I am temporarily still operating under my previous blog’s email address, so for the time being I can be reached at: drtrirunner (at) gmail (dot) com. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions, comments, or concerns!
ABOUT THE Triathlon Rx
If you go way back in the archives… it’s pretty easy to tell I was strictly a runner. I might have played with a little cross training here and there, but running was my passion. It kept me grounded, it lit the fire, it helped me connect with God, helped me connect with others, allowed me to destress, allowed me to get excited… it sounds bad to say it, but it really was my life.
Until that last fateful run on September 27th, 2008. After my coach noticed I was limping and sent me for x-rays, I was put almost immediately into an MRI, a CT, and a meeting with two specialists: one in hips, and the other in tumors. Shortly thereafter I was on crutches, scheduled for surgery (#1), and diagnosed with fibrous dysplasia. Months of rehab followed – both physical and mental. Suddenly without the biggest constant in my life, I felt paralyzed by the uncertainties ahead. I felt like I had lost my identity.
It was in my first post-op meeting, after my doctor had given me a protocol for pool running and cross training, that he suggested the possibility of doing a triathlon. I had only ever participated in one before, and that was as part of a relay team. Obviously as the runner. But as I thought about my years on the Uptown Otters swim team, and my bike commuting to and from work, his words started to sink in. It was his perfect solution… his prescription… his compromise with my determination to stay an athlete and the medical need to put less impact on the neck of my femur. I started to think, Maybe that wouldn’t be so bad…
This prescription has truly changed my life.
However it was that you wound up here at The Triathlon Rx, I’m glad you made it, and I hope you stay a while!
-E
dang sperly is tiny lol! you sure pound back the food for such a small person. i’m impressed.
girl gotta do what a girl gotta do!
hey – i found your blog and just want to say hello from a fellow minnesotan
i’m from eden prairie! mind if i add you to my blogroll?
I am from MN and go to the U too! What year are you?
Nice blog E! And, congrats on the RFTR finish and good luck at Med City.
I loved reading your blog! And I like the way you listed your “about me”. In that pic above, what is the yellow band around your ankle? Is it one of those usual wristbands, if so what does it say?
It’s a LiveStrong bracelet. I wore it all the time last summer.. and actually just ran across it yesterday when I was packing all my things! I’m wearing it now =]
-E
Hey I didn’t know where to post this but I had some questions I wanted to ask you. You can e-mail me a response if you don’t want to post it here. First off I just wanted to say that your blog is really inspiring and I love it. I wanted to ask you a few running questions. First one is, do you always run in the morning? (if not what time or day). Second, when/if you do run in the morning how much longer after you wake up and what do you eat or drink before if anything? Thanks so much! Again I love the blog keep up the posting!
how do you manage to stay relatively injury-free through all your running? i’m about your size, and whenever i up my mileage to just 40 a week, even gradually, i have problems with nagging knee, shin, and ankle pains.
I just make it a priority to fuel well and listen to my body! If something hurts, I don’t do it. If I have a “scheduled” interval workout or tempo, but my body’s sayin no.. I don’t do it. It took a while to get to the point where I was comfortable with that though..
Being “my size” doesn’t really have anything to do with it. Everyone is different and has different limitations. Listen to your body and you’ll be runnin strong!
-E
Hello!
I came across your story/blog while researching others with FD. My 8 yr. old daughter, Lauren, has McCune-Albright syndrome, with FD being prevalent in both her femurs and widespread in her craniofacial region, sphenoid and skull base. It’s great that you have such wonderful doctors on board your medical team, but I wanted to send you some contact information on another doctor, in case you ever need a second opinion. Lauren’s orthopedic doctor is:
Dr. Robert Stanton
Chief, Pediatric Orthopedics
Nemous Children’s Clinic
5153 North 9th Ave.
Pensacola, FL 32504
(850)505-4720 Office
rstanton@nemours.org
Dr. Stanton is highly regarded as one of the top doctors in the world for fibrous dysplasia, as he’s dedicated over 30 years to treating and doing surgeries on children with FD. Top specialists at the National Institutes of Health recommend him. Many people send him their x-rays and he consults with their doctors about possible surgery routes, etc. We however, choose to travel over 9 hours twice a year to see him personally. He states that FD is so rare that you must be willing to travel to seek good and experienced medical care. He also has recommended a back-up doctor in Wilmington, DE, in his absence:
Dr. William Mackenzie
Orhtopedics, Nemours
Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children
1600 Rockland Road
Wilmington, DE 19803
(302) 651-5890 (Attn: Jennifer, R.N.- Dr. Mackenzie’s nurse’s direct line)
(302) 651-5913 or 5904 Office/Information
I wish you all the best and hope to here of your great successes along the way. My family will keep you in our prayers! I hope this informations helps you some day. Take care-
Sincerely,
Tanya L. (Lauren’s mom, fibrous dysplasia)
Tanya – I read your blog and I truly admire and am thankful for everything you are doing. Both you and your daughter have remained so strong through all of this, and I hope I’ll be able to do the same. I’ll be checking in on your blog to see how things are going. I wish you and your daughter only the best!
I also sent my mom the name of both of those doctors. While I don’t think I’d go to FL to have the surgery, it may be good to have my xrays and scans sent to have another opinion on what type of surgery would be best. Thanks for the resource!
You are so little and cute
I must say quite an athlete too. Thanks for stopping by my blog…it was a redheaded destiny.
I really enjoy reading your blog. Keep up the good work! Good luck getting back into running and good luck with your career aspirations!
Hey Erika, did you figure what to do with that konjac jelly beast? Rinse, lather, repeat. No wait – just rinse, rinse and repeat then blend!
Enjoy!
[...] “sports drink” or can I just have water? What about electrolytes? I already gave you a disclaimer – I’m not a certified hydration expert here, but I’m going to do my best to cover [...]
[...] ABOUT me [...]
I just found your blog and I’m in awe of all you have accomplished. I want to one day be able to do a triathlon and marathon but right now I just run and swim in college. I cannot wait to read more of your posts.
Just came upon your blog and love it!
[...] rolled into one lifestyle blog, I have decided to make a plan that will cover it all. I like how Erica at drtrirunner.com has a weekly schedule. It doesn’t necessarily mean I’ll always have [...]