Well, it's been a long while since I had much good to post about, but now I can truly say I am back at it! This past week, I got in 5 runs...the first running I have done in well over a month. In fact, the last run before this was on the 4th of July at the Firecracker 4...and later that night/morning of the 5th, was when my gallbladder started talking to me--really loudly! I had been having attacks on and off for at least 6 months or so, but when they passed, I felt fine and went about my business, not really tying it all together. But when I had this "mother of all attacks" on the morning of the 5th and then another one about 3 days later, I knew I couldn't ignore it anymore. Went to the ER, since I couldn't get in anywhere and felt like..well, pretty much like I was dying...and the ultrasound showed a gallbladder full of stones. Had an ERCP (scopy-type procedure) to make sure there were no stones stuck in my common bile duct and a stent installed, had the gallbladder out the next day with a laparoscopic surgery, and another ERCP the next week to un-install the stent. I had my surgery on a Tuesday and was back to work Saturday, so I had a pretty quick recovery.
I hadn't been feeling great for awhile, and didn't really realize it I guess, and between going full time at the hospital and all the crazy gallbladderness, I had really lapsed in my exercise...and boy oh boy, could I tell! A Stacy who gets out and sweats is a much happier Stacy, I have found! Well, my doctor gave me the go-ahead to run when he took my staples out, just with the warning that my "organs would bounce around where my gallbladder used to be" so...uh...yea, that was encouraging...but, I went ahead and got out there....so, I am back at it!!!!!!
Last week, I got out to run/walk, and, being the first one back in awhile, it was tough. That, and the fact that it felt like it was about 200 degrees outside didn't help! But I made it through 3 miles, and felt pretty good after. The next day, I made it out again, and still felt slow as molasses, but made it. The next couple of nights I had to work, so when I got home in the morning, I went and ran before I went to sleep. Now, I was getting somewhere! It was so much cooler in the morning, and between that and just getting back with it, man oh man...did I feel good!!! I am now back to being able to run about a half hour before having to have a walk break, which is a HUGE accomplishment. Now, granted, I am WAY slow...and I am pretty sure I look like a giant ungraceful...hmm...hippo perhaps...plodding along! But, I can do it, I can do it!! It is absolutely amazing to me how the body can remember what it once could do and can get back with it relatively quickly! I was doing pretty good this Spring with my half marathon in Feb and then the triathlon in April, and after that was when it all sorta fell apart...but now...I feel like I'm back with it!!! Yay for me! So grateful for the gift of a good sweat...God is truly good, all the time!! Yep, I am blessed!
To keep me accountable and to give me a goal to work toward, I SIGNED UP for the San Antonio Rock and Roll Half marathon in November....WAHOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!! We've got a hotel booked (for free..with Marriott points...even better!) and everything, so I'm totally excited! Now, just to figure out how/when to get my runs in with this crazy schedule of mine...but I think I can, I think I can, I think I can!!!!
Just wanted to update...I have some good sweatin' to update about now, so I couldn't resist!
