Part 2 Tim O' Neil's Paddle Out

Nice tribute to a fellow Blackie Surfer! Hope he is catching Big Fish and Waves in Heaven!
Our contribution to the memory of Tim. My husband took an old picture from the fishing boat he works on. I blew it up to an 8x10 for him. My husband has known Tim for years. He use to chat with Tim in the winter at Blackies while I was out surfing. As I was going out, he was coming in.
This is how my husband and his fellow fishing friend Betty wanted to say Goodbye to their friend.
I think it is a nice gesture. I Can't say I have really "MET" Tim. But I surf the same break he did. I have seen him out there..and I believe he has given me a few pointers. while I was in the water. If I remember correctly, I think he is the one who told me how to lay correctly on my board while paddling out. TOLD me to keep my feet on the board. In the beginning I would occasionally use my feet to try and balance and they hung off the side of the board. Glad to say I have not done that since I was told not to.
My husband and few of our friends. A couple more showed up after we left. But obviously I didn't get their pix. There were also a lot of fellow surfing freinds of Tim.. the Fishing Crew didn't know the Surf crew. But They ALL knew Tim and Loved him dearly.

The Following Link is a post Surfline did on Tim... the best thing about all this.. He went out doing what he LOVED.. I hope when my time comes... I could be just as lucky!

http://www.surfline.com/orange-county/local-news/newport-surf-community-loses-tim-oneil-and-zach-morabito_57929

REST IN PEACE TIM! Every time I am at Blackies I will think of you!

Part One of 8/13/11 Doc gave the OK for a paddle out!

Well I am making this a 2 parter because there are 2 separate issues today. My first day back in the water since my Doc approved it. AND a Tribute to a surfer name Tim. I want to give Tim his own post, so I will start with my getting back in the water in almost a month of being out of commission.

Wish the circumstances of me being able to get wet again were under happier times.

I wanted to paddle out for a fellow Blackie surfer and good friend of my husband. But we could not stay for the paddle out. We had a friend coming to do the wood floors and I had to be at work by 10 AM. I did my first Dawn Patrol I believe. Left house at 5:15. it hit the water by 6:30. I went out and did my own thing prior and said a prayer for Tim by where the paddle out took place.

It felt great to be back in the water. Conditions were yucky. inconsistent 2' not really all that great and low tide.

I paddled out and it was not a long paddle out and easy. I was grateful for that. Since the shoulder is still not up to par. THE doc said I could paddle out for 30 to 45 minutes. BUT not to push it.

I caught every wave I went after a total of 3. But the rides were short and bumpy. I did good paddling for the waves. First 2 no prob. I felt I really sucked though took me a while to get up. I felt fine paddling for the wave. I think because that is what I was concentrating on. When I went to push up ..that is when I really felt the pain in my right shoulder/back. After the 3rd wave and about 30 minutes. I was almost in tears again. Burning and pulling sensation down my arm. Also sitting out there and looking over my right shoulder hurt my neck too. Those two areas are what hurt the most. It killed me to carry my board out of the water. Thank goodness my hubs was there to carry it to the Tahoe.

Well At least I did that..and got my gills wet.. and MY HUSBAND said "hey you are a lot better than last time I saw you, and you are getting up faster." I said "really and today I felt I totally sucked. I didn't even really ride a wave. I am much better than what you just saw." SO that made me happy! I got a compliment from my hubs who has not seen me surf in quite some time. SO I guess I am progressing quite nicely. today I didn't have any fun lefts... I was a bit bummed about that too!

After I felt all my therapy went down the tubes, I was in the same amount of pain as before. Killed me to pull off my wetsuit. I was so frustrated!! I guess it takes time to heal...ugggghhhh! Came home and took a nice soak in the tub and some Ibuprofen and feeling a tad better now.

