tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9521779012531013102024-02-18T23:32:08.735-08:00Adventures with MSAdventures with MShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05990934869462778579noreply@blogger.comBlogger130125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-952177901253101310.post-57965246263160160032012-05-03T14:52:00.001-07:002012-05-03T14:52:40.336-07:00Back, at least for today<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I cannot believe it has been over a year since I have posted. At the same time, I think I needed a break. I have found myself overwhelmed by all of the blogs that I follow. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Those that have better health and are actually hitting all the aspirations that they wish for, I found myself a little bitter and jealous (only because my body does not like me as much as it did pre-MS). For those with MS or other chronic disease, at times the blogs were to heavy for me to really take in - I just wasn't there. yet. </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This year has been another challenge, I might get into that one of these days, but in the end, the challenges that I have dealt with over the past 4-5 years are nothing compared to the strength that I have gained. I get it, life is not fair, especially to those that seem to be given more to carry than others. However, that is life. God is not out there pointing to me (or others) and giving me more hardships than the next guy. Please do not say to me that things happen for a reason; I do not and cannot believe that.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">For those of you wanting to know how my triathlon, backpacking and running career has been - well pretty non-existent in the past 8 months. Yesterday, I went for my first run in 4 months, as said before, my body is not where it was. However, I do not give up. I am in a moment of health right now that I am holding on to, so who knows, I will keep you all posted.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As for pregnancy, that is a long story that I may touch on one of these days. It is been a heartbreaking journey for Paul and I, my body, not related to the MS, has not been on the same page as I had dreamed. Again, just another personal lesson that I am learning to get through, thank goodness for my amazing hubby!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In the past year, I have hit my 4 year mark as a professional at UA, adopted a pup named Greta, remodeled a kitchen, took my first lazy beach vacation and I have dreamed, hoped and wished for many things. That is all we have. Oh yeah, I have also gotten addicted to Pinterest...haha, a great way to get motivated from everything crafty to working out. :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So I hope my blogger journey will start up again, I am looking forward to writing again, it is a great outlet. It is also a great way to connect with all my peeps; all of you - healthy and struggling. I leave you with a pic of Paul and I, boy I sure love him!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></div>Adventures with MShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05990934869462778579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-952177901253101310.post-31999868505671063162011-02-23T17:54:00.000-08:002011-02-23T17:54:20.104-08:00OH NO - the big three oh.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1usUYyhCxJ9utb9GmrLwcx6CGAuFLJCXL44IcuQQEKDZk6_9281CK4SiMN2x2rRqZnsuVXAeQL6OBeovCcLiu3uaMV1bVnwC-uMKizjIOLi_eQIp6kHOTpIfvr_8TMkHRX9JAepwmQ18/s1600/30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1usUYyhCxJ9utb9GmrLwcx6CGAuFLJCXL44IcuQQEKDZk6_9281CK4SiMN2x2rRqZnsuVXAeQL6OBeovCcLiu3uaMV1bVnwC-uMKizjIOLi_eQIp6kHOTpIfvr_8TMkHRX9JAepwmQ18/s320/30.jpg" width="296" /></a></div><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">February 28, 2011 - Yep, the dreaded 30. Not sure how I am feeling about all of this...</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">There is a little fear that I have with this number. I mean, what does this day have that the day before does not? Not sure, but I do know that my 20s were short - or long - depending on how you look at it. When I really analyze all of things that happened during that time, well it was <b>A LOT</b>. But it passes so quickly and many things changed. The way that I view life is completely different now - I am older and wiser, with a few more wrinkles (and more to come). I am also glad that I made it out on the other side (trust me - there were moments). </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">There were some really rough times; my father's diagnosis with cancer, my diagnosis with MS, lost loved ones, and the reality that my youth was just a set-up to real life (man I wish I had not complained on all of those late teens/ early 20s stresses - little did I know).</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">There were also so many amazing times; hiking the Appalachian Trail (with my sister), meeting my soul-mate and marrying him, becoming a runner-kayaker-climber-hiker-biker- triathlete (huh, when did all that happen?), traveling, graduating college, laughing A LOT, getting my first real job and (not to pat myself on the back) excelling at it.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It is something that I can look back at with little remorse, I have and WILL always say that the choices that I have made only allowed me to become the person I am today. AND DANG, I am woman hear me roar...I feel confident and ready for the next step... </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Wait, do I feel ready? Depending on the moment and the day I am never quite sure of the answer. Reality is that I have a chronic disease that is likely to hit hard sometime in the next decade - reality is that I will likely lose some more loved ones - reality is that things will happen that I cannot even fathom right now...but I do not want to focus on that. I want to focus on me and where I am r<b>ight now</b>! I am doing pretty well, maybe because I am less emotional about everything that has happened. Maybe because those life lessons that I experienced in my 20s have allowed me to calm down. Maybe because I am me and no one else is. The days that I am down, the days that I am up...only I really experienced them and know what truly they are and mean. Or do I?</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So I will leave you with this quote that I read recently and that just rang true to everything that I am experiencing...</div><h6 class="uiStreamMessage" data-ft="{"type":"msg"}" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="messageBody">"True wisdom comes to each of us when we realize how little we understand about life, ourselves, and the world around us." - Socrates</span></span></h6><h6 class="uiStreamMessage" data-ft="{"type":"msg"}" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="messageBody"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Here is to another decade, if God (or whoever the world reign is) allows it.</span></span></span></h6></div>Adventures with MShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05990934869462778579noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-952177901253101310.post-77649471589429744242011-02-03T13:28:00.000-08:002011-02-03T13:29:49.965-08:001 year anniversary<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Ok, so it has been one year since I have been gluten and dairy free. Still learning, still tweaking...as mentioned before. So I want to take the time to list some of my favorite meals and pre-made foods that have made this year easier than I thought.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxXi9WUHoROJLwiceKZj68qbZKMTkDU1gL8U9XPEDtOch5vy73htxDuAT4qID5eu4wCZ4DunS3GfwwWF1hf7cZ8B7SvhuzVfDNbzyLeVRRuPC4sT0rujhU-66yjI_zxoYX5B3lRmwdjEw/s1600/Glutino+Pretzels.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Yummy Pretzels (Glutino Pretzels)</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxXi9WUHoROJLwiceKZj68qbZKMTkDU1gL8U9XPEDtOch5vy73htxDuAT4qID5eu4wCZ4DunS3GfwwWF1hf7cZ8B7SvhuzVfDNbzyLeVRRuPC4sT0rujhU-66yjI_zxoYX5B3lRmwdjEw/s1600/Glutino+Pretzels.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxXi9WUHoROJLwiceKZj68qbZKMTkDU1gL8U9XPEDtOch5vy73htxDuAT4qID5eu4wCZ4DunS3GfwwWF1hf7cZ8B7SvhuzVfDNbzyLeVRRuPC4sT0rujhU-66yjI_zxoYX5B3lRmwdjEw/s320/Glutino+Pretzels.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love these pretzels, taste just as good as regular. Not missing a thing.</td></tr>
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</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Favorite Bar (Kind Bars) </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR53flM7a0XtV1_4v6U5RF58rkqTIsQoP576M2Zk1R5pxHZ3BRUHCu5Lfh8vsfksxV7J2HbDmwrEou4EK3aipzrwbxHAT_om-0yXjpa5pdHvUdUW7pKL8m17t3RMD48tmfWZSDwVWJP6M/s1600/Kind-Bars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR53flM7a0XtV1_4v6U5RF58rkqTIsQoP576M2Zk1R5pxHZ3BRUHCu5Lfh8vsfksxV7J2HbDmwrEou4EK3aipzrwbxHAT_om-0yXjpa5pdHvUdUW7pKL8m17t3RMD48tmfWZSDwVWJP6M/s320/Kind-Bars.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So tasty and so good for you!</td></tr>
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;">Favorite Bread (Udi's Sandwhich Bread)</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZivYM2VKKj4vVoVTeR-sJiA16PDSBx8tju5S7XON25mAvNtIuUPqukNLT7J9hTOrrGk2CfKBDSidBNVxswanoe4ChlzC6e5PPfE7WGtoFyPFwgGLaLNO1KbED617WsPReviTKXbwCIIo/s1600/two+breads%255B5%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZivYM2VKKj4vVoVTeR-sJiA16PDSBx8tju5S7XON25mAvNtIuUPqukNLT7J9hTOrrGk2CfKBDSidBNVxswanoe4ChlzC6e5PPfE7WGtoFyPFwgGLaLNO1KbED617WsPReviTKXbwCIIo/s1600/two+breads%255B5%255D.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taste & Texture are almost the same as regular bread and they do not need to be frozen!!! Yummy :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Favorite Granola (Udi's wins again with their Cranberry Nut)</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-WN_i6C4eJ5Y1B0PbdfqmJsgDy3EnKKVyoTv4BrGHhxff6J_taiTxkzgURixs9-WFkjf7qQEe7Fv4xMOjT6QbZ1FMXwOQexIlLct0GjCfYi0ZTzE1A240e1V7MgQ_6pQHG3ReCeDmTRk/s1600/gfgranola.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-WN_i6C4eJ5Y1B0PbdfqmJsgDy3EnKKVyoTv4BrGHhxff6J_taiTxkzgURixs9-WFkjf7qQEe7Fv4xMOjT6QbZ1FMXwOQexIlLct0GjCfYi0ZTzE1A240e1V7MgQ_6pQHG3ReCeDmTRk/s320/gfgranola.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For some reason all other gluten free granola's have a weird texture... this taste like the real thing!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</tbody></table><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Favorite already prepared frozen food (Tandoor Chef Pad Thai)</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc0CA_W5DfXnBnstPk2CLMU-IOlLtXQJTgCxP-NBqHm71xqBG5FUgP3b8XK92G5Nm1H6E1GoiI9UdJKlr5O8xDFcoWCMgMmtiJbcnlcnhyphenhyphenQnq1kiGh8Rv_RjXzDXzay5MUpAJl8NAggAw/s1600/pad-thai.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc0CA_W5DfXnBnstPk2CLMU-IOlLtXQJTgCxP-NBqHm71xqBG5FUgP3b8XK92G5Nm1H6E1GoiI9UdJKlr5O8xDFcoWCMgMmtiJbcnlcnhyphenhyphenQnq1kiGh8Rv_RjXzDXzay5MUpAJl8NAggAw/s1600/pad-thai.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The flavors are sooooo good and for only $3.50 I have a meal for lunch!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</tbody></table><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Favorite Pasta (Tinkyada - only pasta that taste's like the real thing, DON'T try any other brand)</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIvW0XEpgI5yLgQ0l4JqR0pt3L5eo8t8-ckKxUiTSQ79Yc3seXZjpAZk0Nkaumk9wkzQjd8PzDLocE0HxFfTPz_efo9diPkuu3buHr11yQbHgeNNaL1TwUr4ITFOUreB45q4gpIC6VYMQ/s1600/TinkyadaBrownRicePastaPenne.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIvW0XEpgI5yLgQ0l4JqR0pt3L5eo8t8-ckKxUiTSQ79Yc3seXZjpAZk0Nkaumk9wkzQjd8PzDLocE0HxFfTPz_efo9diPkuu3buHr11yQbHgeNNaL1TwUr4ITFOUreB45q4gpIC6VYMQ/s320/TinkyadaBrownRicePastaPenne.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sometimes you need to 'carb' up and man, these are great!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Favorite Restaurants (There are quite a few; Altieri's, PF Changs. Chipolte, Rusty Bucket & Vegiterranean)<span id="goog_116717280"></span><span id="goog_116717281"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCp7CixoMWOBF5oMDpTcLvqx2eDa5N5m9q6_1ACTSjDEW3rEOflxFGHM7SjYXBuleUlO4Nlx8ZUqpfyoLdfTd5Ik6YKpmTeS7g2ZeWQlQoGoopWWtWHwHcHlebUTL-aOUWhS7Q0e2Tljo/s1600/altieri%2527s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCp7CixoMWOBF5oMDpTcLvqx2eDa5N5m9q6_1ACTSjDEW3rEOflxFGHM7SjYXBuleUlO4Nlx8ZUqpfyoLdfTd5Ik6YKpmTeS7g2ZeWQlQoGoopWWtWHwHcHlebUTL-aOUWhS7Q0e2Tljo/s320/altieri%2527s.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg364Gh8_jwhFviGf69sRpPbtSjwQ7EBJ6SO0rpquHckw07yAgbHbyaJp_GRbttRTxVDY2zs72MjjMCf6KNRtu28hY-xAhqF712UL_Zvk75rHvxCGBbAmTyaciVYFwZeThGS6fC_GI44q0/s1600/akronveg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg364Gh8_jwhFviGf69sRpPbtSjwQ7EBJ6SO0rpquHckw07yAgbHbyaJp_GRbttRTxVDY2zs72MjjMCf6KNRtu28hY-xAhqF712UL_Zvk75rHvxCGBbAmTyaciVYFwZeThGS6fC_GI44q0/s320/akronveg.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk86b_5LpEYbWMunoiMai8f3YYFjiBjdFD5Psrq7jO3nLbtKfnETbjAMmjs8GUYXfH5SAvOZPTd8ml0E7bweF6bAit2nMomJKQ9-RvW7ufyvXZWEEP-tLAxJYMqy6jltHPOmIPg3lmQcM/s1600/pf-changs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk86b_5LpEYbWMunoiMai8f3YYFjiBjdFD5Psrq7jO3nLbtKfnETbjAMmjs8GUYXfH5SAvOZPTd8ml0E7bweF6bAit2nMomJKQ9-RvW7ufyvXZWEEP-tLAxJYMqy6jltHPOmIPg3lmQcM/s1600/pf-changs.jpg" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkvzictesy0TZ2VzVn_HCQR91CBZb_iEkkZ_beG60iW1q7rplym9reacM8P-mUbbLFHLSflDbobIJzSQjm7u2fy4BZqo43b5nyFKz-1o-QLx9XvdXDYxFVbm4aNpzooYVphQ4uYtjMqwU/s1600/chipotle_logo_original.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkvzictesy0TZ2VzVn_HCQR91CBZb_iEkkZ_beG60iW1q7rplym9reacM8P-mUbbLFHLSflDbobIJzSQjm7u2fy4BZqo43b5nyFKz-1o-QLx9XvdXDYxFVbm4aNpzooYVphQ4uYtjMqwU/s320/chipotle_logo_original.gif" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9LNc0ktPPzYFqWEC3RPxkM_xjZeYd6Lr2bdWtPaIP3VITOpmvmm7kY8Utx0CVh45xD52cC5zicfmafxAtDQFhflsQyOk2bEC_rqTGpMSPG1g7X-iGJ4aVMNHo_19XnN3lIchHKcI47P4/s1600/rusty-bucket-logo.