to turbo kick or not to turbo kick

I must have slept really weird last night because I have this strange stitch in my side.  I keep thinking that my under-roos/boy short slip must be too tight but they aren't.  It feels like someone is squeezing my left lung.  The Aleve didn't touch it but a muscle relaxer just might do the trick.

Have an appointment with the therapist this afternoon so I am taking off work early.  I haven't been in to see her for awhile so it might be interesting.  The last time I was there it kind of got deep and I think I have kind of been avoiding going back.  When I took my mom to lunch Saturday she left her handicap hang tag in my car so I am going to take off a little earlier than planned and meet my parents for lunch to get it back to her.  I should have a little time to do some window shopping. 

I sent a message to TT yesterday asking him if he fired me.  He sent me a message back saying not at all but he has been swamped.  I know he bought a house and that seems to take over your life.  I have an appointment with him tomorrow right after work.  My plan was to try out a turbo kick class today, but, since I am going to see him tomorrow I don't know if I should.  I literally watched an entire class on youtube and it looks like it will kick my ass.  There is another one at 5:15 on Thursday that I guess I could try if I can still move.  I guess I am looking forward to getting back to the gym because I got my gym bag already packed 😛  I could go hit the treadmill and do some hamstring stretches tonight.
There was an email that they are starting a new session of Bombshell, the 4 week (I could have sworn the last one I did was 6 weeks) workout plan with 6 day a week workouts.  There is a 5:30 t/th, 9:30 saturday that would work well with my schedule.  It isn't with any of the trainers I know and that time spot will probably be busy.  I really don't want to be the weakest person in the group again but the price is right and it is 4 weeks I don't have to pay for training - the enrollment for the, I guess challenge for lack of a better word, is $265.  It is all weight training, no cardio.  What to do?

I'm trying to keep my workout to Tuesday and Thursday because Dennis is going through some fire fighter training.  He really wouldn't care if I went to the gym on his off days and would probably prefer it because I am to tired to be cranky.  Again, I will talk to TT about it tomorrow and see what he says.  My cousins BFF keeps telling me he has $400 in training he won't use and I keep trying to get him to agree to go to the gym with me as a gentle reminder but he is an RN and has a crazy ass schedule. 

Not sure if it is official yet but it looks like I will be reporting to Operations Division July 24.  The bosses know about it so maybe that is all they need?  They will need to do an SF50 to reassign me but sometimes you don't see those until after you are back.  So far it looks like just a 30 day assignment.  I am more than a little upset about that but it is better than nothing.  I still haven't heard back from the Executive office on my grievance so I don't have a clue what's going on there.  I should hear back this week if they follow the timeline but that hasn't happened yet.  The guy who is working in the Lt. Colonels spot had a death in the family so that threw everything to hell.  Not that I would ever hold the death of his mother against him.  I did get a message on Friday that he had read through everything but didn't have a status.  What I am hoping is that since I am going to Ops for 30 days they just decide to leave me there.  I have worked with that Chief when I first started with the Corps and I really like him.  Hell, if it hadn't been for me going up and talking to him about everything I wouldn't even have the 30 day reprieve.  The union is already looking through the list of arbitrators just in case.  If it does go that far I will have to shell out big bucks for the attorney again 😈 but I will ask for my legal fees back as part of my resolution agreement.  This just sucks.

The end of the week holds exciting things.  Thursday is dinner with an old friend from the college days.  We were really close for a long time, even after I got a job and moved an hour away.  She got married to some jackass who I hated.  I can't remember all of it but I remember that he used the 'N' word and said it was OK because he was in the military.  UM, NO.  So we lost contact.  I saw her at Tulsa Tough, I guess 5 years ago...anyway I got her phone number.  I was feeling nostalgic after my Uncle Jerry's funeral and started looking through my contact list on my phone.  There she was.  So I sent a message asking if it was still Kelli's number.  We ended up texting for 2 hours.  She is divorced so maybe we can be friends again?  She also adopted a little girl 4 years ago who is 11 now.  Maybe it would be good for Andrew?

Speaking of Andrew, I get to take the little snot to the movies Saturday to see Despicable Me 3!!! MINIONS!!!  I know he will ask if we can buy a toy but I have decided we can go to the book store but no toys.  I am really kind of torn.  I love to spoil the kid but he was a brat when he didn't get his way last time I had him.  I am also worried about how he is going to handle the predicament (what my friends are calling the pregnancy).  I want him to know he is my main man.  Maybe I should see if Kelli has her girl and wants to go with us?!?!

