Bits & Pieces

Click here to read Dennis Pyritz's thoughtful new review of The Adventures of Cancer Bitch.

Today I had my 7th session with my personal trainer at the Y. We continue to try to get my left shoulder to get lower down and to be more flexible. The problem is the scapula, she said, which was a big breakthrough for her, meaning she has a better handle on how I can move to fix it. It's been a problem for years and doesn't have anything to do with the mastectomy. I call it a rogue muscle, though I'm unclear if it's the muscle or joint that's the problem. But there aren't joints in shoulders, are there? How much we knew in junior high and how much we've forgotten.
The trainer, L, says the shoulder is catlike (aloof, mind of its own) instead of doglike (perfect in its eagerness to please).
I consulted with an orthopedist about five years ago and he said there was nothing wrong with it. Luckily, I had sprained my ankle the night before so he was able to help me with that by wrapping it. So the appointment wasn't all for naught. I'd imagined that the trainer would stand around and watch me use the treadmill and be like a cheerleader. But that's not what she does. She's like a physical therapist. My knees started hurting me in November when I was traveling a lot and going up and down stairs carrying a suitcase. She puts me through paces to strengthen my legs around the knees, and we (we?) work on strengthening my abs. She has a bag of tricks and gets out little things like a frisbee-like disk to put one foot in and slide around. There are thin and thick yellow resistance bands and a heavy pole I use either as a cane to help me balance or a long weight to lift up. I will write more about my trainer later. At any rate, I'm to do my aerobics on my own. It's hard to find a machine that doesn't hurt my knees. It's hard to find a good TV station while I'm working out. I bought my first i-Pod two weeks ago and I think we downloaded a French language audio book from the library. I checked it out for a few weeks. What happens after? Does it disappear inside the i-Pod? I couldn't figure out how to figure it out. I need to read the little instruction pamphlet that came with it. It's amazing; little kids know how to load their i-Pods.