YELLOW ALERT

The Chicago Marthon has issued a yellow weather alert for Sunday. This means that it will not be the best conditions for a marathon. I have my first excuse for a bad day! Just kidding.

Waddling and watching the weather............

Just when you think that there is nothing that can happen to surprise or shock you, you get blown away.

After 2 trips to the emergency room, there was something just not right about the way hubby's ankle looked. I knew that I needed to take the day off work to get him to see his orthopedic MD. When I got up, I headed out for a short run to clear my head for the day.

Dr. P. called us to come in right away. He took one look at hubby's ankle and grabbed a needle to drain the fluid out. That was when the horror show began. It was not fluid that came out but was blood shooting everywhere and pulsing. Hubby developed an aneurysm on his ankle. Immediately pressure was applied. Now we are waiting to hear from the vascular surgeon.

With 5 days left until the marathon, there is no taper madness. There is only a firm resolve to finish.

Waddling.......

UPS AND DOWNS

This was a week full of ups and downs. I think they evened out with neither side winning.

-Snips and I did our final 8 mile run before the marathon next Sunday. It felt great and we ran out of time to talk about everything. The celebration after we finished with a cold beer was great! We toasted our training and whatever the 26.2 will bring.
- My running felt good this week with the cooler temps.
- My MIL had successful cataract surgery Wednesday.
- The Cubs playoff game will not alter the North part of the marathon Course.



- Poor hubby has been on a rollercoaster. He had a lumbar block on Tuesday. The doctor was pleased. Hubby felt improvement on Weds. and Thurs. On Friday, the block wore off. Saturday we spent 7 hours in the ER trying to get his pain under control again.



- Work has been crazy busy, which when you work in cancer care is not a good thing. Several days , I was at the hospital until 6pm.
- With everything happening at home, my weekday miles have been low.
- I hate my new shoes and I took them back.
- My new Garmin 405 which I love quit working and I took it back.
- The Cubs lost in the playoffs.
- The White Sox playoff game may alter the south part of the marathon course.

Waddling into a flatter week...........

There is no better weather for me than fall weather. Tonight was the night. Temperature was 57, calm and clear. There was a freshness in te air. I took Dakota and we cruised along for 3 easy miles. It has been awhile since a run felt so good. I would love to bottle this and save it for marathon Sunday.

Waddling on a cool, fall evening.............

SATURDAY-
It was an awesome birthday. The day began with breakfast with my MIL. After getting home, hubby told Bino to take me to the new RoadRunner Sports store. Shopping consisted of looking at running shoes and watches.

RRS has what is called ShoeDog to fit you. It was interesting. They felt that part of my ankle problem was the fact that I was running in Stability shoes and did not need them. I was put into a neutral Saucony. Time will tell.

Then I began looking at watches. I had a Garmin 305 and did not like it because of its size and buttons. Also the numbers were too small. I currently was wearing a Polar RS200. I liked it alot but had worn the buttons out. After looking at all the options, I got a Garmin 405. I thought it had the most to offer for me.

The day finished with pizza and cake with my firends and family. Hubby was able to come downstairs and shared in the celebration.

SUNDAY

I was up early and anxious to go run my 12 miler today. It was going to be fun with new shoes and a new watch. I felt good and ready to get out there. The weather was perfect.

The run went awesome. The watch worked great. Shoes felt good but my rt ankle was sore after the run for the entire day.

Snips and I talked the entire run excitedly about marathon weekend ,which is 2 weeks away. We will go to the expo on Saturday and stay downtown Chicago Saturday night. Our running club has rented a ballroom at a hotel near the start and finish for our club to use. I finally beginning to get anxious for the marathon.

Waddling with new birthday stuff................

IT'S MY BIRTHDAY

Imagine a day in which the pain never stops. You foot and ankle feel like they are on fire. Every second , the pins and needles are poking into your leg.

Imagine looking for the answers to the disease you have been diagnosed to have. Each article that you read uses the words chronic and incurable. Spending hours doing research and feeling you still have no answer.

Imagine having 5 nerve blocks. A nerve block is done by putting a needle in the back of your thigh with an electrical pulse going through it to make your foot jump. the pain-free time should last day after the procedure but only lasts hours.

Imagine a life that no longer has a normal. All day you are in bed trying to keep the swelling down in your foot. The moment you get up to walk around your foot swells up and turn a blue color.

Imagine taking medications that make you feel like you are in another world. The bottles of pills become confusing with what to take and when. The pain never goes away , you just don't care as much that you have it.

I could never have imagined any of these things. I never would have wished any of these things on anyone. I now watch my hubby experience all of these things daily and more. My frustration at being so helpless to do anything grows daily. It's also hard to imagine that so many people out there have RSD and so few know about it.

Waddling to imagine better days for my hubby...........