Tag Archive for doctors

The Triathlon Rx | October 6, 2011
6 comments

Thoughts on a Thursday // Marcaine + Cortisone Injection

Well… this is my way of “breaking the news” – part 1. There will definitely be more to come, so you can expect a lot more Medical Mondays. And probably Friday Confessionals.

Started my Thursday with this:

     

Top L: Disinfecting. Keepin’ it PG. Top R: Needle going into the hip joint. If you enlarge the photo, you can see the cointrast running through the joint. Bottom center: Closer up – doctor explaining the procedure. The two screws you see are two of these three. The third one is directly behind the upper one. Haha my first reaction was “um… isn’t there supposed to be one more in there?” The thing that looks like a little sperm swimming into the joint is actually the head of the needle. On the bone. ♪ Blue on Black ♪

Post injection, they wanted me to go for a test run. So I did. And because I was afraid my leg might fall off 4 miles from home, I brought my phone.

And in a moment of delirium… I made you a video. Fair warning – this might leave you feeling like you just watched the Blaire Witch Project. It made me dizzy!! This would have been much easier taken with a Go Pro HD Camera… just sayin. ;)

“Hey hunnies…”

Ohhhh wow.

If you’ve ever wondered what a “friend” blogger sounds like in real life? Here you go. This is me! Susan – do I actually sound like this in conversation? I [hopefully] promise I’m not that easily distracted in person. Example: (46 sec.) ”That’s a pretty tree.” Start a new sentence… (49 sec.) “That’s a pretty house!!” Hahah and I keep talking about how Minneapolis is really nice in the fall. (Note that I stated nothing about months December through March.) And how I’m going to get hit by a car.

Well I didn’t get hit by a car, and my leg didn’t fall off. Success! And I DID get a longer run than I thought … that’s what I get for leaving the Garmin at home! Good ol’ fashioned Gmaps Pedometer. 7.11 miles in 57 minutes.

The reason I haven’t brought any of this up yet (which you may or may not have caught in the video) is that I just don’t see any need to jump the gun. There are too many uncertainties right now (which surgical procedure, when the surgery will actually happen, the extent of the labral tear, etc.) to go into too much detail. But I also didn’t want to wait until the day before surgery, and then say… SURPRISE!! And I will say it has been hard to avoid the subject – it’s been on my mind. A lot!! Will keep everyone updated, but will hopefully also maintain the upbeat attitude of Dr.TriRunner going strong. :)

Reader Qs:

Have any of the readers out there ever had a labral tear? What was surgery and recovery like? Where was your tear? Where did you have surgery? While were talking about surgery – give me anything! What was the injury, what was the rehab, and how long was it before you were back to doin’ you?

-E

 

 

Category: Thoughts on a Thursday | Tags: , ,
The Triathlon Rx | August 29, 2011
7 comments

Medical Monday // training, racing, medicating

¡Buenos dias chiquitos! Before you leave today, don’t forget to enter the Vital Sox Compression Sleeve / Arm Warmer giveaway! Closes on WEDNESDAY.

Last week, one of my very best friends asked me about taking over the counter medications before a race. She traveled to the land of the Canuks to race Ironman Canada (which was YESTERDAY!!), and was curious if anything she might take would interfere with her race day. With the amount of time one commits to training for an iron distance race, I would definitely agree that you don’t want an OTC medication (or any medication for that matter) to be your downfall. If my race turns into a nightmare, I want it to be because I was undertrained, overtrained, unprepared for the course/weather/competition/whatever. I do NOT want it to be because I took too many Naproxen.

So of course, she innocently asks me a sports science question. And I get excited and respond with a novel. I’ve done some editing of our emails to make sure all bases are covered, and with that I think we’re ready to go!

There are two general categories of meds an athlete would take pre-race: those that cause some sort of anti-inflammatory reaction // and // those that don’t.

Most of you have probably heard the term NSAIDS – non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. You don’t really need to remember the whole thing – just that the NSAID stands for anti-inflammatory. NSAIDS work to reduce inflammation in the body, help prevent blood clots (thin the blood), can reduce fevers, and blocks the COX enzymes (refrain from jokes – it stands for cyclooxygenase). The COX enzyme is responsible for prostaglandin synthesis, which in turn contributes to inflammation, pain, and fever. We could go into the science and chemistry, but I don’t think that’s what you’re here for. ;) Common medications in this category include:

  • Aspirin
  • Ibuprofin (Advil, Motrin, Midol, Nuprin)
  • Ketoprofen (Orudis-KT)
  • Naproxen Sodium (Naproxen, Aleve, Anaprox, Naprelan)
  • Celecoxib (generic of Celebrex. Rx only)

