My First Race...Kind Of.

Lots to share. I have been running, kind of, again since the beginning of November, so really only about 3 weeks. With getting back into the swing of things, in that aspect, it has been hard to run more than two times per week. The first few times, were tough. I walked 9 minutes, ran 2, and so on. The next time, ran 3 minutes, and then walked for 8. This process continued for about 4 runs when I started to pay a little attention to my running pace. I can hear you all now, "Why would you even care yet?" or "Are you crazy, just relax, at least you CAN run." However, as I realized this weekend, pace will always matter no matter how much I don't want it to. Last week I got my walk breaks down to 4 minutes, running for 7 minutes in anticipation of my Turkey Trot Predict this last weekend. Left in charge of predicting my finish time, I started talking myself into a 33 minute 5K. (I should say that in my past life, I could run a 5K in about 21 minutes.) Through the process (the week), it went down to a 30 minute 5K. By the time we, Marc and I, started the race, I officially predicted 29:45, in hopes of breaking 30 minutes.

Being a predict, I couldn't wear a watch and decided to take walk breaks at the 2 mile and 3 mile point. With no mile markers, this quickly changed to at the water stops - there ended up being only one. I walked for about 20 seconds. With about a half of a mile to go, and after staring at the back of two girl's heads the entire race, I decided that I needed to pass them. So in my new fashion, probably about an 8 min per mile pace, I kicked it in and passed them. I finished the race and said, "Well, I won't know if I overdid it until Monday." It's Monday, and I feel great. And my finishing time...drumroll...28:06. (9:04 pace)Not too bad. As we walked to the car Marc said, "You will never be able to run just for fun." I quickly pointed out that my pace was 2 min per mile slower than before, and that may be what it is for a while, but it is all good. At least I can run again.

Interesting or Scary?

About a week before my surgery, all the way back at the beginning of July, my right eye got cloudy. Being a contact wearer for about 18 years now, I figured they were old and I needed to change it out. So I did. It remained the same state. So I quickly called the eye Dr. to get in and have them take a quick look before my surgery so I wasn't living with it for months, figured they would adjust my prescription, and send me off with a new contact. After checking my vision, they couldn't correct it with the whole "better or worse" system and decided to run a few scans on it. They checked my peripheral, the shape, the retina, etc. and nothing. I could barely make out the second line, the one just below the big fat "E", on the chart and so my prescription remained -4.0 in my right eye. (My left eye is normal at -5.75 or so, and I see fine with correction.) I left the office with no answers; however, they did give me a bit of advice, "After surgery, wear glasses for a bit and see if it gets any better. It will either get better or worse over time." So I did just that. I wore my glasses for several days, no change, but I could care less since my worries were somewhere else.

Skip ahead 3 months to October, and my regular eye exam. "Is it better, or worse, or the same?" I replied, "It's still blurry." Performing another eye exam, they could still only correct my vision to the same point. He said it had actually gotten a little worse and to stop wearing my contacts. He ran more tests, and nothing. He briefly mentions MS, but says he shouldn't have said anything. So I stopped wearing my contacts and he asked to see me back in two weeks to see what that would do.

Two weeks later. My eye doctor has been consulting with a retina specialist, who is also his friend. He said they have talked several times at length about me and are puzzled. They have never seen ANYTHING like this. So I inquire what EXACTLY is going on. At this visit, he says, "When I give you the exam," (the whole better or worse test) "your eye is now -1.25! IT HAS SELF-CORRECTED!" Your first reaction is to probably say, "Wow, that's amazing. That's a good thing right?" Because that is the one and only response I've gotten when I tell people. However, an eye doesn't just self-correct. And it doesn't do it to that degree. His explanation, along with the retina specialist, "Something has to be pushing on the optic nerve in order for this happen." He again, briefly mentions MS, but again, says it's not likely. Since wearing glasses, they can correct it to 20/25. So I can see now.

Two weeks later. I have now seen the retina specialist. He has examined me, and nothing. Dr. Hampton, my doctor, and Dr. Luu, the retina specialist, feel I should have a CT of my orbits, just to make sure there isn't a tumor - which they feel they would have seen with total dilation. But just to be sure. I'm sitting in the waiting room for my CT and a tech comes out to find out what is going on. She says she needs to talk to her radiologist before they take me back. A few minutes later she returns to tell me that, "The radiologist has NEVER seen anything like this and he really feels that I need an MRI to get a more complete picture." Of course, this has to be reordered by the Dr. Back a few weeks ago, they also got my medical doctor involved, and he is the one that ordered the CT. Yesterday, the MRI was scheduled, I spoke to my medical doctor, I spoke to my eye doctor, and i spoke to the radiologist. All of whom are saying do not worry, but to continue to pursue an answer.

