Eugene Race Recap?

So, many months ago, my brother discovered that the Eugene Marathon was on his 30th birthday.

(While Baby Brother is most often shown on here I have three brothers, and this is one of my two big brothers)

He decided to sign up for the marathon. And my husband and I decided we might as well sign up for the half. We’d already signed up for Rock ‘n’ Roll Portland so clearly a half three weeks before it was a great choice.

Then my appendix exploded. My surgeon told me I could maybe walk Eugene. But I shouldn’t plan on it.

But I’ve been healing up well and  2 weeks post surgery the doctor cleared me for most physical activity-swimming, elliptical, biking, etc.  And I was doing well (no painkillers, decent energy, walking like a human, no oozing wounds) so running would be ok pretty soon.

I started looking at the course map for Eugene. Which took place was about a week before I was cleared to run. They didn’t allow you to sell your bib or defer so I figured even if I couldn’t finish I’d do some of it. I found easy spots to chop of some miles and figured I’d do somewhere between 6-10 miles of walking. I was trying to be all smart about it-I even made myself leave my Asics at home so I wouldn’t be tempted to run.

On race morning I stood in the back with the walkers. And readied myself for a long long race.

But it turns out I can walk really fast? I was expecting to take 20 minutes per mile, which was why I was going to cut some of it off-walking for over 4 hours seemed excessive. And boring. But mile 1 took me under 14 minutes.

And I realized I didn’t like not running. It was perfect running weather. I felt awesome. And I’m fairly sure the ghost of Steve Prefontaine will haunt you if you enter the track on Hayward Field walking.

So I started running for 60-90 seconds at each mile. Which broke up the monotony but hopefully didn’t give me an incisional hernia (I didn’t feel any pain or I would’ve stopped of course. I’m stubborn but I’m not stupid).

It was a nice course-through some neighborhoods with college kids sitting in their yards cheering (my favorite was the guys with a bullhorn who announced “starting to get slower now” as walkers got near followed up by “don’t mind us, we’re douchebags!”- my husband said when he ran by the guys were drinking and announcing “we never went to bed, so don’t think we got up just for this”) then across the river into a park.

Also, walking a race meant I could text people.

(Judging is wrong. Don’t do it.)

I finished up in 3:04ish, 14:05 pace. PERSONAL WORST! (My husband on the other hand PRed by a good 15 minutes or so)

And then we rehydrated

(2 empty beers, one full water. I prioritize)

and tracked down my brother

Everyone’s a winner!

Only problem?

Know how I’d left my running shoes at home? I was wearing Nike Free TRs. Which are made for working out in, but not running.

And that night my left foot hurt like a mofo.

Went to the doctor and found out I sprained my foot! Gold star for me.

Whoops.

It should be healed just in time for Rock n Roll! I see lots of walk-run combos in my future.

But whatever, I got a medal.

Recovery

So, it turns out when your belly gets sliced into it takes a while to get better. I’m still recovering but overall I’m mostly just amused at the ridiculousness of recovery.

Highlights:

My energy level is super low. Like, low to the point where for the first week home I resorted to this

and was then super worried people would think I was just a jerk using one of those carts for fun.

I got taken on walks in the park by my husband. Where I’d bring juice and snacks and have to rest a lot. It reminded me of being a nanny. Except I was the child.

(this was taken to prove to my mom I was out of bed AND in people clothes. She was impressed)

Exciting news though, surgery kills your appetite! I didn’t want to eat much of anything for the first week or so. If you’re looking for a great way to drop 8 pounds have your appendix explode!

In my effort to eat something I bought dino nuggets, which are possibly the world’s greatest food. Meat shaped  like extinct things. Mmmm.

I was only allowed to lift 5 pounds for the first two weeks post surgery. Which meant no holding my fat baby cats.

They were deeply troubled and kept trying to snuggle. And I’d have to put my arm protectively over my incisions (since I was a lap converted to a full I have FOUR incisions! Three smaller plus a big one!)  and it’d just make them mad.

The doctor told me not very many people get an open appendectomy anymore so my cool scar is special.

And my three favorite post-appendectomy happenings

1. I worked for the first time on Friday. As a reward for working look what Jesus gave me

(there seems to be some policy at this school that when it’s your birthday you bring treats for ALL the teachers in the school? I don’t profess to understand it but there were three delicious birthdays.)