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9LNc0ktPPzYFqWEC3RPxkM_xjZeYd6Lr2bdWtPaIP3VITOpmvmm7kY8Utx0CVh45xD52cC5zicfmafxAtDQFhflsQyOk2bEC_rqTGpMSPG1g7X-iGJ4aVMNHo_19XnN3lIchHKcI47P4/s1600/rusty-bucket-logo.gif" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">OK, so all of these offer GF/DF options and that makes it worth it on my part!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;">Best place to find recipes (CooksIllustrated - my mom bought a membership)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG-IbM6a-OsG-qyVXAPoZqlvhxT9qOdm6F8IfO_ZH000YXTKIC3CCe_OtgKozBbxi4fLjgU46w7M3AfJfMJl89IJE6j9TriFlJ44yl0foKcNGXgdFdmQHKMhg5LG6YjzL9J5keNYEu5jg/s1600/cooksillustrated.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG-IbM6a-OsG-qyVXAPoZqlvhxT9qOdm6F8IfO_ZH000YXTKIC3CCe_OtgKozBbxi4fLjgU46w7M3AfJfMJl89IJE6j9TriFlJ44yl0foKcNGXgdFdmQHKMhg5LG6YjzL9J5keNYEu5jg/s320/cooksillustrated.jpeg" width="263" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They are not all GF/DF recipes, but they test them and perfect them. Many of them are GF/DF by nature or can be adapted)</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;">Best Cream Substitute (Light Coconut Milk)</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3nP6568IPJgq9HNN66tgSLYC3gU6A8qnBCg2hEHSXtMPRvge4LtjiYNgjS3lcZDnsairrsdh9v_LW5eF274w0Bl2kRjgaQrS2dxckXX7aNeFueWPnD_7MhRu87ldmJBix8EaEpj-iRvs/s1600/thai-kitchen-coconut-milk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3nP6568IPJgq9HNN66tgSLYC3gU6A8qnBCg2hEHSXtMPRvge4LtjiYNgjS3lcZDnsairrsdh9v_LW5eF274w0Bl2kRjgaQrS2dxckXX7aNeFueWPnD_7MhRu87ldmJBix8EaEpj-iRvs/s1600/thai-kitchen-coconut-milk.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The only thing that really gives a creamy texture and no it does not taste like coconut!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;">Best butter sub (Earth Balance)</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAGNRmJwG5X-13oUWJfuJ-DNGcFokHLQvyqY_ebOv-JQnabPnv57X-ov7b_p0S2ZnHt8IGJLPuGsfyWAoEkQ1Ig4Z2vsSCOVoy9x_c_DROJsFlAh3oegSg-YK2YL_9LGb5utZKYmg_vfc/s1600/earth-balance-buttery-spread1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAGNRmJwG5X-13oUWJfuJ-DNGcFokHLQvyqY_ebOv-JQnabPnv57X-ov7b_p0S2ZnHt8IGJLPuGsfyWAoEkQ1Ig4Z2vsSCOVoy9x_c_DROJsFlAh3oegSg-YK2YL_9LGb5utZKYmg_vfc/s1600/earth-balance-buttery-spread1.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I have tried lots, not butter but pretty dang close!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;">Favorite Bakery & Food (Mom's)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLhM7C8u13sae1WcB_PtKJpRFFd0d0XCd4x7FbrL0MnGDYByoeQbWM4462KuHNNm109xcskBxvMFzFSsbwVEILfsn5jT4fKaYa6ME0-CO1YSc5k6KqEzH_jMd8c189QucAb-D1tZT9hu4/s1600/Mom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLhM7C8u13sae1WcB_PtKJpRFFd0d0XCd4x7FbrL0MnGDYByoeQbWM4462KuHNNm109xcskBxvMFzFSsbwVEILfsn5jT4fKaYa6ME0-CO1YSc5k6KqEzH_jMd8c189QucAb-D1tZT9hu4/s320/Mom.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My sis, mom and I - My sister made awesome GF/DF soft pretzels and my mom - well what doesn't she bake for me (She perfected the GF/DF pie, breads, cakes, dumplings, cookies, soups, main dishes, sides...phew, she should go into business). Their love and effort has just made everything easier. LOVE THEM!!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div></div>Adventures with MShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05990934869462778579noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-952177901253101310.post-24350043688794878722011-01-24T06:47:00.000-08:002011-01-24T06:48:26.254-08:00Working Out Again...Starting over Again...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I have decided not to bore all of you with my positives for each day, but I still write them down. It does help me realize that each day has something to be grateful for, even if it is small.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">On other fronts, I am consistently working out each week. I am now two months into a strength training program that I do 2-3x a week. I never thought that I would be doing assisted pull-ups, dips, overhead presses, squats and a range of strength and core exercises. I hope that this helps me to keep my strength up, even though running has not been going so hot. I also started back to indoor rock climbing. The only sport where you feel every bit of lost strength. Paul and I climbed yesterday and I assumed that with all of my strength exercises I would be bounding up the 54 ft, 10 ft pitch indoor wall...ha. I was so pumped (a term climbers use for when your muscles turn rock hard and your veins poke out from exhaustion), but it was good. I was happy to get a chance to do this again. Paul was feeling pretty weak as well, so at least I could not blame it on the MS, it really was just not climbing recently.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I have not gotten into the pool in a while and I won't until my rec center starts their triathlon training March 7. At this point I am trying to stay above the dry skin that is caused by consistent 0 - 20 degree weather and chlorine just adds to the dry skin issues, so I am happy waiting out until winter is almost done. I have my bike on a trainer and have managed at least one workout a week...not great, but I have a hard time motivating myself on something that keeps you in one place. ;)</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div></div>Adventures with MShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05990934869462778579noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-952177901253101310.post-31283847664406843762011-01-17T04:16:00.000-08:002011-01-17T04:25:02.478-08:00Positives 1/14-1/16<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Friday, January 14.</div><ul style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><li>I bought a CD I had been wanting for awhile</li>
<li>I enjoyed a delicious Chipotle meal (yea for GF/DF options there)</li>
<li>I enjoyed packing for my WFR. Packing a backpack and going into the woods - my favorite.</li>
</ul><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Saturday, January 15 & January 16</div><ul style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><li>WFR was great, since my body actually held up pretty well. Tired but good</li>
<li>Braces, tractions splints, BUFF (Big Ugly Fat & Fluffy) splints were made & I remembered them well.</li>
<li>Last scenario was fun; full moon, snow and lots of fake blood and fake broken bones.</li>
</ul>Adventures with MShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05990934869462778579noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-952177901253101310.post-37422139273049472832011-01-14T05:46:00.000-08:002011-01-14T05:46:56.835-08:00Wilderness First Responder<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This weekend I will be heading to Pennsylvania for a recertification of my Wilderness First Responder. For those of you who are unaware of what this is, it is (from Wikipedia):</div><blockquote style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
A wilderness first responder is trained to deal with many situations that may be encountered in the wilderness. While a standard Department of Transportation defined First Responder course as taught by an organization such as the American Red Cross may require 40 hours of training, the typical Wilderness First Responder Course involves 80 hours of training. Wilderness first responder training courses focus on teaching the students to assess a situation, improvise solutions using available resources to stabilize the patient and identify the best way to get the patient to definitive medical treatment. In many courses, students are encouraged to develop the habit of systematically thinking through and documenting their assessment decisions/plans using a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SOAP_note" title="SOAP note">SOAP note</a>. Topics covered usually include, but are not limited to, the following principles<br />
<ul><li><a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basic_Life_Support" title="Basic Life Support">Basic Life Support</a></li>
<li>Responding to results of <a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_trauma" title="Physical trauma">trauma</a>: <ul><li>Management of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soft_tissue_injury" title="Soft tissue injury">soft tissue injury</a> such as a burn or wound <ul><li>Prevention and/or treatment of blood-borne <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pathogen" title="Pathogen">pathogens</a></li>
<li>Treatment of infectious diseases</li>
</ul></li>
<li>Management of bone and joint injuries such as <a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fractures" title="Fractures">fractures</a>, <a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sprains" title="Sprains">sprains</a>, strains and <a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dislocations" title="Dislocations">dislocations</a></li>
<li>Management of suspected head and or <a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spinal_injury" title="Spinal injury">spinal injury</a></li>
</ul></li>
<li>Responding to the onset of sudden illness</li>
<li>Transport/evacuation planning and implementation</li>
</ul></blockquote><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It is a great course filled with scenarios of fake broken bones, gashes, hypothermia, allergies, etc.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglGDc_lXGOBULp1PTXVZWdGjqQOpBuZIKlNaFqO3hUfCaDgVt5QR4tKR2GsgbiES_XR0ogYmGlGs77iDuHLd5RuzjAkBMj17eot_1rG8XOlylWGhk8kkv1oIL5Fdzv7wevskxBejqViEI/s1600/wfr-recert4-big.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglGDc_lXGOBULp1PTXVZWdGjqQOpBuZIKlNaFqO3hUfCaDgVt5QR4tKR2GsgbiES_XR0ogYmGlGs77iDuHLd5RuzjAkBMj17eot_1rG8XOlylWGhk8kkv1oIL5Fdzv7wevskxBejqViEI/s320/wfr-recert4-big.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ9qdBEL8CpUUq0aARe8cBWs5KP2R2Ts5zvbTGt77lAg92R-FlV5Dxc3LgGE2td-iuo1RTuDx0lKXiGpwr3CK-nQ528EEbgnP8AXOAqCjYep0vh6XxfOaF25rXGceCWbQRX89ONXVjAP4/s1600/WRFR-NovDave-109.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ9qdBEL8CpUUq0aARe8cBWs5KP2R2Ts5zvbTGt77lAg92R-FlV5Dxc3LgGE2td-iuo1RTuDx0lKXiGpwr3CK-nQ528EEbgnP8AXOAqCjYep0vh6XxfOaF25rXGceCWbQRX89ONXVjAP4/s320/WRFR-NovDave-109.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV-6U48cepUmS1RZf4FQjQGefJSkJMtMKBTCVsJB3zq9EhnrYsVlfS_dK7XNasrc6yBR-XGgA2SjQIf9eVLgeQzELL70J0iauEMS2cOphrdBecXs2Ft9OpDGF3mgRfs-6aF7sQjOQQJxw/s1600/SOLO+WEMT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV-6U48cepUmS1RZf4FQjQGefJSkJMtMKBTCVsJB3zq9EhnrYsVlfS_dK7XNasrc6yBR-XGgA2SjQIf9eVLgeQzELL70J0iauEMS2cOphrdBecXs2Ft9OpDGF3mgRfs-6aF7sQjOQQJxw/s320/SOLO+WEMT.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It is really odd to be heading to do this with my diagnosis of MS. 3 years ago when I did the full 9 day course, I felt so strong and healthy. This certification, which includes learning how to carry out a person with a makeshift back brace, is a very grueling and physical course. I would lie if I did not say I was worried about how I am going to hold up for two 12 hour days in the snow. I just pray that my body likes me this weekend. It would be nice to have this certification for another three years, because at this point WHO KNOWS what will happen.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Even though I am nervous, I really enjoy the medical side of outdoor pursuits. In another life, I would have loved to be a wilderness rescuer, even getting my wilderness EMT, I enjoy anatomy (hence the heavy physiology based exercise science degree)...but this is my life now. I cannot be a liability on a search and rescue, they need strong, healthy peeps with no health issues. These are the moments that you feel the little pangs of sadness for where your life is now. I really wish I had been a lazy, non-exercising slob - then losing my body abilities may be a little easier to swallow.</div>Adventures with MShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05990934869462778579noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-952177901253101310.post-14920989817818697702011-01-13T18:05:00.000-08:002011-01-13T18:05:19.431-08:00Positives for the day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;">Oh yeah and one more resolution. My positives for the day. What are those you ask, well something(s) big or small that is a positive thing in my life that day.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTlWujPE4oTamzZR5rDyuWrDPjx-L1-mGTmCzF9bESXNJ-3hVvBoGkqF1YukF7hzdqvwQxrz_jfS6ssHxGiq0uGSabcevQ9w58dj5J76dOQqj2TOGqfZp69URurDuDBBv2iiE5Pb1ozb4/s1600/positives-thumbs-up_id2807701_size250.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTlWujPE4oTamzZR5rDyuWrDPjx-L1-mGTmCzF9bESXNJ-3hVvBoGkqF1YukF7hzdqvwQxrz_jfS6ssHxGiq0uGSabcevQ9w58dj5J76dOQqj2TOGqfZp69URurDuDBBv2iiE5Pb1ozb4/s1600/positives-thumbs-up_id2807701_size250.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;">January 13, 2011 Positives</div><ul style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><li>I woke up with a lot of energy today</li>
<li>I could stretch my hamstrings oh that little bit farther after 5 days of yoga in morning and night</li>
<li>The person that was dropping the ball at work finished two projects for me today</li>
<li> I saw the sun peak out twice (which is a lot for NE Ohio)</li>
<li>Someone left some gluten free/ dairy free animal crackers on my desk.</li>
<li>My student employees borrowed my lap top, went onto my facebook page and put a funny status up - "I smell like BO and subway"(what a great joke)</li>
<li>I had a gym workout (squats, pull-ups, dips, etc) and am sore in a good way</li>
<li>I had a good eyesight day (I know that is weird but some days my eye is better than others...Oh MS, silly disease) </li>
