Since we can't seem to have a vacation without drama unfolding at home, Jinx decided to make this his time.
While our pet-sitter was watching taking the dogs out, Jinx was not locked in his cage. Apparently, Jinx took this as an invitation to fly right out the front door. It could have happened to anyone (it often happens to seasoned bird owners!) so I don't blame my sitter at all.
While I'm not sure exactly how long he was out, I do know it was at least one day. He was found about a quarter mile from our house by an employee of a daycare center.
This is a post that the finder made:
And a picture of him at the humane society (birdy jail)
I messaged the woman on facebook to personally thank her for taking care of him and his was her reply: He is the sweetest bird. What’s his name? My director found him on our playground and the preschool kids wanted to touch him. He flew right onto her arm and hair….lol He spent a few hours in my office, pecking at my keyboard, trying to eat my pencils and pens, basically whatever I had in my hand. At one point I had to leave the office and all I heard was squawking. I’m so happy you got him back. When he got picked up, I made sure that they were going to take care of him, or I would have figured something else out. Makes my heart happy he’s back home. Our preschool is off Broadway and Longmont. How far did he travel?
Thankfully our story had a happy ending. Most birds who go missing aren't ever returned. I'm just glad I was able to coordinate to get him home before I got home!
Already making some plans for Jinx to go visit his finder. It was just so sweet of her to make sure that he was taken care of until he could get home.
Story time: It has been awhile since I have been to the dentist. I kept putting it off and putting it off... well, last night I was chewing on a candy cane and felt a pain in the top back teeth. I've been having issues with that back tooth, but again, hadn't gotten to it. (I think I lost a filling or something) Anyway, the hole that the missing filling left, it broke off on the inside.
What had been a bother before (hole in my tooth) quickly became a painful problem. Since I was not established with a dentist, I "got" to call around and see who could see me urgently. Luckily, I got in with a wonderful group right up the road from my house.
Not so luckily, they weren't able to do anything but grind down the rough edge and get me set up with an oral surgeon to remove the tooth. Thankfully, they were able to get me in for this Monday. With my anxiety, this weekend might feel endless, but at least it is scheduled.
Now all I need to figure out is how I am going to pay for oral surgery and Christmas. I'm sure we will figure it out somehow, but I hate that things like this always seem to happen at the worst times...
Needless to say, I am getting my teeth cleaned after the new year and will be keeping up with regular dental visits from now on. Even the kiddos are going to this new dentist (I like them that much!)
This past week, our state implemented crisis standards of care for all of our healthcare facilities. I mentioned a bit about this in my last writer's workshop post, but let me provide this explanation from a nurse friend of mine: Crisis standards means the minimum standard has changed. Patients will be treated in areas they never previously were (hallways, conference rooms, etc), they are pulling more clinic doctors into the hospital to help out, cancelling non critical surgeries and procedures, team based nursing (1 nurse lead and several medical assistants or certified nurses aides to do the care when usually it is just the nurse), they have a triage team to determine where resources are used when there becomes a shortage (IV solution, medications, beds, vents etc), some non critical patients are being discharged to lower acuity hospitals, patients are being discharged early and followed by Remote Patient Monitoring. It is more of a level indicator of care. Hopefully not much will change between yesterday when we weren't in Crisis mode and today when we are but there is a plan in place if resources (staff, equipment and beds) are at a premium. It is more like what happens after a natural disaster."
This post will include a video explaining it from a bunch of local healthcare leaders as well as the actual letter of request for the activation of crisis standards of care. If yo think this doesn't matter to you, think again. If you are sick, you are looking at less access to urgent cares (staff is being relocated to the hospital where they are urgently needed). This means if your surgery isn't absolutely, life-threateningly important, you won't get it. At some point in time (I am thinking when not if anymore) they are going to have to decide who gets the ventilator based on who has the best chance for survival. This is real and this is happening. Please pray for your healthcare workers (both those on the frontlines and those who have to watch this sh** show from the sidelines.
Anyway, here are the details you have maybe been reading this for.
This is a press conference with many of the leaders of all the local hospitals. I feel it explains what this means in very clear language.
