That Was Fun

I would say that most everybody knows about Rick and his finger. For the person or two this side of the Rockies who hasn't heard, Rick tried his best to get rid of a finger....or at least part of one. While at work Wed morning, he was up in the air in one of those bucket/lift thingies cutting a pipe. He had both hands on the saw, but the bucket dropped a little and he grabbed the rail with his left hand...therefore the saw dropped and sliced through part of his left middle finger. He was taken to St. Joseph East where one of the best hand surgeons magically appeared. They took him right into surgery to reattach the finger. The doctor told me it was hanging by a thread. Apparently there are pictures.....not sure I want to see them. I guess we'll have that option when we go back to the doctor next Wed. He had to prepare the bone (not sure what that means), then reattach muscles, tendons and artery. Niiiiiice. I mean, if you're going to chop your finger, you might as well do a good job of it! Thank the Good Lord it was just a finger. He could have very well sliced off his hand.

At this point it seems to be healing nicely. Only the very tip end is showing, but he has feeling in that part, so that is a good sign. The doctor did say that it would never be the same. He probably won't be able to bend it at the top knuckle. Oh well, the boy will just have to make due!

He has had quite a bit of pain to go along with it. And of course, night time is the worse. It hurts and he absolutely freezes at night. He hasn't gotten much sleep for the past 2 nights. But tonight we are armed with an electric blanket!! Hopefully that will take care of the freezing part. His pain medicine is on schedule to be taken right at bedtime, so that will help too. Pain medicine is a good, good thing!!

He has been at Toyota for 20 years and this is his first major accident. He's had several close calls, but thank goodness has never been severely hurt. I hope this is the one and only!! Maybe they should think twice about letting the boy operate a power tool!

A Hard 9 Miles!

This past Saturday we did a 9 mile run. Thankfully the weather was nicer....about 35 degrees and thank goodness, no snow! We met at a different spot. It was out in the country.....beautiful spot, lots of land, farms, some big houses, cows...all in all, a gorgeous place to run. HOWEVER, the whole thing was up and down and up and down....but it felt like it was up and up and up and down and up and up..... You get the idea. I didn't think I would be able to do it. Hills are not my friends!! The slightest little incline just wipes me out and ahead of me were these 40-11 hills!

Well, before we left the house that morning, I checked my email. I always look to see if there's any last minute emails from the Striders (the group we run with) or from Cyndi (a friend and fellow runner). No emails from either. However, I get a daily email from K Love's Encouraging Word. I just happened to go ahead and opened it up. Good thing!! I really needed it!! The word of the day was:

The Lord gives his people strength. The Lord blesses them with peace.

~ Psalm 29:11, NLT

While I was out there running, I couldn't remember the exact wording but I knew it said the Lord would give me strength and bless me. Believe me, I was quoting that to myself about 50 million times!! Praying for strength! Praying for the road to flatten out! I needed a good blessing!

I made the 9 miles. They were killers!! The last couple of hills I had to walk up, but that was ok. I still got those 9 miles in!! And ran a bazillion hills in the process! The Lord did give me strenth and blessed me!! Thank the Good Lord!!

A Fun Day With A Friend

My friend Kerri and I decided to forego Christmas presents this past Christmas and instead plan a day together. We had that day yesterday. We started off with lunch at Saul Good. It was fabulous!! I had only eaten there once and Kerri had not eaten there at all. If you are in the Lexington area, GO!! It is soooooo good!! We split a Southwestern Dip with Blue Corn Chips appetizer. YUM!!! Not at all what I was expecting. It was TOO GOOD!! Then we had Saul's Veggie Pizza. Another YUM!!! Topped it off with Bananas Foster Waffle. Oh my gosh!!!!! Everything was way too good! Makes me want to go back real, real soon. Afterwards we rolled ourselves out the door, headed over to Hamburg shopping center. We went to HH Gregg, Kohl's and Bed Bath & Beyond. After we shopped around for a while, it was movie time!! I never, ever go to the movies, but the captioned movie was It's Complicated and it looked funny. We really enjoyed the movie and the laughs! However, I got a small popcorn and a large diet coke......it cost me $11.50!!! That is not a misprint!! $11.50!!!! That should not be legal!! I won't do that again. I just about fell over!

We had a great and fun day!! I much prefer this kind of Christmas present instead of something I really don't need. Spending time with a friend and having fun is the BEST!!

Running in the Snow

Where were you at 7am on this Saturday morning? I was with our running group out in the frigid cold gearing up for what I thought would be a 9 mile run. Two things to be thankful for.....it originally was suppose to be about 5 degrees this morning and it ended up being 15, so that was nice! I was very thankful for that extra 10 degrees! Then found out that Ernie, our running group leader --- that would be The Ern Dawg, or The Great Running High Priest as he is affectionately called --- had decided that we would only do 6 instead of the 9. The massive thankfulness for that one came a little later on. At first I was thinking why shorten our run? Last Saturday the temperature was about the same and the road where we were starting out was clear....so why?? Well, about 10 minutes into the run I understood why. All those side roads that we were running on had not been cleared of the snow. Nooooo boy. Within a few seconds of running in the snow I felt the total difference a little snow can make! It wore me out quickly!! I was thinking there's no way I could even do 6!!! Well, we trudged on, had to take a couple of walk breaks, but made it through the 6. Man, I was glad when that was over!!