</ul><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Not bad for one day. I will take it.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div>Adventures with MShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05990934869462778579noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-952177901253101310.post-35302018096951926132011-01-10T07:30:00.000-08:002011-01-10T07:30:21.866-08:00Life Resolutions (not just the new year)<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I have been doing some soul searching lately. Well really, I am almost always looking in, but now I am making some changes. I realize that my resolutions are not as much for the year, as for my sanity & health, so I am going to refer to them as life resolutions. These are items that I will be working on for the rest of my life, not just in the new year.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">To start off a little simply:</div><ol style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><li><b>Restarting daily yoga.</b> Not only have I stopped in the past year or so, but I have noticed that I am not nearly as flexible or relaxed as I once was. Not sure if this is because of the MS or if I am just a ball of tight muscle from the years of running and soccer, but either way I have struggled lately with my flexibility. I have had a nagging muscle (not sure if it is pulled or what) in my butt that has caused me problems running for the past month. I have been stretching, rolling, sticking, and even sitting on dryer balls to try to get this area loosened up, nothing has worked. Another easy 3 mi run this weekend ended with me barely able to move my right leg forward and that was enough to motivate me to start again. </li>
<li><b>Can't change what is happening to me, so must change my outlook.</b> This is true especially with work. Hours, stress, conflicts at work have drained me emotionally. I was to the point of actually hating every hour, minute, second that I was there. Considering that work is a huge part of my life and that I really enjoy what I do, I had to rethink how I was approaching each day and situation. So my focus is to rethink how I let things get to me and also that I need to be more honest with my peers and boss about these items. I am now in my second week of trying this and it has worked out fairly well. Last week I talked to my boss about a co-worker who was dropping the ball on assignments (for an entire semester) that I was forced to pick up the slack. I did not want to call this person out, but I was tired of it wearing me down. I felt that the conversation went well and even if nothing changes, I did what was needed to get the stress off of my shoulders and back on to his. I refuse to pick up his slack anymore. I also have to change my outlook on MS and fertility. I am reminded constantly by the MS community that I should stop trying to figure out when, why and where things are going to happen. Instead just know that things will happen, these items are out of my control and that is that. I have to stop focusing on every numb arm and leg, bout of dizziness, exhaustion, odd-shaped uterus :) ...when it is big, I will address it. For now, this is just my norm.</li>
<li><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Continue to tweak my diet.</span></b> I have really done well in this past year as you all know from my posts, but there are still some areas to work on. I want to cut out more sugar, which is my addiction. For example, it is easy to snack on some sweet tarts because I know they are gluten & dairy free and they are soooo good. But instead of having a bowl of them at my work desk, instead, I will allow them to be a once in a while treat.</li>
</ol>Adventures with MShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05990934869462778579noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-952177901253101310.post-88417908509088452172011-01-04T08:40:00.000-08:002011-01-04T08:48:49.307-08:00All in fertilityI really had not given the details of everything since I found out I had a bicornuate/ septate uterus. I figured for those other 0.05 - 0.1% of women who have this and those of you that would like an update, I would go into detail a little more. My OB/GYN had me go to a reproductive endocrinologist after the discovery of my 'heart-shaped' uterus. A very nice doctor here in Akron, Dr. Moretuzzo sat me in his office and gave me the list of testing that was to begin:<br />
<ol><li><b>Hormone Blood Draw: </b>To make sure that my hormones were actually stimulating my body to do what it is supposed to do.<b> </b></li>
<li><b>Hysterosalpingogram (HSG)</b>: This test involves radioactive die that is injected into your uterus and fallopian tubes. This will give them a better view of the shape of my uterus as well as if there are any problems with my fallopian tubes.</li>
<li><b>Renal Ultrasound</b>: Huh? You are probably wondering what this is for. 25% of women with a Mullerian Anomoly on their uterus will also have a renal issue - one kidney, bladder malformation, malformation of one kidney...you get the picture.</li>
<li><b>Sperm Count:</b> Thank goodness Paul had to do something. I feel as if I am always having one test or another, what with MS and now this fertility stuff, it was nice to share. :)</li>
</ol>Today I followed up with the Reproductive Endocrinologist, all testing answers were to be revealed. At this point I was ready to throw in the towel of this whole idea of having a child. I mean, I felt like I have just had a little too much time spent in doctors office in the past year and almost every appointment I have had, had bad results...so I was not counting on much. That way is much easier, then I am not so disappointed with bad news. I also was able to drag my husband with me, he hates doctors appointments and he feels very awkward, but I managed.<br />
<br />
Dr. Moretuzzo came out to the lobby to meet us, I always enjoy that personal touch - it makes you feel a little more cared for, and pulled us into his office. He opened my thick folder (gotta love health issues) and started to tell us the results.<br />
<ol><li>The blood draw was fine, I have the right levels of hormones and thyroid levels, things are where they are supposed to be. (YAY!!!!)</li>
<li>The HSG (which btw was the most painful procedure I have ever had). Showed that I have a bicornuate/ septate uterus (which we knew), but I could actually look at it and see it. It is a more severe separation than he had hoped for. This means that if I become pregnant (which is more difficult), I will have around a 50% chance of miscarrying. However, since we know about my uterus shape already, he can do some things as a precaution to prevent a miscarriage. I also have a blocked fallopian tube, which he said could be from some endometriosis - explaining the crazy cramps and periods that I have. This also adds a problem, I am only ovulating out of one side.</li>
<li>The renal ultrasound came back completely normal (thank goodness for small wins).</li>
<li>The sperm count was a little interesting, although Paul's numbers are great - he has some issues with the shape of them.</li>
</ol>Dr. Moretuzzo explained that the next step is for me to start Clomid (which is a drug that causes your ovaries to make eggs), sperm cleaning (where they pick only his best guys) and then they inject them into me on my most fertile day. This improves chances by around 50%, especially because they will make sure that I am ovulating on the side that can reach the uterus. If I have a miscarriage then we will have laproscopic surgery to look around at everything. If my uterus only has a septum (which they cannot tell yet), they can actually remove some of it so that my shape is more normal. If I am bicornuate (which means there are distinct halves), there is little that they can do. He would also be able to look at my tube and see if there was anyway to repair it. However, that surgery is not always successful, so I am a little hesitant to think that will be an option.<br />
<br />
Ok, so what does this all mean...well hope. It means that there is still a small glimmer that I can get pregnant and a small glimmer that it will be successful. I will take a small glimmer, that is more than I have had in a while and something to lift some of the weight I have been carrying around.Adventures with MShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05990934869462778579noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-952177901253101310.post-80815686311605037742011-01-03T11:11:00.000-08:002011-01-03T11:11:01.956-08:002011 and such<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Some of you might have noticed a disappearing post last week. I published and then thought better of it and unpublished. I am not going to lie, 2010 sucked a big one and I am scared of hoping for the new year. I just am not sure how much I am willing to 'reveal' on here. I want to be very honest about my struggles, but at the same time - my struggle is very individual and personal. When I feel something and somebody gives their two-cents, it is not that they do not have valid points, it is more that I need to be allowed to feel something without it being diminished by somebody who has a healthy body, has things going well or cannot relate to where I am at currently. You know the whole 'walk a mile in their shoes'.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So 2010 brought:</div><ul style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><li>Accepting a new disease at the age of 28-29</li>
<li>Finding out that I am infertile and so far not looking very positive</li>
<li>Job was T-O-U-G-H on me emotionally</li>
<li>Both of my only living grandparents were in the hospital and may be pushing their last years</li>
<li>Put down the family dog (family member)</li>
<li>Husband was promoted twice and is now MIA in the police academy (Great for him, but lonely for me)</li>
<li>Finished my first marathon after my MS diagnosis (hoping that I can do a few more)</li>
<li>Dizziness that lasted 4 months early in the year</li>
<li>Diet changes and health awareness (both have helped, not always easy)</li>
</ul><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This past holiday was the toughest test to my diet yet (I had not changed my diet at this time last year). My mom and sister were determined to make me feel like I was not missing anything (they did a great job) but there were still the times that you miss, the food that you miss and the family members who make you painfully aware of your struggles (if I hear that gluten-free tastes weird one more time...). I am still on track though, so I guess I have that.</div>Adventures with MShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05990934869462778579noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-952177901253101310.post-74088162716142928822010-11-15T05:08:00.000-08:002010-11-15T05:08:29.482-08:00I am ok<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Sorry for the last post, but sometimes things just seem completely unfair (I know - insert lecture about how life is not fair). I needed a moment to wallow before sucking it up and moving forward. I will find more from the doctor on the Monday after Thanksgiving, so decisions will be made then in regards to having a child. :)</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I did have two people offer to carry my child for me, ha that is funny. Other than that, I need to see in my heart if I am OK with NOT having a child and what that all means to me. I am not jumping to any decisions; not until I talk with my doctor, my husband, God and myself. I am sad about this, everyone hopes that getting pregnant will be as easy as it is for many friends - I swear half of them sneeze and they are pregnant. Unfortunately, like many other things in my life, that is not my luck. I happened to get a little more than some others and there are people that have gotten more than me, so dang it, I guess that is just the way it is.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-eFyGRl10ijsVdeGXOtK6jgSSvGRN5Vp_yII_eVGhbFFMT5dRCLTBNvptjgODebbjoTGfR1zrt6TnvpcyTuP-vvPWzydVcMsz6RJz6H9CZyulQbDLUnEjr_NQ-QvZ7It-UHQ9gU0zsSo/s1600/metro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-eFyGRl10ijsVdeGXOtK6jgSSvGRN5Vp_yII_eVGhbFFMT5dRCLTBNvptjgODebbjoTGfR1zrt6TnvpcyTuP-vvPWzydVcMsz6RJz6H9CZyulQbDLUnEjr_NQ-QvZ7It-UHQ9gU0zsSo/s400/metro.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">On another note, I had 4 days off in a row at work - the most glorious November Fall days I can remember and it was good. Good for me to rest my body, good for me to rest my soul and good for my household chores :) . </span>Adventures with MShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05990934869462778579noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-952177901253101310.post-16274444309990972432010-11-04T17:20:00.000-07:002010-11-04T17:20:41.511-07:00And another thing to add to the plate<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I was not sure if I should blog on this or not, but hey let it all out...right?!</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Some of you know (many do not) that I have been trying to get pregnant for over a year now. Before the MS diagnosis - before the year of that. Just something that the hubby and I were ready for. After 6 years of marriage, finally out of school and finally financially secure - it was that time. I was told to prep by taking my pre-natal vitamin, sleeping correctly, handling stress (ha, that is funny) and avoiding a lot of alcohol. 3 months into trying came the MS diagnosis, but not a worry, pregnancy is great for those of us with MS. My neuro was so encouraging, touting studies where MS will actually stand still during pregnancy and even have positive effects later on - something about being able to stave off the cane and possible wheelchair, because those who have given birth actually have less gait (ie walking) issues later on.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So we continued on, many times I thought I was pregnant but was not - those who have been through this know the heart ache. During this year+ my periods became worse; cramping, heavy bleeding (sorry guys), exhaustion and even frequent periods (like every two weeks). My OB said to give it a full year and then we would begin testing for infertility issues. So a month ago I had my year check up and she was not happy with the irregular periods and especially the frequent ones, although she said the stress of the new diagnosis could cause some problems. So I had the joy of having a pelvic and intra-vaginal ultrasound (yes it is as obnoxious as it sounds) two weeks ago with the PROMISE that results would be the next day. After waiting for two days for information I finally called my OB. Oops, their fax machine was down and they had not received the results from the radiologist (just my luck) but they would call and get back to me soon. Two more days passed and finally a call from the doc. Oops, the radiologist was on vacation and they did not like his reading of the ultrasound, just another week of waiting and we will know what is going on. </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Another week passed and I find myself in Memphis for a big conference for my industry. I am one of the lead presenters (which is a big deal), having a great time networking and learning more about my career. I just happened to be on a break between sessions and my phone rang. I did not recognize the number, but it was 330 area code so I figured it was either someone from my work or a number that I had lost with the phone change (just got a new phone).