I am sharing this letter that my work (St Luke's Health System) sent to the director of public health requesting that the crisis standards of care be activated for all of Idaho.
CRISIS STANDARDS OF CARE ACTIVATION REQUEST
September 15, 2021
Dear Director Jeppesen,
St. Luke’s Health System submits this letter and exhibits in support of its request for activation of Crisis Standards of Care. The healthcare system is being overwhelmed by a patient surge that has resulted in a substantial change in usual health care operations and in the level of care it is possible to deliver.
St. Luke’s Health System has exhausted its ability to provide contingency standards of care and is formally requesting the activation of Crisis Standards of Care.
Over the past seven weeks, St. Luke’s Health System’s eight hospitals have seen a rapid increase in patients requiring hospitalization for COVID-19, on top of non-COVID volumes running higher than average compared with seasonal norms. On July 24, 2021, St.Luke’s had 33 COVID-positive inpatients across all our hospitals. (All census counts indicate the number at 11:59 p.m., midnight census, unless otherwise noted.) On September 12, we had 270 COVID-positive inpatients at 11:59p.m.and as many as 281the following day. This number represents greater than 50% of our 475 total staffed traditional adult inpatient beds across the system and approximately 35% of all St. Luke’s hospitalizations. This past Friday, Sept. 10, the most recent day for which the total statewide COVID hospitalizations were available on the state’s dashboard as of this accounting, 626 COVID-positive patients were hospitalized across Idaho; 40% of them were in a St. Luke’s hospital.
A high percentage of COVID patients require intensive care unit resources and, when in the ICU, require ventilatory support at a higher rate than typical critical care patients. On September 13, St. Luke’s intensive care units were caring for 58 COVID patients out of 71 total occupied critical care beds. Of the 71 critical care patients in our hospitals, 63 were on ventilators due to respiratory failure. Typically in September, our ICUs have 10to 23 ventilated patients on any given day.
Across the state on September 13, only 14 ICU beds were available. Given the capacity constraints in our ICUs, St. Luke’s is now caring for some patients in our general medical/surgical units who would ordinarily be in the ICU, including patients on BPAP (bilevel positive airway pressure) machines.
Worryingly, we are now also seeing children hospitalized with COVID. On September 11, five children were hospitalized at St. Luke’s Children’s Hospital, three of them in the pediatric intensive care unit. That night, we reached our capacity for care within our pediatric unit. Last night, we had four COVID-positive children in our pediatric intensive care unit.
For several days now, St. Luke’s has consistently been at physical and staffed capacity for critical care, medical/surgical and telemetry beds across its hospitals in Boise, Meridian, Nampa and Twin Falls. With all critical care beds consistently filled, and approximately 80% of them occupied by COVID patients for several weeks, St. Luke’s has implemented and continues to implement strategies to expand our staffing and physical resources by opening surge units, redeploying nurses from other areas (including non-clinical areas) to support and augment staffing and adjusting documentation requirements to handle the surge.
We have opened and filled three overflow units in Boise, four in Twin Falls and one in Meridian, and we have been transferring patients to critical access hospitals to make room in those of our hospitals that provide higher levels of care. Patient ratios for nurses and respiratory therapists have been extended by 25% to 100%.
We have also implemented virtual care teams for nursing, hospital care and palliative care to augment staff at the bedside and further extend our resources. In addition, we have been using remote patient monitoring to care for patients in their homes so as to keep them out of hospital settings; we are currently at the limits of our remote monitoring resources and have 27 patients on the waiting list of for this service. Of the 346 patients using this service, 243 are COVID discharges from hospitals.
In addition, St.Luke’s has been caring for patients in areas of our facilities in Boise, Meridian, Nampa and Twin Falls where we have not traditionally provided care. For example, patients have been routinely boarding for more than six hours, and some for longer than23 hours, in our emergency departments. Some of these boarding patients require critical care beds; some require ventilators. At times, our teams have had to discharge inpatients from the emergency departments as we have been unable to find an inpatient bed in our typical units for the duration of a patient’s stay.