OH and the new wetsuit..I went one size up.. just a tad to big..but usable. I guess I am in between sizes ..So I either need to lose weight to fit into one that I cant zip, Or gain weight to fill in my new one just a bit. LOL

AND I also learned, I can get to the beach and back and still make it to work on time. IF I want to drive over 70 miles round trip for a morning surf sesh.. OH this could be a bad trick I just learned.. ;-)

Still Out of Commission =(

So the shoulder is still not working.. been going to the chiropractor for a week now. My schedule is every other day. Some things feel better and some things feel bruised and feels like the pain is traveling, as he is working on one area, the next day I feel pain in another. Apparently I am pretty out of sorts... 2 pinched nerves in the neck. 2 ribs out of alignment a few discs out of whack. I guess that is what happens when you get thrown off your surfboard when you are in your 40's. BUT even though it hurts to lift a 1 liter water bottle with my right arm... AND... I have been put on hiatus from surfing and running till further notice. I still want to go out in the water even if it is for 20 minutes. I AM DRYING OUT HERE! I need it!

I think I may attempt a lil something tomorrow just to get wet. Doc did approve for me to attend a paddle out for my husbands friend this Saturday. Just wish it was happier circumstances to get on my board.

Any other surfers frequent chiropractors? I would like to hear from you and your stories. This is my first chiropractic adventure and was not sure about it. GUESS I am or was expecting immediate relief. ALL I have to say it Thank Goodness I finally got some health insurance and he takes it.

IN HONOR OF SHARK WEEK!!!

Say hello to my lil surfing friend. aprox 200lb 8' thresher shark..with probably a 6' tail.

OK so my friend took this picture while surf fishing..just on the other side of Newport Pier. hmmm I surf there from time to time.

Now Threshers are not "harmful" to humans and have a small mouth. But a few things here. 1) it is a wild animal and has teeth, 2)if that popped up next to me while surfing I would definitely need to change my wetsuit, 3) their tail is more dangerous than their teeth,,there is a folklore or old wives tale about a thresher sharks tail decapitating a fisherman..


..and yes I am still gonna surf there!

I have not posted lately, because I have not surfed, and this is why...

Well First off I want to start with I finally got a new 3/2, see pix above. It is last years model but who really cares? I got it on sale and I think that is great! Now if I can just try it out?!
This is why my epipen is in my surfbag! Allergic you ask? I was told deathly....
I was scanning surf blogs and online articles about surfing and this pix was in "hot shots" Yes those would be the meters at Blackies... YIKES..Thought I share with you.

OK so onto me and the why I have not been surfing, besides the fact.. surf really has not looked so great anyway. So I feel I am not missing much. BUT I have not surfed since my last post July 17th. One is my work week seems to be consisting of 7 to 8 to 9 days in a row work with an occasional 2 days off. ON my last couple days off, I went to the OC fair one day. It was fun, I suggest you try the chocolate covered bacon. I had a few Dr. Apts. Nothing serious, just routine. BUT I did have her look at my shoulder on one of these visits. Will get to that in a bit... I have been busy with a mini remodel of my living room. Then this past Sat. I went to the US open. It was the only day I could go, I REALLY WANT TO GO NEXT SUNDAY. But I have to work. Now before you all tell me to call in sick... My coworker had surgery today and it is just the 2 of us in our dept. So it is OK. PLUS first week of Sept. I have a 9 day vacation coming up and she has to work for me. =) Even if I didn't have vaca, it is still ALL GOOD!. Sunday I was considering surfing in the AM..but there is my shoulder issue. YES the same one! So I spent some much needed bonding time with my 17year old daughter. We both needed it!

AND back to my shoulder... well my Doc says she thinks it was a pinched nerve, and I have been doing what she says with the Advil 600 MG 3 times a day and applying heat, and soaking in a warm bath with Epsom salt. I have been BEGGING my son who is a massage therapist to work on my arm/back/shoulder..but our schedules are not in sync. I am trying to figure out where the pain actually is. Seem my neck has a sore spot, my shoulder blade, and the socket area of my shoulder too. With a burning that has turned into a pulling sensation down my arm to my wrist. Hence why doc thinks it is a pinched nerve. I don't know if one thing is causing all this pain. OR if it is 3 separate issues. NOW,I have 3 separate injuries from the past. SO I don't know if they just get aggravated or what.

