7 months and I'm still here. It's 25 hours until my first appointment with a Sports Doctor. Three physiotherapists, a podiatrist, new shoes and patience have got me nowhere - so I am hoping that this new option will provide an answer. I'll take any answer. The one thing that I am hoping to avoid is the one thing that I fear he might say. That my body biomechanics do not predispose me to long distance running and that the situation as stands is as good as it will get. I am however afraid that there may be truth in this. I managed only 6 weeks running before becoming chronicly injured and spending the next seven months and two weeks unable to run without pain or further injury. I feel that tomorrow is the last line of attack for me. I have tried lots of medical options/treatments already and if they cannot find an answer then maybe there just isn't one for me. I am feeling more than a little jaded - thus my lack of posts on the other boards - and very overworked emotionally and physically in my life. I am also getting a little bit tired of all the therapy - physical and emotional! When you have three little kids you run out of babysitting options pretty quickly so my twice weekly counseling and twice weekly physio appointments are leaving me more tired and stressed than if I wasn't going to them! Just getting to this appointment tomorrow is going to be fun. I have to take my son to school, come home and prepare the house for Scarlett's party (I have twenty minutes for this), find a baby sitter for the two younger ones (no one available at this point) - drive to the doctors, have my appointment, rush back, throw a fairy party for the girls, go to the school as soon as it finishes, pick up Jake, drive to the shops to buy dinner, drive home, look for a baby sitter for three young children (no one available yet) drive to counseling with Alice for 4pm, finish counseling at 6pm, drive home and cook dinner for family of six (two vegetarians, three meat eaters and a child with an eating phobia) - then prepare all the lunches, playcenter clothing etc for Tuesday. In between I will have at least three loads of washing to do, I have to make several phonecalls to companies about Grants for Playcenter, I have to get some photocopying done, drop off the memory card at the pharmacy to get the pictures of the sandpit covers for the grant and pick up some paperwork from Playcenter. I have a tenuous grasp on sanity at the moment. Monday's are my least favorite day as I leave every counseling session in tears, unable to cope with the stress on my family any more. I want to run. When I run it all seems a little more OK. If you have a spare couple of fingers cross them for me tomorrow. If you have a spare moment, raise a glass and think of my family. We are going through enormous amounts of stress and I, like my husband, am going to have to reach deep inside and find a level of compromise to move forward on this one. Claire xxx

The one thing that I am hoping to avoid is the one thing that I fear he might say. That my body biomechanics do not predispose me to long distance running and that the situation as stands is as good as it will get. I am however afraid that there may be truth in this. I managed only 6 weeks running before becoming chronicly injured and spending the next seven months and two weeks unable to run without pain or further injury. Claire xxx

I absolutely do not believe that will be the case. Chronically injured may mean that you never completely recovered/re-injured soon after returning. I still don't think that they have pinpointed your exact injury/extent of your injury. After this length of time, I will be surprised if the the Sports Doc does not order an MRI/bone scan. I KNOW you will make it back. Sending hopes and positive thoughts for you and your family to stay strong through this very trying time, Claire. BTW - I'm exhausted just reading about your day tomorrow! (((hugs))) Cheryl

It's a double stress fracture to my right tibia! Easily seen on xray this time but I have an MRI in two days to confirm severity and predict time on the bench. Thanks for asking Gayle! Hopefully your ankle will continue to improve and you will get where you want to be! Claire xxx

Stress fracture? That's good news! Isn't it? I mean, the ailment is not treatable until it has a name and you have a name. You're one tough kooky so I know you'll heal and continue to run.