Patients have been treated in our emergency room lobbies, for example, receiving administration of pressors and IV antibiotics in the lobby of the St. Luke’s Nampa emergency department. Patients on BPAP, high oxygen requirements and complicated titrated medications are waiting for critical care beds on our med/surg units, occasionally requiring the support of bag ventilation and floor unit nursing for prolonged periods due to lack of local ICU capacity while awaiting transfer to another site. At this point, we have so many ventilators and BPAPs in use that we are running low, and that we could run out of available devices in the near future. We have ordered additional devices and expect some to arrive next week.
In response to these unprecedented volumes, St. Luke’s has worked to load-level patients across the system and within the state to the extent that we have been able to obtain patients’ consent to the transfers, including optimizing our critical access hospitals; expanded physical capacity for care in both traditional and nontraditional patient care locations; and stretched our caregiver ratios while also bringing non-direct patient care teams to the bedside.
In addition to having reassigned approximately 300 staff from surgical, ambulatory and administrative roles into direct patient care roles and implementing team-based nursing to further expand nursing capacity, we have continued to add employees to our workforce. We have added 802 external hires in the past 60 days, 480 of whom are clinical staff; we have more employees now than we did before the summer. We also now have approximately 430 clinical travelers working in our facilities, compared with 79 travelers in September 2020.We will soon be receiving169 personnel secured by the State of Idaho in response to our request for assistance.
Even with a larger workforce than we had prior to this surge, our staffing is not sufficient to continue providing contingency care with the very high volume of patients we are seeing and with the level of need in this patient population. We have also seen rising numbers of employees off work for COVID, with 391 out earlier this week. Two months ago, on July 14, only 141 employees were off work for COVID.
We have had a pause on “green” elective surgeries and procedures for weeks. “Green” procedures are those that can be safely delayed. Beginning today, Sept. 15, we will be pausing “yellow” surgeries and procedures in all our facilities. “Yellow” surgeries are those that have a “theoretical risk of permanent disability or pathology,” and include such procedures as removal of low-risk cancers, correction of fractures with pain and hernia repairs. We are pausing these procedures to be able to overflow patients into these areas of our facilities and to redeploy the surgical and anesthesia staff into critical care and telemetry to address the current needs.
Today, September 15, we are opening additional overflow inpatient units in Boise and Nampa; we are also adding beds within our over flow space in the Magic Valley. After that, we will be completely out of hospital beds and will need to convert to stretchers. We have 58 beds en route, but do not know with any certainty when we will take delivery. We have opened “discharge lounges” in our Boise and Nampa hospitals and will open one in Meridian this week, to allow us to turnover inpatient beds before the discharged patient has left the building.
Our tactical projections indicate we could have as many as 425 COVID-positive inpatients by September 27; that number would be89% of our traditional adult inpatient staffed beds. Our projections from September 1 indicated we could have 250 COVID-positive inpatients by September 13, which turned out to be less than the actual number we had on that date.
Additionally, we have continued to collaborate closely with the state and our health care partners to load level beyond St. Luke’s Health System. We would note in particular our participation in the Idaho Medical Operations Coordination Cell, which has helped to facilitate movement of patients and supplies to help balance care capacity, and our participation in Region 10 Office of Emergency Management efforts to balance care capacity across the region.
In summary, and as described in this letter and further detailed in the attached Crisis Standards of Care Facility Checklist, St. Luke’s has implemented many contingency standards to meet patient needs during the current surge in COVID-19 hospitalizations. These efforts have allowed us to meet the needs of the communities we serve up to this point, but we are now out of options to maintain the staffing and physical space necessary to continue the provision of contingency-level care for the ever-increasing numbers of patients needing our help. We must now request activation of Crisis Standards of Care to ensure we can provide the greatest good to the greatest number of patients, and save the most lives possible, while healthcare resources are overwhelmed by this sustained patient surge.
We would appreciate your prompt consideration of our request for Crisis Standards of Care activation.
