Resuming My Marathon Training

I walked 1.8 miles this morning and it took me 30 minutes.  It was wonderful to be outside enjoying God's beautiful creation.  Our yard looks so pretty with the leaves in their various fall colors.  Getting outside and walking proved to be the exact therapy that I needed!  I think the exercise actually increased my energy.  My plan is to walk 5-6 days a week for the next 2 weeks and build up to walking for one hour.  That sounds like a lame marathon training plan, but it will have to do for now!

Today I planned to be somewhat productive.  I did a Bible lesson with the children, helped Olivia with her English Comp. assignments and did a Algebra 2 lesson with Julie.  I also did a little bit of light laundry.  All of that plus eating lunch took me till 1:00.  Now I am resting for an hour and a half, and then I hope to run one errand and hopefully do a math lesson with Clay.  Baby steps.  Monday, I plan to do about 50% of my normal school work with the children, and hopefully work into a full school day by Thursday.

Thank you to everyone who has sent me cards, blog comments, texts, and FB messages.  Also thank you for the delicious food and most of all for your prayers.  I am almost over this bump in my road, and I cannot wait to be far, far away from it!

A Better Day!

Thankfully, today has been a much better day!  It all began when Jimmy took me to the doctor this morning, and the nurse promptly removed my drains.  I still felt pretty poorly when we arrived, but by the time we got home (via a trip to the vet for some flea products for our cats--yuk!), I felt somewhat better.  Worn out and nauseous, but much better.  I took a one hour nap and then Hallelujah!! I took a shower!  I needed another nap after that, but I pressed on.

My doctor assured me that I was healing just fine, and that I needed to get up and around more.  I told him how yukky I had felt for the last week, and how I wanted to sleep all day.  He recommended that I get up each morning and try to keep going with my daily routine (with some restrictions of course), and then take an hour and a half rest after lunch.  He felt like that way I would be revived enough to make it to bedtime.  He also reminded me that I will get stronger each day.  So I took his advice and after lunch I rested again before taking the children to cross country practice today.  Yes--I drove!

It felt really good to get out of the house and visit with some of my friends.  It was very tiring, but it was worth it for my sanity.  I came home to a delicious supper prepared by one  of my dear friends, Pam.  It is now 9:00, and I am ready for bed!  I hope I have not overdone it today.

More good news:  my doctor said that I could begin walking as much as I felt up to beginning tomorrow, and then two weeks later I can begin running!  I am still not sure how all of this walking and not running for 2 more weeks is going to fit into my marathon training, but I am determined to complete the St. Jude Half Marathon on December 1.  My time goal is to finish in time to see Jimmy cross the finish line after running the full marathon.  Surely I can do that!

Another Exciting Day

Thankfully, I am still not in any pain, so I have been off pain meds for two days now.  I am just so tired and sleepy that I cannot explain it.  I mean, how much can a person sleep during the day and still sleep all night?  I guess my body is catching up after weeks up going to bed at 11:00 or after and getting up at 5:00AM to run.  I wish I could run today!

I am still sitting in the recliner ALL DAY because walking around makes me so tired and nauseous.  And I do have discomfort when I walk around, so I am just staying put.

Yesterday the girls sprayed dry shampoo on my hair and styled it into two ponytails.  I'm sure it looked better, but I was too tired to get up and look in the mirror!

I never did read a book yesterday, because I couldn't concentrate.  I am going to try again to day.  I have done some Christmas shopping online--hooray!

I had some visitors yesterday, and that was such a bright spot in my day.

My plan for today is to keep the recliner company, read my Bible, and hopefully finish Archimedes and the Door of Science (a Sonlight pre-read for Clay).  If I finish Clay's book, I want to try to read a Lamplighter book.  Maybe I won't sleep all day, and I can actually accomplish some of these goals.

I really, really hope that tomorrow after I go to the dr. I will have a happy, uplifting report! Maybe he will allow me to get outside and walk!