OK, I am off to let my babies out before lunch/doctor dates.

Truman says stay cool.
  

Decisions

After blogging on Calorie King since pretty much the beginning of time, I think I am going to let my membership lapse and come back to blogger. First I had to google myself to make sure the blog didn't come up because a cousin I recently "reconnected" with should be in prison for stalking.  Like literally.  Not that she would be interested in me but she was really good friends with my little sister and would look me up to try to get at her.  I will probably regret letting her into my filtered facebook life but I hate to see someone suffer the loss of a parent.

I haven't been using the lap band much in the last few years.  The aspirate pneumonia really scared me.  I am back up to a fill level that offers restriction now but I am trying to rely on good food choices as well.  My weight got up really close to 160 but I am down to 145.  My happy place is about 118 but when I get below 120 I start to get obsessive so the band doctor said to shoot for low 130's.  Well see.

Fitness is going to start being a thing again after a short break to recuperate from hamstring tendonitis.  I sent a text to my Trainer, Thomas (henceforth known as TT) and told him to put me back on his schedule.  I am going tomorrow but I have no idea what to do on my own.  I will pull something from pinterest or one of my old SKY180 routines.  The doctor said whatever I do that I need to include lots of hamstring stretches.   

I don't have a lot of time but I wanted to do a quick drive-by.   

Starting over

Well, it has been a long time since I have been around.  A lot has changed in a relatively short time. 

My weight is higher than it has been in almost 3 years; in the low 140's.  There are a lot of factors  going into that but mostly I just feel like I have given up.  I have stopped using the band as the tool I need it to be.  I think a lot of it is panic from the aspiration pneumonia cause from my band being too tight.  I get a fill and inevitably I have to have some taken out a short time later.  Last fill I got I wasn't even able to swallow saliva.  I am pretty sure it is a panic reaction to the restriction.  I haven't really talked to the doctor about it because he is so busy when I go in I feel like I am just taking up way too much time.

There has also been some stuff going on in my work and home life that has caused me to just throw my hands up and admit defeat.  We lost our little 15 year-old dog Sidney to renal failure in September and it was excruciating to watch.  We had to make the hard decision to have him put down.  That is the hardest thing I have ever had to do but I know it was the right decision.  I am grateful that one of my running friends is a vet at an emergency clinic and was able to help us out.  Those boys were my life for so long it is hard to be without them.  I still have the girls but it isn't the same relationship. 

I have a new boss that I hate.  I have been trying to find a job in another department or in another state but I have not had any luck.  I get on the selection list but don't make the final cut.  The bosses nickname is T-Rex because he has a huge belly and we have all questioned how he can reach past his belly to take care of any necessary business....  He has ran off my co-lead in less than 6 months.  For the first time ever I am on xanax to keep me from losing my shit.  I don't take it often but when I do I think it has probably saved my ass.  This is not a good way to live at all.

To add to the stress I had knee surgery November 6; lateral retinaculum release.  Pretty much my kneecap was tilted and causing severe pain, so the doctor cut the tendon that was pulling my kneecap off center.  I had 4 weeks of PT and was released on Friday.  I started the C25K over again, going in slow.  I will have to have the other knee done if this works out on the right knee.

Things aren't all doom and gloom.  I ran 5 half marathons and 2 25k's this year.  The last one was the Nike Women's Half in San Francisco!!  I can't believe I got drawn in to run this the first time I put in.  I put my knee surgery off a month so I could run this one last half.  It was excruciating but the most beautiful course I have ever ran.  One of my good friends was supposed to go with me but she broke her foot days before we were supposed to leave and she couldn't go.  I had the plane ticket bought, the registration fee paid, and she was going to use her hotel points for the luxury hotel a few blocks from the starting line.  She insisted that I still go and let her use the points for the room.  How could I say no?  So I went to SF by myself and had a blast.  There were a few awkward moments but I could do what I wanted when I wanted and it was amazing.  I was worried that I wouldn't be able to finish with the knee but I made it through and got my Tiffany necklace at the finish line.  I didn't think I would ever be able to make it back to the hotel though.  I was beat. 