Respectfully,
Chris Roth President and CEO
Sandee Gehrke SVP, Chief Operating Officer
James Souza, MDSVP, Chief Physician Executive
Elizabeth Steger, RN, NEA-BC, FACHESVP, Clinical Practice Integration, Chief Nurse Executive
So, last week my family and I made the trip to my sister's house in Lebanon, Oregon. To get there, we took highway 20. If you aren't familiar with these roads, it is a super twisty, middle of nowhere mountain road. Anyway, we were having a pretty uneventful trip, making good time when out of nowhere, McKayla says she isn't feeling well. So, we pull over. Thankfully we were right by a "slow vehicle turnout" area. As we went to pull off the road, the car just didn't go. There was a big noise, but I can't even put into words exactly what happened...
Night of - using my flashlight and my phone camera
By the morning light.
Because we were in a cell phone DEAD ZONE, we attempted to walk (Stephen in one direction, I in the other) to find signal with no luck. So, we started waving at cars, hoping someone would pull over.
Thankfully, someone did. I decided that Stephen would go with the young man into town to call my family. My sister headed straight over and got there just before my dad and Stephen. Apparently the young man dropped Stephen off at the house. Not sure what I was expecting, but it wasn't that kind of kindness.
We ended up being about an hour from our destination. We left the car there, but emptied everything out of it (the windows were partially down and the battery completely dead (it was close to the end of its "life" anyway, this just killed it.) The next morning Stephen and I borrowed my sister's car and went out to meet the tow-truck driver (thank you free roadside assistance because that tow would have COSTED us!)
The view in front of where we stopped.
Between what the tow-truck driver and the shop guys said, all the bolts sheared off and the wheel just FELL OFF! Later talking to my brother, he said it is possible that the last place that worked on our car over-torqued the bolts. The mechanic was able to replace all the bolts and the tire/rim were not damaged. He also recommend (just in case) that we get the other front side done. We did! Thankfully dad has a mechanic friend who was able to do it inexpensively, all we did was buy parts and he and dad bartered for labor. He was also able to get the front bumper back in line for us.
Our trip home was much less eventful. Thank you GOD!
I just keep thinking, what would have happened if McKayla hadn't been sick. What if that wheel had come off going highway speeds. There was a hand of protection over us for sure. Now I'm trying not to think of the "what if's" I want to focus on the miracle that we were unharmed and the car, relatively in tact. I also thank God for the amazing stars we got to see that we would not have seen had we not stopped. Let me just tell you, middle of nowhere, no lights, the stars are incredible. None of the pictures I tried taking can capture it.
Anyway. The worst beginning to a vacation we have ever had!
I don't even know where to start with this post... I guess I will start with the beginning. We had flights scheduled to leave Key West at 1:55 pm. When we had issues getting our tickets, they mentioned the time was different then our Travelocity itinerary. I wasn't too worried because we didn't miss our flight and I figured as long as we made the first flight, we would be good.
Boy was I wrong! Our first leg landed us in Orlando. When we got there, we were informed that the next leg of our flight had already taken off... I don't even know how it happened. No one will take responsibility for it.
What finally ended up happening is that I had to buy new tickets for us to get home. The price was JUST what I had in my account, so we were blessed there. Unfortunately, we had to wait until Monday morning for our flight to leave... We found a comfortable spot and tried to relax. Lots of hours in the airport is no fun.
Our first leg of plan number two left Orlando at EARLY in the morning. I apparently didn't get the time on my tickets, but we have pictures from the boarding area at 4:45 am.
Our final sunrise in Florida
We flew from Orlando to Seattle, longest flight I have ever been on, about 7 hours in the air. Almost too long I think.
From Seattle we flew home, after sitting in the airport in Seattle for awhile.
We spent a little more time in the Boise airport trying to figure out where our luggage went. More on that later, but we went back and forth from the Alaska baggage people to the Delta baggage people. Finally I said we would deal with our LOST LUGGAGE tomorrow.
We finally got home around 7pm. The dogs were SO excited to see us!
On Tuesday we got a call from our first airline (Silver, out of Florida) and they said our bags were following us that day and we could pick them up in the afternoon. THANK GOD! That airline guy was so helpful.
Moral of the story: don't use Travelosity for your travel plans.