I have googled it, I have asked every doctor that I come in contact with if they have EVER seen this. No. So I decided to blog about it and ask anyone reading, "Have you ever heard of self-corrected vision?"

Running...oh, Sweet Running!

Life has been hectic and crazy and everything that describes hectic and crazy. School has been totally overwhelming this year with the expectations wearing me down. I can't keep up with the blogging, and for that I apologize. Plus, nothing has been very exciting until now.

Yep, I have officially started my walk to run program. It began last weekend with 2 minute intervals, on a very flat, well-groomed trail. My walking time was 8 minutes after I finished the 2 minutes of light, and very easy jogging totalling 2 miles (I had already walked 2 miles multiple times). My muscles are great, my hip was good too, but my cardio...ugggh! As much as I have done spin and even a Bosu class (hard) this week, the cardio has not kept up. So this process will be a bit of stretching out the lungs as much as breaking in the ole' hip.

I went to PT today and went ahead and very carefully told Cameron what I had done. The itch just wouldn't go away, and I gave in. Today, I am one week away from being cleared by Dr. White to do it, so I figured two weeks early (only running once last week) wasn't too bad. Cameron took a little bit of persuading, but he finally said that if two minutes was okay that I could 4 minutes this weekend. I didn't wait. I did a full 1.5 hours of hard PT, and then this afternoon, I hit the trail again. Marc has been great with me and very patient too. We always bring the dogs, and so my goal of being able to run with Tuff again, is happening regularly. I did a 3.3 mile run today (Cameron said 3 miles...) and ran for 4 minute intervals, and then walked for 8 minutes. He doesn't want me to increase my running and decrease my breaks or walking on the same day. So the plan for Sunday is run for 4 minutes and walk for 6. Eventually, I will be running the whole 3 miles. I am planning on doing a 5k in about 4 weeks, just for fun. I am excited about being able to run a race...any type of race. A 5k sounds like a challenge right now, but a realistic goal.

After that, I am going to do a series of races here to get ready to go into marathon training. The series is 10k, 8 miles, 10 miles, and 20K during january and February. I will start training for my first post-op marathon in March. It is exciting to actually talk running again. Of course, this will happen as long as things continue on this path, which I am fully expecting.

My pain is non-existant; however, I can "find" it and still have trouble bending my leg certain ways. I am not sure I will ever be able to sit "criss-cross apple-sauce" again, or comfortably lift my foot up to put my shoe on, but every day life is pain free. Cameron just said today that I will be one of Dr. White's star patients: I am pain free, and will be running marathons again. Very exciting! Now if things could slow down a little at school, I would have some time to enjoy all of this.

I Wish Every Weekend was a Three Day!

Where do I start? Life has been super crazy with work. I have a lot of meetings, which I hate, and a lot of fun with my students, which I love. I tell them everyday, "You are the best class I have ever had, and you are definitely the smartest!" That is until next year's class, and then they will impress me too. My mom and dad have been in two times a week, for the entire morning, to help with anything I need. My dad usually catches me up on grading papers while my mom does small groups with students. Having two retired teachers as parents couldn't be any better when it comes to stuff like this. They help me kick start my class in fall, every year. It is the time of year that I see the most growth, probably because there are three teachers in the classroom for two days per week during this time. Love my class, and love having my mom and dad there to help.

Marc and I have been busy doing home maintenance in anticipation of our new carpet coming this week. Yippee. Our house is all set. We fixed some doors, refinished the hardwood entry, and cleaned up some clutter. We have also been enjoying some free-time with my parents. Yesterday, we went 4-wheeling and had a blast. The girls went too and Christian enjoyed her new hobby, photography! (Halee has always carried the camera, but Christian is trying it out.) We might even go again next weekend.
I also had my 3 month post-op visit today. I had the day off, and Marc took the day. My parents, Marc, and I headed up to Denver all together. (We met my grandma after the visit for lunch.) Everything on the xray is perfect. I have had two "flare-ups" from trying new things: mountain biking and walking 2 miles. Dr. White wasn't happy about the mountain biking, but when he realized I hadn't meant to, nor done it since, he was okay and advised me to wait one more month until I started the walk to run program. He reassured me that I would be back to where I want to be, but I need to be patient, which I will. For now, I continue with PT once a week until 6 months post-op.