</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"Hi Julia, this is Dr. Morris' office"</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"Yes"</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"Remember the ultrasound you had a few weeks back?"</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">No - I don't remember the condom wrapped dildo that they used to see my insides, REALLY! - I thought.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"Well, we are going to need to make an appointment for you, unfortunately we cannot get you in until after Thanksgiving"</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"Ok?"</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"Well you see, the radiologist came back with your results. You have something called a heart-shaped uterus or a bicornuate uterus, do you know what this is?"</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">No, bitch, tell me - I thought.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"No, I don't"</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"Well your uterus is in two halves, basically during your development your uterus did not attach completely together"</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">WTF - I thought</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"What does this mean"</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"Well, the doctor would like to talk more about this when you come in after Thanksgiving, but it could be a big part of your inability to get pregnant. It can cause infertility"</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"Ok?"</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"It is not very common, it happens in less than 1% of the population, she will give you more detail when you come in"</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"There are not appointments before Thanksgiving?" I was more thinking - are you f-ing kidding me, you call me at a conference to tell me I am infertile (after two weeks of waiting) and you cannot get me in next week.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"Sorry, we are swamped"</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"Ok, thank you" More like - who in the hell calls you and then tells you they cannot see you for a month.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So I am not sure what this all means, the WWW only puts more thoughts in my head; those with this problem have a higher incidence of late miscarriage (after 15 - 20 weeks), infertility and mental retardation. Oh great, another lottery win for me. First MS, then this. Wait, wait. Maybe I should play the lottery since I am so good a contracting this rare and joyous health gifts.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">At this point I think the big guy upstairs may be playing a joke on me. I am super stressed at my job, I have MS and now this. Really, will I tumble from the plane tomorrow and die? I just feel like that would be par for course - I mean REALLY!</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So, I guess it is another waiting game and more heartache for me. I just wish that something positive would happen in my life, something really good would come. I am sick and tired of being sick and tired. The funny thing is that sitting back and looking at my life, it all seems like a cruel joke. Those who really know me, know that this is real, but it almost is surreal. My concern with all of this is my job. I have a lady at work who has lupus and people always comment about how she is always sick and not in that, oh no, she is sick way. More in the, she is faking it way. Even last year when I was going to all of my appointments that come with having a chronic autoimmune disease like MS, a person at my work had the nerve to say that they <i>never</i> get sick. Well good for f-ing you.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
So tonight I sit alone in a two room suite in Memphis. Laughing about my lot in life (really I cannot cry about this stuff anymore) and drinking a glass of wine. I will make it, what other choice is there. Someone said that God only gives you what you can handle, I do not believe that, because some of us get a lot more than others and I am not sure that I am handling it as much as scraping by.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">To all my MS blog buddies, you know what I mean, we all have had a hard life. You can either die or make it. I guess I choose to make it. </div>Adventures with MShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05990934869462778579noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-952177901253101310.post-89996342868059445992010-10-26T06:26:00.000-07:002010-10-26T06:26:00.411-07:00Running pictures AK marathon & Towpath<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifG8zKJsuE338jj4-mMgq9HZm0wLbZWCXjwxpODt3dweiy6HUsdIXOUxBdyCfZlsaj9cm62p_1FX2lZi1UqcPahKruICIUCQFmfHK6rDAFK3oA_lWHedDe8s7UwBOV-QED8NtoxYNuVFs/s1600/being+silly+before.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifG8zKJsuE338jj4-mMgq9HZm0wLbZWCXjwxpODt3dweiy6HUsdIXOUxBdyCfZlsaj9cm62p_1FX2lZi1UqcPahKruICIUCQFmfHK6rDAFK3oA_lWHedDe8s7UwBOV-QED8NtoxYNuVFs/s320/being+silly+before.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"> Before the race sister silliness</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVZo2DZpqUp19UEAcNl6nvVbcPcA8ZmI9hTYuWoMEYYzEtYTDovxvdYJTr_X-sfojuFkdbtCO69oaPaz0XnvNiAJHRz8H-OLDI_dwUskf5Z1hkiY7ShJRRcI4FYIXj2tscuZMN5VJQXKA/s1600/team+julia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVZo2DZpqUp19UEAcNl6nvVbcPcA8ZmI9hTYuWoMEYYzEtYTDovxvdYJTr_X-sfojuFkdbtCO69oaPaz0XnvNiAJHRz8H-OLDI_dwUskf5Z1hkiY7ShJRRcI4FYIXj2tscuZMN5VJQXKA/s320/team+julia.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;">Team Julia </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxOG-JfuSFyK7HI9FM_YWH-eJKiAwU04QTdBLbLByxGPTB3jIVcywNLE5dajRvv-WPRa3iqeAWlyKTXLjBy1rjYne2koZXBKenwYYESk7Qu3riCMt-ZES43N396MGrl5C-a6mXyO92nD4/s1600/team+julia+dad+bward.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxOG-JfuSFyK7HI9FM_YWH-eJKiAwU04QTdBLbLByxGPTB3jIVcywNLE5dajRvv-WPRa3iqeAWlyKTXLjBy1rjYne2koZXBKenwYYESk7Qu3riCMt-ZES43N396MGrl5C-a6mXyO92nD4/s320/team+julia+dad+bward.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"> Team Julia and the back of the shirts</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWAxClRWTxY_805KR-34mYvia7COApom5WIAEzxNF2S58x7y4bdgsJLcWqUf7fmPbahhj7qyOa5DljgSxNGXdHg7bM4rgeYbVeZal6keD283g2GrgMGUAkkpX4hY-SWUQVyjf7ytfXs8M/s1600/team+j+with+kate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWAxClRWTxY_805KR-34mYvia7COApom5WIAEzxNF2S58x7y4bdgsJLcWqUf7fmPbahhj7qyOa5DljgSxNGXdHg7bM4rgeYbVeZal6keD283g2GrgMGUAkkpX4hY-SWUQVyjf7ytfXs8M/s320/team+j+with+kate.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;">Two beautiful women in my life; my sister and bestest </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOzdoREcv6FNRgqGHkt9MRPI3qv44ZwgvGNyg0uLEK3Mhg6-oB7LI_0qg0lzHMEi_rCM9x3A1OA_zKk3az3oPeA4oi5rU1juV57bdyBR_75ZvXj55iMzQo7xRoBHTDqjR22ngfkeG3T3k/s1600/during+race.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOzdoREcv6FNRgqGHkt9MRPI3qv44ZwgvGNyg0uLEK3Mhg6-oB7LI_0qg0lzHMEi_rCM9x3A1OA_zKk3az3oPeA4oi5rU1juV57bdyBR_75ZvXj55iMzQo7xRoBHTDqjR22ngfkeG3T3k/s320/during+race.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"> Taking pictures during the race (yes, I carried a camera)</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxMZp8JgDcaJ3hzjYYGYXndP0zNQzWQr9_cNv7A4IV5yJVCb09FuNSb0du_htoXatiw6orf6BRfEmrBNkzkET6GRHNEBweuuCa0PaRjvg4o7akpsoEsJf6iyPx95buhfKtPEqmjPOQLT8/s1600/g-ma.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxMZp8JgDcaJ3hzjYYGYXndP0zNQzWQr9_cNv7A4IV5yJVCb09FuNSb0du_htoXatiw6orf6BRfEmrBNkzkET6GRHNEBweuuCa0PaRjvg4o7akpsoEsJf6iyPx95buhfKtPEqmjPOQLT8/s320/g-ma.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"> Grandma at mile 1</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg04UdpqGp0wjv-3f5rMJqyFHRcmK6UmNhJxl-m3UR2JbAUvHLQnWwAgm6Yh_-dQYcx5orkiAn9YdrCyDWd-pbVj-orsMYuRLZiOIkmZCFG0l40V9tE47neiSqZhwmrgZ1a8U2Z11DM2X8/s1600/Dad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg04UdpqGp0wjv-3f5rMJqyFHRcmK6UmNhJxl-m3UR2JbAUvHLQnWwAgm6Yh_-dQYcx5orkiAn9YdrCyDWd-pbVj-orsMYuRLZiOIkmZCFG0l40V9tE47neiSqZhwmrgZ1a8U2Z11DM2X8/s320/Dad.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;">Running with Dad - Mile 7</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ6UB45VL3nVZyQvAEhxyN7yXGdP_ViSskEvNwq6wWm3Q9scD_dt0ofA7xYhVQ0jwHCJzfz6xIn7Pr7dYtkgSIxBUG65uIfRGuQpwWa7ydk20vOMOx6pccpCQfffxBa-7CKDLMs_QbvpU/s1600/Friends.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ6UB45VL3nVZyQvAEhxyN7yXGdP_ViSskEvNwq6wWm3Q9scD_dt0ofA7xYhVQ0jwHCJzfz6xIn7Pr7dYtkgSIxBUG65uIfRGuQpwWa7ydk20vOMOx6pccpCQfffxBa-7CKDLMs_QbvpU/s320/Friends.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"> Friends at Mile 9</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLm2BEGGKdauW072sunqJcvFdMFRIPL47NNYH7aiIheeDgGhldueVQXsGtIpen6n4cFl32MqeVZfk-aaQ0uRhIgGILyNqyKmXHOE62YYIeGvzACljbnyIIgXuvTMiT_2LmFF9K6BchU7k/s1600/market.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLm2BEGGKdauW072sunqJcvFdMFRIPL47NNYH7aiIheeDgGhldueVQXsGtIpen6n4cFl32MqeVZfk-aaQ0uRhIgGILyNqyKmXHOE62YYIeGvzACljbnyIIgXuvTMiT_2LmFF9K6BchU7k/s320/market.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"> (Thanks Kim - Pand I at Mile ~24 - note I stopped taking pictures)</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhPUOSBaRucQvaRuXdsnpWL2A5WOwb84vt5wuj0RNQtV33CHUiszxz4SAsHMDKE9JEwGCCyK2r4V3JhQi5R1KoCWrkCp8dFuzlCC8UUbFGr-Q9Own0fEXTqK3GFbwsKEd-JngVOuGdfzA/s1600/PJ+Finish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhPUOSBaRucQvaRuXdsnpWL2A5WOwb84vt5wuj0RNQtV33CHUiszxz4SAsHMDKE9JEwGCCyK2r4V3JhQi5R1KoCWrkCp8dFuzlCC8UUbFGr-Q9Own0fEXTqK3GFbwsKEd-JngVOuGdfzA/s640/PJ+Finish.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;">The End - Ak Marathon snapped this as we ran in, my favorite pic</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;">Sometimes it is nice to cheer on family and friends on their runs, so Paul and I headed down to the Towpath Marathon - look at the Fall leaves!</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0BRx-yMLzhbpXZSvq8sWB5ES_DI7_VnDBoUgt0u9D0tB03jmMVjlXN1zGCS4uPEI4gv2UY_UNGi_eKFguQwuvi7p-CmQyBKq-JPelrKlgwOpofOAYRcw-4yEL62t65oUCrh86FEoDsUA/s1600/PA100430.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0BRx-yMLzhbpXZSvq8sWB5ES_DI7_VnDBoUgt0u9D0tB03jmMVjlXN1zGCS4uPEI4gv2UY_UNGi_eKFguQwuvi7p-CmQyBKq-JPelrKlgwOpofOAYRcw-4yEL62t65oUCrh86FEoDsUA/s320/PA100430.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"> Dad giving me a high five in the Towpath 10K</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfhZeRREDggjmo6ma5H039ly-Mp3orNoW_LexHuzybu5XsiwAKl4w_GOleQtUDfzc6tzm9myAAqSZ8-XXohEkIaG4NqmClkT45X7WJXlNBcfN0sv-TKt7oJLelH-5hp9uXYrX2YPG8udw/s1600/PA100439.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfhZeRREDggjmo6ma5H039ly-Mp3orNoW_LexHuzybu5XsiwAKl4w_GOleQtUDfzc6tzm9myAAqSZ8-XXohEkIaG4NqmClkT45X7WJXlNBcfN0sv-TKt7oJLelH-5hp9uXYrX2YPG8udw/s320/PA100439.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"> My mother-in-law Sue running her FIRST half-marathon (she started running in her 50s)</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8pmIie6se5KJfyP7ElDP2O3xMa9CYvK20YYCpQvi2uffI035iSmpGm6vY2hlpAZ-ENVfgxLTqb8FX1EEniKW1YV3zD7kq9klUQidBbWqp25gd48oM6iMa50DpcBC1FgQBbEGzXJepHtA/s320/PA100446.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Dad's Finish</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8pmIie6se5KJfyP7ElDP2O3xMa9CYvK20YYCpQvi2uffI035iSmpGm6vY2hlpAZ-ENVfgxLTqb8FX1EEniKW1YV3zD7kq9klUQidBbWqp25gd48oM6iMa50DpcBC1FgQBbEGzXJepHtA/s1600/PA100446.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVUfANyfkjhoL6WagwfSJRFcIn6d1FPsIAMhblzEVW11dfUKikpdIbeejFMHhM-_36Pw4_6Lk8N6lsfR7YAy2f1IKzRu-rusD6vEmTv-y4QITW9IwHqwJGFH-EaWBwRRLh7r51Q9yFfMk/s1600/PA100449.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVUfANyfkjhoL6WagwfSJRFcIn6d1FPsIAMhblzEVW11dfUKikpdIbeejFMHhM-_36Pw4_6Lk8N6lsfR7YAy2f1IKzRu-rusD6vEmTv-y4QITW9IwHqwJGFH-EaWBwRRLh7r51Q9yFfMk/s320/PA100449.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"> Sue's friend Diane in her first half marathon</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOTbXUHfS7kxgQkWQgVawVkSJroxaRkxSfHq1zVjynLEWRnYhL57nJoFy63LqkT35jWS6TaL86rd-6qCQm3KEt38TS2OSkMy-zu2KqPEWSpFSsNJ8jv8WLLDv6QL3-6KPVJySVyUgx-Q4/s1600/PA100465.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOTbXUHfS7kxgQkWQgVawVkSJroxaRkxSfHq1zVjynLEWRnYhL57nJoFy63LqkT35jWS6TaL86rd-6qCQm3KEt38TS2OSkMy-zu2KqPEWSpFSsNJ8jv8WLLDv6QL3-6KPVJySVyUgx-Q4/s320/PA100465.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"> Sue's Finish</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuqMVt72o4RuT6QT6Tie27Am4ikRGEESzXNNpmBplzvEXpxR3-5mRrAMbri2UadCywdjIk4t6BMUFti92k7f3L12qoIWUmWeqkQHo4SWsacuP6aNaOCSWbeB7FO5Lw6moDT9eR-Bl9nRU/s1600/PA100466.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuqMVt72o4RuT6QT6Tie27Am4ikRGEESzXNNpmBplzvEXpxR3-5mRrAMbri2UadCywdjIk4t6BMUFti92k7f3L12qoIWUmWeqkQHo4SWsacuP6aNaOCSWbeB7FO5Lw6moDT9eR-Bl9nRU/s320/PA100466.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"> Sue's finish from behind</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2GMJXBpTKWlUqIQBuOcLIUZJervxlXlUkf1Ezfq0h0fELe0Zw9Wh1xKFqJjLYz2JtJ-4UuW24V_wDhH-_xSVazSjC78EjhYEhphj8WL6VbvhNZJ2VhY7wdBAqn-hdBmB5DB0jZSOwc5s/s1600/PA100467.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2GMJXBpTKWlUqIQBuOcLIUZJervxlXlUkf1Ezfq0h0fELe0Zw9Wh1xKFqJjLYz2JtJ-4UuW24V_wDhH-_xSVazSjC78EjhYEhphj8WL6VbvhNZJ2VhY7wdBAqn-hdBmB5DB0jZSOwc5s/s320/PA100467.