Then there is the category that does not cause an anti-inflammatory reaction. Because inflammation is such a big component of sports injuries… athletes are much less likely to take these on a whim. (Unless of course you were unaware that Tylenol and Advil won’t do the same things for you… in which case, keep on readin’.) ;) Again, a common [but incomplete] list would include:

  • Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
  • opiate agonists (Vicodin, morphine, codeine. Lets hope we’re talkin’ Rx only…)
  • local anesthetics

There are a few that get complicated because they’re multi-ingredient pain killers… Tylenol No. 3 (300 mg acetaminophen, 30 mg codeine), Tylox and Percocet (acetaminophen and oxycodone – different strength combinations), Combunox (400 mg ibuprofen, 5 mg oxycodone), Vicoprofen (200 mg ibuprofen, 7.5 mg hydrocodone). Unless you’re taking any of those or extra curious, I wont go into it. However, I will strongly advocate that everyone should discuss everything they’re taking with their doctor – prescription, OTC, vitamins, supplements, the isht you buy at GNC – everything. It might be fine to take one medication on it’s own, but if your doctor doesn’t know you’re also taking ­­­­_____, you could be talkin’ trouble.

In terms of the effect on performance… the two basic terms to know are ergogenic (performance enhancing) and ergolytic (performance inhibiting). While you will certainly find articles and published research touting ergogenic effects of particular medications, the research is not consistent.

[... One little tangent that I need to throw out there: If you’re not racing pro or collegiate, chances are you’ll never be drug tested. But for the love of God, the sport, and your own health, build a better engine. Don’t inject it with rocket fuel. (Unless you’re talking about Roctane, in which case I fully approve. Pineapple orange please.) Dopers suck. ...]

The biggest thing an everyday athlete would want to watch out for is the [unintentional] heavy-handed use of Aspirin or NSAIDS. As with almost everything in life, moderation is key. Without splitting atoms here, they can affect kidney function -> affects hydration and plasma volume -> dilutes electrolytes -> increases risk of hyponatremia. Keep the M[oderation]-word in mind, make sure you’re supplementing your electrolytes in addition to your fuel stores, and really you should be just fine. :)

So much for a short explanation. When I can actually apply the stuff I’ve learned, I get a little carried away. ;)

Reader Qs:

Do you typically pop an advil pre-race? Pre-training? Or are you one of those people that would rather pull a nail out of your foot with eyebrow tweezers than take medication for something? I am… or at least I used to be. After my less than pleasant encounter with poison ivy earlier this month, I think I’ve softened a bit. Prednisone might make you look like a blowfish, but it makes the itching go away. Thank you Gregor Mendel, Louis Pasteur, James Watson, Francis Crick, Alexander Fleming, and the many more who have contributed to modern medicine. :)

CONGRATULATIONS ON AN AMAZING IRONMAN CANADA FINISH C.C.!! CAN’T WAIT TO CATCH UP WITH YOU WHEN YOU GET HOME!

The end.

-E

Category: Medical Monday | Tags: ,
The Triathlon Rx | July 25, 2011
6 comments

Medical Monday // Electromyography

Alternate title… “The Day I Was Electrocuted.”

[Disclaimer - if you don't like needles, there is a needle picture coming! It's teeny tiny though. And no blood.]

(Marking nerve landmarks. Please ignore unfortunate/awkward position of the hand.) Last week I had the pleasure of being on the receiving end of an EMG, or Electromyography. That E_G sequence may look familiar to you, as in ECG (electrocardiogram), EEG (electroencephalogram), EKG (same as ECG). An electrocardiogram is for monitoring your heart, and an electroencephalogram for picking up electrical activity of the brain. (Question for you Dr. Greg or anyone else who can answer… why is an EMG -graphy, and ECG and EEG are -gram?)

So then, what is an EMG?

An EMG, or electromyography, is a diagnostic test used to evaluate the health and functioning of motor neurons and the muscles they stimulate. You can use electrodes placed on the surface of the skin to detect or transmit electrical signals, and/or you can do a needle EMG, in which case a needle is placed directly into the muscle and records electrical activity. I was fortunate enough to do BOTH, because really, who doesn’t want to be shocked and skewered by their doctor?

     

The electrodes were moved around as he shocked different nerves. A made-me-jump shock at my elbow felt like a finger tap on the medial side of my palm. Hmmmm….)

Your doctor may order an EMG if you are experiencing tingling, numbness, loss of motor control, weakness, pain, or cramping. An EMG may be used for preliminary testing for muscular dystrophy, polymyositis, myasthenia gravis, carpal tunnel syndrome, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or a herniated disk in the spine. Putting my sarcasm aside for a minute – I am very thankful that I have none of these are my diagnosis, and honestly and deeply do appreciate my health.