If the roads had been cleared it would have been a very nice run. It was beautiful out there, very peaceful and calm. The squirrels were out playing and having a big 'ol time!! However, I spent most of the time carefully planning where I was going to plant my foot! Had to be careful not to slip and break my tooshie! I was constantly scanning the road to try to find a spot with the least snow. I'm telling you....running in the snow is hard, HARD work!! It's like running in very soft sand. Now, if I'm going to run in something soft like that, I would much prefer that it be sand and not snow!!

Afterwards we all did go to Doodles and get some breakfast! That's the best part of the Saturday morning runs!!

Treadmill Update

I have a renewed HATRED for that treadmill!!! A true hatred!!

It started out nice enough. I was actually a little excited about giving it a try again. I mean I got to put on shorts, a sleeveless tech shirt, hair was a mess, make up a mess, I dragged the boombox in there......yes folks, didn't hook up to the IPod...used an old fashioned boombox!!! Anyway, picked out some tunes, opened the window and turned it on!! The first 7 minutes were good because I walked a half mile to warm up and while doing so, I was boogeying to Play That Funky Music! At times it can get difficult, but you can dance and walk on the treadmill at the same time! Then it was time to start running my 3 miles. At this point, I'm thinking I may even do a little more and run 4 miles. Within a few minutes the dislike started. I was bored out of my mind....even with the music. I had nothing to look at but the wall or the treadmill read-out....which seemed to never move!!!!! Then I was sweating up a storm. Had to stop and open the window all the way. Ran a while longer and had to stop to turn off the music. By this time I'm just irritated with it. Back on for a while, then had to walk for a minute cause I was going to hurl. Finally finished the run. I thought 3 miles would never, EVER end!!

I have no desire to get back on that thing! None!! I'll just brave the elements and run outside, or hit the gym. It was AWFUL!!

Oh well, the good thing is that it is over. Now I have to gear up for a 9 mile run early Saturday morning in the frigid cold. Yes, right now they're talking single digits. Not sure how that will go. Stay tuned......I'll let you know!

Inside or Outside?

It looks like we're finally getting some snow. Maybe after this we'll get some balmy weather!! I can always hope. The big question of the day is where to run? I need to do a 3 miler, but just don't know what I want to do. Well, I do know I would rather be outside than inside. Because of the snowy roads I won't be going to the gym, so it's either hit the pavement or use the treadmill.

First off, let me just say, I HATE the treadmill!! It is so boring! You just stand in one place and stare at one spot!! If the weather is bad and I do my running at the gym, I always run the track, which is spot #2 for don't-care-to-run-that. Round and round and round and round..... To do a mile on our track is 7 1/2 laps around. So I have to keep count on my fingers. Sometimes I don't know if I counted that lap or not!! I have to remember to move another finger!! Also, the back part of the lap is all windows, so right now that part is very cool (which is niiiiice), but once you pass the windows you hit a wall of heat. It's downright painful after a few laps! It's like getting hit in the face with a hot brick!! So I don't really care for the track either, but I can do that easier than the treadmill.

I have to say I have this big ol' nice treadmill in my house that I bought several years ago thinking I would use it. Riiiiight! I actually forget I have it. Last night, while pondering my run for today, it literally hit me.....I mean the light bulb went on that I have this treadmill right here! If the weather is too nasty, I don't have to go far to get in a run. Well, I swannie!!

But I'm still wondering whether to head out or use that dern treadmill. I would much rather be outside. The temps aren't bad for running, but I don't want to fall and break something. As long as it's not icy, it probably would not be too bad. I'd just have to be a little more careful. I couldn't be running those 6 minute miles!! HAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA!!!!! But....since I only need to do 3 miles.....and since I remembered I do have that thing up in the corner room, I may just get on it and see what happens. At least I won't have to get bundled up. I can put on some shorts and a t-shirt. That part is nice!! Ok.....I think that is what I'll do. I figure I'll be freezing my tooshie off later on when we go outside to play in the snow with the girls. Getting bundled up once for the day is enough!

Ooooohhhhh, I can't wait for spring!!!

It's A New Year and A New Look!

Yes, it's 2010! I've not been around for a while, but Cynthia got me inspired with a new look, so I guess I need to write some words!

Aren't these cherries down right cute!!?

There's just not been too much to tell about my implant. We've went through a kind of rough patch. Trying new things that just did not work. So, for several months I had programs that were bad,....some were very bad! But we are finally on the right track again! Meg tried a different approach and it is working much better. I may just have to come to grips with the idea that things will never be as good as I would like them to be. Now, I'm not complaining......my hearing is much better than before! However, of course I would like things to be GREAT!! And that will probably be a hope I'll always have, but unless a miracle takes place, with my type of hearing loss and the technology right now, I may have to settle for good. Oh well, good is better than bad!!