My heart is really hurting today. I have a girl, we used to go to church together. She is younger then me by a few years. A few days ago, her mom suffered cardiac arrest. They resuscitated her and she has been on life support since.
Yesterday, my friend got the news that her mom's prognosis of recovering and having a good quality of life is very slim, like 2%.
Sound familiar? That's almost the exact situation I was in 307 days ago (yes, I counted). I sent my friend a message, telling her how sorry I was. And that I would be here anytime. Doesn't seem like enough. I feel horrible. I told her that I was in the same situation and that if she needed ANYTHING I would be here, but that isn't enough either.
I hate feeling so helpless. I hate knowing that someone is in the situation I was and there is nothing I can do to make them feel better. My heart is breaking for her. I've already shed a few tears for her.
Pray for my friend Heather. Losing my mom, holding her hand as she took her last breath, was the hardest thing I have ever done. I am praying for strength for her, for today and the days ahead.
Also pray for me, it isn't easy seeing someone I care about in pain and not being able to do anything about it. I feel like sharing a bit from my journal, from that time in my life.
Friday, September 5, 1 o'clock pm - She hasn't woken up yet at all. They have had her on the respirator. Until today she was on Ativan to control her seizures. It is pretty obvious to me that she is already gone. Part of me is clinging to hope that she will open her eyes and talk to us - but it isn't looking good. I don't want to "give up" but I have already got myself ready.... How do I do that? My mom has always been my rock - my biggest supporter. She was supposed to outlive us all. Instead, we are discussing what she we want. I don't want to know how I am going to handle it when they "pull the plug."How long will she hold on? Is she is pain right now? Is she still "with us" or is she already in Heaven? I am so glad we (myself and my girls) all got to talk to her Sunday. All the girls got to hear her voice.
My heart is still broken. Holes all over. I am still finding places where she was. Ways that she made my life a better place. And my heart goes out to my friend. Hold on to her as long as you can. Even if they tell you she can't hear you, talk. Do what you need to do. Know that you are surrounded by people who love and care about you. Plus you have a God who loves you so much. He will carry you through this.
1000 Gifts: 3 gifts in weakness
Today's gifts are all three found in the Bible. Those are the best gifts we have. Scripture references are included.
With Christ, when I am weak, He makes me strong. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:10
He gives strength to the weak He gives strength to the weary (weak), And to him who lacks might He increases power. Though youths grow weary and tired, And vigorous young men stumble badly, Yet those who wait for the LORD Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary. Isaiah 40:29-31
The spirit helps in our weakness, interceding on our behalf. In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; Romans 8:26
Today was a rough day. I almost didn't post today, just wasn't feeling it, but I didn't want to end my streak so here I am. Going to focus on my gifts for today.
1000 Gifts: three gifts that are difficult
it is a gift to have to work full time. I have really rough days (like today) but in the end, I'm helping people and that's what I wanted to do.
it is a gift to have rough days at work because they make the great ones that much better.
it is a gift to have rough days with my girls. They give me the motivation to make each of the next better.
My poor baby had to go under for some dental work yesterday. Thank goodness everything went well! They ended up having to pull a tooth, cap a tooth and fill two more. :-/ Keep her in your prayers for quick healing!
1000 Gifts: Three Gifts at Noon
The gift of a beautiful fall day, despite the freezing temperatures, at least I can see the colors.
The gift of a warm lunch to warm me up and fill my tummy.
The gift of a quiet break from the phones, if only for thirty minutes.