We have a new foster dog named Truman.  I found him at the animal shelter and got the rescue I work with to pull him.  He was a mess when we got him, very underweight, caked in filth, horrible teeth.  We though he may have distemper but after 3 rounds of antibiotics he is finally getting better; the continuous snotty nose is finally drying up and his cough is almost gone.  He has also gone from 11.5 pounds to over 14 pounds. 

 

 

He is fitting right in as you can see.  The girls are getting used to him.  It is starting to look like he might not make it to the adoptable website, he was hours from the needle and now is the center of attention.  He's a stinker.

 

 

Oh, I also took up aerial yoga between my running break and my knee surgery.  I only did one month but it was so much fun.  I will sign up again after Christmas.  They have a special for $1,000 you get unlimited classes for a year.  I'm need to look over the schedule and see if that will work out since I am going to be unable to do any big runs this year. 

 

I probably won't be back before Christmas so I hope everyone has a great holiday.  I will be back on here this year as I feel like I need the support of fellow bandsters. 

 

Hope everyone has a great holiday!!

 

Hey strangers!

So I haven't posted since October. Looks like a lot of the people I followed have left or have taken a hiatus as well. Not sure why I haven't blogged here.

Since I saw you guys last my weight has stayed pretty steady at the 120 range. I would like to be closer to 110 but my body seems to be comfortable here and I don't want to get my band so tight I give myself pneumonia again. Sometimes you gotta listen to your body. I do have about 4 cc in my band, which is very low compared to last year at this time. I still have some bad food days when I have trouble eating. Until that rectifies itself I will not get another fill. I know a lot of that is stress but I don't want to risk it.

I'm still running...kinda. Right now I am a little burned out. I have been training through e-coaching with Jeff Galloway. My goal was to do Little Rock half marathon in under 3 hours. That was March 2 and the weather turned horrible. It started out in the mid 50's but dropped 15 degrees with strong winds, storms, torrential down pours, sleet, the works. I finished in 3:11. I am lucky to have finished at all in those conditions. I also did a 25K (15.4 miles) as a training run at the end of January and the Snake Trail Run - 14.6 miles weekend before last. I have a half marathon this weekend, the OKC half April 27, and Run Like a Diva half in Branson May 4. After that I am taking a break from running. Maybe do some yoga? I am going to be in a wedding in July so I need to get my upper body looking good in a sleeveless dress. My legs hate me guess it's time my arms join in on the bandwagon.

Last week I got bit by dog while I was running through the neighborhood. Almost got into a fist fight with the dog owner because she acted like it was my fault. I seriously thought I was going to have to call the cops. Being the dog lover I am I couldn't punish the dog because the lady was a bitch. She finally gave me her name and I verified the dog's vaccination history through the shelter. I know if I run now I will just run back and forth by her house so I haven't ran since the incident, lol. 

I am getting plenty of exercise with the kiddos.  After the boys died I was pretty sure I wouldn't be able to get another dog (granted I still had a house full).  I saw a post on FB in November looking for a foster home for a border collie named Marty.  He was heartworm positive and risked being put to sleep at the animal shelter.  Mountain Pet Rescue out of Colorado pulls dogs from overcrowded high kill shelters in OK TX and MO and transports them to homes in the CO area.  Something about Marty caught my eye and we decided to foster him.  We only had him for a week before he found a home and lives happily ever after in Boulder.  In January one of the founders contacted me and asked if I wanted to foster another dog named Cookie.  This on was a special case.  She had been pulled about the same time as Marty.  She too had heartworms and was on the list to be put to sleep.  Her current foster home wasn't working out because they said she was too big.  She had been shuffled around to three different fosters and they were looking for someone who would be able to stick with her until she was healthy and adopted.  I told Dennis about her and he said she deserved some stability.  So, we have Cookie Bear.

She is indeed a big girl, 98+ pound when she was pulled from the shelter.  She had been diagnosed with spondylosis which is a spine degeneration disease.  We take her to hydrotherapy once or twice a week.

and she has acupuncture as needed. We also take her on daily walks now that the heartworms are gone. We had her down to 89 pounds and she was looking good. Then we took her in to have a broken tooth pulled and she had gained 7 pounds in a month :-0 They did a thyroid check and it appears she may have low thyroid so we also have her on medication for that.

Now that all of my money and spare time is going to the dogs again, my life feels like it is back to normal. We love that girl. I'm not 100% sure she will be going to Colorado. It would take someone extra special to meet our approval. I found out later that the rescue group wanted us to keep her all along, they are evil geniuses. She is still listed on the adoption site but we will see.