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;">P and her chatting</div>Adventures with MShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05990934869462778579noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-952177901253101310.post-27995232183714349362010-10-14T11:37:00.000-07:002010-10-14T11:37:03.518-07:00Akron Marathon Race Report<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">After an extremely warm week, the weather called for high of 65 and partly sunny for the race. My whole family and some friends purchased the "I run to stop MS" shirts to run with me during the race (and my mom, grandpa and grandma watching the race). I felt nervous as always, but I was glad to have my sister, husband and friend to run with me, I knew I could make it with them.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Although this is my third marathon, I knew that my prep was not nearly as on par as other years. I skipped many weekly runs due to the heat - I just could not get enough energy to force myself out in 85 degrees and high humidity, I literally melt. My lack of prep combined with my odd races the weeks before, made my nerves jump even more.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Morning of the race went well, saw many of my friends and family and we all got in line with out 'Team Julia - I run to stop MS' shirts. I felt loved and I always feed off of the energy of the 10,000 runners around me. The key for me in a marathon is to start out slow. I always want to get pulled with the crowd, but I have to remind myself - 26.2 miles to go, slow yourself down. I was hoping to average 12 min/mi this year for a PR of 5 hours, but you know how the best laid plans go...</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Mile 1 </b> 10.44 (a little fast but mainly flat and easy)</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Mile 2</b> 10.57</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Mile 3</b> 11.08</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Mile 4 & 5</b> 21.33</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Mile 6</b> 11.06</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Mile 7</b> 11.21</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Mile 8</b> 11.30</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Mile 9</b> 10.58</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Mile 10</b> 13.08 (bathroom break)</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Mile 11</b> 12.19</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Mile 12</b> 11.31</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Mile 13</b> 13.12 (sister started to not feel well - I was still feeling strong at this point and after a pee break I was still hydrated</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Mile 14 </b> 11.42</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Mile 15</b> 11.29</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Mile 16</b> 13.20 (at this point my sister was feeling really bad and asked me to go without her and Paul and I went on alone)</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Mile 17 </b> 11.33</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Mile 18 </b> 12.24</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Mile 19</b> 16.17 (felt really dehydrated and went to use the restroom, uh oh, somehow made a mistake with my drinking or body was not absorbing what I took in)</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Mile 20</b> 13.23 (slowing down, did not feel right and could not get a gel in without feeling like I was going to throw up - luckily my friend's <a href="http://kimzepp.blogspot.com/">Kim</a> and Andy came out to cheer me on and get me moving for the next couple of miles.)</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Mile 21</b> 12.36 (moved to run 1 walk 1 - was still moving at a good clip but could tell body was not feeling right)</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Mile 22</b> 14.50 (took in electrolytes again, thought I was going to up chuck, sun came out and HR jumped up and I was sweating much more profusely. I was joined on the trek)</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Mile 23</b> 16.38 (could not run without stomach feeling horrid)</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Mile 24</b> 18.52 (walking, cramps, stomach problems and Paul was so supportive, was not sure I was going to make it)</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Mile 25</b> 20.49 (pissed, now the downhills were keeping me slow, I kept having to stop and stretch and leaned on Paul A LOT)</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Mile 26 & .2</b> 17.10 (I tried to jog some and at least jogged into the stadium)</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Finish Time:</b> 5:42:42</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Not a PR but not my worst race either. I did not have nutrition dialed in and I did not train to my best ability but I finished. It was a very emotional finish, somehow all of the feelings of the past year came flooding back and as I took the step over the finish line, I thought about how this could be my last one and that many things are just unknown with this disease. I was so glad that I came around from from my low energy and on and off symptoms (even at the beginning of summer) to actually finishing the marathon. I was never once confident that it was going to just happen, but it did. Wow. So I have a lot of amazing pictures (I caried a camera the whole way and from good friends - thanks <a href="http://kimzepp.blogspot.com/">Kim</a>) and I will post a blog with those pictures soon.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Thank you to everyone who supported me through this!</div>Adventures with MShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05990934869462778579noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-952177901253101310.post-62361027489377041402010-10-07T12:39:00.000-07:002010-10-07T12:39:44.632-07:00I am not dead, just busy<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I apologize for not posting about the marathon yet - I will this weekend. I finished but my legs blew out at mile 22 and I did not get my nutrition right this year. BUT - I finished my first marathon after my MS diagnosis. I will write more details this weekend.</div>Adventures with MShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05990934869462778579noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-952177901253101310.post-20924418465505357652010-09-21T13:45:00.000-07:002010-09-21T13:48:30.079-07:00Air Force 10K<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As you can see I have a September stretch of races that I do almost every year. This one is part of the Air Force Marathon and works out in my taper - plus my father was an Air Force F-15 fighter pilot, my brother-in-law is a 2nd Lieutenant - and the Air Force has special meaning to us all. This year my father-in-law ran the entire marathon, my father the half-marathon, my mother-in-law the 10K; so it was (as always) a family affair. We had to get to the base (Wright- Patterson) early because with 12,000 runners entering 3 gates, it takes a while to get in. I was up at 4:30 am and we parked at 6:30. The marathon and 10K both begin on the same course at 7:15 am, with the half-marathon falling later on a different course at 8:30 am.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This years logistics were a bit lacking; parking took longer (we had to walk a mile in pitch black over a pretty bumpy ground), there were not enough port-o-pots and I knew I was making mistake by not getting to use the rest room before the race started. Oh well, after a C-3 fly by and a beautiful rendition of the National Anthem the marathoners and 10Kers were off. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The first half of a mile is on old runway and is bone flat, but that just allows enough warm up before a 250 ft climb in less than a 1/4 mi. My first mile was a little too fast at 8:48 but my heart rate was a steady 170. The only problem was that I knew that I would have to stop at a port-o-pot (GI issues). Dang, about 50 other runners had the same idea and I stood there as the time clicked by. After the rest room and a little bit of a slow run to get back into it, I hit mile 2 at 14:52. Err, I knew I was at a great race weight and I had a PR in me, so I told myself to get back in the groove over the slight up and down 3rd mile and finished it in 10:17. After that I found my legs finally feeling full power and I told myself I could pick up the pace to try to get at least even with my previous 10Ks. The downhill fourth mile passed at 8:19. I knew I could not hold that fast but I knew I could try and be around 9:00 for the last two pancake flat miles. Mile 5 passed at 9:09 and mile 6 passed at 9:10. I finished the 10K at 1:02:32. Not a PR for the course, but if you minus the bathroom mile, I was flying (for me).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My fear is that I have had issues at my past two races - side stitch and GI issues - and I am a bit worried about the upcoming marathon. To top it off I have had flu-like symptoms the past two days (why me). I know that you never can tell what happens with a race but I am not having a good taper. :( </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The good news is that I have a few days to rest up, I have my sister, husband & friend from Georgia (Eric) coming to run the marathon with me and help me get through this. I just ask that the stars align and that at least the race passes without many issues.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">If you are coming out this weekend to cheer we will be wearing running banana Team Julia shirts with this design.</span><br />
<br />
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</span>Adventures with MShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05990934869462778579noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-952177901253101310.post-44180035080904611092010-09-14T09:31:00.000-07:002010-09-14T09:32:05.645-07:009 mi Potato Stomp Race Report<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">One of my favorite races of the entire year. This grassroots race is at a great price ($12), great time in the year, pretty scenery, challenging hills, lots o' prizes and "has the friendliest spectators around". In fact two years ago I won the main raffle prize - a pocket bike.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I was not nearly as scared or nervous as my half marathon a few weeks ago. The weather was brisk (good for me), sunny and I had already completed a half...no biggie. I was joined by a lot of the ladies from work. 1 student, 2 graduate assistants, aquatics manager and me - GREAT turn out. 4 of us are all around the same speed, so there was a healthy competition going as well. I wanted to 'push' it a little harder this year and having some ladies to keep in mind was a good choice.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The race started in the potato stomp traditional manner with all of us running over potato chips. The first 1.5 miles are down hill and I found myself cruising 9:40(1), 8:50 (2). The next 2 rolling miles were 9:45(3) & 9:50 (4). All of a sudden I got a side cramp, not just a little annoying one, but a take- you- down side cramp. I was frustrated as all of my girls passed me, but I did not stop for long. I managed to finish out the race at 1:31:20, which is not bad - but I would have been around 1:26 if I could have stayed with my pace.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This weekend is the Air Force 10K followed by the Akron Marathon in two weeks. Phew, I hope that the weather stays cool! </span>Adventures with MShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05990934869462778579noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-952177901253101310.post-7033842266018669002010-08-31T08:25:00.000-07:002010-08-31T13:26:21.472-07:00Buckeye Half Marathon<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">To be honest - I was nervous. For some reason (even though I have already run 18 miles for training), this race was a benchmark. Something to see if this whole MS year of crazy was going to keep me from doing the marathon. Something that has not happened in a year....a half marathon race.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I have had a down and up summer so far. As stated before, June was filled with a vertigo problem that almost made me give up on training. I was feeling tired and dizzy and ready to throw in the towel for training and then July hit. All of a sudden I was able to run 10, 12 ,13, 14 miles....wait a second, my body was starting to respond. August has even been better - I found myself doing even an 18 mi run. :)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So here I was Sunday morning, a nice cool morning which I always appreciate, ready to start a half marathon. The feeling that I had come a far way was just emotional and the feeling that I was lucky to be standing here made my heart race. I was ready to accomplish something that once was not even a concern to me - it is <i>just</i> a half.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Once again the race was a family and friend affair. Brandon and Mel were there, as well as Melissa & Diane from work. My father, my father-in -law, my mother-in-law and some other folks that I have gotten to know over time. <a href="http://kimzepp.blogspot.com/">Kim</a> even came out to support us and take pictures.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The race started at 8:00 am and it was probably 60 degrees and nice at that time. It was a large group this year - somewhere around 1,000 participants and we all walked the 1/4 mile to the start. Diane from work was interested in running with me, since I was CLAIMING that I was going to use this as a training run, keeping my heart rate at 60 - 70% and staying somewhere between 11 min - 12 min/mile. Well I did not expect to feel good.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The first mile was a quick one, Diane looked at me with her Garmin and said you know we are running a 9:40/ mi pace. I smiled and said, let's see what happens. I knew that I could not maintain that rate once the heat set in, so I thought I should keep myself at a little harder pace to begin with, plus for some reason, I was not dying. Heart rate was more around 70 - 80%, but it is a race. Mile 1 - 6 my time was 1 hr and 3 min. I was smokin' (well for me this year anyway). I felt good and was ready for the second lap.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">For the second lap, it did get warmer, my paced slowed down to a more 11:00 min/mile pace but I was still running. Not at one point in the race did I feel bad. I finished with a time of 2:18:34 for an avg of 10:35/mi. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">No this is not a PR, yes I am happy. Today marked a goal obtained...what will tomorrow bring?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">BTW, you still can give money on my behalf to Run MS. My sister is running the AK marathon for MS and me. </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Donate </span><a href="http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR/Run/OHAGeneralEvents?px=5065216&pg=personal&fr_id=13231&et=05On6DG59PfFkaO3ypeYqg..&s_tafId=144958" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">here</a>!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU4vs8VvsYHTD5Cqxlw1JSYcfCa66A0bZu68vmgCUZwVpgzdR3x0kGoaQZffoz6889kqV1dDtU0iQN_WZ9kkAzIrIsKSfJN5LrSqQr3qZJm8ivAhZ0z07wzQ4r-xHrrHuAdaVyqlgVZ8I/s1600/buckeye+half.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU4vs8VvsYHTD5Cqxlw1JSYcfCa66A0bZu68vmgCUZwVpgzdR3x0kGoaQZffoz6889kqV1dDtU0iQN_WZ9kkAzIrIsKSfJN5LrSqQr3qZJm8ivAhZ0z07wzQ4r-xHrrHuAdaVyqlgVZ8I/s400/buckeye+half.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Adventures with MShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05990934869462778579noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-952177901253101310.post-86032047694521338172010-08-07T08:06:00.000-07:002010-08-07T10:49:43.915-07:00Diet Update 2 - THE POSITIVES<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">When I started to research about changing my diet I found some personal accounts of people who exclaimed that with in one week they started to feel changes; more energy and a clear head. I cannot say that this was the case for me, but over the past 6 months I have seen many improvements. I also have found that I was not craving the foods that I gave up nearly as much as I had thought I would. I guess for me, the health of my body was a much stronger pull than food.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
