I have NEVER had trouble sleeping. There is the occasional night that my mind gets going and I can't fall asleep, but other than that, I typically sleep like a log. I think even after Jay and I got married and I had to get used to not only sharing a bed with someone else, gettting used to Jay sitting up in bed and turning on the light to go pee. That took a bit of time, but usually even if I woke up when he got up to pee, I would be back to sleep within a couple of minutes.
I got a call from my thyroid doc last week after going for bloodwork that my thyroid is starting to tend towards hyperthyroidism again. At that point, when she called I was a little surprised, as I hadn't really noticed any symptoms. However, since she called, I am definitely feeling more aware of symptoms. One of which is insomnia. I don't know if 'insomnia' is the right term. I feel like I am sleeping most of the night, just not restful sleep. There have been a couple of nights that I have been aware of tossing and waking up every hour or so. There was one night that Jay even woke me up to ask me if I was okay because I was tossing and turning and groaning in my sleep. The last couple of mornings I have woken up feeling tired. This morning I felt like I had slept better, but Jay said he noticed me tossing when he was awake at night, and by 10am I was feeling ready for a nap. I have also noticed that I have been hot/sweaty while giving massages and if I get hungry my hands get jittery.
I know that there are far worse/serious things that could be wrong with me, but this is definitely frustrating. It seems like my body will go through about a 7-8 month cycle. In January of 2012 my thyroid went hyper after lowering my dose the previous summer to see if I could possibly be weaned off my medication. So we upped the medication, and by last August my thyroid had gone hypo. So lower the dose, and now, in Feb/Mar my thyroid is hyper again so up the dose. I hope that because we caught this early, and my symptoms seem to be fairly minimal that it will not take my body long to regulate back to a normal range. I do not look forward to the hypothyroidism that seems inevitable that will likely hit in late summer/early fall because my hair is finally long and I don't want to lose a bunch of hair. Ugh! Hopefully if I go for regular blood work each month we will be able to adjust the doses as soon as something seems a little bit off.
Showing posts with label Health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Health. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 05, 2013
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Feeling Sad
I miss gluten. Ten days gluten free and I miss it.
We went grocery shopping tonight, and I did a lot of label reading. There are so many foods that have gluten in them. Or might have gluten in them. I think that if the benefits of this diet were immediately obvious to me it would be easier to want to adhere to it. However, I am going to give this my best shot. I might be sad that there are things I can't eat. But there are a lot of things that I can eat. So I will try to be thankful for what I can eat and look forward to feeling healthier.
We went grocery shopping tonight, and I did a lot of label reading. There are so many foods that have gluten in them. Or might have gluten in them. I think that if the benefits of this diet were immediately obvious to me it would be easier to want to adhere to it. However, I am going to give this my best shot. I might be sad that there are things I can't eat. But there are a lot of things that I can eat. So I will try to be thankful for what I can eat and look forward to feeling healthier.
Sunday, August 19, 2012
A mental shift
I have now been eating gluten free for a week. I can't say that I have noticed much of a difference overall and I don't feel too deprived just yet. I was thinking about this change in eating, or 'diet' (though I hate that word). I am doing my best to treat this gluten free trial as an allergy. I doubt that people with severe allergies, that either get very sick or have an anaphylactic reaction when they eat a certain item, would miss having that in their diet. I don't think they think about 'cheating' on their 'diet' because they miss having that item that makes them sick. I suppose that most allergies present themselves early in life, so it is something you grow up with.
Anyway, I started thinking about eating gluten free. My in laws were up visiting this weekend and my mother-in-law brought some cookies along. When they left, I told them that they should maybe leave some for Jay and then take the rest home. My father-in-law commented about that I might be tempted to eat them. It just got me thinking about how, yes, I do enjoy peanut butter cookies, however, when you have a gluten allergy (which I am not sure I do, but I am trying to treat my diet as though I do), I am not sure that you are tempted to eat regular cookies or bread because you will just end up sick. It's not like a 'cheat meal' when you are trying to lose weight. I am not criticizing my father-in-law for the comment, it just got me thinking. I don't know how many times Jason and I have looked at friends who have terrible allergies to nuts, soy, shellfish, eggs, etc and commented about how glad we are that we do not have to worry about what we eat. I really don't know if this will make a difference in my life, but I am going to give it my best shot, and if it helps, great, if not, I guess I will go back to my old ways.
Anyway, I started thinking about eating gluten free. My in laws were up visiting this weekend and my mother-in-law brought some cookies along. When they left, I told them that they should maybe leave some for Jay and then take the rest home. My father-in-law commented about that I might be tempted to eat them. It just got me thinking about how, yes, I do enjoy peanut butter cookies, however, when you have a gluten allergy (which I am not sure I do, but I am trying to treat my diet as though I do), I am not sure that you are tempted to eat regular cookies or bread because you will just end up sick. It's not like a 'cheat meal' when you are trying to lose weight. I am not criticizing my father-in-law for the comment, it just got me thinking. I don't know how many times Jason and I have looked at friends who have terrible allergies to nuts, soy, shellfish, eggs, etc and commented about how glad we are that we do not have to worry about what we eat. I really don't know if this will make a difference in my life, but I am going to give it my best shot, and if it helps, great, if not, I guess I will go back to my old ways.
Sunday, August 12, 2012
I don't get it
The more I think about my thyroid, the more confused I get about modern medicine's approach to treating it. I am certainly not the type of person who blindly trusts everything my doctor has to tell me, just because they are a doctor. I respect their opinions because they do have a lot more knowledge and training than I do. I do, however, know that there are places that our medical system fails its patients.
When I take the time to think about the typical treatment protocol for Graves Disease (that is what I was diagnosed with three years ago), which is an autoimmune thyroid disease, typically a doctor will prescribe antithyroid medication. In hyperthyroidism caused by Graves Disease, the immune system starts producing antibodies that stimulate the thyroid to produce too much thyroid hormone which leads to the hyperthyroid symptoms. The antithyroid medication will block the thyroid's ability to create thyroid hormones, which will, over time decrease or eliminate the hyperthyroid symptoms.
In my experience, and from what I have read, usually they will use antithyroid medication for a few years and sometimes it will put the thyroid into 'remission' and you will get back to normal. If this does not happen, or if the medication is not effective, doctors will usually recommend a treatment of radioactive iodine. This will basically kill off part of the thyroid so you do not overproduce thyroid hormones anymore. However, in most cases, and everyone I have talked to that has had it done, radioactive iodine will kill off too much of the thyroid and you will become permanently hypothyroid. This is what I don't understand. Why is it better to kill off a portion of the thyroid, leaving a person hypothyroid, than to either keep treating with medication, or try to determine what is causing the autoimmune reaction and try to eliminate that factor?