The last FUN surf sesh at Bolsa is when I hurt myself last and... It is still not better. SO YES.. I finally made an apt. with a chiropractor for this Wed. Mostly because a co-worker had them call me. I guess I have been complaining about the pain for some time, he is sick of hearing me whine..also I am always rubbing my neck or shoulder walking through the golf shop. I am ALWAYS in pain. I can't run it hurts, and I finally got up to 5 miles, it has been about a month since I have ran, and I can feel a difference in my body. I can't do yoga..and don't get me started on weights even 5lb dumbbells. Now Me not being to exercise of course there is the weight gain, But I just feel better and now I am feeling sluggish and just Yucky! I need to be active..I am just not myself if I don't move!

So everyone can relax..I am getting it looked at again.

Between all that and not being able to surf. It is sad when your 14 year old says, you are always mean lately are you going through the change??

AND on that note ladies and gents I will leave you.!

Happy Surf Aversary To Me!

This picture is beautiful San Onofre State Beach!

Well I had a very busy surf weekend. A lot of fun things to share and Sunday was my 2 year surf Anniversary. YEP been surfing and blogging now for two whole years...with many more to come.

I was hesitant about surfing this weekend, sore and healing shoulder and all. SO I saved my strength for Sunday. I really needed to surf on my Anniversary. Last year I was on a plane coming home from Tennessee if you remember? So I missed surfing my one year Anniversary.

I was finally able to go to San O! But sadly,I didn't surf it. It was my first time ever at San O! to celebrate one of my friends/surf club sisters Birthday.We organized a very fun Surprise Party for her. WELL Artie did,She did an amazing job too! We just showed up to celebrate. She is a Ukulele player and is also the person who got me interested in playing. OH have I mentioned I have taken up Ukulele yet? I shall blog about that in a separate post. WELL any way I learned and practiced HAPPY BIRTHDAY for her. So strumming on my Uke, Chowing down on some snacks and watching my friends surf is how i spent Sat. San O looks like so much fun. I cannot wait till I can surf it! The paddle out looks a tad far. BUT that just means a longer ride in. THERE were so many lefts, I was drooling. My friend took my board out. So I can say Tallulah surfed San O. Even though I did not get to ride her. I was very tmepted to just go in and catch one or two on the inside. THEY still looked fun. But I just didn't want to risk pain to my shoulder. I was saving it for Sunday.

So SUNDAY. Happy Anniversary to me. Began by driving to Blackies, Where it All Started. I was hoping it would not be crowded. Sunday+Summer=Crowds at Blackies. It is not fun then. BUT since that was my "teething ring" I really wanted to celebrate there. OF course it was crazy crowded before 7:30 AM NO parking. AND seriously the surf was not all that great! I drove around two times, I had to at least go to the scene of the crime, even if I was not able to surf it.

So I met my friend Laurie and her friend Chris and we surfed Bolsa.

Really not a lot of action. Doable. With my shoulder that was fine by me. IT was not as fun as the last couple times I surfed there, but I did get a few lefts and a few pearls. I would get the wave my board would drop and it always wanted to go nose first. I really thought I was pretty far back on my board. Bolsa wave is so tempermental. HA! Even when small the drop is hard sometimes.

SO a couple things happened in my under an hour of surf. I was so worried about my shoulder, and those pesky stingrays. AND I still have these blister things from the Dermatologist. So I didn't want those to pop. I wore a shorty, IT was soo warm, water and air.The only full suit (that fits me) I had is a 4/3 and I would have died of heat exhaustion in that. I know I was suppose to wear a full suit. BUT.... SO I really was not 100 focused at the beginning. I think that is why I pearled and wiped out more than usual.

But I relaxed and started doing better. I had just paddled back to the break from a wipe out. I looked over my shoulder to talk to Laurie she was paddling back out to, and then when I turned to look back at the ocean... A FIN was in my face. LITERALLY at my board. IT WAS HUGE and I planked on my board, I about had an accident in my wetsuit. My friend Laurie was yelling DOLPHIN!! it is a DOLPHIN!! It's OK!! I was still not sure. I was looking under my board, and all around, I have no idea where it went. It was there and then gone. IT was seriously right at my board. I could have touched it. It all happen so fast too. Even though it was a Dolphin, and everyone says they are friendly. THEY are still a wild animal, and still HUGE and intimidating when right in your face. We decided it came up to say Happy Anniversary to me. Although I was a bit shooken up, I still think it was cool and exciting.

