Back UP and running...sort of...

Race Number Two of 2013: Rock 'n' Roll St. Pete

Thursday, January 31st:

Dozens of people have asked me what if felt like to run 22 Half Marathons last year (okay, for you sticklers out there, there was one that was cancelled after a 2-hour delay due to weather but I still made it to the starting line ready to run so I count it). My answer is: It felt AWESOME. I can't believe it went by so fast and with such great results for reaching thousands of people with our Get Back Up message.

My one big concern from the first race of 2012 all the way to the last event in December was getting injured. What would I do if an ankle sprain, shin splits, muscle pull, plantar fasciitis or other common running injury sidelined me and derailed the Get Back UP train?! It's hard enough to train for one Marathon completely unscathed much less traverse the USA in order to run 22 Half's in less than 12 months.

Amazingly I got through the entire year of 30 total race events without a scratch so I had no real concerns when asked to continue the GBU campaign in 2013. Well, WOW, was I ever hit with a doozy of an injury! (If you're reading this blog for the first time, the previous 3 entries detail the "doozy".)

Suddenly I had no idea what to think about the schedule we had committed to, whether or not I'd be able to run again at all much less the events starting up again in 2 weeks. I assumed I'd be sidelined from travel for over a month and expected I'd be done running for a minimum of 6-8 weeks. We got busy trying to rethink our plan in order to accommodate my recovery and yet still honor the commitments we made.

Well, yesterday my physician said that if I keep improving as I have the past 6 days I will be allowed to travel to St. Pete and possibly be allowed to complete the 3-mile mini marathon. What?! Oh my gosh, I had to ask him twice about this. I felt like I just hit the jackpot!

Mind you, Dr. Roy did say that I wouldn't be allowed to run a regular pace and should walk the majority of the event, jogging only intermittently. As I heard him talking to me I got so excited to be allowed to travel and, even if I didn't actively compete at all, to cheer for Jim and Buzz and the Kramers who had all planned to be there with me. So now I will be on my best behavior this week in hopes that I have no setbacks... St. Pete or BUST!

Friday, February 8th:

I'm cleared to travel and heading to St. Petersburg, FL for RnR event #2 of 2013! I have my restrictions, no heavy lifting or exertion, but other than that I'm feeling great. 

Perfect weather upon landing in Florida! Big change from last year when the temps were freezing with high winds.

Saturday, February 9th:

Happy Birthday, MOM!!! I love you and I promise I will be careful while I'm healing! 

Yesterday I followed doctor's orders: arrived in Tampa and made the drive over to the hotel where I quietly worked on the computer all afternoon. I do feel fatigued quite easily so it was an early curfew for me last night.

Today, first on the list is to head to the Expo to check into the race. I am hoping that there will be no issue with switching from the Half to the Mini Marathon... I still can't believe I will be "running" again only 2 weeks from my spinal fusion surgery.

The Expo is at Tropicana Field behind Jim. We got lucky with a daring U-Turn and got the only spot left where the parking is free. 

Less than half a block from my spot, this is what they are charging for the Expo parking... we are much happier with "Free".

What better way to celebrate my current state of health?

A beautiful day here in sunny Florida.

Jim is checking in for the Half while I go to the "Solutions" booth to switch to the Mini Marathon, a 3-mile option they added to this event.

We met "The General", a VIP of Geico insurance, who gave us free shirts and a few other goodies for sharing our story on the Geico "Why do you run" wall.

The Expo!

A sight for sore eyes! Merle is finally working a Sweaty Bands booth in the same town that we are running... this hasn't happened since the first week of December 2012.

We've missed you, Merle!

On our way out we ran into Kevin Gonzalez, one of our RnR Gypsy friends. Today is also Kevin's birthday.

Happy Birthday, Kevin! Great to see you!

Next on the agenda, heading to the Lucky Dill Deli to say hi to Jim Campbell (another  gypsy friend) and finally to meet his wife after one full year of hearing about her. Sorry, the photos got deleted by accident but it was great to meet you, Deb, and I look forward to your next RnR trip!

Off to lunch at The Garden in downtown St. Pete. I was concentrating too hard on eating, still have a hard time with solid foods, so I forgot to take photos of our meal. It was great though so I heartily recommend eating here next time you're in downtown St. Pete.

The view down the street from outside our restaurant.

After our late lunch we drove the 30 minutes back to our hotel to rest up for tomorrow's events. I thought I would have a difficult time taking it easy (per doctor's orders) but I have discovered that I get tired so quickly still, hopefully just a lingering side effect of my surgery. I fell asleep so early that I neglected to make my Get Back UP sign!