A neurologist typically reads the graphs/charts created during the EMG, and will go over it with your doctor, who will go over it with YOU. There are really only two outcomes: normal tells you you’re fine, but doesn’t solve the question/issue you were trying to solve by doing an EMG in the first place… and abnormal tells you you have more testing to do.

And that, my friends, is more than I’m sure you ever wanted to know about electromyography. :)

(Needle EMG! It was honestly the size of an acupuncture needle… teeny!) If you’re wondering why I was getting an EMG in the first place, it’s a long story that I’m about to make really short. A couple Sundays ago, I was in the middle of a pull set (in the pool) when I realized water was flooding through my left hand. No matter how hard I focused on it, I couldn’t keep the fingers on my left hand together. I was only about 1,000m into the workout, and it was a pretty easy swim to begin with, so I was reasonably frustrated and confused. (Imagine trying to kayak with a paddle full of holes!!) No pain, just weakness and lack of motor control. If you have ever come in from a winter run and you can’t coax your fingers to turn a door key or untie a shoelace, that’s exactly how my fingers felt (/feel). Fortunately, I already had an appointment scheduled with my sports med doc anyways for later that week, so I was able to get in and get her (doctor’s) opinion relatively quickly.

However, the issue is still not resolved, as I haven’t been able to successfully swim more than 1000m before losing strength in my left hand. (I know – cry me a river. But even if you don’t love swimming, you’d probably miss it too if you’re used to swimming on a regular schedule!) It’s mostly affecting the extensors and the pinky and ring finger, which to me sounds like an impinged ulnar nerve. The person reading the EMG had the same consensus, and now, I think, it’s just a waiting game.

Reader Qs:

Have you ever had an EMG, ECG, or EEG? If so, why was it ordered, and what did it show?

See … Mondays aren’t really so bad. You get to learn something new, and you don’t even need to sit through a whole semester of PHAR 5201! Make the start of the week a good one!

-E

Category: Medical Monday | Tags: , , , ,
The Triathlon Rx | December 4, 2010
9 comments

MONO – 0 // Dr. TriRunner – 1

Dear blogfriends,

Before anyone thinks that MONO got the best of me, I thought I better get my butt back here. The epstein-barr virus is tough, but it’s got nothing on this angry little redhead.

Happy to report that I am back to sleeping my regular 8-9 hours a night, compared to the 15 that I was getting for so long. So funny… because looking back on the goals I made at the start of 2010, my #1 issue was not getting enough sleep!! I’ll come back to the rest of my 2010 goals soon enough, but HELL YES. I am finally getting enough sleep. And the excess 7ish hours I was getting each day, although necessary in the moment, I feel like definitely brought me to an “in the black” status. Whattt now Mr. Sandman??

(Hahah! Ok I’m pretty sure I’m the only one who just laughed out loud. It’s ok if only I’m the only one who thinks I’m funny….)

In addition to being free of mono, I also got the clearance to return to “exercising” last week Tuesday. Although I did hear my doctor mention something about the word “walk”… I am just thankful to be back in the gym, breaking a sweat, and starting to work myself away from the Michelin-man status that the last 4 weeks off has left me in!

Not pretty.

Because I only have 8 days of class left, five finals ahead, and four weeks of catch-up to do from being sick, you will not likely see much of me until the 19th of December. However… I may be popping in here and there with little random tidbits.

Which is in fact, all I have for you today. Please enjoy:

Minnesota is cold… and winter is definitely upon us. But every morning I get up at 5am, and am coming home just in time for the sun to rise. Wouldn’t trade it for anything.

You can kind of see my P.O.S. Honda in the background. What you can’t see is the hole created by rust, the brakes that didn’t break, or the BUMPER that fell off recently while driving home. Ummm… long overdue.

I love Peace Coffee. And I love Team Ortho Races! And I definitely definitely love playing with the overpriced Adobe software I was required to buy for Architecture when I was in school in Boston.

Important notes: Peace Coffee recently opened a coffee SHOP in Minneapolis! If you live in the area and haven’t checked them out yet, please please do because their coffee shop is awesome! They have this amazing piece of art tiled into their floor when you walk in. The smell is amazing. The fooood is amazing. And the coffee…. well you already know how I feel about that. :)

So yes, definitely check them out if you can! http://www.peacecoffeeshop.com/ And if you’re trying to come up with a good gift for hubby/girlfriend/aunt/grandma/whoever… I’m just sayin’.  At least I would love to get a bag of beans in my stocking!!

If you haven’t seen it yet, I’ve updated my Link love page! It still is “under construction” – there will be several companies added to it in the near future – but it’s a start!

And I think those are all the pieces of random information I can share with you today. (Read: I have church to get to in 15 minutes!)

I sincerely hope everyone had a wonderful and relaxing thanksgiving, and for all my fellow STUDENTS – hang in there! Just a couple more weeks and you will be hommmmme free. Keep truckin through these final weeks and don’t let the stress get the best of you!