I have a lot of catching up to do.
 

Back again just in time for TTT

1.  I got a new tattoo!!  I always said if anything ever happened to Hunter I would have some of his ashes mixed in with tattoo ink and have one done. 

 

For some reason I don't have one of the final product.  He did a baby blue background, he pointed out that the background looks like the sihloutte of a dog.  I just got it Monday so it is still a little ugly.  I will get another picture of it when it is healed.  FYI, if you have a desk job the hip may not be the best place to get inked. 

 

2.  Dennis is NOT happy about the new art.  It isn't my first but I didn't tell him about the others I just showed up with them.  He told me that he was ok with it but I think he thought I would change my mind.  I haven't said anything to him about it and he hasn't asked.  I am going to see how long I have it before he finally sees it.  It is in a place that can be easily hidden.

 

3.  I think my luck is turning around.  Since last I posted I got furloughed for 3 days due to the government shut down...but got back pay!!  Lost the Uncle that raised my dad.  He was almost 90 and was miserable.  He was a very active person and had been in a wheelchair for a couple of years.  If it had been up to him he would have passed when he lost his mobility.  Although it was rough, I know he is in a better place.  Now Hunter has a lap to sit on.

 

4.  This Sunday would have been Hunter's 13th adoption day.  I have been emotional all week, I am sure hormones don't help.  We are supposed to do something but we haven't really pinned anything down.  I know it will be a pretty hard day for me.

 

5.  I haven't done so well on the weight loss front.  I am still around 123, which was my original goal but I would like to lose 10 pounds.  I have very little fill in my band.  I need to get that taken care of but for some reason I can't see paying $150 when I am maintaing goal.  I will email today and see what the schedule looks like.

 

6.  Finally joined a gym the first of this week.  While I was off on furlough I googled gyms to see if I could get rates and reviews and found a deal through my insurance.  For $25 a month I can go to any of the several YMCA locations in town.  Granted they aren't the closest gym but they have an awesome pool and some dance aerobics classes that aren't latin themed (so over Zumba).  I just got my card printed off yesterday because the website was jacked and my hip is still sore from the tat, also, no swimming for a few weeks.  I can't wait to try the aqua interval class.

 

7.  I have been walking!!  When I was off work I starting taking my pyr mix Libby on walks.  She loved it!!  Now she demands a walk before I go to work and one when I get home.  She does good on walks as long as it isn't trash day then she just drags me from one trash can to the next.  She has always been a daddy's girl so this gives us some time together.  Usually she comes home and jumps up next to her daddy and puts her head in his lap but at least she wants a little attention from me. 

 

The best thing about long walks is wearing them out!!  She is 11 so it doesn't take a whole hell of a lot.  Such a pretty girl.

 

8.  I just took a 15 minute nap at lunch.  I am pretty sure I could have slept an hour but I feel so much better.  I probably would have slept longer if someone hadn't come to check on me.  Thanks, but REALLY!!

 

9.  I am going to start going back to my counselor next week.  I haven't been since July.  I had an appointment right after my friend Marsha died and I just wasn't ready to talk so I cancelled, then I got sick for 6 weeks, then Hunter got sick and passed away.  I made another appointment after Hunter and the day I was supposed to go in was the day my uncle passed away.  I thought it was more important to spend some time with my dad who was pretty upset.  Then the whole shut down happened.  I am just now getting back to her and getting things set up.  I am sure she thinks I am a giant flake.

 

10.  Going to a movie tonight, not really sure what it is about.  Dennis wants to see it.  It is a documentary called Anonymous People and it has something to do with addiction recovery.  I am a huge nerd when it comes to documentaries so I am sure I will like it(I have the DVR set to record Blackfish, the documentary about Orca's in captivity tonight and can't wait to watch it).  I think Dennis and I could use an evening out of the house.

 

Ya know, come to think of it, it has been so long since I have been here I'm not even sure TTT is even a thing anymore....

 

9. 



http://hunterslumpycancer.blogspot.com/2013/09/leukemia-and-my-crazy-dexter.html

more bad news

http://hunterslumpycancer.blogspot.com/

Unfortunately there is no happy ending.  The vet told us we probably had 3 months but I found him dead Thursday at lunch.  We are lost without him. 








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