Twenty Miler......I Survived!

Wow you marathon runners are amazing.  We did our 1st ever 20 mile run this morning and I am mentally drained!  My feet are some too and my legs were really tight.  Now they are starting to swell up a bit.  I woner if the leg poofiness is normal.  I hate the Michelin Man feeling.

The first several miles were hard.  It was 24 degrees when we started running and my lower half wasn't dressed appropriately.  My buns and thighs went numb and stayed that way until mile 10.  10-15 went ok and after that things got progressively worse.  The last two were tough but we made it!  I'm proud of my hubby too!!!

In two weeks we go 22.  Two weeks after that is 24 the 26 and we are good to go.

20 miles tomorrow - I'm nervous

Tomorrow we have a 20 mile long run and I'm feeling anxious.  Butterflies in my tummy before a race nervous.  Is that normal.  I also feel a cold coming on.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it doesn't get worse.

I'm also in Cedar Rapids sitting with my mom & sister while mom gets Taxol.  We met with the oncologist this morning and she is so nice.  Mom is doing well.  She may have a touch of Hand and Foot Syndrome from the previous chemo drugs.  WBC count was good.

Is it time to break out the crockpot?

Fall has arrived and right along with it I can hear my crock pot calling my name.  What is better than coming home to a nice hot bowl of chili or some roast and veggies.  I love it, but I rarely take the time to get it ready to cook so instead I end up throwing some frozen tortellini in some boiling water, topping with a little marinara sauce and some easy fruit for dessert.  I'm trying to break the pasta habit.  We really need to start rocking the crock.  This week my goal is to find some delicious veggie filled recipes I can throw together in the morning and then let it cook to perfection all day.  Training for a marathon as the days grow shorter and colder is tough.  Finding time to eat and feed a 16 month old before 7pm is even tougher.  I hope the crock pot is the answer to my problems.

Running has been going ok.  Saturday will be my very first 20 mile long run.  I wish I could run faster so it wouldn't take up so much of my day but that isn't going to happen and now is certainly not the time to try and push it. 

Sam update - she is 16 months and is running now.  She is repeating almost everything we say and is able to identify body parts.  She also is developing a love of baby dolls.  She likes to get a dish towel out of the kitchen and cover them up and then pick them up and pat them on the back.  It is so cute. 

Yesterday was Halloween and we didn't do much Trick-Or-Treating but she did put on her costume while we were at Travis' sister's house this weekend.  My nephew only lasted a few minutes in his frog costume before he flipped out a bit.  Sam did ok - she had a cute Tinkerbell costume.  I wish the cute shoes I bought to match would have fit!

One thing they were talking about on the radio this morning is how many neighborhoods have "Trick-Or-Drinking" for the adults who are taking their kids around.  Is this a weird Iowa thing or do other areas do this as well?

Mom Update:  She had her first round of Taxol last Friday and it doesn't appear to be nearly as toxic (at least short term) as the A/C.  Mom is concerned about neuropothy though and that is a longer term side effect.  I think there are also some heart related side effects to watch out for.  I've done a lot of digging around on the internet and this appears to be the common course of treatment and it is scheduled to continue for another 11 weeks.  Then there is a short break before radiation is scheduled to begin.  Mom isn't too excited about radiation and she is seriously thinking about not doing it.  The doctor wants her to take the treatments.  We'll see what happens.  Sam and I are headed over there on Friday.  I want to sit with her through her treatment and then her birthday is Sunday so we will have some fun.

I'll sign off for now - I need to start recipe hunting!  Oh and one last thing - GO BIG RED!  My beloved Huskers played a great game on Saturday afternoon.  It was a beautiful day with a beautiful result on the football field - you can't ask for much more than that.  Now it is time to beat up on the Clones!

18 Miles - Down

Today I ran the longest long run of my life.  18 miles.  Wow.  Who would have thunk it.

Travis and I hit the trail late this morning and it took forever but we got it done.  I really didn't feel too bad.  Travis cramped up pretty bad and could hardly walk for a few hours after we finished.  We didn't set ourselves up very well....we didn't eat anything before we started even though it was almost lunch time.  We took some Chomps with us but that probably wasn't enough.

My sister and family watched Sam for us while we ran.  Having family around is so awesome.

We are kicking back now watching a little football after running to Jimmy John's for a sandwich.  I've been eating really well lately, mostly organic and such but JJ is a treat for us and always tastes great after a long run!

Sam Update:  I was out of town for 4 days and when I picked her up from daycare yesterday afternoon I swear she looked like she had changed.  They grow so stinking fast it is unbelievable.  This morning she wanted to color so I put her in her highchair, got out some crayons and a coloring book and let her go to town.  She scribbled allover her tray as well (no biggie - it washes off) and took a small bite or two out of the colors but she had fun.