<b>More Energy</b> - One of the things that has crept up on me in the past months is more energy. When I had my first attack I found myself needing somewhere between 10 - 12 hours of sleep each evening and even with the sleep I found myself exhausted every morning. I felt as if all that I did was sleep and work. If I had any extra time during the day, I would take naps to keep me awake. I am not sure when it happened but at some point I found myself with more energy. Currently, I get around 8 hours of sleep and even less some nights without feeling completely spent. I also have more energy for extracurricular like exercise and hanging with friends, which is a nice change from this past winter.<br />
<br />
Those who have been around me have noticed as well, I have crept out of the zombie land for the time being. Last week I ran 13 miles and I felt a little tired, but my body responded better than I would have thought. I am not saying every day is perfect, but let's say I have more good days than bad.<br />
<br />
<b>Impulse Control & Planning</b> - I would not say that I would over eat a lot, but I know that last summer working out 5-6 times a week- that many times we would go out to eat. At least once a week at a bar with some fried foods and beer. I am sure that I was not putting the best foods into me.<br />
<br />
With this diet I have to plan out food and meals for everything. When I go on a weekend conference for work. When I go out for the day. When I go on vacation. Lunch (and dinner) for work. Every time I need a snack. Every time I am hungry. I also have to make sure that I have food (just in case). There is no getting hungry.<br />
<br />
Currently I eat breakfast (usually GF/DF cereal and rice mik) at 6 am, fruit at 8 am, almonds or walnuts at 10 am, lunch at noon - 1(lots of veggies; salad with turkey, fruit, carrots), handful of GF pretzels or similar at 3-4 pm and dinner at 7 pm (something different each day - the summer has been a lot of grilling!). I eat all day, but really it equals less saturated fat, a lot of fruits,veggies, nuts and little to no refined sugar (most days).<br />
<br />
I also avoid most eating out times. I cannot get wings and pizza, I cannot drink beer (drink much really), I cannot stuff myself at the family outings or vacations - I have specific GF/DF stuff (my family has been great to make stuff I can eat). I am eating like I should have years ago. <br />
<br />
<b>Weight</b> <b>Loss</b> -This really was a tertiary effect. I was never planning on weight loss, I thought it might happen but it was not a focus. In fact in Early May I weighed the same as in early February, if in 3 months I had not lost anything I probably wouldn't. So I quit paying attention.<br />
<br />
All of a sudden my clothes were fitting a lot looser and I was getting comments about whether I had lost weight. I would not consider myself a giant girl but I was always 'curvy' as they say. I finally weighed myself and 10 lbs had dropped off since May. I say dropped off because last year I was working out WAAAAY more. I spent the year trail running, training for marathons, swimming, road biking, mountain biking, on a two week backpacking trip and this year there were months that I was lucky I put in 30 miles of anything. I am still only hitting maybe 3 - 4 workouts a week.<br />
<br />
I knew this was true, as an exercise science major they always said diet was much more important than exercise for losing weight. Study after study touting those set up on a strictly a diet change compared with those only on a exercise regimen, continuously lost more weight. Of course the combination of both is the best. <br />
<br />
<b>No fuzz head</b> - I still have my memory relapses where I cannot spit out what I need to say. I now think this is directly related to the MS but more on that some other time. I have noticed a fog that was with me has lifted. I can only describe it like those days that your sinuses cause the head pressure and you feel like you cannot think clearly. Now I am a little more alert, focused at the job in hand. That makes me feel a lot more confident in my job and tasks that I take on.<br />
<br />
<b>Really tasting things</b> - Yes this sounds cliche, but I think that I found appreciation of things that sometimes were rushed. I always have had a love of food, a mother who should have been a chef (self taught) taught me the appreciation of food from all over the world. Being an Air Force Brat, we had the chance to travel and appreciate food from all over. In my adult life time got in the way. Paul is a good cook, but we had our standing meals that were repeated every other if not every week, because we were both tired from working all day.<br />
<br />
Everything changed when I decided to do this. My mother who once cooked delicious home-made macaroni and cheese, is now baking breads and cookies that I can eat. Paul will spend a good hour or two prepping meals that simmer for hours. We are using more herbs to flavor than we ever had; the sweet smell of cardamon, cloves, cinnamon from the Indian dishes, to the fresh sage, shallot and parsley potatoes that sit as a side to a fresh bison steak and grilled asparagus.<br />
<br />
<br />
I want to be clear, I am lucky. The supportive friends and family who have accommodated to my diet are amazing. I have been blessed by many. Paul who has just been taking this as challenge to keep me from craving anything I once had. My mom who bakes for hours or cooks to bring me over a hamburger buns so that I can participate in the cook out. My aunt and cousin who are experimenting and making dishes for the family get together. My friends who will go to PF Chang's (for their GF/DF options), Vegiterranean (Vegan/GF), Altieri's (GF Fried chicken) over and over to just go out with me. I am so loved.<br />
<br />
I also want to be careful as to say this is curing me. I do not know. I will not know, really. I am 9 months into a diagnosis that hit me like a brick wall. I am still reeling and trying to make sense of everything. I read blogs about those who have had a rough time of MS, those who are still climbing mountains with MS, and a lot that are in between. In someway this diet is a bit of control , even if control is just an illusion, but in someways isn't all control an illusion?<br />
<blockquote style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><h1 class="photo-title" id="title_div3081953951" property="dc:title"><span style="font-size: small;">Control is an Illusion</span></h1>Attempting to control external events<br />
will never keep us safe.<br />
Control is an Illusion.<br />
Whatever we try to control, <br />
we separate from ourselves.<br />
Whatever we try to fix,<br />
we ruin.<br />
Life is sacred,<br />
and flows exactly as it should<br />
We return to our breathing.<br />
It knows exactly what to do, <br />
rising and falling without conscious control.<br />
In the same way<br />
We sometimes have excess<br />
and sometimes lack.<br />
We sometimes assert ourselves<br />
and sometimes hold back.<br />
We sometimes succeed <br />
and sometimes fail completely.<br />
Our practice is to see all of this<br />
without taking it seriously.<br />
<div id="yui_3_1_0_1_12811933509741928">-Lao Tzu</div></blockquote><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7tUKIQAcn0PuXJdG-uAaQm2qH9TSEyewtxFIOP4M5KFLmEc_W8dg5zM9iwBAoYDfJSVbom08PUkEjIUZduQP43qSFB-8QZ5drYwKcsIbwP56Z-g1EB7ingsVl0dclkAGzvTcDq81CDng/s1600/control.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7tUKIQAcn0PuXJdG-uAaQm2qH9TSEyewtxFIOP4M5KFLmEc_W8dg5zM9iwBAoYDfJSVbom08PUkEjIUZduQP43qSFB-8QZ5drYwKcsIbwP56Z-g1EB7ingsVl0dclkAGzvTcDq81CDng/s320/control.png" /></a></div><br />
</div>Adventures with MShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05990934869462778579noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-952177901253101310.post-55069039486397123482010-07-30T08:59:00.000-07:002010-07-30T08:59:11.908-07:00Diet Update 1 - THE CHALLENGES<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLFq77FAnAWwzwkQI0GLoH-Lg36DjlmBh9znHU3D3aq7U_eB7hfMW0zI_kYnl9LjOFMr4OTqsGXUSdX7-NbnoVi9HygKGWbkRTEl3IbrJn_3wlWGQlyDFyRZw8RM_P44gN2itOuxMax9o/s1600/sm_dairy_and_glut_free.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLFq77FAnAWwzwkQI0GLoH-Lg36DjlmBh9znHU3D3aq7U_eB7hfMW0zI_kYnl9LjOFMr4OTqsGXUSdX7-NbnoVi9HygKGWbkRTEl3IbrJn_3wlWGQlyDFyRZw8RM_P44gN2itOuxMax9o/s320/sm_dairy_and_glut_free.gif" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> I have been meaning to update on my diet- the gluten (GF), dairy (casein) free (CF), low-sugar and low saturated fat diet that I have been on for 6 months now (wow, time has been flying by), it has been a learning experience and I really wanted to see some benefits before I proclaim this is the cure all. Of course I cannot really know that it is not working unless I get frequent attacks and here is hoping that it is working and I don't have any major attacks anytime soon.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">If you have the time, please read this article really explaining why I have chosen to start this diet <a href="http://hubpages.com/hub/Nutrition-and-Multiple-Sclerosis">[here]</a> or this last blog 1 month into the diet <a href="http://julianeal.blogspot.com/2010/02/food-glorious-food.html">[here]</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I did not want to touch on the positives without talking about some of the challenges. AND it can be a challenge at times.<b>:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Eating at other people's homes </b>- I love all of my friends and family, but with a lifestyle change like this for me, it has been a change/challenge for others (without that being the purpose). No one can just invite me over; gluten and dairy are in many forms and more than just the obvious. People cannot have the knowledge base of the months of research that I have done and although they want to be nice - I cannot eat at most people's houses (sorry). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A lot of friends have learned this quickly when they bought a gluten-free brownie mix to make me that contain milk or they found a dairy/gluten free mix and realize they do not have Vegan margarine called for in the recipe. </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Whey is in almost any margarine, you have to buy a Vegan brand and that means running out and purchasing something that you may not ever use again. Other culprits of hidden dairy can be found in boxed GF cereals, GF breads, Deli Meat, Vegetarian Margarine (not vegan), and GF protein bars. Sometimes things will be labled well, so look for gluten-free/casein-free products or gluten-free/vegan products. Gluten can be just as bad and is added into things like soy sauce, deli meat, seasonings, thickeners, malt flavorings, etc. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Anyway, these things are harder to spot than you think. My grandfather found this out when he bought some bbq meats at Ol' Carolina Restaurant for July 4th. I asked him to call about whether their meats were gluten & dairy free. "Ah, chicken and ribs are gluten and dairy free!" Sure enough their chicken and any poultry product of theirs contain gluten because of the seasoning (luckily I was good with the ribs).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">To get around this, I plan to eat before we hang out with people or bring my own food or invite them over for a GF/CF meal. Of course that causes its own problems with folks getting their feelings hurt, etc. In our society many social activities occur over food, well that poses a problem for those of us who have made diet changes. I can't help but offend some, at this point though the people who really love me will accommodate.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Being around food when I am hungry</b> - I learned this early on, make sure I am never really hungry. This is tough and means packing lunch, dinner, snacks, etc to make sure that at no point in the day that I feel this way. Over the past 6 months it has happened twice; one time when my mom had called a breakfast place and they said they could accommodate my diet. I had run 8 miles that morning, waited for everyone to get ready, got to the restaurant and they really could not accommodate. I sat there feeling tired, low blood sugar and watching everyone eat delicious looking toast, omelets, gravy, etc while I was hungry. It took everything in me not to cry.