So all in all, life is perfect! I love my family, my friends, and my job...and recovery is going pretty good too! Except I wish every weekend was a three day.

Bursitis and Some Treatment

The pain didn't lighten today and moved upward and out. I told Cameron of my desperate situation the second I walked into PT. After some examing, he could put his finger right on the intense pain, and used a bunch of big words with acute bursitis at the end. I received a treatment (that basically put the medicine straight into my hip with ultrasound) and then he worked it my hip a bit. We did a few stretches and sent me home. After some discussion about my weekend activities, we decided it was the mountain bike ride I did where I ascended quite a bit. Spinning class keeps you pretty stable, even if you get up and down. When you are on a real trail, you use your hips to stabilize yourself. He said I wouldn't have known I wasn't ready, if I hadn't tried. I will have to wait a few more weeks before I try again. It was fun while it lasted.

Yikes!

My favorite thing to say to my students when they do something they shouldn't...and it's usually fairly high pitched and catches them off-guard, kind of like the sleepless night I had last night, and the beastly pain that hit me yesterday! I have been rating on as a 9. I would read blogs and think, "How could people be in so much pain post-op?" Well, now I know. Not really, I don't have an answer because I haven't gone to physical therapy this week, but know the pain. I hurt all through the night and even laying there completely still, I was in so much pain that I wanted to cry. It begins above my knee, to the right side of my leg, all the way up, to the outside of my hip-right below my bone. I had Marc rub it out with lotion last night, like the PT did last time it was "kind of" like this, and 10 minutes later, it was back full force. I awoke this morning to find myself standing in the shower in total frustration. It was excruciating first thing. I went to school, had a tough morning trying to deal with it, and it fluxuated between a 9 and 6, at best. My hope: physical therapy is tomorrow and Cameron will fix it. I hope. My first question for him will be, "How can I take care of this on my own, at home, if it happens?" I have also made my 3 month post-op appointment for October 11, and will ask Dr. White about the possibilities. feeling a little desperate at the moment. I know it'll all be okay, but in the meantime, I am looking forward to another night...in pain! Yikes!

It's Still There!

My hip recovery has been amazing. I completed my first real spin class today. The full hour, with resistance and standing with the sitting. Thank goodness. I was getting tired of sitting. I looked into a cycling race, but the season has proven to be my biggest challenge, and that is probably a good thing. I will have to wait to tackle all of my post-op dreams until after winter, and that was the original plan anyways. I go down to one visit of PT per week this coming week, so I will start to hit Villa more on my own. I was warned by Dr. White that between month two and month three post-op would be my most difficult time. Not as far as pain, but feeling great and wanting to get back out and start challenging myself. Interesting, that man is always right. Cameron has been great, allowing me to push as much as he feels safe, which is a fine line. I am now doing one legged squats 5 times a week (3 sets of 10 on each side), plank for 1 minute with both legs, then I toe tap-holding myself up on my good hip. Now comes the hard part, I am trying to toe tap with my not-so-good hip holding me up, I did 8 today, which is more than I've ever done. I was at 3 midweek. I do bridges with a big ball, rolling it back and forth. I "jumped" and "jogged" laying down on the reformer. Jumping was a success, but I won't lie, jogging left me in a ton of pain that I still feel 48 hours later. Pain is kind of something to take note of these days because I am rarely in any. I am still slightly uncomfortable in bed: I can't lay on that side still, and my right leg has to stay straight when I lay on my stomach when I'd prefer to bend it up. If things keep going on this path, the surgery was definitely a success.

My heart (and mind) has started to set some plans for next year. I am going to do a trail marathon in Pagosa Springs in June. I might do a 50k close to home in summer as well, and would also like to pace some friends that are planning some 100s. 100 milers that is. Pacing could get me back into ultra running without having to run the full ultra. It is slow, relaxed running or even hiking, and it makes me super excited to think about doing that. I would also love to conquer a 100 mile bike ride which will be thrown in around my other adventures. The great thing, Marc is on board to do a lot of it with me. (He will have to do a mountain bike ride, while I find a road race.) Pretty soon, I will be 100% and I am ready when I am!