I Walk Alone

This post should be read to Green Day’s Boulevard of Broken Dreams.

I walk this empty street
On the Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Where the city sleeps
And I’m the only one and I walk alone

Every morning, Denise and I wake up shortly after 5AM to go out for our daily walk/run. We’ve done this probably since we lived in Maine, ten years ago. However, there’s something about me… about my little pea brain, that I’ve known since I began running way back around 1982. I like to exercise alone. When I’m with someone else, no matter the physical activity, I always feel like I have to catch up with or wait for them. I think it’s the downside to my “hospitality gene.” I am driven to accomodate people. “Come on in…” “Would you like something to drink?” I feel like I have to keep the conversation going.

So, when I go out walking or running, I’m constantly keeping tabs on my partner(s) and that takes a lot of energy. I’d probably be an ideal cross country or relay runner. However, when I run by myself, I seem to do a lot more running and a lot less walking. Plus, it’s relaxing because I’m not trying to make my partner(s) happy.

This leads me to another subject: my legs. Those of you, who know the condition of my legs probably wonder why I keep running. Well, actually it seems that a certain amount of walking or running keeps the skin on my reconstructed leg in pretty good shape and the pumping prevents edema in my “good” one. Here’s what my leg looks like today:

This is fairly good condition, but the scarring on my thigh gets red and warm to the touch this time of year. I have wondered why that is over the past five years and have tried a number of possible fixes. I’ve concluded that my leg overheats this time of year with the 10 – 20º spike upward. The leg can probably moderate heat when it is cool outside, but is unable to catch up when it’s warm out, because there’s no soft tissue, sweat glands or hair to dissipate the heat. So, I have to limit my exercise — not too much, but not too little, either.

I was having problems at work, because I stand so long throughout the day. The past six months or so, I’ve been wearing Jobst pressure stockings from the knee down. They keep the swelling down, which keeps the grafted skin (and donor sites) soft, hydrated and attached to my leg! They are definitely hot and get my thigh overheating sooner than normal, but I hit the air conditioner right away and all is well. Pretty amazing, this body of mine! I praise God for His mercies every day.

15 Comments

  1. Michele said:

    Even with your leg all gnarly lookin’, you got a nice set of gams. My daughters think the bad one looks like a super-villian’s.

    July 3, 2005
    Reply
  2. Michele said:

    Even with your leg all gnarly lookin’, you got a nice set of gams. My daughters think the bad one looks like a super-villian’s.

    July 3, 2005
    Reply
  3. Michele said:

    Did I tell you ya got a nice set of gams?

    July 3, 2005
    Reply
  4. Mel said:

    Okay, Michele, this is getting to be sort of ridiculious; What she meant to say Bo, is, “Nice set of pipes!” (And she meant to say it once, only.)

    July 3, 2005
    Reply
  5. I thought slang for legs was ‘stems’?? Hmmm…’gams’? Anyhoo, I enjoy taking walks by myself as well. I like when my mind wanders. It usually lands on something I had previously forgotten and then I get all excited that I remembered! When I take walks with other people, the time goes by faster and I never really feel ‘relaxed’ or accomplished like I do when I walk alone, I walk alone.
    I dig that Green Day song.
    Dan bought their album, ever hopeful Dan, and while there are some cool tunes on it, for the most part, I don’t enjoy it. Listening to the whole thing in one sitting is difficult. We tried.
    I turned my parents on to Coldplay, last night. Now there’s a band that can make the mood of an album last for a couple of hours.

    July 4, 2005
    Reply
  6. Sadie Lou said:

    I thought slang for legs was ‘stems’?? Hmmm…’gams’? Anyhoo, I enjoy taking walks by myself as well. I like when my mind wanders. It usually lands on something I had previously forgotten and then I get all excited that I remembered! When I take walks with other people, the time goes by faster and I never really feel ‘relaxed’ or accomplished like I do when I walk alone, I walk alone.
    I dig that Green Day song.
    Dan bought their album, ever hopeful Dan, and while there are some cool tunes on it, for the most part, I don’t enjoy it. Listening to the whole thing in one sitting is difficult. We tried.
    I turned my parents on to Coldplay, last night. Now there’s a band that can make the mood of an album last for a couple of hours.

    July 4, 2005
    Reply
  7. Michele said:

    Please girls, I know my slang-anatomy. Melanie, “pipes” means singing ability, (or perhaps digestive tract) Sadie, never heard of “stems”, ew, sounds kind of glauca.

    July 5, 2005
    Reply
  8. ‘gams’ sounds a wee bit more glauca than ‘stems’ trust me. Besides, stems is more of a compliment as it suggests the woman is a flower.

    July 5, 2005
    Reply
  9. Sadie Lou said:

    ‘gams’ sounds a wee bit more glauca than ‘stems’ trust me. Besides, stems is more of a compliment as it suggests the woman is a flower.

    July 5, 2005
    Reply
  10. Joe Glenn said:

    Actually I’ve heard “pipes” to refer to both nice legs and singing so perhaps you are both right. I can’t get with gams, a) because I have never heard it and it sounds made up…and b)is there some context like with stems or pipes that makes it descriptive is some way..am I just missing it?

    July 5, 2005
    Reply
  11. 5 o’clock in the morning, I’m snoring. Back when I boxed 11 years ago, I used to run six miles a day six days a week, but at 11 pm. I doubt I could run five miles nowadays, unless running from zombies.

    So cool though that you can still run. That’s inspirational and tonight, we will be counting our blessings. 🙂

    July 5, 2005
    Reply
  12. I rather like being made to look like a flower (stems) vs. some animal or hamhock (gams).

    July 5, 2005
    Reply
  13. Sadie Lou said:

    I rather like being made to look like a flower (stems) vs. some animal or hamhock (gams).

    July 5, 2005
    Reply

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