I realize that no one knows for sure what causes the autoimmune reaction. I am sure there are genetic factors, but this is why I am going to try going to gluten free. I have read a few online articles, such as this one or this one, that better explains the reason there could be a connection between autoimmune thyroid disease and gluten sensitivity. I am hoping to avoid more extreme measures to get my thyroid and the rest of me healthy again.
When I take the time to think about the typical treatment protocol for Graves Disease (that is what I was diagnosed with three years ago), which is an autoimmune thyroid disease, typically a doctor will prescribe antithyroid medication. In hyperthyroidism caused by Graves Disease, the immune system starts producing antibodies that stimulate the thyroid to produce too much thyroid hormone which leads to the hyperthyroid symptoms. The antithyroid medication will block the thyroid's ability to create thyroid hormones, which will, over time decrease or eliminate the hyperthyroid symptoms.
In my experience, and from what I have read, usually they will use antithyroid medication for a few years and sometimes it will put the thyroid into 'remission' and you will get back to normal. If this does not happen, or if the medication is not effective, doctors will usually recommend a treatment of radioactive iodine. This will basically kill off part of the thyroid so you do not overproduce thyroid hormones anymore. However, in most cases, and everyone I have talked to that has had it done, radioactive iodine will kill off too much of the thyroid and you will become permanently hypothyroid. This is what I don't understand. Why is it better to kill off a portion of the thyroid, leaving a person hypothyroid, than to either keep treating with medication, or try to determine what is causing the autoimmune reaction and try to eliminate that factor?
I realize that no one knows for sure what causes the autoimmune reaction. I am sure there are genetic factors, but this is why I am going to try going to gluten free. I have read a few online articles, such as this one or this one, that better explains the reason there could be a connection between autoimmune thyroid disease and gluten sensitivity. I am hoping to avoid more extreme measures to get my thyroid and the rest of me healthy again.
Thursday, August 09, 2012
The Thyroid Saga Continues
About a month or so ago I started to notice that I was losing more hair than usual. I started to wonder if maybe my thyroid had gone hypo again. That's the only time I noticed hair loss, was when it was low a couple of years ago. I decided to give it a couple of weeks then go for blood work. I figured if something was wrong, my doctor would call, which she usually does and adjust my medication. I didn't hear from her for a couple of weeks so assumed that maybe it was just my imagination and since I had an appointment scheduled with her for the beginning of August that I would ask her about the hair loss then. She actually did call me a couple of days ago (I am assuming that maybe she was away on holidays in July) and ended up leaving a message that said I should call her because my medication needed adjusting, but because I was due to see her today, I just decided rather than playing phone tag that I would just wait to see her.
Sure enough, my thyroid has gone hypo or low. Not by much, but enough to make my hair want to jump off of my head apparently. The plan is to cut my medication back by half, and for me to go for blood work again in a month. We will keep a close eye on it this time, so it does not end up hyper again, like it did when she cut the medication back last summer.
I made a comment on Facebook about my thyroid woes and received a comment from one of my friends who also has thyroid problems. She said she has done a fair bit of research and has found that for her it has been very beneficial to start a gluten free diet. I have read a few websites today and it really does seem to make sense. Most thyroid disease is caused by an autoimmune attack on the thyroid. What I am reading is that a good number of people with autoimmune thyroid disease also have gluten sensitivity or intolerance which can cause autoimmune problems in the body. So by treating the cause of the autoimmune reaction you can reduce the severity of the body's reaction toward your thyroid.
I know most people hear gluten free diet and think "Oh my goodness, I could never do that!" I think that if I do decide to try that route, it will certainly be challenging. I think there are foods that I will miss. However, there is no food that tastes better than being healthy feels.
Sure enough, my thyroid has gone hypo or low. Not by much, but enough to make my hair want to jump off of my head apparently. The plan is to cut my medication back by half, and for me to go for blood work again in a month. We will keep a close eye on it this time, so it does not end up hyper again, like it did when she cut the medication back last summer.
I made a comment on Facebook about my thyroid woes and received a comment from one of my friends who also has thyroid problems. She said she has done a fair bit of research and has found that for her it has been very beneficial to start a gluten free diet. I have read a few websites today and it really does seem to make sense. Most thyroid disease is caused by an autoimmune attack on the thyroid. What I am reading is that a good number of people with autoimmune thyroid disease also have gluten sensitivity or intolerance which can cause autoimmune problems in the body. So by treating the cause of the autoimmune reaction you can reduce the severity of the body's reaction toward your thyroid.
I know most people hear gluten free diet and think "Oh my goodness, I could never do that!" I think that if I do decide to try that route, it will certainly be challenging. I think there are foods that I will miss. However, there is no food that tastes better than being healthy feels.
Monday, July 16, 2012
P90X again?
In the last six months or so my good friends, Karen and Arleen have been making an effort to get together for girls night's once or twice each month, which has been really great. Our conversation seemed to often turn to weight loss and getting in shape and being healthier. We talked about doing P90X, and after putting it off for a few months, Arleen and I decided to give it a try. I was going to start the week before holidays, and did 2 or 3 of the workouts then got busy with work and getting ready to go on holidays (or maybe those are just excuses....). While I was on holidays, Arleen started her first week and I texted her each day to see how the workouts were going. I was very lazy and ate WAY too much on holidays, so decided that I need to come home and get down to business!
I am proud to say that I worked out 6 times last week! The only things I sort of slacked on was only doing about 40 minutes of Yoga X (it's 90 minutes long!) and I skipped out on my Friday Ab Ripper because I needed to get supper on the go. I should say on top of all of that I treated 14 clients last week!
This morning I did my Chest and Back and Ab Ripper. I was pleased that the pushups are getting easier. I felt like when I first did Chest and Back after not having done it for months that the pushups almost made it feel like I was straining my pecs in a way that felt almost like an injury. But now it just feels like normal fatigue when I do them. And the next couple of days I am sore, but it is not that 'ow it hurts to take my shirt off over my head' for a week sort of pain. Week 2 and I can already feel myself getting stronger! That is what I love about this program. It doesn't get easier, you just get stronger, then you can do a little more each time.
My goal for this round is to lose some inches of my waist/hips/thighs. I have noticed in the last couple of months that my pants have been getting snugger and I don't like that. I have also noticed my weight creeping up a little bit, which I also don't like. I think it would be cool if I needed to buy some 20lb dumbbells for doing back exercises, and maybe get to the point where I can do bicep curls with the 15lb weights. I am hoping with Arleen to spur me on (and vice versa) that we will kick some butt and get into great shape :)
I am proud to say that I worked out 6 times last week! The only things I sort of slacked on was only doing about 40 minutes of Yoga X (it's 90 minutes long!) and I skipped out on my Friday Ab Ripper because I needed to get supper on the go. I should say on top of all of that I treated 14 clients last week!
