ABCs of ME!

Well, my surgery is over.  Thanks to general anesthetic and some pretty heavy pain meds, I went into surgery feeling like a kicka** athlete (who, just the night before, ran her regular 5 mile route faster than ever!) and left feeling nauseous and weak.  And I'm one-handed again.  Ugh!  But today I should get this dressing off and be on my way to a better, more functional me... even if I do have to give up my dreams of being a hand-model lol!
 (update: I did not get the bandage off, just replaced.  My last two fingers look like the Bride of Frankenstein!   The Dr. really sliced me up good, but thankfully had his 5 year old stitch me up.  At least, that's what it looks like to me!  I'll spare you the pics.)

When I woke up this morning and checked Feedly, I discovered that my friend Mindy from Road Runner Girl had tagged me in her ABCs of Me post.  What a perfect diversion for the day - and it may take me all day since I am typing with my left hand!!

 So here you go.  Everything you ever wanted to know about Flaming June!  What's that?  You don't sit around wondering what my favorite color is?  Well, you are about to find out anyway!!

ABCs of Mendy!

A. Attached or Single?  Happily attached to my best friend in the whole world, my husband Brian!  (oops!  I think I just messed up "B")

B. Best Friend?  Ummmm.... see above.

C. Cake or Pie?  I'll let the celebrities speak for me!

But left on a deserted (ha!) island with only one dessert - Key Lime Pie!

D. Day of the week?  duh! Friday!



You are welcome for getting that song stuck in your head!

E. Essential Item?  My laptop.  My husband snapped this pic at 6am this morning...

F. Favorite Color?  I know you are dying to know!!!

G. Gummy Bears or Gummy Worms?  Gummy Bears, of course!  They sing way better!

(Gulliver's Travels Giant Gummy Bear)

H. Hometown?  Near Pensacola Florida.

I. Favorite Indulgence?  

I love these sooo much, but due to this silly desire to still fit in my clothes, I only have about one a year.  hmmmm... I'm thinking I may be due for another.  today.

J. January or July?  January-way better running weather!

K. Kids?  Why, yes.  I do!  Six, in fact!!  Here is a picture from last year:

1. Joshua (in the white shirt, now 25) is married to Jasmine and has one son, my grandson Julien who I am holding.  They live and work in Savannah, Georgia.
2. Caleb (wearing striped tie, now 24) lives and works in Warner Robins, Georgia.
3. Bethany (in striped shirt, now 20) married Matt in March.  She is the secretary at our church, and her husband is the youth leader.
4. Elissa (blue top, now 18) lives at home and is finishing up high school.  She has an interview at Chick-fil-a today, so may have a job soon!
5. Levi (green top, will be 8 in two weeks) loves any kind of reptile!  He has two snakes and a gecko in the house, and the catch-of-the-day in aquariums on the porch!
6. Gracie (purple, now 6) loves dancing and singing and cuddling with her Mommy!

L. Life isn't complete without?  Jesus.  I cannot imagine living without knowing that someone smarter, more dependable, and more powerful than me has a plan for my life and is guiding me along that path every single day.

That doesn't mean my life will always be full of gumdrops and lollipops... but I have the assurance that my life has purpose, meaning and favor.  And, at the end, eternity with Christ! 

This is the most powerful music video I have ever seen!  I found it just now when I googled "Jesus is my life".  It pretty much says it all.

M. Marriage Date? December 20, 1986

25th Anniversary

N.  Number of Brothers/Sisters?  I have two younger brothers and two awesome sisters-in-law!

O. Oranges or Apples?  I seriously love oranges and anything orange flavored.  I grew up loving Tang, and  these days this is my drink mix of choice.

When Mandarin oranges are in season, I go through a bag a week.
I do not really care for apples except in a pie!

P. Phobias?  Yep.  I have telephonophobia: fear of making or taking phone calls!  This is one reason I love the web.  It allows me to communicate with people and bypass the phone altogether!
Below is a hilarious phone/horror short.  Who knew this was such a common condition?