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The second time it happened was just a few weeks ago on our vacation. I had planned to eat at Wendy's for lunch (I can have their baked potato and chili) before we were to meet some friends at a pub to watch the final world cup game. I got to the Wendy's and they were out of baked potatoes and chili and I had no alternative plan. At that moment the weight of the past year landed on my shoulders and I felt how sick I was and how much of an impact this has made on my life. I was again, almost in tears.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Food is a powerful thing. If you are hungry, you can forget it, diet changes will be HARD. As long as I am in the same day to day schedule I am fine, but when traveling or changing things I find myself struggling. BUT, I have to say over the course of 180 days - 2 have been really hard - well that is ok.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Still liking the taste of things </b>- Just because I started this diet does not mean that things do not still sound delicious. Some days I want to rip into a crusty french bread loaf and drizzle brie all over it all the while having a few tasty micro brews. I chose this diet for my health and health reasons ONLY. I am acting on the strongest self-control that I have EVER tapped in to. My secret? I imagine myself putting lesions on my brain with every bit of dairy and gluten that I eat.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>We cook A LOT</b> - This is both a good and bad thing. Good because I am exploring cooking like never before, I change the menu a lot to keep it interesting and I find that the meals we make are ususally gourmet & delicious. Bad because when you work a 60 hour week, sometimes energy is tapped and the idea of cooking just wears on you. I also have to plan the meals for the week - sit down make a plan, write down all of the ingredients we need to buy and then go grocery shopping, phew...I should win an award for organization. :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>The cost of groceries has sky rocketed</b> - Yeah, when you eat pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables (usually try to get organic and right now we are paying into a CSA) and your diet requires special GF/CF purchases, you find that the cost has almost doubled when we go to the grocery store. However, we are not eating out much, so I guess it evens out. Sometimes the sticker shock can get you.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I also have incorporated a pile of supplements; Morning - Multi, Acidophilus, Vit B12; Lunch - Calcium; Dinner - Omega 3-6-9, Vit B12, D3 and Calcium. If you know about supplements, then you know that they are not cheap...especially because I take so many.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This seems like a lot of negatives, but really the positives to outweigh any issues stated above. I will write another blog about the positives in the next few days.</span><br />
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</span>Adventures with MShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05990934869462778579noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-952177901253101310.post-785183143698234192010-07-16T12:11:00.000-07:002010-07-16T12:14:20.240-07:00The past few weeks<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Mourning the loss of your dog is harder than I had imagined. It took over a week for me to not cry at least once a day about it. Those emotions have been stretched out lately, but they are still here - I guess you never stop loving or missing someone (even your dog).</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">To keep me from falling into even more of a low than this year has already beat me into, I managed to work extra and go on vacation.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Vacation was wonderful - I went to Florida to visit my sister in Pensacola. Usually I would avoid going to FL at the hottest time of the year, but I also had the chance to meet with 5 of the people that I hiked the AT with (and that never happens).</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So without further time, here are my past few weeks in photos (some of vaca - some of just stuff).</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsU5pHAWUv8T1ulJ2dxVGcOHOMufy88kXyQl1hirVf572u2G3kDLX3U8cJx_5armKnW2h6XrAdmEOuGS_VH4lovyZk_KqTPVIsBXgEfB-0VqNWSrnqBncblrFtOOBE0CF7aY0WvuplOEQ/s1600/P6120187.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsU5pHAWUv8T1ulJ2dxVGcOHOMufy88kXyQl1hirVf572u2G3kDLX3U8cJx_5armKnW2h6XrAdmEOuGS_VH4lovyZk_KqTPVIsBXgEfB-0VqNWSrnqBncblrFtOOBE0CF7aY0WvuplOEQ/s400/P6120187.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;">Lauren and I at PHISH<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCZd5JOR-3rnr3-4hPnwh-8P_p4WHCnp_uC79qFR9IxeEKomJaSVR7jXYSy6VZ1FbqlTnTbIf2HpsfR4wk2zckrqulT2gzDLF78Zik9Cu465a5gQ7E9L81uBia_KwnSv8CBPtnjCcoaPA/s1600/P7040237.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCZd5JOR-3rnr3-4hPnwh-8P_p4WHCnp_uC79qFR9IxeEKomJaSVR7jXYSy6VZ1FbqlTnTbIf2HpsfR4wk2zckrqulT2gzDLF78Zik9Cu465a5gQ7E9L81uBia_KwnSv8CBPtnjCcoaPA/s400/P7040237.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;">My sister's car getting saran wrapped by her students<br />
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<span id="goog_826067189"></span><span id="goog_826067190"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbPR7IIySkOhEGQDqro2Cfd0P_32IB7uMCI3Gch3JMJz_7zUsYhe6RTw7UHgkIAeoJfXRJSDd3P_YtE6Y0gJUNqKHMslZlTk27O2so8KvSS53-JL31dB1ZgZKO8nfBk9cogifG08BMcv0/s1600/P7050247.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbPR7IIySkOhEGQDqro2Cfd0P_32IB7uMCI3Gch3JMJz_7zUsYhe6RTw7UHgkIAeoJfXRJSDd3P_YtE6Y0gJUNqKHMslZlTk27O2so8KvSS53-JL31dB1ZgZKO8nfBk9cogifG08BMcv0/s400/P7050247.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;">AT Reunion at PF Chang's in Gulf Breeze, FL<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4nEjLA-v-czSSOerd1mV76zLZlYUSRmVb1mqARrndgZsMho0bZBPMPyRErETO9QNBLZu00excjVPVIa-1ZwBN0OB10L4H1_P4qU7zxegPE7ykZkKgpnIAerFd6ZeF4aPGLzgD8dTz7lM/s1600/P7050250.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4nEjLA-v-czSSOerd1mV76zLZlYUSRmVb1mqARrndgZsMho0bZBPMPyRErETO9QNBLZu00excjVPVIa-1ZwBN0OB10L4H1_P4qU7zxegPE7ykZkKgpnIAerFd6ZeF4aPGLzgD8dTz7lM/s400/P7050250.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;">Ketchup doing her favorite thing - eating Ketchup ;)<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit_ELMYnnkpZyliEQER2OOBXY3BDmyKhyphenhyphenlucvmCcaHURikTcVmNJ63zgaUzJjsrWcwDKJxtU_R6i-E1t3lf0YvmhpgwtFC8sBeKRB_rvaZOJcGDnJcKOcsvOHt3jp-j2Kd2-JJ479FS7Y/s1600/P7060260.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit_ELMYnnkpZyliEQER2OOBXY3BDmyKhyphenhyphenlucvmCcaHURikTcVmNJ63zgaUzJjsrWcwDKJxtU_R6i-E1t3lf0YvmhpgwtFC8sBeKRB_rvaZOJcGDnJcKOcsvOHt3jp-j2Kd2-JJ479FS7Y/s400/P7060260.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;">Blue Angels on Pensacola Beach<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKSzWVlJGG-mhnl8WWaCaE_Gqi-SCqKmCp7HH_CJGg_OoahCdHTwMqD9QD2Z2n0y-I7EuPLkUKFF5omVGS5MRBs5xsLEEwRRGfx8ddMPFShwruO5e65ZG3ihbNmYxth_TF-KTMncXrFWg/s1600/P7060264.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKSzWVlJGG-mhnl8WWaCaE_Gqi-SCqKmCp7HH_CJGg_OoahCdHTwMqD9QD2Z2n0y-I7EuPLkUKFF5omVGS5MRBs5xsLEEwRRGfx8ddMPFShwruO5e65ZG3ihbNmYxth_TF-KTMncXrFWg/s400/P7060264.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;">Me with a Blue Angel in the back - notice how dark the water is...oil. :(<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghuJeQL3kmrxglE32Rn1enu0lRSn46YGfWzahNryjMndIvOxV-D-h5V5Xt6nuZugKb0JbtL9b9rYWvAwIeZAnQKBdm1z1ctCQuTeYWPaKx4UeKrod6JyDre-Fpu1NVU3FkqLQ1nXgO8Yc/s1600/P7060285.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghuJeQL3kmrxglE32Rn1enu0lRSn46YGfWzahNryjMndIvOxV-D-h5V5Xt6nuZugKb0JbtL9b9rYWvAwIeZAnQKBdm1z1ctCQuTeYWPaKx4UeKrod6JyDre-Fpu1NVU3FkqLQ1nXgO8Yc/s400/P7060285.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;">Sis and I - water still dark (on this side of the beach)<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-JzKj55Sh8AYsrvAHMx8YuQEFVVyI16HZIUT8ACH1FvmBtiLbkZq0uqwkheZinwypWMD40ZACbMj9YSf0knypqGQsLkMikbzzvEOtZqmXCps-PAtGCvPgoVOGgudJNhBDGwcGPpHuU0w/s1600/P7060288.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-JzKj55Sh8AYsrvAHMx8YuQEFVVyI16HZIUT8ACH1FvmBtiLbkZq0uqwkheZinwypWMD40ZACbMj9YSf0knypqGQsLkMikbzzvEOtZqmXCps-PAtGCvPgoVOGgudJNhBDGwcGPpHuU0w/s400/P7060288.JPG" width="400" />An </a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;">The light sand is what the beach should look like, the dark part is oil water residue<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiSLeiAl424KDh-3SDobk9Jf0rVdoHKhvjUVajIUIjbKToxia3f9MVE47KbccivbzOxWRr_rYPvROhi-emfZlT9TcZehaEK6daKM7H4bd16Zmm6DgHh7aJIvNH66zYfj08bpmdZ9K1Yuk/s1600/P7060290.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiSLeiAl424KDh-3SDobk9Jf0rVdoHKhvjUVajIUIjbKToxia3f9MVE47KbccivbzOxWRr_rYPvROhi-emfZlT9TcZehaEK6daKM7H4bd16Zmm6DgHh7aJIvNH66zYfj08bpmdZ9K1Yuk/s400/P7060290.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;">An oil glob<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2E2ovIEiIcy5D7C6pimWcR2DJatTWvicWBCF5or5d-hByY6Ro8cy9kwfbPeDqLQiCmxJQcfbrNzmd-7wnzICZuvY7LZu0-LI19Ud-KVY91Wu7GzPkMv4ZkqGdPYHz_HRf7zwxC6lSeeI/s1600/P7060291.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2E2ovIEiIcy5D7C6pimWcR2DJatTWvicWBCF5or5d-hByY6Ro8cy9kwfbPeDqLQiCmxJQcfbrNzmd-7wnzICZuvY7LZu0-LI19Ud-KVY91Wu7GzPkMv4ZkqGdPYHz_HRf7zwxC6lSeeI/s400/P7060291.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;">Hilton Sign on your way back in...<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs9JoyuuK4yNK8QMQnUUfmlOiLEjX_oT7UZp6rzbz1x961RwLIPGfNX4M0DTa8I_b2DlzOBeM5JK9PSJqaC82kJxrsCx3Xn_N1_d456binVIzTfzd156fRBlTXKfueqtfU46ers7GORoA/s1600/P7070294.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs9JoyuuK4yNK8QMQnUUfmlOiLEjX_oT7UZp6rzbz1x961RwLIPGfNX4M0DTa8I_b2DlzOBeM5JK9PSJqaC82kJxrsCx3Xn_N1_d456binVIzTfzd156fRBlTXKfueqtfU46ers7GORoA/s400/P7070294.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;">Where we got fresh fish for the week - yum, yum<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJZmJVV13mkAaSz9eT98xkESr10Ku9pLIalF3v7gNxLC8rMvrS3xuosD3hHcmtQ7xAw-pmbMxSs61zjBn89PKhw8BnFbHh_7koCZQFnuMUaWlqXQvpNEr8V73hl4iPts0clIWoFUwPSMo/s1600/P7080304.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJZmJVV13mkAaSz9eT98xkESr10Ku9pLIalF3v7gNxLC8rMvrS3xuosD3hHcmtQ7xAw-pmbMxSs61zjBn89PKhw8BnFbHh_7koCZQFnuMUaWlqXQvpNEr8V73hl4iPts0clIWoFUwPSMo/s400/P7080304.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;">Paul and I on a non-oily section of the beach<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZpympV2ONK8LzpAScPrRyX5PPtBjSoifmPOApJSJBGIPCmaVPCNakoTrZfAsTyoRQ_JePI9TSwNxiFzSmBQrwEoaKmQStekHwEvkHHLcvKdHSIVJFMeev_t1U_Q4P-DYIZz6aI1OXClM/s1600/P7080360.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZpympV2ONK8LzpAScPrRyX5PPtBjSoifmPOApJSJBGIPCmaVPCNakoTrZfAsTyoRQ_JePI9TSwNxiFzSmBQrwEoaKmQStekHwEvkHHLcvKdHSIVJFMeev_t1U_Q4P-DYIZz6aI1OXClM/s400/P7080360.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;">More Blue Angels at the beach (we saw them twice)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnDFGpIM9oUYrFHyyzo1Yjo8PYiqxRzr9tQfXSz45Torw6gANZoHwcbmIX9eAMSytfuN8PVCGdjsAwU_qvPT4zP_PgLxOUPKX8QQcbmebZUJE2Z_ng1AUqv9F8EFxTgVRD0aPTV_VvoZA/s1600/P7080369.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnDFGpIM9oUYrFHyyzo1Yjo8PYiqxRzr9tQfXSz45Torw6gANZoHwcbmIX9eAMSytfuN8PVCGdjsAwU_qvPT4zP_PgLxOUPKX8QQcbmebZUJE2Z_ng1AUqv9F8EFxTgVRD0aPTV_VvoZA/s400/P7080369.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;">Em and I at Fort Pickens National Seashore<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicx6HAY_zhxAgOzwLBURmAEM61ExLFz9d8nxLuqdtVfUhJu8BO_6XrXW36hZw47uI_Psk_3GQg26RiundsobWvPeFB2_aMsWKUVlaEiXKXwlCpttEkQg1RbGDR7A6JgOLt05g_4elEf8M/s1600/P7080386.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicx6HAY_zhxAgOzwLBURmAEM61ExLFz9d8nxLuqdtVfUhJu8BO_6XrXW36hZw47uI_Psk_3GQg26RiundsobWvPeFB2_aMsWKUVlaEiXKXwlCpttEkQg1RbGDR7A6JgOLt05g_4elEf8M/s640/P7080386.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;">Paul and I getting in the water</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;">As for other things, I managed two runs while in Florida, one 12 miler in extreme heat and humidity (that I survived it was amazing). Also, my diet of no gluten & dairy has been going strong, I have been meaning to write a blog about it - one of these days.</div>Adventures with MShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05990934869462778579noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-952177901253101310.post-16771392803375193092010-06-26T16:00:00.000-07:002010-06-26T16:09:16.379-07:00In memory of my dog Mingus<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQhBx_Sx7HH9t51Vdwt8-hgmH6R_Sg3quFtYQN6ljkmDi2Mv8_LTshP8AWC1YL6pW1baLrWTn9XG3-fgQcaqeeT7hzOB0cyY1S9qqlukuEFsHc52n32070K6VOPSC52cn3YQQNkqPfxzk/s1600/n742760744_180243_7797.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQhBx_Sx7HH9t51Vdwt8-hgmH6R_Sg3quFtYQN6ljkmDi2Mv8_LTshP8AWC1YL6pW1baLrWTn9XG3-fgQcaqeeT7hzOB0cyY1S9qqlukuEFsHc52n32070K6VOPSC52cn3YQQNkqPfxzk/s400/n742760744_180243_7797.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;">Mingus "The Bean-er" Neal May 1997 - June 26, 2010</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">There are no words to describe the love I have for this dog. She was such a loving, sweet creature. She became part of my life when I fell in love with Paul. Paul's strict nature with her made it so that I bonded with Mingus right away. She knew I was the one that would melt when she begged for food or let her on the couch when I was cold. I realized quickly that she would snuggle better than anyone, nuzzling her head into my arm and resting her body heavily next to me - we could lay like that for hours. She trained with my sister and I when we would hike 10 or 15 miles at time, getting ready for the Appalachian Trail. When I started running, Mingus ran with me. She was so energetic and happy that I would only have to wear some running or hiking clothes and she knew what to expect.