This morning I did my Chest and Back and Ab Ripper. I was pleased that the pushups are getting easier. I felt like when I first did Chest and Back after not having done it for months that the pushups almost made it feel like I was straining my pecs in a way that felt almost like an injury. But now it just feels like normal fatigue when I do them. And the next couple of days I am sore, but it is not that 'ow it hurts to take my shirt off over my head' for a week sort of pain. Week 2 and I can already feel myself getting stronger! That is what I love about this program. It doesn't get easier, you just get stronger, then you can do a little more each time.
My goal for this round is to lose some inches of my waist/hips/thighs. I have noticed in the last couple of months that my pants have been getting snugger and I don't like that. I have also noticed my weight creeping up a little bit, which I also don't like. I think it would be cool if I needed to buy some 20lb dumbbells for doing back exercises, and maybe get to the point where I can do bicep curls with the 15lb weights. I am hoping with Arleen to spur me on (and vice versa) that we will kick some butt and get into great shape :)
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Mogathon 2012
In a push to get active again, about six weeks ago, I found myself signing up for the Mogathon again. I have really enjoyed it the last couple of years and decided to sign up along with my friend, Arleen. It was really nice to have someone to run with! We did our best to get together once per week leading up to the event to run together. I definitely felt my endurance increase over the weeks, but I don't know if we ran a single training 5K in less than 35-40 minutes. We would get winded or get cramps, or just feel kind of lazy. We didn't really push ourselves.
Today we ran our 5K in 33:26! We definitely pushed, and the excitement of the crowd around us was enough to keep us going. We only walked through the water stations and one quick walk up a particularly daunting hill at about the 3.5K mark. I am proud of us!
My talented hubby was on hand to cheer us on, and take some quality photos. Here we are at the starting line, feeling fresh. Though I have to say, for some reason when we first started moving and hardly begun running I got a sharp pain in my left hip. Thankfully it eased off as I pushed through it.
Here we are heading for the finish line. It was a very warm day today. It was 15C by 7am, and I am sure that by the time we finished running it was probably close to 20C. The shady spots were so nice, but the last kilometer was tough, as there wasn't much for shade and I was getting tired. A few moments of nausea passed quickly so I was able to finish strong.
The water stations were fun. Especially the 80s aerobics themed one. The teenagers in spandex doing aerobics and cheering us on was worth a smile. I loved the misters they had along the path. I wish there would have been more than 2 of them to run through, but that one at the 3km was very appreciated! I also was happy with the ice water sponges. That was a refreshing treat once I started to heat up.
We are already talking about signing up for another race. The next one I know of is the River Run around the middle of August. I did the 10k in that event a couple of years ago and it was fun. We have talked about signing up for the 5K again, but trying to shave our time down to 30 minutes or under. I think that we could do it, but we will have to kick our training up a notch and do some sprints/hills/etc to get our cardio endurance up.
Today we ran our 5K in 33:26! We definitely pushed, and the excitement of the crowd around us was enough to keep us going. We only walked through the water stations and one quick walk up a particularly daunting hill at about the 3.5K mark. I am proud of us!
My talented hubby was on hand to cheer us on, and take some quality photos. Here we are at the starting line, feeling fresh. Though I have to say, for some reason when we first started moving and hardly begun running I got a sharp pain in my left hip. Thankfully it eased off as I pushed through it.
Here we are heading for the finish line. It was a very warm day today. It was 15C by 7am, and I am sure that by the time we finished running it was probably close to 20C. The shady spots were so nice, but the last kilometer was tough, as there wasn't much for shade and I was getting tired. A few moments of nausea passed quickly so I was able to finish strong.
The water stations were fun. Especially the 80s aerobics themed one. The teenagers in spandex doing aerobics and cheering us on was worth a smile. I loved the misters they had along the path. I wish there would have been more than 2 of them to run through, but that one at the 3km was very appreciated! I also was happy with the ice water sponges. That was a refreshing treat once I started to heat up.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Happy Anniversary to Us!
Today is our 7th wedding anniversary! Sometimes it seems amazing how quickly the time has gone by, but at the same time when you think about all the things we have done together I start to realized that it would take years to accomplish those things.
Tomorrow I will drive Jason to City Hospital for a medical procedure for his bladder. I don't need to go into specifics, however, he will likely be in a fair bit of pain for the next 5-7 days as his bladder recovers. Though this procedure will not provide permanent solution we are hoping that it will at least help with the undesirable symptoms for six months or so. I really do hope that the outcome is worth the week of down time it will require. I know that many people have had this procedure done, and I am sure it is safe. Where my apprehension lays is that I hate seeing Jason in pain and discomfort when there is nothing I can do to make it better. I will do what I can to help (ie giving him pain killers) but there is nothing worse than watching the person you love the most in the world hurt. If you want to pray for him this week (and maybe me too) it would be very appreciated.
Tomorrow I will drive Jason to City Hospital for a medical procedure for his bladder. I don't need to go into specifics, however, he will likely be in a fair bit of pain for the next 5-7 days as his bladder recovers. Though this procedure will not provide permanent solution we are hoping that it will at least help with the undesirable symptoms for six months or so. I really do hope that the outcome is worth the week of down time it will require. I know that many people have had this procedure done, and I am sure it is safe. Where my apprehension lays is that I hate seeing Jason in pain and discomfort when there is nothing I can do to make it better. I will do what I can to help (ie giving him pain killers) but there is nothing worse than watching the person you love the most in the world hurt. If you want to pray for him this week (and maybe me too) it would be very appreciated.
Tuesday, January 03, 2012
Thyroid....sigh
Last summer when I started seeing a different thyroid specialist she figured that I should be able to start weaning off of my thyroid medication. I have cut the daily dose by half since August and just in the last couple of weeks I thought I might be starting to have hyperthyroid symptoms again. *sigh* I have had times in the past when I thought I was having symptoms, but now I am almost certain.
My plan is to go for blood work today and if I don't get a call from one of my doctors in the next couple of days I may call my thyroid doctor and see if I can get in to see her. I am sitting here at the computer and it feels like my heart is racing. A little while ago I checked my resting heart rate and it was 102. According to the internet, normal resting heart rate for an adult is 60-90bpm. I remember when I first was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and I was waiting to see Dr. Sharma for the first time and they took my heart rate at the hospital and it was 124bpm, which is crazy! I have noticed a few other symptoms, and I would like to keep this under control. I guess I may need to be on medication for the rest of my life :P
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
All Quiet on the Angie Front
Sorry it has been so quiet around here lately. I just don't feel like I have much that is worth saying. I am anxiously awaiting news from my coworker about the birth of her baby. She was due on Sunday and is very impatient and uncomfortable waiting for the little guy to make his appearance. It's been a while since a friend has had a baby, so it's sort of fun waiting to hear news of the little one. I am also anxious to give her the baby blanket.