This weekend we were supposed to go to the zoo for trick or treating.  I bought Sam a Tinkerbell costume this week along with some really cute jellies.  Well, we ended up not going.  My sister & her family and my mom didn't come to town because mom is still not feeling well.  She has a cough now.  I talked them into going to the doctor yesterday morning and her WBC count is really low (something like 800 if that makes any sense) and they could hear some wheezing and rattling in one of her lungs.  She has no fever but I'm wondering if her body will even let her get a fever since her count is so low.  They gave her some antibiotics and said if she gets a fever or starts coughing up greenish or yellow stuff she needs to call them.  My sister said she sounded better today - it appears the wheezing may be dissipating.  Please keep her in your prayers.

Well, I have to go, I need to kick my feet up and watch a little football before we hit the sack.  My Huskers won today so all is good.

Goodnight!

Why does the baby always get sick when one of us is traveling

I'm on my first work related trip in years.  I am also not home to rock my 16 month old baby girl to sleep for the first time since the day she was born.  I'm doing OK.  I miss her and my incredibly awesome hubby like crazy but I'm managing.  I talked to her on the phone last night.  I said "Hi, baby" and I swear she said "Hi, baby" right back.  It was so cute. 

All isn't rosy with her though.  She has come down with a bug of some sort.  Daycare called yesterday at noon and Travis had to go pick her up.  She has a slight fever and seems a little tired but other than that she seems OK.  She got her 15 month vaccinations last Friday so I wonder if she is having a reaction to one of them.  I think the MMR shot often has a delayed reaction.  I really want to drive home right now but I can't.  My older sister is taking care of her today & hopefully she can go back to day care tomorrow.  I can't wait to see her and Travis tomorrow night.

Mom update:  She did complete her A/C chemo last Thursday.  She hasn't been feeling well this week though.  She thinks she is fighting a little bit of a cold (my niece and nephew have both had fevers lately and she lives with them).  Yesterday she felt good enough to go out for breakfast with a friend but ate some greasier food and she said her tummy hasn't felt very good since then.  Hopefully she gets better quickly.

Goofy training has been going pretty well.  I have not done this much running in my life but since I haven't run a marathon before I guess that is to be expected.  I just wish I ran a little faster so it didn't take me so long to do my runs.  Oh well, I know I'm not fast and never will be so that is what I get when adding on the miles.  This weekend is my first 18 mile long run.  I'm looking forward to it.  Saturday is going to fly by....18 mile run in the morning, Nebraska football game on TV in the afternoon and a trip to the zoo for trick or treating in the late afternoon/early evening.  My mom, sister & family are planning on coming over too.  I'm going to be beat by Sunday morning!

Gotta run.....the Mall of America is calling my name!

This one will bring tears to your eyes

I do not think I have posted the link to Baby Khloe Sassman's story on here yet.  She is from a town near me and some of my work friends know her family. Read the journal when you have some time....it is a long story brimming with amazing faith and love.  I think it will touch your heart!    www.caringbridge.org/visit/khloesassman/journal

Mom is done with A/C Chemo

Mom finished her 8 week course of A/C Chemo today.  She has done great.  I have been super paranoid that she was going to get sick & still am.  I want to put her in a bubble but I know you can't do that.  She needs to live her life and get out when she feels she needs to.

She still isn't working and I'm getting a little nervous that she will eventually lose her job and her benefits.  I'm not sure what we would do then.  She was working part time as an LPN.  Right now she just doesn't have the energy to care for patients.  She can last an hour or two before she needs some rest.  That just doesn't work in the nursing environment.  She has a little chemo brain going on as well but not really too bad.  Her WBC count has been low at least once and it was then that she was thinking about going back to work.  The doctor put the kibosh on that quickly.  She has applied for SS - Disability and possibly early retirement.  Does anyone know how health insurance works if you are on Social Security/Disability? 

Sam & I visited her this weekend while Travis headed to help his dad with harvest.  We went to the pumpkin farm with mom, my sister & her family.  We got to celebrate my nephew's birthday too.  It was a great weekend.  The weather was perfect.  I'm including some pictures from the weekend in this post.

Now on to marathon (to be more accurate "Goofy" training).  Last week looked like this.  Monday - 3 miles at 5-10K pace, Tuesday 3 miles, Wednesday - 5 miles, Thursday - off, Friday - 3 miles, Saturday - 15 miles (which I did on the treadmill in my sister's basement.  Thank goodness for college football even though the Michigan vs. Michigan State game wasn't that great).  I felt pretty good all week.  The program I am following has you running really long every other weekend.  For some reason I feel really drained the week after the long run.  I think I'm still working hard to build endurance.  Next weekend is an 18 mile long run.  I've never even seriously thought about running that far.  WOW! 

I can't wait to get to Disney in January.  We are going to have such a great time.  The runs will be fun and then we are going to relax.  I'm not going to let anything bother me.

In my last post I mentioned that I had bought a few books.  I've been reading Master Your Metabolism and Anti Cancer and it is surprising to me how much they support each other in their teaching.  I may be a sucker but I am gradually buying into their philosophy....implementing it is hard though.  I crave sugar.  I don't know why but I do.  I really shouldn't because I eat a lot of fruit and you would think that would curb my craving for candy but for some reason it doesn't.  Sugar is one of the things both books say to avoid.  I'm a work in progress.