Insanity Check In!

Ok folks, time for an Insanity check in!

First off, I am LOVING it so far!  Today is Day 18, and I am not hurt, overly sore, or dying…all pluses.  I am still able to insert some running, which keeps me very very happy.  And my family happy, too, let’s not lie.   I’ve heard that the workouts for Month 2 are a little longer, and I’m sure they are more intense, so I don’t know how much running I’ll be doing when I get to Month 2, but I’m just playing it by ear.  I have other stuff that will also impact my workout routine coming up, but I’ll get to that later when things are finalized.

Eighteen days in and I feel…..stronger, and definitely more flexible.  One thing that I really like is that there is a stretching segment before and after every workout.  I love the feel of a good stretch, but I’m not always hardly ever the best at doing them.  My oh-so-tight hamstrings are now more flexible thanks to all the stretches. 

As far as strength goes, I am noticing that the exercises are getting easier to do.  Not EASY, mind you…oh no!  They kick my rear forward and backward.  But at least I’m not standing in front of the TV looking at Shaun T going, “Now WHAT?!”  So I guess my body is getting used to the WAY to do the different moves.

My least favorite moves: anything that involves tuck jumping.  Like power jumps,

…hate these.  I will do power knees all day long, but I reallyyyyy could do without the power jumps.

My favorite move: I like the power knees (like I said before), I don’t really mind the suicide jumps (burpees), and the sprints are ok too.  It’s kind of hard to choose a favorite form of torture, though, so I just picked three that I don’t loathe entirely.

SO, with all that said, here are my Fit Test Results from Day 15- 
 

Everything improved except for the Globe Jumps, where I went down one.  My legs were so tired!  And that’s a 71 for low plank oblique, not a 91.  But who knows, maybe I’ll get there!

I don’t think I’ve ever sweat more in my life than with Insanity.  I am drenched by the time I am done. 

 

And before I go- just a little tip, if it’s a really chilly morning, a swimming pool can double as an ice bath.
 

Tyler and I went for a run yesterday morning and when we got back I convinced him to sit on the pool steps with me and use it as an ice bath to help prevent sore muscles.  Look at the goosebumps on my legs!!  We were freezing!  Haha!

Later guys!

xoxo

Everybody Runs

Running, running everywhere! 

No, literally, RUNNING! 

Yesterday was Cross Country meet #3 for the boys and the first one for Katie.  It was our local meet, too, so it was so nice to be 5 minutes from home versus an hour!  Check out my runners!

 

And just because I want to fit in with the cool kids, I’ll throw in my run from this morning…

 

And because Momma has all the cool gadgets-

Today was a rest day from Insanity.  Obviously.  I’m loving it, by the way.  I retake the Fit Test tomorrow so I’m curious to see (feel?) how I’ve improved.

Alrighty, enough running for today.  Time for laundry, some bookwork, and baseball later!

xoxo

Four Years ~ Breathe In, Breathe Out

I should have written this post yesterday.  I wrote the title and then just sat here staring at the computer screen.  I went back to my previous cancerversary posts and read them [Diagnosis Post, Year One, Year Two, and Year Three if you want to check them out], but I just couldn’t seem to find the right words to write for my Four-Year Cancerversary.

I am still a little unsure as to how to feel about “celebrating” the anniversary of the day that I got the phone call that changed my life.  And I guess celebrating is not quite the right word…maybe “marking?” 

In a way, I AM celebrating that I am still alive.  That I am still in remission, with no signs of cancer.  That I am still here to be a wife, mom, daughter, sister, aunt, friend…so yes, I do celebrate THAT aspect of it.  But the actual DAY that September 16th is, is one I would just as soon forget. 

It’s crazy how well I can remember some things.  Now we all know that I can barely remember what day it is, but I can remember every detail of September 16, 2008…

I can remember that I ran 8 miles that morning.

That the boys were at school and Katie was watching cartoons in my bedroom while I made us a breakfast of scrambled eggs.

I remember that when the phone rang the last thing I ever imagined the lady saying was, “You have breast cancer.”

I remember frantically trying to call Jack in between tears and my heart racing so fast I thought it would burst…all the while trying to LOOK calm so as not to completely freak out my 4-year old daughter.

I remember calling my mom and telling her, and her being so calm-as not to freak ME out.

And then calling my friend, Kim, and the both of us crying into the phone.

I remember where I was sitting in the dining room, the exact same place I’m sitting right now actually, when my husband came in and I just put my head down on the table and cried.

And the feeling of gnawing in the pit of my stomach as we drove to the dr’s office two-hours away to get more details of what they had told me over the phone.
 
I remember that when we got there, my blood pressure was so high the elderly nurse couldn’t even get a good reading because she thought there was something wrong with the cuff.  “Um, yes, ma’am, I was just diagnosed with cancer, it’s a tad high today.”