It has been crazy busy at work the last two weeks. I am not sure what it is....I think part of it is because Mieka is off on mat leave, so we are covering her regular clients. But really, I think this week I will maybe treat three of her clients, and in total, I will treat 18 clients if they all show up and no more get booked (though I think I only have one more opening on Friday afternoon for a half hour massage). I am happy to earn some extra money. I would say my body seems to be holding up okay, though I really do feel like I could use a massage myself. I am thankful that so far I only have one regular client of Mieka's that I find is quite physically challenging. He likes a lot of pressure, but doesn't like to have elbows used on him. So by the time I am done treating him, my fingers and thumbs are pretty fatigued and sometimes a little sore.
After seeing my thyroid doctor in July and being told to cut back the doseage of my medication, after a couple of weeks (while we were on holidays) I started to feel some symptoms that I was sure were thyroid related. I didn't want to feel crappy on holidays, so I upped the dose to my previous amount and stayed on that for another week or two. I then decided that I needed to give it another try. So about two weeks ago I decided to try again. I am pretty sure that I am having symptoms. Nothing too crazy, but I would say that I feel quite hungry and when I get hungry I feel like I need to eat NOW. I feel like I have been sweating more than usual at work. I feel fatigued most of the time, not severely, but just never feel really well rested. I think that frequent urination must be a thyroid symptom, because that seems to be the case. Occasionally I feel a bit jittery, again nothing too serious, but it just takes me back to how I felt before I was diagnosed with Graves disease and I don't like it. I decided that I would try to suck it up for another week or two then go for bloodwork and I would hope by then if my hormone levels are abnormal that I would get a call from the doctor and get further instruction. I go back to see the thyroid doc for a follow up in October, but I don't want things to get too out of whack. I also think that my goiter might be a bit bigger....but maybe that's just my imagination.
It has been crazy busy at work the last two weeks. I am not sure what it is....I think part of it is because Mieka is off on mat leave, so we are covering her regular clients. But really, I think this week I will maybe treat three of her clients, and in total, I will treat 18 clients if they all show up and no more get booked (though I think I only have one more opening on Friday afternoon for a half hour massage). I am happy to earn some extra money. I would say my body seems to be holding up okay, though I really do feel like I could use a massage myself. I am thankful that so far I only have one regular client of Mieka's that I find is quite physically challenging. He likes a lot of pressure, but doesn't like to have elbows used on him. So by the time I am done treating him, my fingers and thumbs are pretty fatigued and sometimes a little sore.
After seeing my thyroid doctor in July and being told to cut back the doseage of my medication, after a couple of weeks (while we were on holidays) I started to feel some symptoms that I was sure were thyroid related. I didn't want to feel crappy on holidays, so I upped the dose to my previous amount and stayed on that for another week or two. I then decided that I needed to give it another try. So about two weeks ago I decided to try again. I am pretty sure that I am having symptoms. Nothing too crazy, but I would say that I feel quite hungry and when I get hungry I feel like I need to eat NOW. I feel like I have been sweating more than usual at work. I feel fatigued most of the time, not severely, but just never feel really well rested. I think that frequent urination must be a thyroid symptom, because that seems to be the case. Occasionally I feel a bit jittery, again nothing too serious, but it just takes me back to how I felt before I was diagnosed with Graves disease and I don't like it. I decided that I would try to suck it up for another week or two then go for bloodwork and I would hope by then if my hormone levels are abnormal that I would get a call from the doctor and get further instruction. I go back to see the thyroid doc for a follow up in October, but I don't want things to get too out of whack. I also think that my goiter might be a bit bigger....but maybe that's just my imagination.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Life and Death
Since Karen's son, Oliver, was diagnosed with Tay Sach's disease, her and I have had some pretty crazy conversations. Not crazy in a bad way....just crazy in that you should not have to have those conversations about a child. Obviously this is new territory for them, and for me too. I don't think I have ever personally known a baby/child/teenager who has died or had a terminal illness.
I want to support Karen and Levi in any way I can, and right now, I think that is being there to be an ear for Karen. I think our conversations are good for both of us, but sometimes I feel....almost a bit detatched. It's not that I don't care, or don't want to have these discussions, I just think when we are talking about something as serious as illness/death/funerals/etc, if you don't detach yourself a little bit, I think it would be pretty easy to feel overwhelmed with emotion.
I wouldn't wish Tay Sach's disease on any family. It would be so awful to have to watch your child slowly deteriorate until their little body just can't sustain life anymore. I think that Karen is handling it with grace. She takes things as they come. She is trying to educate herself as much as she can, so there hopefully won't be too many surprises. Not to say being prepared in your mind will make it any less difficult when these things actually come to pass. My hope and prayer is that God will continue to give Karen and Levi strength and comfort and that Oliver would remain content and physically healthy for as long as possible.
I want to support Karen and Levi in any way I can, and right now, I think that is being there to be an ear for Karen. I think our conversations are good for both of us, but sometimes I feel....almost a bit detatched. It's not that I don't care, or don't want to have these discussions, I just think when we are talking about something as serious as illness/death/funerals/etc, if you don't detach yourself a little bit, I think it would be pretty easy to feel overwhelmed with emotion.
I wouldn't wish Tay Sach's disease on any family. It would be so awful to have to watch your child slowly deteriorate until their little body just can't sustain life anymore. I think that Karen is handling it with grace. She takes things as they come. She is trying to educate herself as much as she can, so there hopefully won't be too many surprises. Not to say being prepared in your mind will make it any less difficult when these things actually come to pass. My hope and prayer is that God will continue to give Karen and Levi strength and comfort and that Oliver would remain content and physically healthy for as long as possible.
Friday, July 08, 2011
Thyroid
After a visit to my thyroid specialist this week, it has been decided that I should cut back my medication with the eventual aim of getting off of it entirely. The doctor said that I am on such a low dose, and my blood work has been quite consistent for so long that there shouldn't be a problem coming off of it. I would be happy to be off of it because then I wouldn't have to worry about any more prescriptions.
I admit I feel a little bit nervous about it 'flaring' up and causing symptoms again. But we will keep a close eye on it, and make sure I get blood work done on a regular basis so that if the levels change, then we can adjust the medication accordingly. So today was my first day of taking half as much. Here's hoping my thyroid is done freaking out and it can regulate itself and not cause me grief!
I admit I feel a little bit nervous about it 'flaring' up and causing symptoms again. But we will keep a close eye on it, and make sure I get blood work done on a regular basis so that if the levels change, then we can adjust the medication accordingly. So today was my first day of taking half as much. Here's hoping my thyroid is done freaking out and it can regulate itself and not cause me grief!
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Addiction
"We've hit the jackpot here! White gold, Texas tea.....sweetener!" - Homer Simpson
I was thinking of that quote as I wrote this post. It is from an episode when Homer and Bart are in the car driving, and they come across a sugar truck that has lost its load. Homer offers to guard the spilled sugar while Hans Moleman (the truck driver) goes to call for help. He then plans to steal the spilled sugar and sell it to the residents of Springfield for the 'low low price of $1.00/lb'.
I have an addiction. It might seem funny when I say it, but I am addicted to sugar.
