Showing posts with label recovery. Show all posts
Showing posts with label recovery. Show all posts

Monday, January 8, 2018

2017: Year in Review

What a year! I can't even begin to remember everything that happened, but here are some highlights and lowlights.

Highlights 
  • After 20 years, I left Sun/Oracle and joined Intel as a Director of Software Engineering of Security Solutions Enablement for Data Center.  A long title that means my team works on security related projects, like Open Security Controller, that enable security on the Data Center. 
    • I worked at Intel 21 years before, as an intern in their Folsom Engineering Services group (as an admin for Win 3.1, WinNT, Win95, AIX, Irix, SunOS and Solaris).  It was oddly like like putting on a comfortable pair of shoes coming back, but at the same time a very different company. A much faster moving place, a more inclusive place and more inventive place.
    • My team has released two versions of Open Security Controller (0.6 and 0.8) this year! (like I said, fast moving!)
  • I was appointed to the City of Mountain View's Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee, where I get to advise the City Council on such things like: transit projects, walk-ability of new building projects, how to improve dangerous and deadly intersections, and where to spend budget to improve biking and walking.  It's pretty fun! The committee definitely has diverse opinions and I have found the last twelve months on the committee to be quite a learning experience.
  • I demonstrated, with my Oracle team, PKCS#11 and KMIP on Solaris at the RSA Conference Expo in San Francisco in February 2017.
  • I read 24 books, covering 7,937 pages.
  • I recorded the narration for 8 audio books for Learning Ally. These books are for the blind and others with reading disabilities.
  • I did a police ride-a-long with the Mountain View Police Department! I was amazed at the officers compassion, how well they treated the citizens and how they were quick to de-escalate a situation.  I watched an officer arrest a man who had been drinking "since the early morning" and then brandished a knife at another man at Walmart. The man was belligerent when first approached, yelling and gesticulating.  The officer used calm tones, did a quick and calm search, secured the gentleman and proceeded with his investigation. I watched a situation go from tense to calm in a heartbeat. Yes, I used the word calm repeatedly - but that is the best way to describe what the officer did.
  • I was on the Crypto Review Board for BlackHat USA, and got to attend!!
  • Additionally, I was on the program review boards for International Cryptographic Module Conference (ICMC) and GreHack!
  • I presented on PKCS#11 version 3.0 at ICMC.
  • I became secretary of the PKCS#11 technical committee, a role change from co-chair.
  • I reviewed scholarship applications for Learning Ally Scholars - every one of the students was incredible!
  • My husband and I celebrated 10 years of marriage in Sausalito, CA.
  • I saw all of my siblings and my parents this year! Most more than once! I didn't see enough of my nieces and nephews, though...  
  • I did a few more Murder Mysteries, did photography for a couple of shows, and sang with the Lyric Victorian Carolers.
  • Overall, I volunteered more than 179 hours.
  • I went skiing!
  • I stayed alive!
Lowlights
  • I lost my uncle, Dan Bubb, my Dad's brother, to pneumonia.
  • My dear friend Elisa was diagnosed with breast cancer in October and Comcast let her husband go from his job (along with the rest of his division) in December - just before Christmas.  Her battle continues, please consider donating.
  • I suffered a major health crisis myself - on my first day of work at Intel, where I learned another highlight: Intel is a compassionate company, they were there when I needed them and helped me to get back on my feet and hit the ground running in my new role!  And, I didn't die :)
Any lowlights or highlights for you?

Here's to 2018!

Friday, March 18, 2011

Baby steps to recovery! Milestone this week!

Sorry I haven't posted much lately on how I've been recovering from my 3 cm x 1 cm tear in my quadricep tendon, let's just say it's been more than a bit depressing.

Recovery has been very slow, as I've additionally damaged my low back from walking around for 6 weeks with a knee immobilizer on (damage was compounded, I believe, by sitting at a computer terminal, as my leg/low back could never be properly positioned - not even with help of ergo specialist).

I am angry that my orthopedics PA did not give me crutches at first, nor have any advice or help for working at a computer, but that's water under the bridge now.

I don't want to go into details at this time, but suffice it to say that I essentially stopped writing and gave up most hope when both my physical therapist and physician recommended I transition into chronic pain management, as I had recovered as much as possible. In their expert opinions, as my physical therapist put it, "We've been doing this a long time. We know when someone has achieved all the benefit they can from physical therapy."

At that time, I could barely walk without pain and had hardly any strength in my left leg.

For those of you that follow my blog or know me in real life, you realize that getting news that I was not going to be able to walk a short distance to dinner from my house was devastating.

In addition to the low back pain, floating/electric pain down my left (injured) leg, and major muscle atrophy I also have unexplained spasms in my thigh adductor muscles. I've lost total hip flexibility (yoga's been tough!) and am frequently surprised by pain in that area.

I know, plenty of folks have it worse off than I do, so that's enough complaining for now.

On to the bright spots: my sister-in-law is a physical therapist and had examined me over the Christmas break, and she believed I was fixable. Through her determination and my husband's inspiration, I requested a new physical therapist from Kaiser. I was pleasantly surprised when they had no issue reassigning me.

My new physical therapist is wonderful. With her help, plus deep tissue massage and recently chiropractic adjustments, I'm back on the mend.

Here were my New Year's Goals:
  • Sit without pain
  • Get in and out of bed/car without pain and like a normal person (as opposed to the old lady method)
  • Drive my manual transmission Mustang with a heavy clutch
  • See the bottom of my left foot
  • Sit "Indian style" (which I believe is now called "criss cross, apple sauce")
  • Walk all day without nerve pain in left leg
  • Ride my bike to work
  • Ride a pleasure ride
  • Downhill Ski
Now, 2 months in, I've met the following:
  • Driven my Mustang (w00t!)
  • Walked all day without pain
  • Skied (many thanks to my Skiers Edge, which I was able to do rehab/retraining of my muscles in the comfort of my own home). Don't worry, I just did some easy runs at Badger Pass and Bear Valley. No blacks or moguls for me this year :-)
  • and..... drum roll please.... Rode my bike to work *both* ways this past Monday! With no pain!
I have to really focus on form and keeping my abdominal muscles really tight to do it, but I did it!

Has anyone ever had their thigh adductor muscles go into spasm? I'm hoping for some insight here - everyone seems to be stumped.

There is hope yet :-)

Thank you all for your support! Every day I am a little bit better. I will keep doing retraining and physical therapy until I am there.

*hugs*