And I remember telling Jack on the way home that day, “I’m going to be a survivor,” as I told Jesus, “I.need.You.now.  More than ever before.  Be my Rock and hang on so tightly to our family.”

In a way I can’t believe it’s been four years.  Forty-eight months of our lives that have revolved around doctors, tests, surgeries, treatments, and appointments.  We have adapted, and only by the Grace of God, we have thrived. 

Cancer can’t beat us.  Cancer may give us a good gut-punch but we get back up, stronger than ever.

Here’s to another year!

Remember to check your breasts, ladies!  You are your own best advocate and could save your own life.

xoxo

“Don’t be afraid, just believe.” Mark 5:36

Check-Up Day

Hey y’all!

How was your week?  Are you glad it’s Saturday??  I know we are for certain, because it has been a crazy, crazy week.  Three baseball games, a cross country meet, a birthday, and three trips to St. Louis have had me looking forward to today…a day with nothing on the schedule.  Ahhhh…

The third of those trips to the city happened yesterday.  Yep, it was check-up day.  For me this time.  Every three months I see my oncologist and have labs done, and every 6 months I see my breast surgeon and have alternating breast MRIs and mammograms.  Yesterday was the mammogram appointment. 

Praise God, everything went well and all looks good from yesterday’s visit!  Yeah!!  Want to see how my day went?  Keep reading…this is what check-up day looks like for a breast cancer patient…

My day started when the alarm went off at 4:30.  I know, it’s early, but we had to leave by 6:30 and I wanted to get my workout in and have plenty of time to get ready.  I don’t like to be rushed…or late.  I knew it wouldn’t be a problem, though, because I haven’t been sleeping well anyway.  And I was right, it wasn’t. 

I put in 4 miles of running and incline walking while I watched the morning news.  It felt good to sweat out some of the anxieties of check-up/scan day.  
 

My dad came over to take Katie to school and the boys headed to cross country practice and around 6:30 we were off.

We valet parked at 9:30am.  And I know I’ve said this before, but I lovelovelove that my doctor’s offices have valet parking.  I also love the feeling that I have when I pull into Siteman.  Safe.  Nervous, yes, but so safe and well taken care of.
 

 

We headed to the seventh floor, which is where Siteman Cancer Center is located.  I signed in for my labs and got my pager <-----which always scares me to death when it goes off.

 

I got to love on Tucker, the therapy dog, who was making his rounds through the waiting area. 

I have been there once before when Tucker was there, and he is beautiful.  He reminds me so much of our dog, Tanner, who passed away just after I was diagnosed in 2008.  He was 11 and we loved him so much.  He is still missed.  Tucker looks just like Tanner and I could have pet him and loved on him all day long.  It really was soothing to pet him and talk to him while I waited for the pager to go off.  After about 5 minutes or so, I had to let him move on to soothe some other patients…but oh I didn’t want to!

Labs-

And for probably the first time ever, I had a nurse who was in a bad mood and wasn’t very nice.  She wasn’t mean, just not friendly.  I seriously wanted to cry when I walked out.  It wasn’t a big deal, but I am a big baby tend to be a little emotional when I go there…because I can be. 

I was also a little upset that she gave me the green arm wrap instead of the pink that I know she clearly heard me talking about.  Hmphh.

But as I told, Tiffany, (while we were having our usual text-a-thon) I would wear the lime green proudly for her since it is the color for lymphoma.  It kinda felt like she was with me.  

We took our usual waiting room picture (gosh, he loves it when I do that ) and filled out some paperwork with questions about how I was feeling and symptoms I may be having or whatever. 

 

I was called back and we waited…

After Tim came in and declared me still healthy and addressed all my complaints issues (which today included hot flashes, night sweats, not sleeping, and feeling like I’m ninety), I got dressed.  I went and said “HI!!” to my “little sister,” Allyson and her Momma, and we headed downstairs for my next appointment…and my hot date with the boob-squisher. 

At Julie’s office we were granted a veryyyy short wait (Thanks, Jolynn!!!!) and I had my mammogram, which, as I said before, was NORMAL! 

I couldn’t WAIT to get back upstairs to see Ally, who was waiting for her next-to-last chemo treatment!!!  Every single one is something to celebrate as you get closer and closer to being DONE!!  She is doing GREAT and I am so thankful that OUR favorite chemo nurse, Renee, put us together. 
 

It really seems like it wasn’t that long ago that Renee was taking care of me during MY treatments-

She and I go way back to the very beginning of my journey and will be friends forever.  I will never forget how much love and kindness she showed us during my year of chemotherapy.  She is simply amazing and I love her SO much! 