I'm having a really hard time coming up with topics to write about. My mind keeps drifting back to mommy. I know it isn't abnormal. Today I cried while wiping eye boogers out of my eyes (I have her eyes!) We have been making plans for the services and for how to deal with her abundance of stuff. Every time I pick up something else it makes me think of it. I have compared it to being shot with a shotgun. There is that giant hole in my heart but there are also all these tiny holes that I keep finding. Parts of my life that will never be the same. My heart is just this constant aching. I keep thinking about all the things that I need to do and have done, but it's just too much, so I take a break, write a while, sort something. Feels kind of like I am a boat without a rudder. I don't know which direction I am going or what purpose I have. I went to her work today and picked up some things that she had left there. It wasn't easy. I cried and made them feel bad. I hate doing that. I'm trying to figure out how to answer people when they ask how I am doing or what I am in town for. It isn't easy telling someone I am here for my mom's funeral. It sucks. Big time. And the next time someone asks me what they can do, I might just cry. There isn't any way to answer that because the only thing I want is something no one can give me. Also had to take a trip to the church today. It was the place that she collapsed and is really hard for me to see, let alone spend time in. I'm not sure how I am going to handle the service on Saturday, especially when it's at the church... Speaking of church I have also been planning to go on a women's retreat in October and really not sure if I want to go, but have been urged to pray on it. If you could pray about that for me too... I need lots of prayers. Another thing I am really stressing about is the final expenses. The hospital bills haven't started coming yet, but she spent four days in the icu on life support. It's not going to be cheap. Plus, because she didn't have life insurance, the funeral home is requiring the full 1700 bill be paid before they will release her remains. At this point in time, mom might not even be at her own memorial service. :/ If you are able, you can make donations to help out my dad at gofundme. We set up a site just for her. If you can't donate, would you consider praying for our family. This horrible time is even harder with the worries of finances. I am sorry my blog has become so depressing. While I am blogging, it is my therapy. Thank you for listening. Still trying to help dad out with Mom's final expenses. I have set up a fund where you can easily donate. Let me know if you need more details.
For those closest to me, you know that yesterday was rough. I ended up leaving before the church service started and heading for urgent care. Thankfully, Jimmy was able to leave work and take me. I didn't even feel like I could drive. Urgent care doctor diagnosed me with a migraine (I knew I had that!) and a panic attack. I was given a shot for the pain and sent home with a plan for my anxiety medications. Again, Jimmy stepped up and took the girls all afternoon. He didn't bring them home until after dinner. I had the entire afternoon to rest and relax. I think it helped. Not sure why I am suddenly having problems with panic attacks, but I plan to talk to my doctor today. If you could, keep me in your prayers. I hate feeling like I don't have control of my body.
One quote I left church with is this:
There is a God and I am not Him.
You know it's game day in Boise when you see the nice motorcycle cop going around measuring if people are parked too close to the corner or the fire hydrant. Hubby counted three tickets before kick off Saturday. This is our second Bronco season in this house and the late games are my least favorite. As much as I love the closeness to the stadium and that you can hear the game going, I HATE the traffic that all parks over here by my house. When they all leave it is impossible to sleep through. Ugh. Just a complaining post today I guess.
I have been using the training for my half marathon to prepare for this race as well. On Saturday morning I was up and out of the house at 7 am to meet at the shuttle pick up for my first race in Boise. It was cool, but not cold. Honestly, I'm not sure the weather could have been more perfect.
We arrived at the starting point around 8:15, had enough time to stand in line for the port-a-potties. This is one gripe I have. They had four in this first area, but nothing to let runners know that there were more before you got to the start line. So, most waited at least 15 minutes (if not more) to go potty, only to head to the start line and see at least 8 more with only short lines (or no lines!) I just wish they could have put some more signage around that told us there were more restrooms.
Heather and I at the starting line!
Anyway, we walked a little ways to the start line and were there about 10 minutes before the start. I loved the music and how pumped it made me feel. They had an all girls chorus sing the national anthem. I do wish they could have had them on microphones so everyone could hear. It was really beautiful. They had a flyover done by the Air St Luke's helicopter, that was pretty cool. Then shortly after the horn sounded for the start. This is my first corralled race, and I'm not the fastest runner, so I was toward the back. I felt really good about my start. I didn't start the interval timer until after we crossed the finish line and did my 2 minute "warm up" as a light jog. Then jogged my 1 minute and started the 30 second walks. I kept this interval through most of the race. I think I only took two extra walk breaks, one because I didn't hear my timer and the other because there were so many walkers in my way.
The first part of the 9k course was really nice. A few kilometers through the neighborhoods in the East end (think ritzy rich houses). Then a couple more along the Boise River Greenbelt. The merge point went really well, they had cones for the first hundred or so feet, but then it was chaos trying to keep running. I guess that is the challenge. I wish they could have somehow had the walkers know to keep a lane so the runners could get by.