Another Boring Update

Since my life isn't that exciting these days, I guess my blog posts won't be either.  My plans for today are to sit in the recliner (again) and read, play mindless games on my iPad, and sleep.  So far today I have not been in any pain, which is a great blessing, but, I am feeling icky today.  Maybe it's the pain pills that I have been taking since Friday that are now making me feel badly.  Maybe it's the fact that I have not had a shower or washed my hair since Friday.  Yuk!  Anyway, I am going to ask one of my girls to recommend a really good Lamplighter or other book to read today that may serve as a good distraction for me.  I am also going to see if skipping the pain meds may make me feel better too.

Let me close by saying how thankful I am to everyone who has been praying for me and my recovery.  Thank you!  Your friendship and your prayers mean so much to me.  I hope that a week from now I will be resuming my regular household activities.

It's Hard to Sit Still!

I am feeling somewhat normal, except for a few aches and pains and some overall fatigue.  I am sleeping better each night, but Sam informed me again this morning that I woke him up with my snoring!

I am going to try not to get too antsy today and overdo it.  I have learned my lesson in that way before.  I really am going to make myself stay in the recliner today.  When I am not napping, I hope to read a couple of Sonlight books that I need to pre-read for Clay as well as read some of Sticks Across the Chimney to Leah, her current read aloud book.  I will have my Bible, my gratitude journal, and a notebook handy as well.

It is hard for me to sit still and feel like I am doing nothing, but I know in my head that resting is exactly what my body needs--so I can be up and running around at full speed very soon.

Since Christmas is only 65 days away, and I have done practically nothing to prepare, I hope to spend some of my rest time doing some online shopping and searching for cute craft and gift ideas.

Last night we had a fun visit from Russ, Megan, and sweet Millie Janalee!  Millie Janalee has gotten so big!  She looks just like a precious, live baby doll.  We enjoyed our visit with them so much.

Happy Monday everyone!

Back to Running and Update 11

If you are my friend on Daily Mile, or if you are a real life friend that talks to me frequently, you will know that I have not run very much lately.  In fact, I have run only 4 miles in two weeks!  I have been in sort a slump.  I built up to an 18 mile week, and I have done two long runs of 7 miles each, but that is as far as I have gotten.

The main reason I had basically stopped running was because I have had increasing discomfort at my mastectomy site, particularly on the side where the lymph nodes were removed.  I could tell that the soreness was increased after running, so I was afraid that maybe I was hurting something.  Even though back in May my doctor cleared me for running as much as I wanted to do.  Also, I began to dread having to rest for 4-6 weeks after another upcoming surgery, so I just adopted the attitude of why run now, just to have to rest and start over again.

Yesterday I had an appointment with my kind doctor, and he reassured me that all was well. He said that my soreness, aches, and pains were a normal part of the reconstruction process, and for me not to worry.  He encouraged me to run as much as I wanted to.  To build up as many miles as I could before my next surgery.  He is well aware that I have a marathon planned for January, and he is working with me.  I still don't have a surgery date, but he said that we would maybe plan it when I go back to see him in six weeks.  I am finding out more and more that the type of reconstruction that I am having takes a long time.  But that's ok!

So, tonight I am getting back to running!  Our whole family, all seven of us, is signed up to run the Nightcrawler 5K.  I plan to run with Leah and Sam, but at least I will be running.  I also plan to run again tomorrow, and then to have a full week of running 20 miles next week.  This race is especially meaningful to me, because it benefits Lids for Lisa and the Women First Resource Center---both of these organizations provide support for breast cancer patients and survivors.

Happy Running!

Update 10

I plan for this to be my last post breast cancer diagnosis /surgery /recovery update for a while.  Tomorrow marks four weeks since my surgery, and I am almost back to normal!  Almost!  I have resumed full days of homeschool, and about half of my housework.  I still cannot completely use my arms (especially my right arm where the lymph nodes were removed), and staying on my feet too long still causes aches, but for the most part I feel like my old self!  I plan to walk 10 miles this week, and I have already planned my next marathon: the Disney World Marathon in January, 2013.