Sunday, February 10th: RACE DAY!!

4:30 a.m. wake-up call then dressed and on the road by 5:15. We have a 20-30 minute drive to start line area where I need to finish making my sign. I still can't drive due to my surgery so while Jim got us to our parking area I was assembling the sign.

As soon as we arrived at Tropicana Field I got a call from our PR company that I needed to meet a reporter at the Start Line. Woo hoo! It's always great when an interview comes through--it's the only reason we're doing these races.

Reporter/Photojournalist Mike Dixon is behind the camera. His questions were fantastic and he really understood the need to help people Get Back UP. Thank you, Mike!!

All the sane people haven't quite arrived yet, as you can tell by the completely-empty starting corrals!

(NOTE: Mike has given us permission to post his interview piece on the Get Back UP Today YouTube channel so when we get it I'll add the link)

Trying to find light to make my sign!

I'm making this one smaller so I can carry it on my walk-run through the Mini Marathon today.

Almost done! My race starts a half-hour before the Half Marathon so I have to finish this quickly. Mike Dixon wants to get shots of me with the sign before and during the start of the race.

As the sun comes up the RnR regulars start making their way to the VIP tent. David DeNeire plans to rock out in his tutu today....love it!

Jim finds John Kramer before the start. Jim is already sweating before the sun is up while John and Mary are bundled up in sweats. FYI...it is 65 degrees!

I can't believe how nervous I am to start my 3-miler! I rarely get nervous before a Half Marathon and yet the butterflies are dancing away in my belly. The sun is rising, it's a gorgeous morning and I am so thankful to be here today. I take a silent moment of gratitude and send a telepathic promise to my parents that I will be safe today.

Feeling like a million bucks!

As we start the Mini Marathon I step aside to take photos of my fellow walk-runners.

We head east toward the waterfront then head north towards the finish area. Yes, it's still somewhat dark but the sun will be in full force soon.

As promised, I take frequent breaks from my walk-run intervals and take time to capture the scenery.

It feels so good to be out here. I've met so many people who are doing their first-ever race, their stories are all so inspiring!

A look back at the gorgeous sunrise.

Just passed the 2.5 mile mark and I am feeling great and taking my time!

I did it!! I actually got teary-eyed as I crossed the finish line... 2 weeks ago I never dreamed I'd be here!! Thankyouthankyouthankyou, Dr. Roy and all of you at Morehead Hospital for getting me back up so beautifully!!

There's no one else at VIP yet, the Half Marathoner's have only just started.  The food looks so wonderful...but it's safe from me since solid foods are still not cooperating with my trachea.

The set-up here is phenomenal. Yes, the food looks delectable but the floral displays are also fabulous. The florist "melted" LPs for the vases and used 45's for accents...genious!

For any young whippersnappers out there, you may have to look up the definition of an LP and a 45.

One of the caterers took a "finish photo" for me. I went the whole way with my sign and met so many great people along the course.

Soooooo tempting.

Check out her hat... I LOVE IT! She's waiting for her daughter to finish, apparently her daughter is one of the elite athletes, very impressive!

John Kramer enjoys the shade after his Half Marathon finish. Congrats on another one, John!

Mary Kramer breezes through another Half! Darn her, she always makes it look so easy!

Next across the finish line: Jim and David! What a team! (I guess it's obvious who wears the pants in this relationship. :-)

Buzz Hanie completes his FIRST EVER Half Marathon! You may have remembered seeing Buzz' photos from last year's Savannah and Miami Beach events. He's one of the hard-working Allard reps and when he came to his first RnR event last November he got inspired to start running. Way to go, Buzz! It was so fun to watch YOU cross the finish line for a change... I get to pay you back for supporting me last year. I'm so proud of you!

Buzz is all smiles after a quick change and the prospects of food...

Well-earned frozen strawberries on his plate... he's been talking about these since Savannah!

Buzz joins in as a new Rock n' Roll gypsy... he's earned it since this is his 3rd appearance in less than 4 months. This time he gets the medal for his efforts! Also in the photo: Kevin Gonzales with a Personal Best today, Susan and Ron Carino both finish strong with big smiles.

John and Mary Kramer are RnR gypsies, too... we forget that sometimes since they are friends from home. Congrats, Kramers, it is always more fun to have our NC peeps in the house!

Mary enjoys the moment...