I get cravings for sugar, it makes me feel good when I have it, and when I don't have it I feel cranky. The thought of trying to stop eating sugar makes me feel anxious.
I think when I look at my enjoyment of sugar as an addiction, I can begin to start to understand what it might be like to have a drug addiction. Not a major one, like cocaine or heroin, but maybe like cigarettes or caffeine. As a non-smoker, it is easy for me to look a smokers and feel some judgement at how someone could allow themselves to become addicted to something as bad for you as cigarettes. I don't feel quite as judgemental of older people (maybe over 40 or 50 years old) because back when they started the negative side effects of smoking weren't so well known. But when I see teenagers smoking I look at them and think 'idiot' or 'why in the world would you start that, knowing what we know about cigarettes'.
However, then I think back to my sugar addiction and I realize that addictions are satisfying on some level. Whether it's a buzz from alcohol or nicotine it makes you feel good, at least in the moment. Like sugar, it tastes good and makes you feel happy. But overindulging in sugar causes side effects like obesity and diabetes. Whereas smoking causes things like cancer and COPD. Both pretty serious, potentially life threatening conditions.
I realize, when it comes to sugar (unlike cigarettes) your body actually needs sugar in some forms. However, our North American diet is so heavy in the refined/processed sugar that is so bad for you. I think that is where I could handle learning to cut back. Like I said, the idea of giving up sugar makes me feel anxious. I think of all the reasons that I could never do it but I have never even tried. I know people who have given up sugar, at least for a period of time, and they say, that once you have been off of sugar for a couple of weeks that you stop craving it. When you fill your body with good, healthy food, your body doesn't crave the junk. I also know that the people who have given up sugar claim to feel a lot better. As a sugar junkie, I am skeptical, as I have never tried to quit. Though, I think it makes sense and maybe someday soon I will get serious about eating healthy.
I was thinking of that quote as I wrote this post. It is from an episode when Homer and Bart are in the car driving, and they come across a sugar truck that has lost its load. Homer offers to guard the spilled sugar while Hans Moleman (the truck driver) goes to call for help. He then plans to steal the spilled sugar and sell it to the residents of Springfield for the 'low low price of $1.00/lb'.
I have an addiction. It might seem funny when I say it, but I am addicted to sugar.
I get cravings for sugar, it makes me feel good when I have it, and when I don't have it I feel cranky. The thought of trying to stop eating sugar makes me feel anxious.
I think when I look at my enjoyment of sugar as an addiction, I can begin to start to understand what it might be like to have a drug addiction. Not a major one, like cocaine or heroin, but maybe like cigarettes or caffeine. As a non-smoker, it is easy for me to look a smokers and feel some judgement at how someone could allow themselves to become addicted to something as bad for you as cigarettes. I don't feel quite as judgemental of older people (maybe over 40 or 50 years old) because back when they started the negative side effects of smoking weren't so well known. But when I see teenagers smoking I look at them and think 'idiot' or 'why in the world would you start that, knowing what we know about cigarettes'.
However, then I think back to my sugar addiction and I realize that addictions are satisfying on some level. Whether it's a buzz from alcohol or nicotine it makes you feel good, at least in the moment. Like sugar, it tastes good and makes you feel happy. But overindulging in sugar causes side effects like obesity and diabetes. Whereas smoking causes things like cancer and COPD. Both pretty serious, potentially life threatening conditions.
I realize, when it comes to sugar (unlike cigarettes) your body actually needs sugar in some forms. However, our North American diet is so heavy in the refined/processed sugar that is so bad for you. I think that is where I could handle learning to cut back. Like I said, the idea of giving up sugar makes me feel anxious. I think of all the reasons that I could never do it but I have never even tried. I know people who have given up sugar, at least for a period of time, and they say, that once you have been off of sugar for a couple of weeks that you stop craving it. When you fill your body with good, healthy food, your body doesn't crave the junk. I also know that the people who have given up sugar claim to feel a lot better. As a sugar junkie, I am skeptical, as I have never tried to quit. Though, I think it makes sense and maybe someday soon I will get serious about eating healthy.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
A tough week...
I have felt extremely overwhelmed this week. It has been a week of ongoing health battles for some, and some really tough diagnoses for some close friends. I have been driven to my knees in prayer more this past week than I can remember in recent times. I am glad that God has held me up during these tough times, but when life gets so overwhelming it seems like the only thing I can do.
Firstly, little Ethan. I wrote a post about him going to California for surgery a few weeks ago. He made it down to the hospital and had his surgery (after a few bumps in the road). He came through surgery well, and the doctors were able to do everything that they needed to do to fix his little heart. It has now been two weeks post-op and it has been a fight to get this far. With the updates that we have receiving via Facebook it really has felt like a one step forward, two steps back recovery. Lisa did say a few days ago that the doctors are still optimistic that he will eventually recover. As for now he is fighting an infection, he is on dialysis because his kidneys are not functioning well, and they are having a hard time keeping his blood pressure stable. They were able to close up his chest though (they kept it open for a few days after surgery to allow for swelling). I cannot begin to imagine how exhausted that family must be. I was so glad to know that Lisa's dad and step-mom were going to be able to be down there with them to help out and give Shaun and Lisa breaks when they need them.
Secondly was a tough diagnosis for a friend. I didn't realize until I chatted with her a couple of weeks ago that she was even having health problems. But last week it was confirmed, Teri was diagnosed with MS. She is married with two young sons (and a step daughter). MS does seem to present differently, and progress differently in different people, so I have been praying that Teri's symptoms will ease off and will not progress too quickly. She is in her early 30s....I can't imagine how tough it must have been for her to learn that diagnosis. Not that something like this was/is preventable, but hearing about terrible diseases really makes me never want to take my health for granted. I want to look after myself and be healthy, because I only have this one body and I don't want to abuse it.
And lastly, about a week ago my friend Karen got a call with a diagnosis for her son Oliver. They had traveled to the Alberta Children's Hospital the previous week to meet with a doctor who specializes in metabolic disorders. They did some blood and urine tests, and after what they expected would be a long wait for a diagnosis, they got one. Oliver has Tay-Sach's Disease. When she told me that, I had definitely heard the name, but could not remember anything about it. It is a rare genetic degenerative neurological condition that will eventually take his life. There is no cure or treatment and even with the best care he will likely only survive until he is 5 years old. If you want to read more about the specifics you can click here.
My heart broke when Karen told me about this. It is hard to imagine that such a horrible disease even exists. Oliver is still doing well and he is an adorable and content little guy. He will be 18 months old in about a week. Karen and Levi are doing surprisingly well. I think that they have had a lot of time to think about what possibly might be wrong, and Karen has tended to lean toward the idea that Oliver would get worse and not better. I don't think anyone could be prepared for a diagnosis like this, but Karen is such a strong woman and an amazing mom. I will do my best to be there for them in the next few years whether it is an ear to listen, a shoulder to cry on, or physical help with kids, house stuff, cooking, etc.