Q. Favorite Quote?  This applies to every area of life!

R. Reason to Smile?  

S. Season of Choice?  Fall!  I love the smell in the air and the promise of cooler days to come!

T. Tag 5 People.

1. Raina at Small Town Runner
2. Christina at yourtruthplace
3. Julianne at Middle-Aged Woman (newly) on the Run
4. Anita at Running Against the OdDs
5. Tami at Journey to a Healthy Life

U. Unknown Fact About Me?  I've never had alcohol in my life!  When I was on my 25th anniversary cruise, I thought I'd maybe try a glass of wine.  However, we were seated with a couple from Ireland and I noticed that they never drank.  So, on the 3rd night I asked them about that.  I mean, they are from IRELAND!  The husband told me that he had also never had a drink in his life.  His father had been an alcoholic, and he just decided from a young age that he would never let that happen to him.  His wife had decided to abstain with him.  I took that as a sign from God that there was absolutely no reason for me to take up drinking now!  We are still really good friends with this couple! - apparently the only non-drinking Catholics in Ireland (lol!!)

V. Favorite Vegetable?  Green Beans

W. Worst Habit? Playing with the hole left behind from a pulled tooth.  I just can't keep my tongue from fiddling with it - and you can tell that's what I am doing.  The tooth has been gone a whole year now, and I am getting a little better.  I think...

X. X-ray or Ultrasound?  Well, I have never had an x-ray for anything but injuries and I have never had an ultrasound for anything but babies, so ULTRASOUND for sure!!

Y. Your Favorite Food? Greek yogurt with fruit and granola.  This has actually replaced ice cream as my favorite food!

Z. Zodiac Sign?  Capricorn

Well, now you know the ABCs of me!  Hope you were at least a little entertained!

So?  What is your "U"?  I'd love to hear it!

The Great Fall of 2013

2013 did not start off with a lot of promise.

On January 1st, I was finishing up a 7 mile training run, when I fell and broke two fingers on my right hand.  You can read more about that fall HERE.

I had 5 pins in my hand and was in a splint for two months - the two months preceding my daughter's wedding.  That was the hardest part.  I had to depend on other people to basically put the wedding together.  I couldn't so much as tie a bow.  I'm a relatively crafty person, so this frustrated the heck out of me.

I finally got the pins out and the splint removed the week before the wedding.  Silly me!!  I thought I'd be able to use the hand right away. 

 Ummmm, no.

I couldn't even move my fingers.  Not the two that got broken or the two that were uninjured but had been in a splint for 2 months.  

So, I started therapy.
Nothing.
After 5 long months I am still unable to move my last two fingers, and have only about 30% movement in my first two fingers.  The reason for this is that genetically my body reacts to trauma by building up excessive scar tissue.  This scar tissue has grown in and around my ligaments and tendons, prohibiting their movement.  This is probably the main reason that I have found so much success with Astym Therapy (see post here.)  However, there is no Astym procedure for fingers, so I am now facing two surgeries.  

The first surgery is Wednesday.  The Doc will cut along the top of my ring and pinkie fingers so that he can go in and clean up the scar tissue.  After that heals (and intensive therapy) he will cut open the underside of each finger to clean up the scar tissue there. 

There is no guarantee that this will work.  The fear is that this will prompt my body to produce even MORE scar tissue, and we will end up right where we began.  If that happens, he will have to go back in and permanently fuse my last two fingers into a hook position (to help with opening doors and such)

Anyway, if you think of it, I would so appreciate your prayers!!  I believe God is greater than my genetics!!

In other news:

I ran 31.7 miles this week! 

That is the most I have ever run in a week!   I am beginning to get so excited about the start of Half-Marathon training season! (September).  Yippee!!!

What is the most miles you have ever run in a week? (or should it read "are the most miles"? Sorry - too lazy to look it up!)

