Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Back to the Books

Monday night around 1130pm I went and checked the mail because it had been a few days. I went through it and found a letter that I had been waiting for!

It was the acceptance letter into NURSING SCHOOL! Can you even believe it? I can't. I am very excited, but also quite nervous. Actually I think I'm more nervous than excited.

I had to wait FOREVER to call my Mom and Dad because it was the middle of the night and I wasn't dying so I didn't need to wake them up. Jamie happened to be over eating dinner and was very excited for me. Today, Tuesday, I started to call and text people. Everyone has been really positive and supportive.

It has been such a long ways coming with a lot of set backs. I'm so ready to move forward with my life.

I'm not looking forward to all the reading. Honestly I feel like I should start reading TODAY because I know there is gonna be so much work to do. Not only will I be going to school 3 days a week, but I will also be working 3 nights a week, oh AND I have to commute to school. That's a scary thing too. The school I will be attending is where I'm from and where my parents live. I will drive down the night before classes, stay through the classes, and return back to where I currently live and go to work. It is going to be CRAZY! Literally INSANE, but for 2 years I can do anything. It's gonna be worth it.

In other news... My endo has been taking a toll on me. I honestly don't know what the deal is. At least daily it's there reminding me that it has not gone away. I thought that I had my pain mostly under control with the B.C. pills that I'm on so I don't know what the deal is!

My stress test went fine. Of course I didn't have any pain while on the treadmill. Of course not. I did have a twinge of pain after, but they said there were no changes to my ekg when I had the pain. I just am at a point where I'm okay with not having any answers to what is going on. I figure it can't be too bad or else I would be dead by now!

That about sums up the last few days and all the excitement! August 20th here I come!

Friday, April 20, 2012

Utah

Last week I went up to Utah to visit my sister and her family. I had a ton of fun with everyone and really enjoyed myself. I was sad to leave and teared up with my niece and nephew as I hugged them goodbye. I had worked Thursday night and it was a crazy night. I did get off a little early and that was good, but we had a code and after those I always have a hard time sleeping. So instead of sleeping I packed and showered and did those things I needed to do. It turned out a good thing that I stayed up because I got a text 3 hours before my flight was scheduled that it was being cancelled.

In all my years of flying I have NEVER had a flight cancelled. I didn't know what to do really. Jamie was asleep and so I didn't want to wake him. I ended up calling the company and they helped me out. I called my sister and told her the change of plans. We were both really just glad I could still come that day not totally rescheduled.

When I got there I was greeted with smiles and hugs all around, little hands to hold, and big kisses! We enjoyed watching for my luggage and talking about the fact I was coming from 90 degree weather to now 50's and pouring rain if not snow. Once we got home the kids showed my their new room and pictures they drew for me. They were so excited to have me there!

The next days consisted of going to the inside pool with the slide, going to the dinosaur museum, going shopping, making shirts for our big run, and a LOT of training. I quickly realized that I had a lot more training to do. The hills in Utah are more like MOUNTAINS to me. My sister took me on the trail and it was WAY harder than I thought. However I did it! Basically the course is this... hill, BIG HILL, okay, turn, okay, turn, down hill (FAST!), turn, okay, hill, repeat! That loop is about 6.4 miles. After we do that loop another time we run. The run goes like this. hill, BIG hill, turn, okay, down hill, turn, finish. That loop is like 3 miles and of course they have to make us run up the most brutal hill in the face of all hills on Earth. (Excuse the dramatics there.) One day we decided to do all 3 events. We biked to the place, then we swam, did one bike loop, then attempted to run. I think we managed to only run one mile and that was really hard for me. My poor sister had to hold back for me because I was just dying. Then after all that we biked home. All in all we figured we have about 2/3s of the race completed. I am pretty proud of what we have accomplished so far, but like I said... I have a long ways to go to keep up with that sister of mine.

I know you're DYING to know what our shirts are.... We got pink t-shirts that match our trishorts and my sister got GLITTERY print paper. On the front are stick figures doing the swim bike run positions. The back reads... AZ sisters dare to TRI. I am nervous because there are only a few more weeks and I feel so weak! I am SUPER nervous!

Jamie said that he might come up which is really exciting because this is a big deal and I'm glad he is going to be there to support me. If he can't come it will be okay too. My nephew LOVES him. I think they have met once, but apparently Jamie made a big impact on him. He was talking non-stop about Jamie this and Jamie that. I miss Jamie and I love Jamie. Jamie is the best. He throws me high in the sky and catches me and he isn't a tickle monster. I had Jamie me send me videos of his motorcycle and him riding it. My nephew thought it was the coolest thing EVER!!! He would ask for that multiple times a day and smile each time. My niece and nephew both got to call him and say hi. Hopefully Jamie will get to come see them because he is well loved by them.