Take care amigos!

E

p.s. WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER! I can’t believe only one person guessed this right! The “W” sign to the lips is signing WATER! Congrats to Janine who was the only to pull that up. :) Hydration is so important when your sick!

p.p.s. For whatever reason…. “resizing” photos is a skill that was lost when I updated my blog templates. Sorry my pictures are so huge!

Category: Uncategorized | Tags: , ,
The Triathlon Rx | November 13, 2010
12 comments

The ABCs of Dr.TriRunner

The University of Minnesota Medical Center now officially owns 12 tubes of my blood, 2 containers of urine (TMI – sorry), and three days of my life. At first I was going to say I want those three days back, but I probably would have been sleeping anyways, so I’m OK with sharing.

I’m also feeling extremely GRATEFUL for many people in my life right now, especially my parents for their honest concern and care (and my mom’s time – she took me to urgent care yesterday on a Friday night when she could have been home with el novio), my doctor who ALSO stayed late with me on a Friday night when he probably had 101 things he’d rather be doing, and the friends I’ve had check in on me throughout all of this. You don’t know it, but you all make me smile ♪ You smile, I smile. ♪ (I kinda feel like I just linked Sesame Street. Hey.. the kid is catchy.)

SO. What have I been up to? Absolutely nothing exciting (sleeping… studying… sleeping… watching House MD… sleeping….). I’ve been making sure to get lots of rest, and lots of this too:

Big props to the first person who can comment saying what’s going on in this photo!! (And yes – that is an Andy Wheating photo next to my bed. Um… end of story.)

I’ve also been spending my little awake time being taught choreography to I Whip My Hair (again with the linking 12 year olds… where do these kids come from? Here is the same girl, Alyssa Chang, dancing to Toyfriend. Girl’s got skill!) Will Smith has some talented kids… just sayin’.

Anywho… I figured while I don’t have anything exciting in terms of training to talk about, I could sneak in one of these “getting to know you” posts. Probably more for my entertainment than yours, but here we go: (p.s. I’m totally cheating. A Boston runner-friend tagged me in this like two years ago on facebook. The answers are mine, but the questions are definitely not my own creative ingenuity.)

The ABCs: 26 things you probably didn’t need to know about Dr.T-R

A – Age: 21
B – Bed size: Queen.. even though I sleep on the same 1/4 of my bed
C – Chore you hate: unpacking a suitcase after a trip
D – Dog’s name: No more doggy. I miss you Tempo!
E – Essential start your day item: Peace Coffee
F – Favorite color: green
G – Gold or Silver or platinum: silver
H – Height: … 5′
I – Instruments you play: I played the piano, saxaphone, and flute when I was in elementary school. Which was placed seriously backseat to gymnastics, dance, softball, and swim team.
J – Job title: Student. Waitress. Shoe saleswoman extraordinaire!
K – Kid(s): In due time. No less than one, no more than… 5. :)
L – Living arrangements: Casa. Con roommate.
M – Mom’s name: Karen.
N – Nicknames: E, Sperly, Sprite, Smirnoff. Any of which I will answer to.
O – Overnight hospital stay other than birth: surgery on back in 2003, hip reconstruction in 2008.
P – Pet Peeve: passive-aggressiveness.
Q – Quote from a movie: “it’s the magic of fighting battles beyond endurance” … “It’s the magic of risking everything for a dream that nobody sees but you” – Million Dollar Baby
R – Right or left handed: right
S – Siblings: 1 – Ry
T – Time you wake up: 5:00 M-F, 6ish SA/SU. without mono ;)
U- Underwear: yes, although not with tri/bike shorts. took a while for me to accept that one….
V – Vegetable you dislike: Hmmm… I’m stuck. Fruit I don’t like? Banana.
W – Ways you run late: Just had to make another cup of coffee before catching the bus…
X – X-rays you’ve had: way more than anyone my age should have had. Most recently two chest x-rays on this last Thursday.
Y – Yummy food you make: pumpkin pie. pumpkin bread. pumpkin pudding.
Z – Zoo favorite: panda or koala bear

I’m not “tagging” anyone, but please feel free to participate if you feel so inclined!

In other “exciting” news, Minneapolis had it’s first snow storm of the season! Check out more pictures from WCCO:

Cold? Yes. Windy? Yes. Sloshy? Yes. Time to resort to the treadmill? NO. What it is time for is a refresher on Winter Running. Check out PART I here, and PART II here. You can check out the rest of my “101″ series under the “Train On Top” link at the top of the page (or by clicking the link)!
Arighty – that’s all I got for you. I need to go scrape off/shovel out/move my car – Minneapolis has declared an official Snow Emergency! (If your local – make sure you know the rules so you don’t get towed!) Hope everyone has a good weekend.
-E
Category: Uncategorized | Tags: , , ,
The Triathlon Rx | November 10, 2010
14 comments

Workout Wednesday: Laughing?

