Monday.

Yesterday, I was able to do an entire class without my knee brace.
I still didn't do grand plies, and some of the stuff in center was a little too much to risk, but my knee still doesn't hurt.

I noticed myself getting stronger, and being more able to do certain things, but also where I'm still lacking in strength. Specifically on my left/shorter leg. I really want to work towards strengthening this, knowing that I can only go so far until I'm able to build that up. I don't know when I'll have time to do this, since I'm at the studio 5 days a week as it is, and my weekends are consumed with catching up on stuff in my personal life/pictures/sleep/laundry/nutcracker rehearsals. I'm considering dropping my VI classes so I can work by myself at home. But I don't want to do that unless I would actually use the time for that. (It's still a new thought, so I have time to figure it out.)

It's nice to feel the progress, but I know I still have a very long way to go. Even so much as to catch up.
My muscles have felt really tight lately, even though I've been stretching (No more than what I'm used to?) and rolling out at night to try and help it. I don't know that I've been drinking as much water, so I'm going to try and be better about that.

For those keeping up on the health side of things, I saw my doctor yesterday for the follow up on my blood work. She came in and explained the details of each test and what it all means, opening with, "I wish I had your blood." Wait. What?
Everything came back absolutely perfect. Which was really weird. H. Pylori was negative. I'm not even anemic, which is contradictory to what I was told by my last doctor.
So if I'm not anemic, then why was I so light headed last week that I had to leave class, twice?
Apparently, I've had a perpetual bladder infection for the last 8+ years.
Sounds simple, right?
She told me of how intense bladder infections can be, and how she'll see people come into the hospital literally insane because of bladder infections. They run in my family, so they're not new to me, but how I know them is to be a simple thing caused by negligence or whatever. So she has me on antibiotics, and yesterday was the first day I haven't felt sick in I don't know how long. It was almost alarming to me.
I did feel kinda funny at night, but I don't think that was from anything. Today has been almost as good, but I'm also playing with my IBS medication.
She said the bladder being so close to the intestines that it having an infection could have caused all the other things I was feeling, including the light headedness I was experiencing.
(And apparently I don't eat enough. So I need to work on that.)
(But also, it'll be easier now if food continues to not hurt me.)

(woohoo)

Meanwhile, my chiropractor wasn't there yesterday, so I had this older lady I've never seen before. But she knows my Dad. And likes to tell stories. (she's really sweet? But like. I don't know her.)
So I didn't get to ask about my back/leg/unevenness/stuff. Hopefully he'll be there when I go back in two weeks. He's supposed to be. *crosses fingers*

Ms. Catherine was back yesterday teaching our class. She was out last week, so I subbed her two younger classes and Ms. Heidi taught the V's class. When I saw her yesterday, she thanked me for covering her classes, which I don't believe another teacher has done. It's just like, expected I guess. A teacher is gone, the sub comes in. But she thanked me, and genuinely appreciated it.
Some people don't prefer her class, but I have come to realize it is probably my favorite. Moreso because she doesn't give us anything that's over our heads, so I typically feel good in that class, but also challenged in areas. It's the balance I need as the level V that I am. I really appreciate it.
(It also lets me test if I can make it without a brace and for how long.)
She has my respect.