I have my first lesson this week...........in almost a year!!!!! I can only do basic stroking, at this point, but it's a step in the right direction. I'm hoping my coach can help me get my feet back under me, so when the doc gives the go-ahead to try some jumps and spins, I'll be ready.

You had a spinal fusion, didn't you? I had major surgery in November and was limited to stroking only for six weeks--nearly killed me. I can't imagine how it's been for you, being off the ice/not jumping or spinning for so long. Have fun in your "first" lesson.

Yep, I had a fusion in January. I've been on a few public sessions so far. I've decided it's a lot scarier knowing you can't fall, than just not wanting to fall. I'm plodding around rather cautiously so far. Stroking around for six weeks will definitely be torture, but it's a step in the right direction.

How are you doing now?

YAAAAY!!! Good for you for getting back into taking lessons (even though it's just stroking...) Take it nice and easy, okay???

BTW: You'd be surprised just how much my coaches get on my case just on forward stroking alone!!!

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Cheers,
jazzpants

11-04-2006: Shredded "Pre-Bronze FS for Life" Club Membership card!!!
Silver Moves is the next "Mission Impossible"
(Dare I try for Championship Adult Gold someday???)

Thank you for the support, you guys!!!

That's great news. I hope it goes well for you. My only advice is to take it easy at first. You probably will feel a bit frustrated once you feel your confidence coming back but I'm sure that the time will pass quickly between now and when you can start jumping and spinning.

Nicki

Glad to hear your back messing up the ice again. Your stoking will be better than everyone else. It's a blessing in disguise.

"My life is like a puzzle where the pieces fall in place,
It's more than experience. It's by His Holy grace.
When it looked like disaster, it was a blessing in disguise.
Every single experience was to open up my eyes."
from the song "Puzzle" by Nanosecond written by Dan and Brigitte Laskowski Copyright 1990.

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"It's not age that determines but the heart." "Skating is not just a sport for the young but it's a passion for the soul of the young at heart." Brigitte Laskowski

I am a nomadic adult skater who is a member of Windsor FSC (Skate Windsor) WOS SC again since Sept. 1st, 2008.

http://eastcastlemusic.tripod.com

Singerskates Sports Music Editing

I'm doing great now. I had breast reduction, so not as involved as yours, but still major. I look normal (except for the stomach I'm still trying to lose!) The only drawback is relearning all the bad habits I had to compensate. I jump much better now, still struggling with the spinning issue--and guess I always will. That six weeks of stroking lasted forever, yet it flew by at the same time. It was really interesting going around the rink, trying to leave miles between me and the other skaters, especially the kids. I even did one freestyle session (it was the only session offered that day, not even public) and got yelled at by a senior level skater because I was in her way. I knew she was practicing for Nationals, so I was skating straight laps as close to the boards as I could. Her coach yelled too. One of the other coaches apologized for them. That was my only bad recovery experience. But let me tell you, that first waltz jump sure felt good--and it was the day before I got clearance from my MD!

I can't wait. I'll probably opt for a toe as my first jump though.....as a warm-up for a lutz!!!! It is so hard for my feet to not automatically start spinning. They are so backspin deprived they can hardly stand it. I'll have to wait until July 13th, however, to see if I'm fused yet. It can take from 6 months to a year. I'm hoping for 6 months.......so I'm not stroking for 6 months instead of 6 weeks.

In the mean time I guess perhaps my stroking will improve. Then again, probably not. I don't think I have the patience for it. I'm considering putzing around with dance since we have new dance coaches (from England) starting this week.

Glad to hear you were out there racing around full speed. My coach would LOVE it, if I were to do that.

YOU GO GIRL!!
I found that dance greatly helped my speed, efficiency and control. You just have to get past that sucky-grandma-music! It's really fun! Hope you pursue it and maybe one day we'll compete as peer solo dancers!
BTW, my back is doing well and I have to take an anti inflammatory once a day, but hey, if it works- that's one more day of skating!! Sincerely, I hope your recovery goes well and I'm sure that Axel is in the future again!
Luv,
Becca from Alabama

If I had landed more than one or two before my surgery, I might have opted for one. As it was, I felt pretty sure of my waltz first, then flip. I was still struggling with the toe. (I'm still strugglling with the toe!) I started learning the lutz about a month after my MD cleared me, so I have the basics, if not all the actual jump...I don't think I'm on my outside edge yet.

Becca dances really well now......

But it's seriously great that you're back, even if only half back. One of the British skating community is just getting back on the ice after major hip surgery in December, and having been back for about six weeks, she's just beginning to try more than a little basic stroking and so on. Trouble is, she's a better skater than me, and her turns are better than mine even when she is still frightened enough to keep her knees locked straight and her head down......

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Mrs Redboots
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I love my computer because my friends live in it!
Ice dancers have lovely big curves!

Well, I finally had my lesson today. Oh my do I have a lot of work ahead of me. We spent almost the entire time on forward crossovers. YUCK!!!! That is my least favorite thing, which of course, explains why I'm so bad at them. Add in being stiff and a little off balance and I'm sure it was really an ugly sight. Of course, my coach is seeing this as an opportunity to fix all of these little things that I ignore and consider "good enough". I'm sure he's in coach's heaven.

The good news is that I was on the ice, in a real lesson. YAY!!!!!!!!

And even though it was one of your least favorite things, didn't it feel GOOD?

Absolutely!!!!!