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqY8ttcMutJsFh8n3rjbc8G_oTq8RswtyHcbAdKyd6o44yxp2pTvbAr1q3x8RD79HCqGcpFNoqmgP9nF32U1M0-QCoXpi5bIIsBQHoEnDIKqe5aU8UU05MAabbnvA9QBfv2bH5y5AuX2w/s1600/n742760744_180241_6027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqY8ttcMutJsFh8n3rjbc8G_oTq8RswtyHcbAdKyd6o44yxp2pTvbAr1q3x8RD79HCqGcpFNoqmgP9nF32U1M0-QCoXpi5bIIsBQHoEnDIKqe5aU8UU05MAabbnvA9QBfv2bH5y5AuX2w/s400/n742760744_180241_6027.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;">People-ing as we call it (she would do this in crowds, almost acting like she was a person)</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">She was also there for the tough times. When I found out my father had cancer and cried alone at home, she knew. She put her head on my lap and looked at me - almost as if to say she was sorry. When my MS diagnosis came, she became my solace. The times that I would cry alone, she would let me hold her and lick my arm.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4qWTjl-zbuyR7zJf3Jxk9z5yobqv5sOQHcIiOo2-Fg3rg-sTuCiaxmpOFkTpGws3bicdFdDRVCA9hGjrrZ28PqiUluMJAieuUNaqqFwLNAFTA24i9Pz-diPtfNhkN32p6htslxwCA98g/s1600/n742760744_180244_8686.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4qWTjl-zbuyR7zJf3Jxk9z5yobqv5sOQHcIiOo2-Fg3rg-sTuCiaxmpOFkTpGws3bicdFdDRVCA9hGjrrZ28PqiUluMJAieuUNaqqFwLNAFTA24i9Pz-diPtfNhkN32p6htslxwCA98g/s400/n742760744_180244_8686.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;">Hanging out with Pollen (cat)</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It has been about a downhill year for Mingus. She was first diagnosed with a slow growing lung cancer in October (one week before my MS attack)...it was devastating. Her mind has been going this year as well. This once even keeled, loving dog who enjoyed everything became fearful. She started to have separation anxiety when we left for work; she has been knocking over furniture, pulling down couch cushions and hiding in the basement on our dirty laundry. The dog who traveled the country, now shakes and pants violently when we drive even a short distance. She is not happy and it took a long time for Paul and I to be OK with that. We needed to put our feelings aside and think of her. This is the right decision - just not easy.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisT5LW9gTXLb_cCMU8IlU9D92-c2ZNew4jXzBBrJ4m3nR2TL_4x_w7a-SAjKoXMzk-xHEwygl1RwQEGq-bDjb8EaYfoyNYLzze9afgGMWsYv60Sc60kMFPDBVs8RwUvAeN3VZk9aGMR-U/s1600/n742760744_180240_5505.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisT5LW9gTXLb_cCMU8IlU9D92-c2ZNew4jXzBBrJ4m3nR2TL_4x_w7a-SAjKoXMzk-xHEwygl1RwQEGq-bDjb8EaYfoyNYLzze9afgGMWsYv60Sc60kMFPDBVs8RwUvAeN3VZk9aGMR-U/s400/n742760744_180240_5505.jpg" width="391" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"> Mingus running (so sleek)</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Today we said goodbye to a family member. There will not be another one just like her. Goodbye Dear Friend.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrW2sHQhpR0jPC8PFXGkiFAVgikfOSqeBLj3l1sDrLAtO2e5Fx3tmXCGM_uHmya6G8JRWL3jpp7MTNWAJJqLz2fgRMrJRpFcZl4wDhDldiqNrkPVgl6Y_iNpkCCfvz9jW6wEDPJYceFpw/s1600/P6250220.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrW2sHQhpR0jPC8PFXGkiFAVgikfOSqeBLj3l1sDrLAtO2e5Fx3tmXCGM_uHmya6G8JRWL3jpp7MTNWAJJqLz2fgRMrJRpFcZl4wDhDldiqNrkPVgl6Y_iNpkCCfvz9jW6wEDPJYceFpw/s320/P6250220.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Her last hike with me (yesterday)...</div><blockquote><blockquote style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><h2><span style="font-size: small;">The Power of the Dog </span></h2><span style="font-size: small;">There is sorrow enough in the natural way <br />
From men and women to fill our day; <br />
And when we are certain of sorrow in store, <br />
Why do we always arrange for more? <br />
Brothers and sisters, I bid you beware <br />
Of giving your heart to a dog to tear.</span></blockquote><blockquote style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Buy a pup and your money will buy <br />
Love unflinching that cannot lie-- <br />
Perfect passsion and worship fed <br />
By a kick in the ribs or a pat on the head. <br />
Nevertheless it is hardly fair <br />
To risk your heart to a dog to tear.</span> </blockquote><blockquote style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">When the fourteen years which Nature permits <br />
Are closing in asthma, or tumor, or fits, <br />
And the vet's unspoken prescription runs <br />
To lethal chambers or loaded guns, <br />
Then you will find--it's your own affair-- <br />
But ... you've given your heart to a dog to tear.</span> <br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> <br />
<span style="font-size: small;">When the body that lived at your single will, <br />
With its whimper of welcome, is stilled (how still!) <br />
When the spirit that answered your every mood <br />
Is gone--wherever it goes--for good, <br />
You will discover how much you care, <br />
And will give your heart to a dog to tear.</span> <br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> <br />
<span style="font-size: small;">We've sorrow enough in the natural way, <br />
When it comes to burying Christian clay. <br />
Our loves are not given, but only lent, <br />
At compound interest of cent per cent. <br />
Though it is not always the case, I believe, <br />
That the longer we've kept 'em, the more do we grieve: <br />
For, when debts are payable, right or wrong, <br />
A short-term loan is as bad as a long-- <br />
So why in--Heaven (before we are there) <br />
Should we give our hearts to a dog to tear? </span> <br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-size: small;">-Rudyard Kipling </span></blockquote></blockquote><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY0FsMBly6R9xm-AYVnaNgrAptzkzByV4fXfgBhM61EXcLMKB_wTS7gvoo-ZcPHujmSmX-ZLJaKF_mHBNO_2oChbVWDvjOdlUeJXmOwXe7JuHuenezIhmCqSoUOoB6TRxwSXWcVLZogdA/s1600/P5240212.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY0FsMBly6R9xm-AYVnaNgrAptzkzByV4fXfgBhM61EXcLMKB_wTS7gvoo-ZcPHujmSmX-ZLJaKF_mHBNO_2oChbVWDvjOdlUeJXmOwXe7JuHuenezIhmCqSoUOoB6TRxwSXWcVLZogdA/s320/P5240212.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> The way that I will always remember her</div></div>Adventures with MShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05990934869462778579noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-952177901253101310.post-82841704833899319882010-06-16T11:52:00.000-07:002010-06-16T11:53:15.675-07:00Summer is passing by<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Where is it going? Work and not feeling well. </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Ever since the week before the Twinsburg Duathlon I have had major vertigo, nausea (from the vertigo) and electric shock that runs my body when I lower my head. GAWD! I still managed a few workouts (including an 8 mi run) but not enough to really give you guys a weekly update. My body is just so exhausted after working that I barely stay awake past 8 pm during the week. I am ready to do things on the weekend, but something about mid week workouts has been tough. </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I was joined in my misery last week when my husband had tooth pain for an entire week (he finally went and got a root canal). We were a fun bunch - me trying to eat with the feeling like I was going to throw up and him trying to only chew on one side. We looked a little "special" if you ask me...hehe. </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The new electrical shock symptom is called L'Hermittes Sign. It is to difficult for me to describe so here is WebMD's description.</div><blockquote style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_lblContent"><i>Lhermitte’s sign</i> (also known as <i>Lhermitte’s phenomenon</i>) is the name given to a brief electric shock-like sensation that occurs when flexing or moving the neck. This sensation radiates down the spine, often into the legs, arms, and occasionally, the trunk. </span></blockquote><br />
<blockquote style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_lblContent"> At some point, about 38% of individuals with MS will experience Lhermitte’s sign, sometimes as a presenting symptom. <b> In MS this sign is considered a sign of active lesions on the cervical spine</b>. Lhermitte’s sign was named after Jacques Jean Lhermitte, the renowned French neurologist and neuropsychiatrist who first characterized it.</span></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJxEKp6sO0maRM3T67NUN1Vao2cVRRuMpRhzHptq49hSzMDQIkzoz4D_GP3DN9Wat2aycF2pwHhu9UC-UQo852nVclAy11ESxFDbh6OVleu0nMUHGZDAEfxN0m92Y01BJD8SPrvlIvyOI/s1600/woman_back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJxEKp6sO0maRM3T67NUN1Vao2cVRRuMpRhzHptq49hSzMDQIkzoz4D_GP3DN9Wat2aycF2pwHhu9UC-UQo852nVclAy11ESxFDbh6OVleu0nMUHGZDAEfxN0m92Y01BJD8SPrvlIvyOI/s320/woman_back.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Note the bold area - am I supposed to assume that if this is true I am in active attack mode? :( Dang it! I am trying so hard to stay above everything with proper diet, a pound of supplements (or at least it feels that way) and extra sleep. BUT, my stress levels are not down at work and I do not know what to do about this. I wish we were rich and I could quit my job and take care of my body like I need to...but doesn't everyone? Dreaming that I won the lottery won't help my stress levels - I just need to figure it out.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As for good news, I have amazing friends and family!!!! I pretty much suck to be around lately and yet my hubby tells me I am beautiful and wonderful daily. The women at my work try to protect me from the stress and send me beautiful notes telling me they will do anything to help. One of my bestest friends Lauren (who is a massage therapist and gives me regular Reiki and massage treatments) - took care of me during a concert that was way to hot and I lost vision - she held my hand to make sure I got everywhere safely. I am blessed, beyond belief by those who surround me...I just wish that I could make sense of it all.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A lot of MSers say to stay positive, but that sure is hard when you feel like shit. I am trying, I really am, it just wears me down.</span>Adventures with MShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05990934869462778579noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-952177901253101310.post-18654426964972444612010-06-08T13:04:00.000-07:002010-06-08T13:05:33.602-07:00Twinsburg Duathlon Race Report<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The morning of the race I woke up at 3:45 am not feeling really hot. The past week has given me a new symptom - vertigo with a side of nausea and it had woken me up for the past few nights with the feeling like I might throw up. I sat on the couch contemplating whether I should do the race or not - well I paid $50, I have to try. I looked at my favorite quote:</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat." --T. Roosevelt, 1910</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Reading it always reminds me that trying is better than giving up. "Suck it up" I thought.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Heading up to the race with my dad it poured on us, and not your typical rain, it was torrential with the threat of golf-ball size hail until noon. Shit! I cannot see without my glasses, but if it is raining, I cannot see with them either. I was going to start the race and if it was raining when I got into transition, I could make my mind up if I would stop or not. Sucking it up does not consist of being stupid, the last thing I need to do is not see and fly over my handle bars on a pot hole.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
7:30 am the race started, I was still feeling kind of sick so I started the run really slowly. I watched as the crowd flew past me. "Oh well, just keep plugging along." I finished my run in 18:52 and was out of transition in 20:00 flat. At this point the weather was still holding, in fact the temperature was nice and cool and VERY breezy. I felt really good on the bike, I had only one person pass me and I passed at least 40 people. There seemed to be a headwind no matter which direction you turn, but I still was enjoying it. I came in from the bike at 41 min and out of T2 by 42:57. Of course on the run I felt slow again and many of the people who I had passed on the bike, passed me on the run...but hey, I am slow. I came into the finish with a time of 1:23:47 (final run time was 20:50) and good enough to be 4th AG, missed third by 30 seconds.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I have decided that it is funny that I continue to run, I am such a better biker - but it was a good race. I felt fairly good, my nausea went away during the race and for an hour after, so that is good (some weird quirk of the MS). My father and father-in-law placed, it never rained, it was a fun course...what could be better?</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As for my performance, I owe it all to the cooler weather and no rain! Yay a positive race report.</div>Adventures with MShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05990934869462778579noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-952177901253101310.post-70014556902958659332010-06-08T07:18:00.000-07:002010-06-08T07:19:19.942-07:00Weekly Workout Update<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Monday May 31 - Sunday April 6 </div><ul style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><li>Monday May 31 - Tallmadge Memorial Day 5K</li>
<li>Tuesday May 11 - off</li>
<li>Wednesday May 12 -3 mi run</li>
<li>Thursday May 13 - off</li>
<li>Friday May 14 - 7 mi run</li>
<li>Saturday May 15 -off</li>
<li>Sunday May 16-Twinsburg Duathon (2 mi run, 10 mi bike, 2 mi run)</li>
</ul><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This week went fairly well, although the heat and humidity this week reminded me that I have to be careful. My sister was in town and she joined me in running on Wed (National Running Day) and with me for my long run on Friday (got up early to avoid the heat).</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I had a good time at the Twinsburg Duathlon and will write a race report here in a day or two. </div>Adventures with MShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05990934869462778579noreply@blogger.com0