The crowd in front -- you can really see them on the hill right under the train
depot tower
And the crowd behind me. LOTS of people still going
I felt really great most of this race, especially since I was able to keep with my intervals. Got lots of compliments on my sparkle skirt. Water stations were all well stocked and they even had volunteers with bags so you didn't have to try tossing it in the can. Made the course a lot cleaner. I don't know if you know this, but runners are not good basketball players lol.
The finish line experience was pretty cool. What you can't see is the line of healthcare workers giving us high-fives. That was probably the most cool thing ever at a race. Loved it. Made me feel like I was a super star. =) Then ktvb (a local news station) had a video of the finish line. I screen shot this one of me finishing (on the left, in the sparkle skirt). If you want to watch me finish live, check out this video.
Then the after party was pretty cool too. Music, all powered by people on stationary bikes, lots of freebies and a nice breakfast of bagels, string cheese and an apple. Add that to the chocolate milk and yogurt freebies and I was stuffed.
Some of my Mom's Run This Town chapter. Our leader was nice enough
to invite us over to make shirts and sparkle skirts!
Me and my running buddy Heather with our finishers medal!
I was just so excited to finish this one strong. Makes me feel that much more confident for a great finish at my half. I also know that I should keep an Imatrex and maybe some ibuprofen.
As awesome as this race was, the rest of the afternoon/evening overshadowed it. I ended the race with a headache. It started out almost like my headband was too tight. But when I took it off, that didn't help. I went home and popped an imatrex and took a shower. I felt okay, but then suddenly I felt dizzy just sitting up. I spend a better part of the day on the couch. When I wasn't there, I was in my bed or in the bathroom. It was the worst migraine I have had to date. Totally sucked. I ended up going to urgent care as soon as Jimmy got home (around 7). I would have gone earlier if I could have figured out a way there, but no way was I going to be able to drive. And sitting in an exam room with three kids made my head hurt just thinking about. At the urgent care they gave me a shot of fenagren (for the nausea) and a shot of tordol (for the pain) then made me rest for 15 minutes before they would let me leave. Then we went home and I crashed on the couch for awhile. I woke up around 10 starving. So, I had something to eat and Gatorade to drink (gotta boost those electrolytes). Then went upstairs, finished my book and crashed. I don't think I moved all night!
So you may have noticed from my last few posts that I have been really working on my fitness (ie more walking, restarting the couch2-5k ect) Well, something happened Monday that halted that really quick. Somehow, on my way down the stairs I slid and fell down the stairs. Not only do I have some impressive bruises (*these pictures were taken day 1)
But I also ended up with a compression fracture of the T8 verterbra in my back. Talk about ouch. But the worst part is that I have to take it easy for a few weeks, then not run for at least six, possibly more. So, that sucks. I am trying to focus on just healing. I just need to make sure that this part is healed correctly. If it doesn't, I could have lifelong back problems. Yikes. So, easy for me this week and next, then I will add a couple miles a week and see how I feel. I will keep you all posted on how I am doing, if you just keep me in your thoughts and prayers for quick, complete healing.
Edited to add this updated picture of my back. I admit when I wanted to add some color this isn't what I had in mind lol
I told you yesterday that I would share my story about almost running out of gas. I am one of "those people" who HATES it when I am even below a quarter of a tank, so when we were driving and reached that point, I started telling my husband that we should get some gas. He told me we were fine, and it could wait a bit. We were in the middle of the "complicated" part of the trip where we had to go from highway to highway. I think three changes in total. So, he told me we would get it once we were on the next long stretch of highway. By the time we got to the stretch the gage on my tank said that we had like 30 miles left on the tank of gas. I thought no problem, thinking it was like I-84 where there are gas stations or at least towns every 15 miles or so. I couldn't have been more wrong. As we were driving, watching the miles tick down, 25, 20, 15... CRAP! No signs of gas stations ANYWHERE!! So, I started praying. Please, God, let us make it to a gas station. We had Alivia with us and I was terrified that we would be stranded and Jimmy would have to leave us to walk and get gas... the miles were still ticking down. 10, 5, 4, and FINALLY there was a sign, "Gas next left, 24 hours" THANK YOU GOD!!! I just had to keep praying it was within the 4 miles we had left in the tank. Of course by reading yesterday's post, you know we didn't run out, but we rolled into the gas station with 0 miles left! It was an honest to God miracle. Moral of the story, when traveling in Eastern Oregon/Washington don't let your gas tank go under half!
