Tamar Cohl Gluten Free Fit Guru

Well, it took long enough (at least I thought it did).  I kinda got "spoken to" by my wonderful orthopedic surgeon two weeks ago.  I was supposed to be working on my ROM and was being bad.  Physical therapy was actually KILLING ME, but I was going.   I would NOT bend it when I got home though or do my exercises.  Well, 15 days after my surgery, I went to Sarasota to see my Doctor and he told me that everything I was feeling was NORMAL, but I had to start bending (flexing) my knee or I was not going to get the ROM back.  He scared me into it!  LOL  That night I went to the gym and did a 45 minute spinning bike session (killed me, but I did it).  Then I had my awesome friend, Brittney aka Brittness, help me out.  She has this innate skill…something that most people do not have.  She can almost SENSE where pain is occurring in the body and she knows how to help relieve it.  She actually helped me achieve full ROM that day.  It hurt like hell, but I did it.  After that, physical therapy got easier.  A couple days later I went to Ocala to visit my mom and dad for Father’s Day.  They have a beautiful pool and swam almost every day.  I just kicked and kicked.  It was great for really loosening up my knee.  I also went to the gym while up there and worked out (lightly).  Now I have been back home for over a week and have been to the gym 6 out of the past 7 days.  I have been released to resume a normal gym routine, except I still have to avoid squats and anything that is "HEAVY".  I have to keep my reps to 15-25 so the weight will be lighter.  Actually that does not bother me right now cause I want to reshape my legs.  I am trying to work them 3 days a week as well.  I am working on my glutes pretty hard core cause I really need to get my booty FIRM again.  LOL I totally turned into jello over the past two months, so I am excited that I can train again!  I will keep you all posted and will take some photos soon!  xoxo Tamar

Well, I thought I was getting better, but my knee is KILLING me these past two days!  Today marks one week and I thought for sure that I would be doing better than what I am!  It is still swollen, too! 

Anyway, i am going to the Dr. tomorrow, so hopefully I can figure some things out.  I feel like I am getting FAT!  I just ate a jar of F’in Peanut Butter tonight.  White chocolate wonderful is the flavor…it is GLUTEN FREE and is is incredible, but for crying out loud I ate the whole jar and I have not exercised in over one week!

If I do not get to go back to the gym here soon, I think I am going to go insane…for real!!!!  I may just go running outside….naw…cannot do that cause I can hardly f’in walk.  Oh well….pray for me…I can hardly fit in my clothes…my skin looks like crap and I am in PAIN still!    Not to mention I am bitching all the time on here.  LOL  I want to write a HAPPY BLOG….I want to be able to say that I have been hired by BB.com to work the booth at the Olympia or something.  LOL  I want some GOOD NEWS darn it!!!!  Talk to you all soon!  xoxo Tamar

Well, it is OVER!  I finally had my knee surgery this morning!  It went smoothly!  It was a completely enjoyable experience, well as enjoyable as surgery can be. 

I woke up this morning at 4:20 AM, showered, brushed my teeth (careful not to swallow any water), and dried my hair completely.  My husband took care of our dogs as he always does super early in the AM.   We left the house right on time (5:15AM) and got some gasoline at Shell before heading to I-75 for the 35 mile journey north.  We arrived at the surgery center about 10 minutes to 6AM. We sat in the car for a few moments and filmed some more footage for Bodybuilding.com.  Then I went inside and filled out the paper work, etc.  The nurse brought me back to the Pre-Op area and we started the pre-op questioner pertaining to my medical history, allergies, etc.  This was done on the phone the week before.  They go over it again just to make sure that nothing pertinent is missing.  Basically I told them that I am allergic to penicillen, percocet, and arythromyiacin type antibiotics. I also informed them about my Celiac disease.

Normally I am very vascular and veiny…but today I was COLD, nervous, and my veins disappeared completely, almost leaving an indentation in their wake.  The nurse made me pump my fist a million times to get the vein to pop out enough to NUMB it and STICK it with the IV drip!  It was actually the worst part of my experience.  Then I had to go to the BATHROOM…again!  I was embarrassed…I had already gone 2 times and was working on my 3rd!  LOL  So I came back, laid back down, and they rolled me into the operating room.  It was SO clean and sterile in there.  Brought back the dreams I had of becoming a Dr.  I wanted to be a plastic surgeon so badly when I was in college.  Anyway, I told them that and they commented….then told me to breathe really deep through this mask.  As I did so I was thinking to myself that it was not working and then all of a sudden I wake up and I am laughing my ASS off in the recovery room!  LOL  I was almost hysterical when I woke up.  I asked the nurse what time it was and it was only like 7:30AM Surgery was scheduled for 7AM.  I was like..WOW…that was FAST!

So….they do the post op instructions and I am released.  My husband drives me home and I am DYING for some coffee!  LOL  I had been so dehyrated from not eating and drinking anything the night prior.  I stopped eating at 7PM Monday night and stopped drinking anything at 9PM. So…I needed caffeine and something to drink.  They did give me liquids at the out patient center, but I needed caffeine!!!

OK, so I get home and I get the crutches outta the car and start walking up to my house.  I could not figure out how to get up the steps, so I walked to the side and went up the little side patio thingy.  Anyway…..I get in the house (the dogs were up) and I lay down on the couch.  I then have to go to the bathroom and take the crutches with me. Did not really need them.  I am like putting 90% pressure on my right leg.  It is amazing….granted….I have had a shot of morphine jammed up in my knee, but it is doing the job for now.  All day long everytime I get up to go to the potty, I go without the crutches!    And……my husband is using bagged PEAS as the cold compress under and on top of my knee!  LOL  Peas work great!  They stay cold a long time, they do not melt, and the bag conforms to the body beautifully.  When I am done with the peas, he puts them back in the freezer and then we re-use them….on my knee! I will make sure I throw them away when I am done using them.  LOL  Do not want to get food poisoning from defrausted peas!  LOL

Well, that is my adventure in Knees and Peas thus far.  Will keep you posted!  Thanks for your thoughts and prayers!  xoxo Tamar