I caught my last wave in and rode that puppy all the way to the sand. The nose of Tallulah was on the beach. It was a nice,fun,fast left. So Yes I was stoked especially since it was my last ride. What a way to end an anniversary surf sesh!

WELL it wasn't over yet. HA! If you ever been to Bolsa you know there are most parts of the beach where you have to walk up and out of the water, not just right onto shore like most beach breaks. I was at a part where it is about a foot of incline to get out. This lil incline consist of soft unstable gravel type terrain that is still in the water. It is covered in rocks,course sand and shells. Well as I was trying to get out with my board ,I slipped. NOT once but twice. The second time, I was hit by some white wash and my board fell on top of me and I got a bit tossed. RIGHT THERE in less than a foot of water. By the time I got out, my legs were scratched up and my left leg was dripping blood. I am sure it was quite entertaining. I know my friend Laurie's surf partner Chris thought it was. He just sat there with his head in his hands shaking his head..BUT he did say NICE Ride in. HA!

This is my mangled (what is the surf name for road rash?) LEG!

Yep at this point I think I may start looking into a wetsuit that is lined with bubble wrap!

This is my happier commemorative 2 year anniversary pix. After I cleaned up the leg!

Don't Forget the SUNSCREEN!

OK So I went to the Dr. yesterday(why am I telling you this? Because why I went is somewhat surf related) to get a mole looked at, and have her check out my sore, shoulder. But I am not a big fan of the scale she had me stand on.. NO wonder my wetsuit is uh hum.. "snug" YIKES!..No more after surf scarf down food sessions for me. ANY WAY.. SHE sent me to a dermatologist. WHO saw me right away. MUCH to my surprise!!I will get to all that in a minute. I want to start with my Shoulder.

I apparently had one or two ribs out of alignment.. I was oh no, it is my shoulder, she said can I give you a bit of an adjustment? I said sure. Then she had me lay down a certain way. I heard cracks and pops and I felt a little better. SHE said see ribs. =) BUT I also have a pinched nerve too. I was putting ice on. She wants me to put heat. My shoulder and neck area still sore. BUT not as bad and I feel A LOT better since she did her maneuver on my ribs. I don't know if you remember in my last post??? I said I hurt my shoulder and felt something pop.. WELL guess it was my ribs. The pain started in my chest to my back and I also had burning sensation shoot down my arm.(hence the pinched nerve) Still surfed though and tried to surf the next day. SO I say I am a trooper. I want to surf this weekend..but not sure yet if I will surf both days. SUNDAY is my 2 year Surf Anniversary, so I REALLY want to surf that day to celebrate. Don't know if I should push it on Saturday yet. We will see how I feel.

Now as for the mole. It is on my leg and I think I scratched it surfing and it scabbed up, then it healed. I am really not sure what happened? But that is what I think, I wanted to get it checked to be safe. Dermatologist wants to keep an eye on it for 3 months. IF ANYTHING changes before then.. She wants to remove it right away. SO that is where I am there. I have a history of Basal Cell Carcinoma, I have scars all over my back, and had one Pre Cancerous mole before. I have lost more than one loved one to Melanoma too. SO I take my skin care very serious. I am very good about applying the sunscreen or sun block and usually a 45. NOW THEY HAVE 100. The Dermatologist said 45 was good, but make sure it says Wide Spectrum and to apply every hour. So Dr's. Orders... ANY way. THEN she gets this blow torch looking freeze drying gun thing and starts attacking me with it. OUCH! I had never had that done before, SHE zapped me 25 times. NOT KIDDING..She zapped a bunch of sun spots.
So now today my arms, back, legs has 25 blisters on me. SHE did say I could still surf this weekend. I am wondering if it is safe, what if these things pop and I get "ocean water" in them, and they get infected? One cool thing I forgot to mention, is she surfs or use too.. and she told me she wants me to surf in a full suit and sun screen..SHE didn't say I needed to give up surfing or stay out of the sun. WHICH I thought for sure I would be lectured on. Especially after the attack I recieved with that gun thing.

Again why am I mentioning this?.. Because I care...SO APPLY THAT SUNSCREEN PEOPLE!