I had an excellent visit with my oncologist yesterday.  He determined that since all of my cancer was removed with the surgery, that since the cancer was not invasive, and that since my lymph nodes were negative,  I do not have to take tamoxifen!  That was the very best news for me!  I was not looking forward to taking that medication if it had been prescribed.  I am so grateful!

I get stronger every day, and I fully expect to be 100% very, very soon!  Other than a few visits and procedures with the plastic surgeon over the next couple of months, and then one more surgery in the late summer or early fall, I am done!  I am almost over this bump and completely on the other side.  Praise God!

"Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!  For His mercy endures forever."

1 Chronicles 16:34

Update 9

One of our beautiful azalea bushes

Well, it seems like we went from winter to summer here in Mississippi!  It has been in the 80s for quite some time now.  All of the trees are getting greener by the day, and the dogwoods and azaleas are in full bloom.

Today is Day 22 since my surgery!  I am doing really well.  The fog of fatigue has lifted in the last few days.  I still have to take recliner breaks throughout the day, mostly because I get discomfort and muscle spasms when I stay up on my feet too long.  Also, I have been trying to limit using my arms too much---not lifting heavy things or reaching up too high.  However, I am walking 5 days a week (this is my second week to do this), and I really do think that the slow walking is making me feel better.  I have built up to 30 minutes of walking each day, and I plan to walk 35 minutes tomorrow.  My goal is to walk the Coke 10K on May 5.  I would really like to actually run a little bit of it!  I saw my plastic surgeon today, and he said I could try slow running in 2 weeks!  However I complete it, I do plan to complete the Coke 10K.

Our days are busy with running practice, piano and art lessons, schoolwork, and my doctor's appointments. I am hoping that after meeting with my oncologist next week, my doctor visits should slow down a bit.  I am not the energizer bunny that I usually am, so all of these things take me longer than normal.  And while I am not totally fatigued anymore, I tire more easily than I used to.  I am still being blessed with meals from my dear friends, and while I feel guilty about them cooking for me, it really is such a blessing.  

One of our dogwoods

Our barn

Another pretty dogwood

I haven't been able to help with any of our spring yard work, but Jimmy and the children have gotten our yard to looking so pretty!  I think they plan to finish it all up tomorrow.

My Exercise Plan

Well, this time last year I was in the final weeks of my very first marathon training.  Today, I walked 1 mile.  It took 17:30.  At that pace I could complete a marathon in 7 hours, 30 minutes.

But it was a mile!  I have walked four times this week...1/4 mile, 1/3 mile, 1/2 mile, and then today a whole mile.  It may be months before I can run again, but I am still going to walk.  I would love to build up to walking for 1 hour each day.

I also went to the grocery store for the first time today since my surgery.  Julie went with me and pushed the cart, however, I think I could have pushed it just fine by myself!

We did a full day of school today.  My goal for next week is three full days of school.  Normally in April I am ordering books and supplies for the next school year.  I may not be ready to think about next year's school until May.  Sam will finally have his 100th day of school celebration next Wednesday.  I hope it will be fun for him.  This will be our last time to do this!

Clay's birthday is Monday, and then I will have three teenagers!

A Rainy Day

We woke up to rain this morning, and it is supposed to rain all day.  And although the Spartans (our homeschool cross country/track team) usually practice in all kinds of weather, today the rain is too much, even for the Spartans.  So our 8:00 AM practice was cancelled.  Julie woke up at 6:00 AM to prepare a yummy breakfast of sausage and cheese muffins for the children to take to eat after practice.  Now we can enjoy them here at home!

We will stay home today and do school!  I plan to stay put in my recliner for most of the day, and let the children bring their schoolwork to me to check or if they need help.  I am so glad that I spend so much time each summer organizing and planning the children's schoolwork for the entire year.  It has made our homeschool much easier since February 7, when I first learned that we would be having a bump in our road.