Technically, I beat Mary by almost an hour and a half (if you count finish time only and not distance-run!) so she gets to "talk to the hand".  Mary "borrowed" the first-place finisher's trophies for the photo... she says she deserved it more. I fake my own trophy with the beautiful floral arrangement.
:-)

On the shuttle back to Tropicana Field I meet a fellow Tarheel... the day just gets better and better! (I was outnumbered by NC State fans with Jim, John and Mary all against me)

John and Kevin enjoying the easy shuttle ride.

Apparently Mary really is a VIP... she sweetly convinced the shuttle driver to take her directly to her hotel--What moxie! The rest of us remained aboard until we got to the parking lots at Tropicana. 

I had an amazing weekend here in St. Pete and I appreciated Rock 'n' Roll racing and all of my friends so much more than I realized. I truly never expected to feel this good so shortly after a major spinal surgery. While I am not fully recovered, I went to bed feeling like I was on Cloud 9.

I know I only ran the 3-mile Mini but inside I felt like I accomplished a full marathon. Official time: 32:31.

Next Up: Rock N Roll New Orleans! Not sure if I'll be able to run the Half there but maybe the Half Relay. We'll keep a good thought!

January 2013: Part 3 of 3

Got knocked down... but I got up again!!

Tuesday, January 22:

I finally got my MRI after returning from Phoenix yesterday morning. The diagnosis: Ruptured disk at C-6, C-7. The solution: Spinal Fusion surgery ASAP.

I pretty much knew after experiencing ruptured disks in the past that this was the case. Still, it didn't make the diagnosis/solution easier to take. Fortunately I have an amazing neurosurgeon and he knew exactly what to say to me.

His very first words to me were "Running DID NOT cause this!" He then told me that the irritation I had been feeling between my shoulder blades starting last summer was the first sign of the disk bulging. Because the irritation felt more like a pulled muscle I never felt the need to seek treatment, other than stretching and massage. When the pain began to get worse and I felt the first signs of numbness in my index finger I thought I may indeed have an issue with my spine. However, the pain came and went...disappearing completely at times...so I went back to thinking that I had a muscle issue that was somehow impinging on an arm nerve. 

The friends and family close to me know that I was making plans to see my physician about this as early as November but with my busy schedule not matching up well with my doctor's busy schedule I kept putting this off. There were no imminent signs of something so serious happening so I planned to finish my obligations with Allard through the January travel and then deal with it.

Well, obviously life had other plans. Dr. Roy suggested that perhaps the fall I took in NYC in October contributed to the disk rupturing but also said that the imperfections in my spine relate directly to my spinal birth defects and he fully expected I would have trouble with C-6, C-7 at some point. He was upset with me for not seeing him sooner but then understood when I described what I was feeling and when. By the time it ruptured I was halfway around the world practically so by then it was too late to schedule an appointment 4-6 weeks out!

Thursday, January 24th:

Because I was at home Tuesday and Wednesday without having to travel I finally opted for prescription pain pills. Can I just say, WOOOOO-HOOOOO!!! Finally, true relief from this pain. 

After the first good night of sleep in almost 2 weeks I was actually able to get a lot of work done (via computer) while reclining in my own bed these last 2 days. I finally told the entire PR team and my boss at Allard about my situation and everyone took the news extremely well.

Today is surgery day. On one hand I am totally terrified knowing full well the multitude of things that can go wrong with spinal surgery. On the other hand, I am totally ready to have this problem behind me and I have full confidence in my neurosurgeon and his team. 

My mom met me and Jim at Morehead Hospital a few hours ago and I was swept right in to be prepped for the operation:

Jim resumed his role of photographer-pro-tem while I am unable to carry out the duties of my position.  Here I am, ready to roll into the OR.

Like a true Deloria woman I am on the phone mere minutes after coming out of surgery. All went well and I am feeling no pain!

Hour by hour I am feeling stronger than ever, I am surprised how well I feel by the afternoon. Here I am with a bag my sister gave me for Christmas. I didn't exactly think my first time using it would be for a hospital stay but I'm happy to have a part of her with me.

True to my duties towards this blog, here's the menu I was presented. Sadly, I accidentally erased the photo I took of the "meal" I received: green beans that tasted much like the carrots also on the plate, bland kidney beans for protein and mashed potatoes that actually hit the spot.

My husband, the trooper. He drove me here early this morning and is the last-man-standing (okay, sitting) at the end of the night when all other visitors have gone. He got a hotel room only a few blocks away so he could be close by yet still have a chance at getting a good night's sleep.

Friday, January 25th:

I just noticed my new gold bracelet. Ladies and Gentleman, this is what having foot drop earns you!