After getting to visit with Ally and Cindy (her Momma) for a little bit longer, we had to head home to get back for the boys’ baseball game.  I was sad to leave them…I wish we could have stayed the rest of the afternoon with them, but we just can’t stand to miss our boys’ games.  We are their biggest fans.   I left a part of my heart there with Ally.  She is my girl.

So that was yet another check-up day.  We made it to the baseball game in the second inning to our kids and my parents who were all happy to see us.  I’m good for three more months with my oncologist and until February with Julie when I have my MRI.  And I slept like a baby last night. Thank You, Jesus. 

Please check your calendars, ladies, and see when your last mammogram was.  If it has been more than a year, pick up the phone and make your next appointment.  It could save your life.  I know it can be scary, but potentially catching something early is much less scary than the alternative.  Do it. 

God bless.

xoxo

XC Race ~ My Boys Can Run

Wow.  What a race my boys had yesterday. 

We traveled to Alton for the second meet of the season (and first meet in our conference).  My boys had a great day!

Zachary improved his time by more than two minutes from last week’s race and finished strong in 55th place!  His time was 22:30!  That is AWESOME, especially for this tough course.  The top 25 boys medal so he didn’t get a medal yesterday, but I’ll bet that there is one coming this season with lots of races still left to be run!  I am so proud of him!! 

 

Tyler had a BIG race.  BIG.  The child is so determined and so tough-minded that he went into the race thinking knowing he would do well.  Tyler has more heart in him than most people, and absolutely no quit in him whatsoever.  That’s a pretty good combo, I’d say.  But, man, it’s hard for a Momma to watch when your son wants it so bad that he passes out as soon as he crosses the finish line, and after recovering from that, starts throwing up and physically has nothing left.  Scared me to death.  The plus side: 

HE GOT 3RD PLACE!!!  HE RAN A 18:05 RACE AND HAD A 5:08 FIRST MILE. 

Whoa.  That’s crazy good, and the fastest race he’s ever ran.  I am so proud of him I can’t stand it!  But I could do without the passing out and the puking at the end, though.  That really freaked me out.  

 

When it was all over, we all just sat around and talked about the race while Tyler recovered.  Of course, Katie’s standing there with her hands on her hips telling them all how it all goes.  She’s a mess.
 

 

Then it was medal time, and the top 15 girls and the top 25 boys were announced one by one to come and receive their medals. 

So the Cross Country season has officially started off with a bang. With his sights set on the medals for Zach, and Tyler’s eye on a trip to the state meet, it’s bound to be an exciting season!  Good job, guys!  I am beyond proud of you both!

Oh, and just in case you didn’t know-

Hahahaha!  I couldn’t resist.   But to tell ya the truth, their dad is pretty awesome, too.

Run on.

xoxo

Halfway Through The Week!

Hey there!  What’s been goin’ on??

I am happy to report that, in the past week:

Insanity hasn’t killed me (yet),

I now have a 17-year old son,

Katie is brace-less, and

I am halfway through this crazy, crazy week!

Success!

I’ll take it.

And while each of these above things really need a post of their own, that’s just not going to happen.  Imagine that.  Let’s hit the high points, shall we?

INSANITY- LOVE it!  I’ll say it again…love it!  I am feeling more coordinated with the moves and getting in a better rhythm with the workouts.  I am feeling challenged in a completely different way, which is exactly what I was looking for.    

 

TYLER IS SEVENTEEN.  Oh my gosh, my CHILD is now the same age as I was when I HAD HIM.  Goodness gracious I have no clue where the time has gone.  I mean, seriously, when I look at him I still see this little guy-

So cute I cannot stand it.  I really can’t even dwell on it for too long, because it’s just overwhelming.  I’m trying to be a big girl…I’m just not very good at it.

Right now we are enjoying the heck out of our ornery seventeen-year-old-

 

NO BRACE!!  Katie’s checkup Monday in STL went well.  The dr did new x-rays, the first since surgery, and everything looks great!  There is lots of new bone building around the fracture site and he expects the actual fracture line to be much less noticeable when we go back in six-weeks.  Yay!  And today Katie made Dr. Goldfarb a special card and a picture.  Sweet girl of mine.

 

OUR CRAZY WORLD OF SPORTS.  This week we have three baseball games and a cross country meet to go along with two different trips to dr’s appointments in STL…and of course none of our games OR meets are at home this week, we are traveling all stinking week!  Yep, we’re just doing our part to stimulate the economy by way of fuel consumption.  Sheesh.

 

#SHEREADSTRUTH is coming down to the end of the Proverbs study.  I can’t tell you how many times I have been blessed by this study and this group of ladies.  I pray that His Words will be stored in my heart.

DAY 25-

DAY 26-

DAY 27-

 

I think that’s about it.  Ha!  No way, but since this post is already epically LONG, I think I’ll go.  I WILL share ONE MORE picture with you before I go, though… 

Love you guys.

xoxo