Poor Clay!  Yesterday he spent part of his morning spreading out bales of pine straw all around the play area in our back yard--where the swing set and fort are.  Apparently, there was some poison ivy somewhere in that pine straw.  Within just a few minutes of his coming inside, he was covered with poison ivy.  He is highly allergic to it!  It was all over his face, his arms, his feet, his legs, his trunk.  And, he was wearing long pants and boots!  I gave him a benadryl, and had him take a shower, and then Jimmy and I had to leave for my doctor's appointment.  (That's all I do now it seems like.....go to the doctor!)  I had a good report, by the way--it was with my general surgeon, and he said he would see me again in 6 months.  When we got home, Clay's reaction to the poison ivy looked even worse, so I did something I rarely do, I took him to the doctor!  I was trying to think of the last time that Clay had been to the doctor, and I think it was when he was five to get his immunizations!  He will be 13 on Monday.  So the nurse practitioner we saw gave him two prescriptions.  He actually got worse last night before he began to get better, but finally before bedtime he seemed to be getting some relief. He is not awake yet, but I am expecting him to be ok.

I figured it out, and I am 13 days behind in my B90 reading.  So that means that this time around I will be reading the Bible in 103 days.  Here is a verse from today's reading.

"The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; He knows those who take refuge in Him."  Nahum 1:7

Another Update (8)

After admitting that I had overdone it on Saturday and Sunday, I really did not learn my lesson.  I thought I did.  I thought I balanced resting and not resting well enough on Monday, but apparently I did not!  By Monday night I was exhausted again, and I spent all day yesterday in the recliner.  All day.

To put into perspective what "overdoing it" looks like for me, here is all that I did.

• Upon awakening Monday morning, I rested until time to get ready for my doctor's appointment (plastic surgeon).
• 10:30--I showered and blew dry my hair.  Both washing and blow drying my hair are workouts.
• 11:30--I drove myself to the PS office.  This was my very first time to drive post-surgery, and I will admit it was hard and very tiring.  
• 12:30--drove myself home from PS office.  This visit was uneventful.  This was my first appointment with him post-surgery, and he just needed to check on me.  I was cleared to walk slowly and short distances without swinging my arms for exercise.  He also told me to start doing some arm exercises so I can get my range of motion back.  I go back to see him again next week.
• 1:00--rested in recliner.  My sweet friend who teaches my children piano, came to my house to pick them up for their lessons so that I could rest.  I rested.
• 3:10--drove Leah and Sam to XC practice (met Olivia, Julie, and Clay there).
• 3:30--walked one lap around the track.  That's 1/4 of a mile.  That's all I did.  Then I sat in a lawn chair until practice was over.
• 5:00--drove all the children home and basically rested until bedtime.

That tiny bit of activity combined with what I thought was adequate rest wore me out completely!  I slept poorly for the first time since my surgery.  I had more than discomfort, I had what I would consider pain, so I took tylenol, but still had a restless night.  

I did stay in the recliner all day yesterday hoping that I would feel better.  I felt pretty good as long as I was reclined, but whenever I walked around for a short period of time, I got pretty uncomfortable.  Last night I tried to sleep in the bed, but it just hurt too badly.  I got back in my recliner.  I guess I will be sleeping in the recliner for quite a while.  In fact, in the reading online I have been doing, that seems to be normal--recliner sleeping.  I had another restless, not able to sleep, feeling like I was being stabbed night.  

And this morning it dawned on me, why I couldn't sleep, and why I was so uncomfortable yesterday despite my resting.  I finished my twice a day Valium on Sunday.  I didn't realize how much that helped with the muscle discomfort (stabbings).  In fact, when the nurse in the hospital first gave me the Valium I told her that I did not need that.  My nerves and anxiety level were fine!  (I thought that was what Valium was for.)  She explained that it served as a muscle relaxer, and would aid my recovery.  She was right!  So this morning I took a non-drowsy muscle relaxer (not sure of the name), and I feel so much better.  I am definitely going to continue taking these before bedtime so I can get some rest in my recliner.

I walked 1/3 of a mile today on our driveway.  Very slowly.  And I did not swing my arms. 

Progress.  Slow, but progress.