Some studies* show that laughing increases heartrate, increases your metabolism, and in turn increases your caloric burn. How many calories are you torching? Well… that depends on how many funny friends you have. Laughing for just 15 minutes a day can have an effect, and these 15 minutes can be added up over time. (Unless you’ve got the gas mask on or are living with Stephen Colbert, 15 minutes straight might be a stretch…) As a matter of fact, YOU my jolly friend could burn an extra 10 to 40 calories per day**!! Congratulations. You just earned yourself an extra Saltine.

Um… yeah. Don’t cancel your gym membership just yet.

Hate to be the kill joy, but I sort of feel like I’ve been hit by a train. I’ve been prayin to God it’s all a joke, but it looks like my little EBV monster got fired up. No, not my Extra Big VAGUS nerve (oh hush… I know where you were going to take that), but the Epstein-Barr Virus. More commonly known as: MONO.

You have never been so blessed to encounter the Kissing disease?  CLICK HERE for more information. Brought to you by my one and only trusted online source for health information: the Mayo Clinic.

And….. that is all I have to say about that. (For the moment.) Moving on… Workout Wednesday? I guess my only workout for this Wednesday is exercising my face muscles, trying to laugh. These are helping out a little bit…. so I thought I’d share.

Reader Qs: Have you ever had mono? Any suggestions/ideas/advice on making it through? Training can take a break if it needs to…. I’m concerned about SCHOOL. I cannot sleep 16 hours and be learning cardiac physiology at the same time. Any words of wisdom are much appreciated!

-E

* Buchowski, MS. “Energy expenditure of genuine laughter.” International Journal of Obesity. 2007 Jan;31(1):131-7, Colmenares, Clinton. “No joke: Study finds laughing can burn calories.” Reporter. June 10, 2005
** Caloric burn based on a 150 lb (68 kilogram) individual.

Category: Workout Wednesday | Tags: ,
The Triathlon Rx | July 1, 2010
27 comments

Lose the faith of your patients in 5 easy steps

Sorry for the unexcused absence mis amigos! This last week has been full of settling into my new digs, work, and lots of swimming and biking. This following post will explain why. Although a little lengthy… I hope you’ll stick it out with me and read to the end – it’s a subject that’s pretty much universal to all athletes. Unless you’re made of gold. In which case pass me some of whatever you’re taking….

________________________________

Unfortunately, the title of this post reveals the fact that I’ve been at the doctor lately… but I’ll get more into that in the next post. For now though, I just need to get this out. My vexations observed in this post reveal a little bit about why I want to be a sports medicine doctor. They are also feelings that I’m sure all of you as athletes have faced at one point or another if you’ve EVER been to the doctors for an injury. So here we go….

(Vexation: noun. She stamped her foot in vexation. Annoyance, irritation, exasperation, indignation, anger, crossness, displeasure, pique, bile, disgruntlement, bad mood; informal: aggravation. That was your bonus word of the day BTW.)

Quick background: Since the beginning of June, I had been feeling some “stuff” going on in my left shin. Remember that day I said I had the run from hell? Turned around after two miles because my anterior tibialis muscle felt like it was made of steel? That was the start. At that point it was solely muscular feeling.. and I was thinking, oh crap… compartment syndrome?

Fast forward about a week (2nd week of June) and the muscle tightness was pretty much gone. Raced New Bri Tri and felt fine. Then towards the end of that week (around the 10th…) I started to feels some tenderness midway down the shaft of my Tibia. That’s your big shin bone for those that aren’t anatomy freaks. I say tenderness intentionally because that’s what it is – not pain, but feels almost like it’s bruised. Which does happen, so I sort of hoped for that.

However… I’m also not stupid. I might have been able to pull off the “well I didn’t know it was feeling bad….” thing off in high school. Since fracturing my hip and all having surgery on it in December 2008, I would like to say that I am a little bit smarter. No… I will say that. I am a much smarter athlete than I was several years ago. I love running basically as much as life, but I love it enough to know that I’d rather take the present moment to heal so that I can still enjoy running in my future.

Wow… I’m getting off track.

So I say my tibia was “tender” … but let’s be real – that’s still somewhere on the spectrum of “hurt.”  I had Manitou the Sunday after New Bri, and it was Friday when I had that “ohhhh crap” moment. I spoke with my doc, and we agreed that I’d go ahead and race Manitou. It was just a sprint… so that race (and really, just the 5K run) wasn’t enough to make or break any injury. So race Manitou I did. It was “tender” afterwards.. but still wasn’t “pain”.