Don't Mind Me, I've Just Been Enjoying My Hamster Ball!

It's been 10 days since I updated this blog.

10 days.

I just haven't been able to bring myself to write
.
I've tried to.

Yesterday I opened a half-written post and stared at it for a good hour.  I googled the topic of the post, copied some images, and thought about it .  A lot.  But I didn't add a single word.  My mind wasn't blank - it was just too jumbled to get the thoughts out clearly.

Today, one of my friends linked the following on facebook:

Now I know what my problem has been!

I have just been enjoying my hamster ball!

Not only have I not been writing blogs - I haven't been reading them either.  According to Feedly, I have 120 blog posts (in the "Running" category) - just sitting there - patiently waiting for my attention.

I've just kind of withdrawn lately.  I even skipped church 2 of the last 3 weeks.

The irony is, that most of my IRL (in real life) friends would classify me as outgoing!  That's because I am pretty good at faking it.  I can act like the "life of the party" - but once I'm back home and all alone I just feel dirty and tired.

-dirty because I know I said and did a hundred stupid things.
-tired because the whole time I just wanted to retreat to my own little world... where it is safe, and warm, and I never have to face reality.

The other irony is that someone who loves quiet and solitude as much as me would give birth to 6 kids.  Don't tell me God doesn't have a sense of humor!

Actually - it's more like HE has a PLAN.  (duh!)  If I didn't have all these kids to keep me active and PRESENT, I fear I really would retreat into my own snug, little hamster ball.

Permanently!

Meanwhile - Running has been awesome!  I've finally found a summer-workable plan.

New Running Plan:

1. Run after 8pm.  Previously I had been running around 6:30.  The extra 90 minutes really does make a difference.  The only problem is that at that time of day I am limited to running in and round my neighborhood - which I will not do alone!  So I am very blessed that my husband is able to run along with me most of the time.
2. On the treadmill.  When Brian can't run with me, I use the treadmill (conveniently located in my den!)  I have been able to make it tolerable by alternating laps of running and walking (1/4 mile running fast then 1/4 mile walking)  I'm not sure this qualifies as real running, but it gets the job done without me having visions of taking a sledgehammer to the Nordic Track!

I've even been doing my long runs in the evening, because I just couldn't make it out early enough in the morning to not be sweltering by the end of the run.

If you are reading this, it means I hit "Publish".
-which means I stepped out of the hamster ball for a bit.  Or maybe I just let you in.  Either way, It indicates that my world is righting itself.

And that is a very good thing!

Please share with me how you are handling summer running?  Have you changed running times or paces?

I Got My Mojo Back!

This has been a crazy week!  Between the 4th of July holiday and getting a new smart phone (Samsung Galaxy S4 - The bomb!) I am backed up on my Feedly reader and my blog.  I even went 4 days without checking my e-mail!

But one thing in my life has finally returned to normal.... my running!  I'm not sure what happened, but after the Run for the Pies 5k, I lost my mojo.  I continued running - but I hated it.  I started dreading my runs.  And then I started worrying that maybe I just wasn't cut out for this.  Maybe I was fooling myself that I could be a runner at all.

Then last Sunday I went for a run - after a rain storm - in an amazingly cool 75 degrees.  It was wonderful!  I ran fast for the first time since the race - but this time I didn't feel like I was going to collapse.  In fact, I felt wonderful - and even though this was supposed to be an easy 4 miles, I ended up making it a 5 miler with a couple of tempo miles thrown in!

Then, on Tuesday I ran in the rain.  What fun that was!  I kept catching myself grinning - something that hadn't happened in quite a while!

Thursday I ran on the treadmill - and it was actually bearable!!  Then Saturday night, my husband I traveled to Amelia Island to run the biking trail there.  It was a fun and easy 8 mile run.

"fun and easy"  not "hot and horrible" or "humid and unbearable" or "long and tortuous"!!!

Finally - Running is FUN again!

Now... time to catch up on all my blogs!