Thanks Y'all :)

    Where has July gone? Oh Lordy August is right around the corner which means that my last semester in grad school is about to start. Also, with July coming to close I am closer to celebrating my one year post op anniversary. Nearly eight months ago I was lying on an operating table with the hope of having a normal active life. My recovery has presented me with a few hurdles but for the most part has been great. Having a cadaver ACL transplant was the best decision for me. I feel healthy, strong, and so very grateful. I want to thank a few people who have helped me along the road to recovery.

+Steven Larizza best husband and nurse ever! Thank you for all that you do every day.  

+Shawntee DesaRay Goff your smile and words of comfort were always appreciated. The snuggles were an added bonus.

+Lindsay Fedele my person who listened to my ranting & raving at all hours of the day & night.

Mama I got my crazy from you as well as my dogged determination to keep on fighting. Thank you for putting up with me.

Daddy thank you for supplying me with amazing books and enduring my endless chatter about Lord Byron.

    Recovery is easier with a support team that can pick you up when you face plant due to muscle fatigue. Who has helped you out during a difficult time in your life?

Some People get Botox I get Synvisc-One

    It is that time of year again and no Santa is not on his way. The time has come my friends for me to receive another Synvisc injection in my left knee. The first injection helped me so much that I didn't notice the wonders of Synvisc until it wore off. Two weeks ago I noticed a sharp pain in my knee especially when I would walk on hard surfaces or in any standing yoga poses. While boxing at the gym it hit me like a foul ball to the face. Seven and a half months have passed since my last injection which I should get every six months. Synvisc alleviated all my swelling and 90% of pain that I would experience while working out. Due to the small amount of arthritis that developed in my left knee the injections are a necessity.  

   
    To help people with their first injection I have some handy tips. Bring someone with you to hold your hand or tell corny jokes while the needle is inserted into your knee joint. Ask any questions or present any concerns before the procedure. Freaking out before the ice is applied to your knee will make for an awkward visit. Have your favorite treat on hand after the procedure and be prepared to sit on your buns for 48 hours. Staying off my feet for two days is hard for me and not fun at all. However, I have access to Netflix and a husband who doesn't mind helping me out with cooking and other domestic chores. How do y'all handle stressful medical procedures?

Having a Plank Party

Lunch consisted of a ham wrap and Kombucha.

    I am having a great time training my friends for the tae kwon do world open mainly because I get to think up new tortures for them every day. This morning I was reading through the Busy Bod blog written by a hot yoga chick I follow on Instagram(@busybodyogi). She came up with the July Abs Challenge which featured a wonderful plank workout. So I dropped down and went through the seven exercises and found out my abs need some work. I am definitely making my students do all 7 plank variations tomorrow.

    For some reason caramel has been on my brain all day but I am too lazy to drive to the store and get some. I just happened to have all the ingredients to make it at home so caramel totally happened today and I don't plan on sharing. I had a salad today so that means I can eat all the caramel right? Maybe I will just eat half today and finish it off tomorrow.

So beautiful

  

Spicy Burgers and Boxing

    
    Last Saturday I decided to step back into a boxing ring. For the past few weeks I have been training a good friend of mine who wants to compete for a spot in the World Open of tae kwon do. As I would leave from each training session I would wonder how it would feel to punch a bag again, to spar someone in the ring, and hear the bell go off for another round. My friend and his father built their gym from the ground up and it is amazing. Every time I walk in, it feels like coming home. For a good chunk of my life kickboxing and tae kwon do were all I thought about. So last Saturday I put on a pair of gloves and did 12 rounds of bag work 3 minutes per round. It is Monday evening and I am still a little sore. It was totally worth it. I wore my ACL brace and felt in control and strong with no pain in my knee. The patella itself stayed put even when I would pivot with a right cross. Cadaver ACL's are where it's at. I plan on only doing bag work and mitts twice a week to give my leg plenty of time to rest between each session. Gotta be careful kids! 

  Tonight's meal was very easy to make and contained chorizo which makes my heart happy. Must be a Texas thing but I like to use chorizo in several dishes. I made hamburger patties of half chorizo and half beef. After they were done cooking I plated each burger with green beans and a simple salad of greens and tomatoes. This dish was so filling and very delicious. I find it to be quite an accomplishment when I can get dinner on the table in 30 minutes or less. Winning!

Sports Medicine South Carolina | Synvisc One Injection

Sweet and Spicy Chicken

    Being tired from lack of sleep and a little heartbroken I needed dinner to be simple and quick. My husband is pretty easy to please when it comes to food which helps when I don't feel like cooking. Scrambled eggs and bacon for dinner will make him happy. With the help of Juli from PaleOmg I found a great recipe that will please even my grumpy self. I used her sweet and sexy chicken wing recipe and substituted chicken tenders. The sauce has some bite to it so I put a little extra honey which left a nice spice that wasn't overwhelming.

     Good ol' podunk HEB in Odessa has surprised me once again by carrying Live Kombucha Soda. This stuff is usually only found at the Natural Grocers store in Midland and in major cities of course. The major highlight of my day was definitely the kombucha soda.

Superbowl Snack: Sweet and Sexy Wings

 

Ingredients

• 24 chicken wings
• ⅓ cup raw honey
• ½ cup coconut aminos
• ½ cup red wine
• 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
2. Mix all your sauce ingredients together in a large bowl..
3. Place chicken wings on a cookie sheet that has been covered with aluminum foil.
4. Pour sauce over your wings, leaving ¼ of it still in the bowl.
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes, turning once half way through.
6. Add wings directly into your leftover sauce and toss them to coat.
7. Then serve those guests of yours!!

The finished product with a side salad.

Stirring the spicy sauce for the chicken tenders.