By that Tuesday though (June 15th)… I knew I was not in a good spot. Tuesday nights are my regular runs with my guys group, and I went out with them with the intention of just doing one lake. Well one lake turned in to 7 miles, and let me tell you, those might have been the longest seven miles I’ve run in my life. There’s nothing like being out there on a run, KNOWING something is wrong, and having to just. get. home. Tell me – have you been there?

From that night, I said, “OK… running’s out for a while.” The words no runner ever wants to hear (or think…) – stress fracture – were like this high frequency buzz in the back of my mind. The thought was there, but I wasn’t fully aware of or accepting of the possibility. I think because I’ve been through stress fractures before (two – both fibular.. aka your “little” lower leg bone) I am almost able to minimize the situation – because in the end I’ve come through them stronger and faster than before.

So because ‘running was out’ … I ran 7 miles on our camping trip at Baker. Still no “pain,” but it definitely wasn’t one of my standard feel-good 7 milers. More than anything because I was just cognizant of it the whole entire time.

Which brings me to the doctor’s appointment. Because of my super awesome Student Health “Benefits” insurance plan that has such fantastic coverage… (I am declaring this the official color of sarcasm) I am not able to see my regular sports medicine doctor or treatment team. I was less than thrilled with this, to say the least. However, I was able to run the situation by him… because we’re neighbors. :)

Doc’s thoughts: it is less likely to be compartment syndrome. I should definitely get in for an MRI to figure things out and get started on a treatment plan. I should see Dr. F through my [one singular allowed and covered] clinic… he’s a good guy.

So I called my [one singular allowed and covered] clinic to schedule, and it turns out that Dr. F was booked out for quite a while. But the scheduler told me that Dr. A also “works with some athletes” and he would be just as good to see. And he was available the next day. So I took the appointment and the next morning I was off to the doc.

[Wait - did I say this was going to be a quick flash-back? Psych! Sorrrrrry.]

I will say right up front that I was a bit on edge before I even saw the doctor. I was not feeling good about seeing someone other than my USUAL doctor – the guy who has treated me for years throughout various injuries. Knows my history. Knows my personality. Knows my mentality. Knows my lifestyle. I was also a little on edge because I didn’t go in for my appointment for an HOUR after I was scheduled. If you know me… you might have realized I’m not the most patient person in the world.

So yeah, I was a little uneasy. And good Lord, I’m also long winded.

My doctor lost my faith in FIVE steps.

ONE // He entered the room, didn’t shake my hand, and just introduced himself. To me, at least in the professional world, that is sort of like the equivalent of saying “Hi. I’m  Important. I’m glad you have the chance to meet me.”

TWO // He took my patient history, and instantly had an impatient tone with me. I know I just said that I’m the one who’s impatient… but really? He asked when I first started noticing pain, and I said during the middle of an easy run on June 3rd. He asked told me “Can you please Be more specific.” Roughly how much more specific were you looking for Señor? The number of days out from the next Hailie’s comet?

THREE // He had me stand up barefooted and took a look at my feet anatomy. By just looking at me standing (stationary…), both facing forwards and backwards, he told me I “greatly overly” pronated. I’m not saying he’s not qualified to make such judgments… I’m not. But I’ve spent a lot of time with both my own sports medicine doctor and my physical therapy team. During that time I’ve had TWO video gait analyses done both at the beginning of treatment and several [rehabilitated] months later, and have definitely not been told I overly pronate. There is a slight bit of pronation on one side because I have a decent leg length discrepancy. That’s quite different than “severe over pronation” – much less “severe over pronation” deducted by watching me stand still for less than 15 seconds. Moving on…

FOUR // Not only have I fractured my femoral neck, but I have also had stress fractures in both fibulas in high school. I don’t say this because I’m proud of it or something… but to demonstrate the fact that I do know a thing or two about stress fractures. Not to mention… my field in school is kinesiology and sports medicine. In talking to this doctor, I got the impression that he thought I was about as bright as a box of rocks. I know that x-rays don’t typically show sfxs until they’ve already begun to heal. I know that I have a leg length discrepancy… in fact I just told you I have a leg length discrepancy before you responded with, “Well, you have a pretty big leg length discrepancy.”  I know that orthotics might help, and in fact I’ve been given several prescriptions for them, but your Student Health Shit Benefits insurance doesn’t agree that they’re necessary and won’t cover them. I don’t know any college student working to save and pay for rent/school/groceries/a car/gas/LIFE that can shell out $500 multiple times a year for new orthotcis, nor do I feel your 3rd degree interrogation of why I’m not wearing orthotics will help the cause.

[I love how each consecutive point is getting longer and longer and increasingly “vexated”….]

