Finger.’ And yes, I hesitate to ever tell my mom I’ve ever injured anything.)
Now that I’ve done my duty in establishing that girls are tough and that no one who missed Monday morning practice can say anything to me about doing a kick set today, I’ll get back to focusing on this post.
Hopefully the wrist is nothing serious, maybe a bone bruise or a pinched nerve or something and I can get back to swimming tomorrow without any pain. Most importantly, I’ll be ready to rock and roll for the Cold Chinese Buffet on Monday morning.
Tomorrow I’ll have a full explanation of what the Cold Chinese Buffet is, but basically it explains itself and you have to know that this is considered one of the best if not THE best traditions, according to Jeff. I’m thinking of bringing chicken lo mein, but I’m open to suggestions.
Uh, that means you guys. Suggestions…in the comments…today, tomorrow and the weekend. Now I’m off to the doctor (I strongly dislike going to doctors) to figure out what the heck is wrong with my stupid wrist.
Washington Post reporter Paul Tenorio will train with a swim club over the next few months and chronicle his journey as he attempts to transform from regular guy/sports reporter to competitive swimmer — everything from his waistline to his best times.
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Spicy chinese is the best…. Jeff will eat food so hot that tears will run down his face… find the “hottest’, most obscure chinese dish you can and then watch him devour it!!
While you are stuck on a kickboard, you can seriously improve your core strength, tighten your abs, and strengthen your legs. All of which will make you faster.
I agree with you about feeling like a “wimp” when you are hurt. It is annoying and you feel pathetic. Bring whatever you want on Monday, chicken lo mein sounds good. Hope you feel better.
Can you beat Sullivan?- best way to shut him up is enter his event, and beat him? 2500 kicking? Should ‘ve mixed in some arm pulls with the good arm for some of the 25′s, maybe 50, then get you board, or use 2 boards, leaving at either end. Kicking, kicking, kicking is over rated….