Road Rash

Here's a nice pic of some of the road rash I sustained when I sprained my ankle. This actually hurts more than the sprain. It stings like hell. My ankle has gone down a little in swelling and is starting to bruise up really nicely. I should have several colors of the rainbow on my ankle and knee in a day or two. I am still thankful that I am walking around with some stiffness and not in a cast and on crutches!
Guess who's coming home tonight???? Tri hawg!!!!

Sprained Ankle

If you look closely you might be able to see that my right outer ankle is swelling/blowing up to the size of a golf ball.

One might ask. "How in the heck did that happen!?!" I myself ask the same question.

I was all geeked up to go on a nice long run. The weather was beautiful and I wanted to get close to the lake. To run and see the sun glisten and sparkle like diamonds across the waves, to see the boaters and sun bathers enjoying the day....that was the plan.
I parked on the bluff and crossed over the train bridge to start my run, planning on going plus 6 miles, got the ipod ready and started pounding the trail. Not pounding the pavement, but pounding the trail. A trail the size of a six pack in width. Yes, it's a little narrow I realize this, but the views are incredible and I just love running off the beaten path with no one else around. I got to the end of the trail and turned around. The plan was to continue down the "paved" path, down to the beach, down the pier, into town and then do it all over again...2 loops. That was the plan. Once I had doubled back on the trail my muscles were warming up nicely and my legs were feeling great, this is gonna be a nice run I told myself.
I'm not sure what exactly happened, but I went down. HARD. One moment I looked up and the next I was on my hands and knees and in a lot of pain. The swelling was instant, which scared the crap out of me....I've never seen a body part swell that fast. I pretty much got up/ brushed off and started walking/limping about a third of a mile back to my car. All the while of course trying to assess what the hell just happened and how hurt am I? I was dirty and had road rash on my knees and hurt hands as well. I didn't think that I had any broken bones, but like I said, the swelling was freaking me out. The worst part out of all of this: only 1.7 miles run!!!
I called Tri Hawg when I got to the car. He's still in Florida so he couldn't come pick me up :0( I just needed a loving voice to get me through the car ride. I did almost go to the ER, but just could not stomach the thought of a three hour wait. The next best thing---->I called my neighbor...her husband is an orthopedic surgeon...how handy is that! But he happened to be in surgery...aahrrgg. She did say that she would have him stop by though after work.
Well, the good news is that the Doc says it is a sprain, but not a major one. Yeah! Rest, ice, compression and elevation have been prescribed. I am trying to be a good patient, but I am already sick as all get out of having my foot in the air. That might be easier once Tri Hawg gets home tomorrow!!! ;-)

Back to swimming and biking once the swelling goes down and then run on the pavement...no trail...at least for a while. Doctor's orders.

School Night

Tonight is a school night! This is a very exciting night for parents and kids too. Mine are ready to go back...I think they are sick of me and need a change of pace. Now I could easily spend another three months with all of them in a one room hotel room with out going completely insane....not. We have had a great summer, but there is something about the night before school starts that is just ripe with anticipation. All the back packs are ready and school shopping complete, we've done this many times before. The kids just know the drill. I remember each time my kids entered kindergarten. What a huge milestone in their lives, it really marks a journey that will not end for more than a decade. It is also a huge milestone for a parent as well. It forces us to let go, to let them have a little independence...to walk away from us when we still want to hold their hands all the way. We cry because we know this day will never come again...it is a turning point in our child's life, in our life.

I have three children. It has been many years since I escorted them to a kindergarten class, yet that feeling of something new in the air, a new start, a fresh chance is ever present on this day. There aren't as many tears...maybe some. Maybe now the tears are for a different reason...or maybe not. My oldest is only two years away from graduating from high school. This feels harder than any good bye at the kindergarten classroom! My heart wants to break at the thought of him leaving. The journey that we as parents have prepared is nearly over for him. But the journey of his lifetime is just beginning.
We reach a point as parents when our children no longer depend on us for everything. They want their independence, they want us to know that they can make it on their own. I can only hope that we have given them the tools to make the important decisions, to make mistakes and learn...to come home when they need to feel safe and loved.

Life is worth the journey, we just need to sit back and enjoy the ride.
KO

Mickey and Company

I am finally back and looking forward to staying home for a while!
The kids and I took a trip to Florida to visit Tri Hawg...he's training on a new aircraft down there and has been gone for several weeks.
We spent a couple of days at Disney World. Went to the Magic Kingdom...saw lots and lots of princesses and rode space mountain too many times to count. The next day we went to MGM and rode the Aerosmith rollercoaster too many times to count. The tower of terror was my favorite though. The animation studio was very cool...we got to draw winny the pooh and Goofy!
We also got to spend the day at Cocoa beach. The waves were great! We played in the ocean for two hours straight....we did not get out at all! pruny fingers all around. Unfortunately, the shuttle launch got scrubbed and we weren't able to see it. Oh, well. We still had a really great time.
Now school starts next Tuesday and Tri Hawg gets home next Friday....that will be nice!

Back to training.