FIVE // Speaking of those x-rays that don’t really do much for sfxs (sfx = stress fracture… btw)… I had spoke with my usual sports med doc before going in to see Dr. A, and my usual doc told me to get an MRI. So when I go in to see you, tell you this, and you say, “Why would we do an MRI? An x-ray is all we need.” I will be slightly defensive, a) because I have complete faith in my usual doctor, and b) I have had wayyy more radiation than anyone my age should have by now. I do not want more (Sam I am). Not here, nor there, nor anywhere. Five minutes following the two x-rays taken, when you find them inconclusive and “suggest” we do an MRI, I will be slightly exasperated, frustrated, and annoyed. That exasperation, frustration, and annoyance will rise on the scale of 1 to insanity when you tell me that this MRI is also not covered by my Student Health Benefits, and will cost me roughly $260 out of pocket. Plus $500 because I really need to be wearing orthotics.

AAAGHHHHH! I feel something along the lines of this:

Flickr -> "Angry Redhead"

________________________________

When I first started writing this post, I wanted it to stay all cool-and-collected sounding, and keep more of a pleasant yet humorous tone. But over the two days plus that it has taken me to finish this, it has become apparent that I’m really kind of PO’ed. Not only because of the way I felt this doctor treated me, but because yet again – stress fracture or not – this is an injury.

So did I get the MRI? No. There is a point when you know what your prescription will be, pretty much regardless of the actual diagnosis: rest.

Resting I am. I haven’t run since June 15th (aside from that seven mile run while camping…) and I’m going to give it to at least the end of the week before trying it out again. I’m doing my best to maintain my sanity, because although I can swim and bike, it just doesn’t do it for me like running. And I am getting to that point where seeing other people/hearing other people talk about running is making me mad. I don’t like me mad.

Fortunately my July racing schedule was pretty skimpy. I might do a swim race (the Great Prairie Open Water Swim)  in the middle of the month just to still be racing. I thrive off having a goal and competition! And I’m PRAYING that I’m good to go for August, because my month is packed and FUN, and I want to be there for it. I will accept donated prayers as well. ;)

That post on pool running recently? Karma? I’m just sayin….

READER QUESTIONS: Have you ever “been there”? Do you have a good doctor, or one who makes you want to pull your hair out? Any of you currently dealing with an injury? What is it, and how are you hangin’ in there?

I hope the rest of my runners out there are runnin’ strong. Keep up your XT and your pre-hab!  I will tell you that I indulged in a little retail therapy at the AWESOME sale going on at Pure Blue right now. (Sale is ONLINE too for all you non-local folks!) I have two new swim suits, a matching cap (Oooh gosh… really?! Yes. Really.), and a new pair of tri shorts. In the mean time, you can find me in the pool!

-E

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The Triathlon Rx | April 29, 2010
25 comments

Dr. TriRunner Eats Beef.

Only you will know where your mind just jumped to, but I’m hoping it wasn’t the gutter!

Alrighty kids – it’s been eight days since my last post, and really that’s more like eleven because the last post was essentially no better than a “will return soon” sign, with no promise as to when. Truthfully though… I have written a post. Two of them actually – two versions of the same thing. Only they haven’t been published due to the fact that they’re about something I just don’t really want to talk about! You know the feeling you get when you’ve had too much candy? Like Starbursts or Swedish Fish or something. You have that sort of dull stomachache, and it’s almost like your mouth hurts? Yeah… that’s how writing those two drafts made me feel. Like I’m not only raining on everyone’s parade, but I whipped out my personal fireman-strength hose and turned that on full strength too. No me gusta… to say the least.

This is the first photo that shows up for “good attitude” on Flickr…

But then I realized that was only the angle on this story if I chose for it to be. Remember that whole attitude is a choice thing? And my favorite passage – “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” (Proverbs 23:7) Mmm yep, still a true as ever. So here we go, jumping right into the meat of the post (couldn’t help it):

How I became a carnivore my health.

… Rabbit Food …

Nope… put your iCal away. You didn’t miss April 1st. If you’ve been hangin’ out at Dr. TriRunner for a while, you know that I am was a vegetarian. For eight years to be exact. I became a vegetarian at the age of 12 because something in my very-large-12-year-old brain clicked, and I suddenly couldn’t separate the thought of eating meat (chicken, pork chops, turkey lunch meat, etc.) from eating people meat. I mean, a rib is a rib, no matter how you look at it. I actually look back and think – huh, I was a pretty smart sixth grader! Makes me kind of proud…. :)

Aah! I digress. So that was the initial reason I became a vegetarian. Over the years, I became more passionate about animal rights, the meat industry in the U.S. (actually did a big thesis project on that one…), and definitely did my research to make sure I was being a healthy and educated vegetarian. Anyone, but especially an endurance athlete, cannot sustain on lettuce alone.

Photos of good veggie food: throw-back posts from April 2008!!

