Walkin’ the Dog(s)

posted by Momo Fali on February 22, 2010

A few weeks ago, I pulled a back muscle when I was lifting a case of water. What? Water is heavy. And, sloshy. After it happened, I told my boss that you never realize how much you use your back until you can’t use it anymore.

On Wednesday night my husband suffered a grade 3 rupture of his gastrocnemius, which is a fancy way of saying he badly tore a big muscle in his calf. He was shooting hoops when it happened. Okay, not so much shooting hoops as he was coaching fifth-grade, girl’s basketball. What? Dribbling around 11 year old girls is hard. Especially if you’re 38.

Since then, he has been on crutches and unable to do much. And, let me just say that you never realize how much you use your husband until you can’t use him anymore.

Every single morning, rain, shine, sleet or snow (in Ohio, it’s mostly the rain, sleet and snow part) he walks our dogs. The 11 year old Labrador could probably survive without her daily jaunt, but there is no doubt that she is in such great shape because of my husband, so we like to keep her active.

However, the one year old Labrador, Daisy, needs this exercise. She needs it like I need water, and air and beer.

Every day, my husband walks three miles with the dogs. They run off-leash most of that distance and likely cover twice the ground he does. Then Daisy comes home with her thick tail whacking everything in its path, she grabs a toy, slobbers on my jeans and looks at me as if to say, “I’m just getting warmed up, lady. Let’s play!”

Thanks to my husband’s injury, for the past four days I have been walking the dogs. If you can call it that. It’s more like getting pulled down to the park, letting them off-leash, then running 200 yards through shin-deep snow, in my big, clunky snow boots, to get Daisy because she has run off to steal another dog’s ball.

It is exhausting and after only four days, my body is sore. My left hand is blistered, my ribs feel bruised, I have shin splits and my thigh muscles are like jello. It’s a workout like none other.

I’m actually kind of hoping that I rupture my gastrocnemius.

    Comments

  • Single Parent Dad


    One of the reasons I am not a dog lover, that and apparently, it's illegal 😉

  • Amy


    I can't walk my dog without a Gentle Leader

    http://www.buygentleleader.com

    It makes it so they can only pull with their nose, not their whole body weight. My 90 pound dog would walk ME without it.

    They have them at PetSmart.

    XOXOXO,
    Amy

  • WeaselMomma


    On a positive note, you will be all set for swimsuit season by Easter.

  • Surfer Jay


    Yeah I hear ya. And I can't wait for my wife to have this baby allready so she can take over emptying the cat litter box.

  • Sadia


    Feel better, the both of you.

  • Dapoppins


    Oh, I so totally agree. Husbands are very useful to have around. Now, go read Bee, aka Emma, aka Jenn's post about her sophisticated calendar…you and be careful not to spit your coffee.

    http://beerepartee.blogspot.com/

  • Heather


    Oh man, that is a nasty injury for your husband! I hope he feels better!

    Sidenote: Keep walking the dogs, you will be VERY happy with the results ha ha ha. 😉 I'm with Weaselmomma, you'll be swimsuit ready in NO time!

  • Always Home and Uncool


    So it will require doing bodily harm to myself to convince My Love to finally walk the dog?

    Small price …

  • AlisonH


    Heal quickly, both of you!

  • meleah rebeccah


    Yikes. I hope you feel better soon. I can personally attest to just how painful shin splits can be!

  • ♥Georgie♥


    goodness hope your both better soon…and this is why i own a weenee doggers…I am bigger than her…well most of the time…

  • Irish Gumbo


    Ouch.

    Ah, just let her off the leash, and take some beer with you on the walk 🙂

    You'll both be fine!

  • UP


    If you take them off the leash, you may never have to walk them again!!

    UP

  • Mocha Dad


    Perhaps you should hire a dog walker.

  • Jared


    Consider the up-side…you forgot about how bad your back hurts. 😀

  • v8grrl


    This is why adults should stop doing sports…just dress like you do sports, but don't actually do them…you could hurt yourself…and I count lifting as a sport.

    yes…and I run with a stupid Husky wolf dog and I swear to God…it's like herding cats on a leash…stupid dog…

    I feel your pain
    v8

  • Mum-me


    I can relate to the dog-walking woes, having once had a dog that was a 'puppy' until the day she died.

    I think it's interesting that part of the body starting with 'gastro' is actually in the leg?!?

  • mrsmouthy


    Dude, just swing by the Home Depot around 8AM on a Saturday and pick up one of the replacement husbands hanging out there. You know the guys I'm talking about, right?

  • Jen


    LOL, mrsmouthy!!!