2. Hospital bill came

Lolz.

(we have great health insurance, I don’t owe anywhere near $26,000)

3. Look what they didn’t mark on my discharge form at the hospital

I got to call the doctor’s office and have the most awkward conversation EVER with the nurse about it! She used the word “positions”.

I’m not Dead (but my appendix is!)

I haven’t blogged in forever.

I didn’t have an excuse.

But now I have an AWESOME ONE and I’m back to tell you about it!

(That’s my “this is an exciting story!” face. Also see the background? That’s called foreshadowing.)

Last week my tummy hurt. It felt all weird and bloated and painful.

I complained to my husband and he told me I had gas. Thanks honey.

After a few days of it, on Wednesday I made a doctor’s appointment. I was sure I’d be better before I went to the doctor. But I get horrible bad tummy aches every few months, so I figured I should see a doctor instead of just wallowing in pain and drinking ginger tea every time.

I call the doctor, make my appointment, and take a nap.

Wake up from my nap and my tummy is totally feeling better. It hurts down near my right hip now, but that’s how the tummy aches I got worked. Tummy, side pain, done.

My appointment was for Thursday afternoon. I was so sure I’d be better that I drew on my belly with a sharpie Wednesday night so the doctor could see where the pain had been. Because in the morning it’d be gone. I knew it would be.  I had low grade fever but whatevs.

I went to bed.

I couldn’t sleep.

Because it hurt.

It hurt a lot.

I got out of bed and walked around, hunched over like an old lady. Husband was all “We should go to the hospital”.

I scoffed. I was fine. I am tough.

Tried to sleep more. Kicked the husband out of bed because clearly he was in my way and that was why I couldn’t sleep.

Looked at WebMD. It was all “GO TO THE HOSPITAL NOW”

Looked at the hospital’s website. It was all “COME HERE NOW”

Still sure I was fine but wanting to stop hearing how I needed to go to the hospital I got dressed and we went.

We got to the ER, got checked in, and I had a CAT scan.

(at this point laughing hurt. A lot. Husband kept telling me about how for a CAT scan they had one of those big boxes like what they fill with worms on Fear Factor, only full of kittens, and they were just going to coat me with dozens and dozens of cats. This would make me laugh, then I’d yell at him that there were social workers in the hospital and I was going to tell them he was abusing me. We have a loving marriage)

I had appendicitis. And the doctor said given the degree of inflammation I’d probably had it for a few days. Rad.

I got an IV put in, taken up to a room and managed to take a self portrait for Facebook (I have priorities!)

before I was taken to surgery.

There are two types of appendicitis surgery you can have. They can do laparoscopic where they just have to cut some little holes into you. Or, if your appendix has ruptured you get your belly sliced into. Which obviously then raises your risk of infection and makes for longer healing time.

My appendix had exploded. Which they found out after trying the lap. So I got little puncture things AND a 3 inch incision. Fun! I looked really pretty after

Then I got to hang out in the hospital eating jello

Now I’m at home with my new friend Oxycontin.

The real moral of the story here? Girls don’t fart. So when their tummies hurt it isn’t gas pains.

The end.

 

Genius

I don’t know if I’ve explained this before, but Bliss is not the smartest kitten.

We call him “genius”

He’s also fat

But that’s another story.

Anyways, I’ve been sewing lately. And while genius cat is normally vaguely disinterested in what I do somehow he’s sure that EVERY SINGLE THING related to sewing is a toy for him.

Some of them I kinda get. Things hanging off the ironing board totally make sense to bat at.

But he’s a weirdly huge fan of patterns.

Helper

pattern on fabric? Even better!

If I make the mistake of walking away from a piece of fabric?

He lives there now.

The other night he was worried he hasn’t been helping quite enough with my sewing and settled his fat self in behind the machine.

Genius.

(I’m aware this has nothing to do with my overall blog. But 1. I do what I want 2. I’ve been sewing instead of cooking and 3. Bliss is fat because he EATS a lot. See how that ties in?)

Why I Love my Mother

We got our Valentine’s Day package from my mom this weekend.

Included in it?

A  one pound bag of cheddar popcorn (which I’ve already eaten half of. That stuff is my crack), Reese’s, and a Jillian Michaels DVD.

I love my mommy.