Firstly, little Ethan. I wrote a post about him going to California for surgery a few weeks ago. He made it down to the hospital and had his surgery (after a few bumps in the road). He came through surgery well, and the doctors were able to do everything that they needed to do to fix his little heart. It has now been two weeks post-op and it has been a fight to get this far. With the updates that we have receiving via Facebook it really has felt like a one step forward, two steps back recovery. Lisa did say a few days ago that the doctors are still optimistic that he will eventually recover. As for now he is fighting an infection, he is on dialysis because his kidneys are not functioning well, and they are having a hard time keeping his blood pressure stable. They were able to close up his chest though (they kept it open for a few days after surgery to allow for swelling). I cannot begin to imagine how exhausted that family must be. I was so glad to know that Lisa's dad and step-mom were going to be able to be down there with them to help out and give Shaun and Lisa breaks when they need them.
Secondly was a tough diagnosis for a friend. I didn't realize until I chatted with her a couple of weeks ago that she was even having health problems. But last week it was confirmed, Teri was diagnosed with MS. She is married with two young sons (and a step daughter). MS does seem to present differently, and progress differently in different people, so I have been praying that Teri's symptoms will ease off and will not progress too quickly. She is in her early 30s....I can't imagine how tough it must have been for her to learn that diagnosis. Not that something like this was/is preventable, but hearing about terrible diseases really makes me never want to take my health for granted. I want to look after myself and be healthy, because I only have this one body and I don't want to abuse it.
And lastly, about a week ago my friend Karen got a call with a diagnosis for her son Oliver. They had traveled to the Alberta Children's Hospital the previous week to meet with a doctor who specializes in metabolic disorders. They did some blood and urine tests, and after what they expected would be a long wait for a diagnosis, they got one. Oliver has Tay-Sach's Disease. When she told me that, I had definitely heard the name, but could not remember anything about it. It is a rare genetic degenerative neurological condition that will eventually take his life. There is no cure or treatment and even with the best care he will likely only survive until he is 5 years old. If you want to read more about the specifics you can click here.
My heart broke when Karen told me about this. It is hard to imagine that such a horrible disease even exists. Oliver is still doing well and he is an adorable and content little guy. He will be 18 months old in about a week. Karen and Levi are doing surprisingly well. I think that they have had a lot of time to think about what possibly might be wrong, and Karen has tended to lean toward the idea that Oliver would get worse and not better. I don't think anyone could be prepared for a diagnosis like this, but Karen is such a strong woman and an amazing mom. I will do my best to be there for them in the next few years whether it is an ear to listen, a shoulder to cry on, or physical help with kids, house stuff, cooking, etc.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
January 1, 2010 vs July 17, 2010
Just for a little more perspective I thought I would share a few of my pictures from January 1st this year alternated with pictures from July 17th (day 90 of P90X). Pretty significant change. I like my new muscles :)
Monday, June 28, 2010
Mogathon (900th blog post!)
Saturday was the Mogathon! After six weeks of training I felt good and ready to run my 6k portion of it. However, on Friday evening I talked to my sister and she had been unable to get in touch with our 4th team member. We started to panic a bit because I certainly had not trained to run 12k and my sister had barely trained to run at all (though she is in really good physical shape). By Friday night I decided that I would do the first two legs. I figured that I was ready for 6k and the second leg, if I had to walk a good portion of it, well then so be it.
We headed down to the race site at 7:30am on Saturday, after having a really poor sleep. I think I was just having problems turning my brain off. I was hoping that running/walking 12k on about 5 hours of sleep would be manageable. At about 7:50am all the people participating in the 30k run (both independently or as part of the team relay) lined up at the starting line. Somehow I ended up near the front, so before the race started I wiggled my way to the back, knowing that I run at a snail's pace. I had read over and over again and was reminded again by Stacey not to get caught up in the excitement because everyone will take off running fast at the start and you don't want to burn out too soon. I took my time and I think I was nearly last for at least 3 or 4 kilometers. Then the other people who didn't pace themselves as well started slowing down and I actually passed three people. It was a nice feeling to pass people.
I think I ran most of the first 6k but did take two one minute walks to allow my heart rate to come back down a little. The weather was beautiful on Saturday but by the time I was nearing the end of my 12k I was pretty hot!! I did a lot more walking in the second leg of the race. I would run as long as I could then I would walk. At first I tried to keep the walks to one or two minutes, but I think after a while I was walking more like 3 or 4 minutes then maybe jogging for another five minutes or so.
I have to say on the second leg of the race I don't think I saw a single other runner until I got to the 9 or 10k mark and started seeing the runners who had made the loop and started coming back toward me. It was kind of lonely at times out on the path, and since I didn't have my MP3 player with me I had a lot of time to think about how long I would have to lay wounded on the path if I hurt myself before someone would come looking for me. Haha! I continued my snail's pace and made it to the trade off point in one hour and twenty two minutes. I had looked at my watch when I got to the 6k mark and did that in about 40 minutes. So, with all the walking I did in the second half, I managed to keep a similar pace as I did in the first half.
When I reached the trade off point and saw my husband, my sister, brother-in-law, nephews, and the Upson family I got a little emotional. I think I felt proud of myself for completing 12k. Six weeks ago I had NEVER ran any significant distance in my life. I still feel sort of modest about this accomplishment. I realize that it is a pretty significant distance, but I really do feel like if I can do it, anyone can. I have learned over and over again since the start of this year you never know what you are capable of until you try. Pushing yourself is such a mind game.
I decided to sign up for another 10k run in the middle of August. I figure if I don't have a reason to keep running that I might not keep up with it, and for now I would like to. I am already feeling excited for it and I hope by then to be able to run further with less walking breaks. I do my best to not compare myself with others. I heard someone say on the Couch to 5k page on Facebook that when you start out running 5k or 10k races that "you are not in it to compete, but to complete". It's sort of cheesy but so true.
Here are a few of the pictures that Jason captured on Saturday:
This first one is just after the race started. Everyone taking off from the starting line. I don't think I am visible in this one.
Here I am just past the starting line once all the fast runners got out of my way. Feeling fresh and ready to tackle 12k!
Here I am approaching the 12k trade off point with my sister. Not feeling so fresh. Feeling hot and emotional and tired, so tired.
We wore an ankle bracelet with a timing chip on it that we traded off at the trade off points so we could have an official team time at the end of the race. (Note: Robin and I did not plan to wear matching clothes....haha)
After Robin and I finished our legs of the relay we headed down to River Landing to the finish line to wait for Stacey. We all ran across the finish line together (well sort of.....Stacey runs a lot faster than I can, haha). Pretty cool!