My sister, Becky, commented that in my pastel outfit I was much more of a Spring Risk than a Fall Risk.
:-)

Growing up my mom always told my sisters and I that we need to "Eat the Rainbow" in order to make sure we get all the necessary nutrients. I was thinking that meant eating food of every color possible, but apparently we just need all the Yellow hues!

Breakfast the morning after my surgery: oatmeal. pancakes, biscuit and scrambled eggs. I didn't place the order or I may have opted for one of the other colors of the rainbow. The eggs were actually great.

Outside cover of my lunch menu.

I like the "vegetarian" menu...they simply crossed off all the options that had meat in them. :-) Well, it was kinda funny but it was certainly practical, although they probably didn't need to go through the trouble.

Can you believe it? I am released on Friday after feeling so strong and needing very minimal pain medication. So happy to be back home and feeling like a million bucks! (By the way, after seeing this photo I did ask my husband to replace the lightbulb above my head)

Saturday-Sunday, January 26th-27th:

I felt great considering everything I went through this week and spent much time on the phone and visiting with some good friends. I do feel like I overdid it a bit, though... I suddenly felt exhausted but other than that I knew I was on the mend.

A brief scare overnight on Sunday when I woke with pain around midnight. The pain was in my left leg where I have almost no sensation due to my foot drop/paralysis of the peroneal nerve. Concerned that the bluish lump on the leg could be a blood clot my husband raced me over to the ER where we spent about 4 hours.

Fun in ER.

My husband contemplating all the ways in which this ordeal could be better managed. Or maybe he's just wishing that my problems would not cut so deeply into his sleep time!

I was released from the OR after a test determined that a clot was possible followed by a subsequent painful shot in the abdomen with a potent but short-lived blood thinner. I needed to return to the outpatient clinic in 4 hours to have an ultrasound done...but at least we can sneak in a few hours of sleep before then.

Monday, January 28th-Tuesday, January 29th:

The ultrasound at 8:00am revealed a "dilitation" (tech's word, not mine) at the location of last night's bluish lump. No clot was present but it was suggested by the dialation still present in the vein that the blood thinner helped a possible clot to work it's way out without incident. I was told that it was a great decision to visit the ER and yet I was left thinking about whether I could have saved time and much money by waiting to see if it worked its way out on its own. Oh well, no way to know. For now, back home to work... NOTE: It was brought to my attention after this was posted that I spoke irresponsibly here!! It is ALWAYS the right choice to immediately check out a possible clot!!! The risks of danger far outweigh the inconvenience!! I let my frustration with my recent ordeal cloud my judgement with my last comment in this paragraph and I owe thanks to my friend Lisa for pointing this out! 

Aside from being exhausted I feel amazingly good and am completely off of all medication. I decided to get right back to work, albeit with frequent breaks and limitations on physical movement. Denny Kelly came to my house for our meeting on Monday as I am still not supposed to drive. We have so many details to work out for our 2013 campaign and we are all eager to keep moving forward with our progress. Tuesday was more of the same and I feel so much better now that I'm getting back on track with the job in addition to recovering so well from the surgery.

Wednesday, January 30th:

Great news!!

My checkup with Dr. Roy went perfectly! I got permission to drive and to take off my collar, although I am still supposed to take things slowly.

He also said that I can travel at the end of next week so I don't have to miss any of the Get Back UP campaign stops. I won't be able to run the Half Marathon there but incredibly I will be allowed to enter the mini-marathon (3-mile) option at the Rock N Roll St. Petersburg event. I have to wait and see how things go but if I continue to feel strong with no pain I can walk-jog the event just 2 weeks from my surgery date....I'm ecstatic!!

Here's the X-ray of my newest hardware:

A butterfly plate (left)  as it would look from standing right in front of me. This plate is held in place by four screws shown from the side view on the right. In between the vertebrae I have a "spacer" made up of man-made material and cadaver bone tissue. I hope he used Cheetah bone!!

Carol Paez' dog, Toto, sent me this adorable little floral buddy as I am recuperating. Who could stay sick with such an encouraging medical team?

Speaking of great medical teams... here I am with Janelle at Morehead Neurospine 6 days after my fusion surgery.  She and the rest of Dr. Roy's staff were absolutely wonderful and I can't begin to thank them enough. 

My miracle-working neurosurgeon, Dr. Mark Roy. If anyone deserves a Get Back Up medal it is him and his team ! Thank you for getting me and so many others back up and running so quickly!!