My husband just got news Sunday that his aunt passed away. Please keep us in your prayers as we will probably be driving more than 7 hours to attend a funeral. My mom or sister will be here with the older two girls and we will take Alivia with us. We would take the whole family but we have to come straight home. Anyway, if you could just keep us in your thoughts for this next week, as well as the rest of our family who will be traveling this week. Thank you.
Yeah, mentioned yesterday that my van was damaged while on our weekend getaway. We were parked and while eating some lady hit my van with her ford F250. Well, technically it was her son in laws. But she blamed us instead. It looked like she was just backing into a spot (technically it was two spots, and that is why she hit us, but anyway) We filed a police report and filed with the insurance, we'll see what happens... Just sucks. My van was in PERFECT body condition... anyway.
Here is the damage.
The truck bumper in my van bumper (front passenger side)
closer up- different angle you can see my headlight at the bottom center
The dent
closer up, you can see the paint damage too.
I am sad. Please let this not be worse than it looks!
So, I honestly believe at this point that both my kids are trying to push me over the deep end. McKayla has been BEATING on her sister today. Seriously. I will even LIST the things for you I have had to say today (I will even note with an * the ones I NEVER in a million years thought I would say, until I had children) "Don't hit your sister" "Don't kick your sister" "Get your feet off her head" * "Stop splashing juice on your sister" * "Do NOT tip the slide over on Natalie" * "Don't throw your food at your sister" That is just what I can remember. I will be amazed if Natalie makes it to 2 without serious injury. Then there is "sweet innocent" miss Natalie. She has been into EVERYTHING. Pulling all the blankets out of the shelf, pulling all the towels out of the cupboard, eating any piece of lint off the floor, turning off and on the tv. Oh my goodness the fun begins. How long till they are both in school??
PS I know I know, cherish the moments with them when they are young, they go by far too fast. But aren't there sometimes you wish you could just ship them off to china? I swear when McKayla sat in a diaper box today I was soooo tempted to grab the packing tape and ship her off! Just for a mini vacation. :)
So, if yesterday wasn't horrible enough I come home today to a letter from the college waiting on the table. I eagerly open it. I have been waiting for MONTHS for my financial aide results so I can see if I can afford to go to school full time. Anyway. I rip it open, and it tells me I was DENIED financial aide because my gpa was too low. I am thinking what the heck, I have only taken one class in college and I got an A how does that make my gpa too low? UGH! So, I get on the phone and call them. They better be glad I took the suggestion of my mother to breathe and calm down before calling, because I was PISSED OFF! Anyway, so I call and start talking to this lady, who was really nice by the way, and asked why I was denied. She told me that back in 2002 I had taken an English class that I didn't do well in. Well in 2002 I was in HIGH SCHOOL! That was six years ago!! I am so fricken mad. Now I get to petition the school, see if I can get it on a probation status, where I have to finish 70% of my classes and keep my gpa over a 2. That won't be hard. Just irritates me that I have something from HIGH SCHOOL that is still haunting me. Can I just cry now??? Anyway there was more to the story. I get to petition the school and it could take them a couple more weeks to get back to me. I JUST WANNA KNOW NOW!!! This will determine what I will be doing next year. I just hate hanging here wondering.... :( Anyway keep me in your thoughts still.... Also if you could keep my friend Melissa's little girl in your thoughts and prayers, she has a lump in her chest. They are optimistic that it is just something little, but they have a biopsy scheduled and its always scary when your kid goes to the doctor, let alone for surgery. And Bella (the little girl) is only nine and a half months (I think! close to the same age as Nattie) Hope everyone had a wonderful Wednesday!