I will leave you with a quote that I find particularly thought provoking, "Whether you think you can or you can't, you're right." - Henry Ford
We headed down to the race site at 7:30am on Saturday, after having a really poor sleep. I think I was just having problems turning my brain off. I was hoping that running/walking 12k on about 5 hours of sleep would be manageable. At about 7:50am all the people participating in the 30k run (both independently or as part of the team relay) lined up at the starting line. Somehow I ended up near the front, so before the race started I wiggled my way to the back, knowing that I run at a snail's pace. I had read over and over again and was reminded again by Stacey not to get caught up in the excitement because everyone will take off running fast at the start and you don't want to burn out too soon. I took my time and I think I was nearly last for at least 3 or 4 kilometers. Then the other people who didn't pace themselves as well started slowing down and I actually passed three people. It was a nice feeling to pass people.
I think I ran most of the first 6k but did take two one minute walks to allow my heart rate to come back down a little. The weather was beautiful on Saturday but by the time I was nearing the end of my 12k I was pretty hot!! I did a lot more walking in the second leg of the race. I would run as long as I could then I would walk. At first I tried to keep the walks to one or two minutes, but I think after a while I was walking more like 3 or 4 minutes then maybe jogging for another five minutes or so.
I have to say on the second leg of the race I don't think I saw a single other runner until I got to the 9 or 10k mark and started seeing the runners who had made the loop and started coming back toward me. It was kind of lonely at times out on the path, and since I didn't have my MP3 player with me I had a lot of time to think about how long I would have to lay wounded on the path if I hurt myself before someone would come looking for me. Haha! I continued my snail's pace and made it to the trade off point in one hour and twenty two minutes. I had looked at my watch when I got to the 6k mark and did that in about 40 minutes. So, with all the walking I did in the second half, I managed to keep a similar pace as I did in the first half.
When I reached the trade off point and saw my husband, my sister, brother-in-law, nephews, and the Upson family I got a little emotional. I think I felt proud of myself for completing 12k. Six weeks ago I had NEVER ran any significant distance in my life. I still feel sort of modest about this accomplishment. I realize that it is a pretty significant distance, but I really do feel like if I can do it, anyone can. I have learned over and over again since the start of this year you never know what you are capable of until you try. Pushing yourself is such a mind game.
I decided to sign up for another 10k run in the middle of August. I figure if I don't have a reason to keep running that I might not keep up with it, and for now I would like to. I am already feeling excited for it and I hope by then to be able to run further with less walking breaks. I do my best to not compare myself with others. I heard someone say on the Couch to 5k page on Facebook that when you start out running 5k or 10k races that "you are not in it to compete, but to complete". It's sort of cheesy but so true.
Here are a few of the pictures that Jason captured on Saturday:
This first one is just after the race started. Everyone taking off from the starting line. I don't think I am visible in this one.
Here I am just past the starting line once all the fast runners got out of my way. Feeling fresh and ready to tackle 12k!
Here I am approaching the 12k trade off point with my sister. Not feeling so fresh. Feeling hot and emotional and tired, so tired.
We wore an ankle bracelet with a timing chip on it that we traded off at the trade off points so we could have an official team time at the end of the race. (Note: Robin and I did not plan to wear matching clothes....haha)
After Robin and I finished our legs of the relay we headed down to River Landing to the finish line to wait for Stacey. We all ran across the finish line together (well sort of.....Stacey runs a lot faster than I can, haha). Pretty cool!
I will leave you with a quote that I find particularly thought provoking, "Whether you think you can or you can't, you're right." - Henry Ford
Saturday, June 19, 2010
P90X - Day 60 results
Thursday was day 60! I can't believe how quickly the last two months have gone by. I had Jason take pictures of me on Thursday and one first glance I really didn't see any changes from day 30. However, once I got him to put them side by side I could see how much narrower my waist looks. It may not be as visible in the light of these pictures, but I also feel like I have a fair bit more shape in my shoulders, chest, back and arms. I feel so much stronger!
At one point, I believe it was before I started P90X, I said on Twitter that one of my goals in working out was to be in the best physical shape of my life. I honestly think I am there now. Not that I am in stellar shape (I still have a long ways to go), I think I am stronger and have more cardio vascular endurance than I did in high school phys ed (when I was 14 or 15 years old)! I went for a 6km run last night to help prepare for our relay next Saturday and I ran 6k (from the Broadway Bridge to the train bridge and back) in 38 minutes. That included two short (about 1 minute) walks. I would say that in my run yesterday that I felt pretty good until about 18 minutes (3km) in. Then I took my first walk and after that I started to feel a little fatigued. I ran for another 5 minutes then walked a minute and then I told myself that I HAD to run the rest and I did! I have to say that it is going to feel strange next Saturday to run without Kiwi. She has been a good running partner for me.
At one point, I believe it was before I started P90X, I said on Twitter that one of my goals in working out was to be in the best physical shape of my life. I honestly think I am there now. Not that I am in stellar shape (I still have a long ways to go), I think I am stronger and have more cardio vascular endurance than I did in high school phys ed (when I was 14 or 15 years old)! I went for a 6km run last night to help prepare for our relay next Saturday and I ran 6k (from the Broadway Bridge to the train bridge and back) in 38 minutes. That included two short (about 1 minute) walks. I would say that in my run yesterday that I felt pretty good until about 18 minutes (3km) in. Then I took my first walk and after that I started to feel a little fatigued. I ran for another 5 minutes then walked a minute and then I told myself that I HAD to run the rest and I did! I have to say that it is going to feel strange next Saturday to run without Kiwi. She has been a good running partner for me.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Run Angie, Run!
The Mogathon is now only a week and a half away. In the last month since we registered our team for the 30k relay I think I have done really well with my training. Last night I went for a thirty minute run! I ran for 30 minutes straight! Using Google Pedometer I figure that I ran about 4.3km in thirty minutes. I ran from our house (in Stonebridge) to the parking lot at The Willows and back. I was feeling a little pooped by the end, but after the 30 minutes was done, I walked for about a minute and in that time I caught my breath and felt ready to go for another run so I ran a little bit further and picked up my speed. I think I can now honestly say that I am in the best shape I have EVER been in. I remember in high school when we did our fitness runs, I am sure we never ran more than about 15 minutes and it was a struggle for me, even back then when I was 14 and 15 years old. Yay me! :)
After running that far last night I was doing a bit of searching online to see if there were any more races scheduled in Saskatoon this summer. I came across the River Run Classic which is on August 15th and has a 5k, 10k and half marathon (21k). I am seriously thinking about signing up for it. I think the relay for the Mogathon will be fun, but I really think that it would be exciting to run a race by myself. I am thinking I will see how the 6k Mogathon goes, then decide whether I would like to register for the 5k or 10k. Who would have thought.....Angie.....running. Crazy!
After running that far last night I was doing a bit of searching online to see if there were any more races scheduled in Saskatoon this summer. I came across the River Run Classic which is on August 15th and has a 5k, 10k and half marathon (21k). I am seriously thinking about signing up for it. I think the relay for the Mogathon will be fun, but I really think that it would be exciting to run a race by myself. I am thinking I will see how the 6k Mogathon goes, then decide whether I would like to register for the 5k or 10k. Who would have thought.....Angie.....running. Crazy!