The other day I was at the gym with out Jamie because he had to go earlier for work and I had an appointment to go to so we couldn't go at the same time. I was just doing my thing and say one of his friends there. He asked how I was and how my dieting is going for this show I'm supposed to be doing in July. I told him things are better and that I'm doing a triathlon. He asked why I was doing that and I told him that it was a goal of mine and I'm doing it with my sister. Fast forward to the next day. Jamie comes home from court where he had seen his friend who is also a fellow officer. He told Jamie he had seen me at the gym and bla-dee-bla. He tells Jamie... Why are you LETTING her do a MARATHON. Does anyone else see a problem with this sentence. Okay first of all!!!! Jamie does not LET me do anything or FORCE to do anything. I make my own decisions and he supports me. He helps me and pushes me when and if I need an extra boost, but he does not control me. Get REAL! Second.... I explained to him all about the TRIATHLON. Clearly someone does not know how to listen. As you can tell I was pretty ticked when hearing this. I wanted to punch that guy right in the mouth and give him a piece of my mind! I'm not Jamie's dog or child. We are equals. I support him, he supports me. That's how it goes. Stupid people these days. I have yet to see this guy again and honestly I'm not sure if I will have enough guts to say anything to him.

Sorry for the longest post of my LIFE, but I've been a busy, busy bee!

Monday, April 9, 2012

Work It!

Last week I really decided that in order for me to really meet the goals I want for myself I was going to have to push myself extra hard to get them. Like I have said in my previous blogs I have been working out and such. Did I mention that I also am working too?

Working 12 hour shifts really kicks your butt. Then I need to sleep at some point. And I have forced myself to figure out time to work out. It's been hard. Today (still my "Sunday" although everyone else's Monday) was luckily my rest day along with Thursday was as well. So really today is my 4th day of work and I've only had to work out 2 of those days. However those were the hardest days of my life. Trying to convince myself to get out of bed and move was like trying to convince a child to take a nap. Oh how I would love a nap right now.

Monday, today (kinda), I have to bike. This will be one of the shorter rides that I have had to do, but I'm still so sore and exhausted that here I am convincing myself to do it HOURS before I even have to.

Wednesday I'm flying out to go see one of my sisters in Utah! (HAPPY DAY!!) I am so excited to see her and her family! We also are going to be going over the track for the tri. I'm nervous about that because where I come from, or should I say where I ride, I don't have any serious hills and I know in Utah there will be a hill. I'm not sure how big this hill is, but I've been warned there is a hill.

From working my 12 hour job- 6 days in a row and working out... I've just been working it. Work and work! I feel great about myself, but boy how I just want to sleep with no alarm going off to wake me reminding me of something I need to do. Oh how I want to eat an entire carton of ice cream with out batting an eye. It's okay though. I know that in a little over 5 weeks I will be rocking that tri and in a little over 14 I will be rocking the stage! BRING IT!

TTFN

Thursday, April 5, 2012

To Murmur or Not to Murmur

Today was the trip to the cardiologist. Jamie was kind enough to attend this appointment with me. We waited for an hour to even go back and I went a little crazy waiting because I had an appointment time for a reason. Once we FINALLY got called back the Dr came in like 5 min later and talked to us. He asked me 3 times if I smoked. Seriously... it was no the first time and in 3 min I didn't take up smoking. However besides that the Dr. K is much more enjoyable than Dr. S. When he listened to my heart he heard... A MURMUR! Dr. S was so sure I didn't have a murmur which is quite annoying to me now. Dr. K said yes indeed you do have a murmur and I hear it. He made me do fast breathing like I was hyperventilating. Apparently that was just to see if I would pass out or not. Well I didn't!

He decided that I should have a stress test done. He also sent out for my records at the previous Dr's office. The stress test that they are doing isn't just the normal walk on the treadmill thing. I get an ultra sound of my heart and then I do the treadmill test and followed up by another ultrasound to compare. Hopefully my heart will act up so I won't be considered completely crazy!

I am glad that Dr. K did hear the murmur because that just means I'm not crazy... At least not too crazy!

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Feel the Burn

Last Friday I went to a gym with one of my girlfriends from work. She has a personal trainer type person. Seriously I thought I was going to cry because It was just a really tough work out. My quads were hurting pretty bad, but I finished it out. I took Saturday and Sunday off from the gym or any type of exercise.

Monday I started hardcore on my diet and my training. I rode my bike and I was still sore from Friday that it was not the best ride I've had to date. As much as I didn't want to I manned up and went to the gym later with Jamie did some weights and then played some racquetball.

Tuesday I had some serious break throughs... Jamie and I played tennis which I LOVED! I am not as good as I once was, but I still enjoyed myself. Later at the gym I maxed out on this dip machine thing. Jamie recorded me and one of our friends clapped for me as I busted my reps out. I was actually pretty embarrassed when I was done, yet I was really proud of myself. Then did some cardio where I ran/walked 20 min. I managed to once again beat my old record and in 20 min finish 1.65 miles. I even ran at 9.2mph!!!!! Seriously! I was so pumped up! I've never done that in my life time! After that we again played racquetball where I lost like usual! Jamie ALWAYS beats me. 2 years of playing and I have yet to win a game.

Today I swam 500 yards and then did a 30 min bike ride. My quads are still sore. Luckily tomorrow I have the day off from the gym. I do however have a doctors appointment with the cardiologist. I'm sure he won't say much, but hopefully he is nicer than the last one!

Well... TTFN.

I'm having a SUPER FABULOUS WEEK!