Stress Fractures

So... I told you all about the things we did in Memphis and Bristol, but I didn't tell you what the fall out from that was. I have a stress fracture in my foot. It hurts quite a bit right now, but that is totally my own fault. I should stay off of it for a number of weeks. Instead after about three days I got so stir crazy and concerned about the state of my house that I had to get up and do SOMETHING! Ugh! Unfortunately I have been doing, probably, too much because the throbbing is as powerful as it ever was. Poor foot. The really funny thing is that limping as I have been has caused me to use some muscles that are usually not utilized. So now I am limping from pain in my foot and trying to not strain those muscles. Funny, ehh?

Do you know how you get a stress fracture? Stress fractures are the result of repeated pounding. They occur most often when the muscles that are around the bone (set there to protect the bone) get fatigued and can not properly protect the bone. And lastly, poor support from your footwear can increase the likelihood of a stress fracture. So, if you take out the mention of the foot, stress fractures are caused by repeated strain exacerbated by fatigue and a lack of support.

When it is put that way, it makes me think of parts of life. I think sometimes I get stress fractures in my life. Just like my choice of foot wear tends to provide very little support, my companions often lend very little support and I am often scared of asking for more support. Add to that the sheer exhaustion that is a result of working 20 hours a day/ 7 days a week and you have a great start to a stress fracture. All that is required is something to just hit me and hit me and hit me. And for whatever reason, life is like that. There is a reason that the saying "when it rains, it pours" is so well known. When something goes bad, it goes bad in multiples. And, it seems to me, that leads you straight to that stress fracture. It might not be any one thing that really hurts. It might not even be two things that causes the pain. It is the constant pounding of disappointments, criticisms and/or rejection that causes the pain. And just like I can not tell you just what step caused the break in my foot, I can not tell you for sure what event caused any of my life stress fractures. All I can know for sure is they are there. Stress fractures heal, but they leave a weak spot, sure to rebreak... unless you find some good support and rest!