I'm not frazzled just hungry.

The yummy ingredients sans honey which had already been put back into the cabinet.

My startling find at HEB!

My little sister watching me cook.

Thank You Dr. Cochran

     Dr. Cochran of Midland, Texas is responsible for giving me a second chance at a normal life. Last Fall I had resigned myself to the fact that maybe I would always have knee pain and would have to give up my law enforcement career. The pain drove me to see Dr. Cochran on the off chance he might be able to give me cortisone shots. During the exam he checked how my ACL was functioning and found it to be dead in the water. I was caught off guard because I was only a year post-op from an ACL transplant that was supposed to fix all my problems. Dr. Cochran ordered x-rays and an MRI scan to see all the damage. He actually appeared to be as heartbroken over the news as I was. It was as though this man who didn't know me from Adam was actually grieving right along with me. The tests showed that I had more wrong with my knee than right and that my ACL was indeed torn and loose. However, Dr. Cochran had a plan and was very confident that he could help me. And he did.

     I am 8 months post-op and am doing great in my recovery. Dr. Cochran told me in a fatherly tone to "take care of my knee" and that "I am mighty proud of all the fine work I was able to do to your knee". While I was working out last night I received a text notifying me of Dr. Cochran's passing. It seemed fitting to have gotten the news while doing a hardcore workout because that is what his goal was for me. All he wanted was for me to be active and happy. I feel such a huge sense of loss in that I was never able to tell him thank you. My recovery at times was rocky but I wouldn't have it any other way. He never doubted that I could be strong enough to run, jump, surf, and beat the hell out of the world. I do not like hospitals or needles but I have the sweet memory of being in the cold operating room terrified until Dr, Cochran took my hand and said "I'm right here and everything will be fine, just breathe". I was put under holding his hand while he told a very corny joke.

    Thank you Dr. Cochran for everything you did for me. I will always take care of my knee and be very thankful for two special gifts I received. The first being that you performed my complicated surgery and the second being the healthy ACL I was able to have because someone was an organ donor. Without these two things my life would have been very different and a painful struggle. Living without pain is wonderful and is something I wasn't sure would happen to me. Thursday I plan on another hardcore workout with Rudy Rodriguez in 90 degree heat and I will dedicate it to Dr. Cochran. His precise surgical skills are the only reason I will be having a sweaty and dirty workout Thursday. This one will be for you Dr. Cochran.

Sincerely, Elizabeth Larizza

Never Quit - Inspirational Video HD

My Knee Works!

   Anyone who has had to undergo several knee surgeries can attest to the excitement of their limbs working normally. For example, tonight at the grocery store I dropped my pen and instinctively squatted down to pick it up. As I stood up it occurred to me that 10 months ago I could not have squatted down to pick up a $100 bill let alone a pen. Holy cow my knee can do things that a normal knee can with no pain or difficulty. I would like to take a moment and apologize to my husband for being a hardcore brat during PT. All the hours spent in the gym, the ice baths, feeling like crap, the ugly stitches, and pain were well worth it. That one moment in HEB helped me to realize just how far I have come since December 2013. I can ride in a car for 10 hours with no knee pain and I can hike up steep inclines with stability and control. With all that being said I am pretty confident that I can bring about world peace.

   I am so happy that tomorrow morning I am making lemon muffins with raspberry swirl and eggs with chorizo. Accomplishments should always be celebrated with baking and adorable cooking aprons. What accomplishments are y'all most proud of and how did you celebrate them?

Traditional Sun Salutation for Beginners

Don't Forget to Pack My Wine

I am All the Excited we have our own place!

    Usually major life changes freak me the fuck out for about 5 minutes and then I put on my big girl panties and deal. For the last year my husband and I have been living in my father in law's house with my brother in law. The oil boom in Odessa, Texas has made housing almost impossible to find or afford for that matter. My father in law was gracious enough to allow us to board at his home while we worked and finished up our degrees. However, life has majorly sucked due to my brother in law who likes to drink and do drugs. Finally, things got so bad at home that paying an exorbitant amount of rent for a shoebox was a better option than living with the brother in law.

    We found an apartment and were able to move in last Monday and already life is better. Our rent is ridiculous, our apartment is tiny, I have to work full time while going to school full time, and we will be broke all the time. However, I could not be happier to live in a home where there is no fear or bad tension. The next semester will be stressful and I hope that I will be able to graduate on time. My education is very important to me and it is one sacrifice that I am not willing to make.

   Being happy is important y'all so is knowing when to cut ties and move on. For the past year I basically ate my feelings and was sad a lot because my home life was chaotic and out of control. No wonder I felt like crap all the time. Having a peaceful environment makes me want to work out and cook again. It is ok to say "I am mad as hell and I am not going to take it anymore". Your life is what you make of it and I just want to be happy. Cheers to getting the hell out of dodge!!

Why am I Paleo? The Civilized Caveman

Happy 4th of July

     We spent the fourth of July in Phoenix AZ with family and had such a relaxing weekend. Driving into town last Thursday we were met with a massive thunderstorm. Looking out of the driver side window I saw this curtain of sand blowing across the desert. The scene reminded me of the movie The Mummy,when the sandstorm erupts and the bad guy's face appears in the sand. Throw in lightening and rain and that was what greeted us as our car sped into town.

This was similar to the epic sandstorm I saw.

    The storm did not let up until we got into the outskirts of Phoenix and I am surprised our car did not float away. Steven got us into town safely with his badass driving skills while I sat in the passenger seat and worriedly prayed. After surviving the storm we celebrated the only way you can in Phoenix. We ate dinner at In & Out. 

   The best thing about last weekend was that we hardly did anything but hang out with family and relax. I hope everyone had a great Fourth of July!