Team In Training Team Photo!!!

Surgery went well, we were home by 2pm yesterday afternoon. I still have numbness in my left hand, but the doctor said it could take a while before things are back to normal. I have to admit, in the beginning I felt like I was throwing in the towel by having the surgery. Like the doctors said, it isn’t life threatening, life altering, yes — but it won’t kill me. When the doctor came to my room after surgery and told us what he saw, I’m glad I went through with it. He said there were two significant chunks of disc outside my spine pressing right on the nerves, once he told us that little tid-bit of information, I was so glad I went through with the surgery. I’m not sure any level of PT would have helped me at that point.

Anyway, I have promised everyone that I will be good and not over do it. It will be hard for me, but well worth it. If I screw up my neck at this point I probably wouldn’t make the marathon in October.

When we came home yesterday I checked my emails and saw that I already had a donation on the LLS website! A friend of ours at the Blood Center — Elizabeth who has lymphoma, and just finished treatment a few months ago. I was so STOKED to see some traffic on the site! Of course I know first hand many people who have been touched by cancer in one form or another, that was one reason to get me active in the marathon. Then someone asked me awhile back “What do you do for yourself?”. I just gave them a blank stare and couldn’t really answer the question. ‘For me?, what do you mean for me?’ What kind of question is that? I guess I vacuum — does that count? So I thought about that question for a long time, and thought more about the answer, or what my answer could be.

Over the past two years I have seen the LLS marathon flyer’s at the clinic. In the beginning, I just glanced at them, looking at the individuals on the cover — the shot had obviously been taken as they crossed the finish line, they were hugging each other, sweaty and smiling — and I thought how sorry I felt for them — running a marathon — physical activity — sweating. None of that enticed me at that point, after all, Johnny was just diagnosed, the thought of walking two miles wore me out.

I’ve always exercised on some level, I enjoy it. Except over the past two years instead of keeping track of the days I didn’t exercise, I kept track of the days I did. Very quickly the days turned into weeks and eventually months that went by without any physical activity. There spurts over the years that we had gym memberships, but doing something outside was always our favorite, walking, running, roller blading, surfing and skating. It was part of our lifestyle. When I found out I was pregnant with Joey we bought a jogging stroller before he was even born. I made Mikey drag it out to CA every year since — including last year. Same with the bikes and bike trailer.

Fast Forward to May 2005 and all of that stuff fell off my radar. Instead of thinking ‘I need to get out and do something (roller blade, bike rides)’, my thoughts were ‘once we get this/that over with things will be normal and I can start to exercise’. I tried to put it on my “To Do List” thinking that would help, only to watch it quickly fall off the list, never to see it again.

I would see the LLS flyer’s at the clinic and never think about actually participating. Then one showed up in the mail. It sat in the ’stack to go through’ for so long I almost missed the cut off date. The entry form caught my eye just after the question was posed to me, “what do you do for you?”.

This was my epiphany moment — my ‘ah-ha!’. This is what I will do for me! It will get me out of the house, no kids, no errands to run, only one objective, train for a marathon. just me (and of course the TNT group).

The perfect opportunity for me to start back on a routine — I get coaches, mentors and all my family and friends will know if I follow through or not. I have to do it. Who can say no to such a good cause anyway.

I made it to my first practice last Saturday — at 6:00AM — me! up before dawn. I have to say it felt great though — I look forward to many more Saturday’s with the Team in Training folks. Okay, I will miss the next TWO Saturday’s due to recovery, but after that I am SO THERE at 0′dark thirty.

That is the real reason I signed up. To do something for me. When you guys make a donation you are not only supporting Johnny and all the kids at TCH and the LLS you are supporting me as well.

I do have one more favor to ask of everyone (besides donating on my website). When you make your donation, email me a song that motivates you, something that gives you strength to get up at all hours of the morning and gets you going. I will make a play list of songs from you guys to use during my training for the next 5 months.

I will send emails and letters to everyone over the next two weeks hoping for donations and support!