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Amazing what a little sun can do!
I feel so much happier today. It was a beautiful +20C day with a very light breeze and a few fluffy white clouds in the sky. Gorgeous! For the last week or so since we saw the sun, in the morning our bedroom has been so dark. It is really hard to wake up when it is so dark. But this morning I woke up at 8am feeling ready to get up because the beautiful bright sun was streaming into our bedroom. We did lounge around a little and I decided that I was feeling well enough to follow through on our plans to go down to the river for me to go for a run. I feel like I have been fighting a cold for the last few days and last night I thought it was finally setting in, but this morning I felt pretty decent.
Jason dropped me off at Spadina Cres. and Ravine Dr. I told him not to expect me at the River Landing (where he was heading to take pictures) for at least 45 minutes to an hour. I started running and made it all the way to the train bridge without a break. Then decided Kiwi might appreciate a drink at the doggy fountain there, but she didn't so we continued on. I ran until we got just past the Mendel Art Gallery and decided my body needed a little break. So I walked for a couple of minutes then told myself that I would run the rest of the way to River Landing. I did really well until I got just past the Bessborough Hotel and saw that the Children's Festival was still on so the sidewalk was full of people making it pretty hard to run with a dog. I walked through there then ran the rest of the way to River Landing.
According to my heart rate monitor it only took me 37 minutes! My heart rate averaged at 160 beats per minute and peaked at 175 beats per minute. From my calculations my ideal heart rate zone is between 133 and 173 so I was definitely not 'doggin it'. Also my heart rate monitor tells me that I burned 550 calories :) Now I can have some ice cream without feeling guilty.....or maybe not, haha.
After using Google Pedometer to map out my run today I see that what I did was closer to 5km than 6km, but I am still pleased with my progress. I think it was about 2 months ago that I decided to try jogging for the first time. This was before I planned to do the Mogathon, I could only jog a block then had to walk a block. Then a couple of weeks later I tried again and I could jog three blocks and walk a block. Now going for 20 minutes straight or more feels like a pretty great accomplishment.
I used to wonder why someone would even consider running. It's hard on your joints, and you aren't running anywhere.....it's not practical. But I think part of it is the sense of accomplishment. I can't foresee myself running any marathons, or half marathons, but it is fun to push yourself and see what you can do. I have realized that a lot of exercising and pushing yourself is more of a mental game than a physical one. Your mind tells you can't do it, so you can't. But it is amazing if you can push through what you think you can do and see what you are truly capable of. If you would have told me on January 1st that I would be training to run 6km I don't know if I would have believed you. I never thought I would be a runner. I don't know if it's something I will continue to pursue since I don't see myself outside running the -20C weather.....but it's nice to set goals and accomplish them.
Jason dropped me off at Spadina Cres. and Ravine Dr. I told him not to expect me at the River Landing (where he was heading to take pictures) for at least 45 minutes to an hour. I started running and made it all the way to the train bridge without a break. Then decided Kiwi might appreciate a drink at the doggy fountain there, but she didn't so we continued on. I ran until we got just past the Mendel Art Gallery and decided my body needed a little break. So I walked for a couple of minutes then told myself that I would run the rest of the way to River Landing. I did really well until I got just past the Bessborough Hotel and saw that the Children's Festival was still on so the sidewalk was full of people making it pretty hard to run with a dog. I walked through there then ran the rest of the way to River Landing.
According to my heart rate monitor it only took me 37 minutes! My heart rate averaged at 160 beats per minute and peaked at 175 beats per minute. From my calculations my ideal heart rate zone is between 133 and 173 so I was definitely not 'doggin it'. Also my heart rate monitor tells me that I burned 550 calories :) Now I can have some ice cream without feeling guilty.....or maybe not, haha.
After using Google Pedometer to map out my run today I see that what I did was closer to 5km than 6km, but I am still pleased with my progress. I think it was about 2 months ago that I decided to try jogging for the first time. This was before I planned to do the Mogathon, I could only jog a block then had to walk a block. Then a couple of weeks later I tried again and I could jog three blocks and walk a block. Now going for 20 minutes straight or more feels like a pretty great accomplishment.
I used to wonder why someone would even consider running. It's hard on your joints, and you aren't running anywhere.....it's not practical. But I think part of it is the sense of accomplishment. I can't foresee myself running any marathons, or half marathons, but it is fun to push yourself and see what you can do. I have realized that a lot of exercising and pushing yourself is more of a mental game than a physical one. Your mind tells you can't do it, so you can't. But it is amazing if you can push through what you think you can do and see what you are truly capable of. If you would have told me on January 1st that I would be training to run 6km I don't know if I would have believed you. I never thought I would be a runner. I don't know if it's something I will continue to pursue since I don't see myself outside running the -20C weather.....but it's nice to set goals and accomplish them.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Blah
A mixture of various things in my life right now are making me feel really blah. I don't think I would quite say I am depressed I just feel sort of gloomy and low. This weather could really take a hike. I think the sun would do oodles of good for my state of mind right now. And not just one little sunny day....I am talking about a week solid of +20C and sun. I am finding my motivation to work out is even kind of dwindling. I haven't given up on it, but it's not like I hop out of bed and jump into my work out clothes. It's like "ooookay, I guess I'll do it".
I am still enjoying it, and I was really impressed when I attempted the 30 Day Shred last night after not having done it since I started P90X that I am so much stronger. I did a number of push ups from my toes, and the cardio that just about killed me a few months ago wasn't nearly as challenging. But I sure was soaked by the time I was done.
I am thinking this weekend of attempting to do a 6km run on the route that I will run for the Mogathon in a couple of weeks. I would possibly get Jay to drop me off at River Landing and either he could hang out there for a while, or go do some stuff for an hour, then come pick me up at Ravine Drive. I just think it wouldn't be a bad idea to do a full practice run. See how I am able to handle it. At this point I am hoping to be able to run it in 45 minutes or less. Not sure how realistic that is, but at this point I seem to be able to run about 3kms in 20 minutes, so I think it's a realistic goal.
I am still enjoying it, and I was really impressed when I attempted the 30 Day Shred last night after not having done it since I started P90X that I am so much stronger. I did a number of push ups from my toes, and the cardio that just about killed me a few months ago wasn't nearly as challenging. But I sure was soaked by the time I was done.
I am thinking this weekend of attempting to do a 6km run on the route that I will run for the Mogathon in a couple of weeks. I would possibly get Jay to drop me off at River Landing and either he could hang out there for a while, or go do some stuff for an hour, then come pick me up at Ravine Drive. I just think it wouldn't be a bad idea to do a full practice run. See how I am able to handle it. At this point I am hoping to be able to run it in 45 minutes or less. Not sure how realistic that is, but at this point I seem to be able to run about 3kms in 20 minutes, so I think it's a realistic goal.