… Endo …

Also at a young age, I was diagnosed with endometriosis. “Diagnose” is sort of a misuse of the word, because that can’t actually happen without a laparoscopy (which I haven’t had done), but all signs, symptoms, examinations, and ultrasounds would suggest so. Trust me… yo’ girl has had more than her fair share of “lady exams.”

What is endometriosis? Aside from something I’ve mentioned all of like twice, but never in detail… it’s essentially a condition where endometrial tissue (the tissue that lines the uterus) grows in other places too, such as the fallopian tubes, ovaries, and pelvis. It acts as normal endometrial tissue, in that it builds up, thickens, and then tries to shed. Only there is nowhere for the blood to go because it’s not inside of your uterus. And basically, it hurts. A shitton. For more details on the disorder, the Mayo Clinic’s website (as with everything) does a good job breaking it down.

Long story short, in the past year, and more specifically the past four or five months, I feel that my symptoms have been getting markedly worse. The episodes of pain and cramping have become more frequent, and my period has gone NUTS. Most female distance runners fear losing their period, and I’m worried I’m going to lose all the blood in my body! (Haha – don’t you love my use of the color wheel here?) The last four months (and apparently five, starting Monday…) I have bled heavily for two weeks straight. Losing this much blood + endurance athletics = no good = potentially anemia. Once again… no me gusta.

Due to the non-existent awesome insurance that I am paying $300 a month for, anything beyond a flu shot and a sliver removal are considered “over and above” your necessary care. Endometriosis is considered “specialty” care, and specialty care is considered lots of $$$, and lots of $$$ is considered something I. Don’t. Have. So I do what I do best, and get my study on and try to figure out what is going on. No worries, I don’t count Wikipedia as a “source.” I am lucky enough to know several very knowledgeable (and qualified!) people to help me out here.

Flickr has many other photos for endometriosis, but I’m keepin it PG. They’re strictly medical though, so if you’re not squeemish then feel free to check them out.

… My findings …

(Although I tend to think I’m as smart as a rocket scientist, much of this is common sense.)

  1. B/C pills are the most commonly prescribed “treatment” for endometriosis. The pill I’m on is one that’s most likely doing jackshit for me. But hey, it is “covered” in that excellent insurance.
  2. SOY… is known to augment endometriosis. As a vegetarian for eight years, soy is obviously a large component of my diet for providing protein.
  3. SOY… is in freaking everything. Or at least it would seem to be in everything that I have come to know and love. Cereal? Really?
  4. If I cut out soy, that doesn’t leave me with many protein options. Especially when I factor in the amount of blood I’m losing, and needing to get EXTRA protein and iron to make sure I’m not headed towards anemia.
  5. Meat has protein. And iron. And helps prevent anemia. Amen.

I know… rocket science right? So, now that you have my whole endometriosis rundown (the part that I feel is like listening to nails on a chalkboard) that concludes the flashback, and we return to the title of the post…

Hello iron-deficiency anemia.

… BEEF …

As of Tuesday April 27th, I am no longer a vegetarian. And I figured if I’m going to eat meat with the purpose of getting this iron in me, I need to do it right. Beef. And not just any beef, but Chipotle’s Barbacoa shredded beef.

How was it? Crazy. Not crazy like bad, but crazy weird. Add this to the list of “findings” … meat takes a helluva lot longer to chew than non-animal foods. And I’m sure my stomach found those shredded cow muscles entering my digestive system and said, “What the ⠃ ⠥ ⠉ ⠅ are you putting in here??” (haha yessss!!) Eating meat just seams so raw and so primal to me… it’s not like it “tastes” bad. If it tasted bad, then companies wouldn’t make faux meat products like Light Life Buffalo Wings or Morningstar Farms “Ribs”.

Eating meat is definitely going to take some getting used to, and also a lot of learning! I had a 20-minute conversation with my new hommie in Trader Joe’s today about eating meat, endo, triathlons, and backpacking. ?? Yes. I’m not going down this road kicking and screaming, and I’m not being forced. This was no one’s decision but my own, and although I would like to still be a vegetarian, I do not think that for my health it is the right choice. I was talking to a friend today, and told her “As much as I’ve wanted to fight sometimes and say “I know my own body!” … it’s not always the case that a physical reality and a mental ideal match up.” And in this case, what I ideally would like and what physically is goin’ on ain’t tellin’ the same story. Capish?

I would also like to say that I would only buy local, organic, free-range, grass fed, smiling happy [dead] cows from California. But honestly? How many times have you heard me say budget is an issue? Muchas veces, my friends. Realistically I can’t afford such things. I will be eating animals (the word “meat” seams so misleading to me at this point…?) on a limited basis, so as best as I can, I will follow my conscious and at least try to support companies and sellers that follow more humane practices. All in all though, humans are still killing the animal for consumption. I might get some hateration for this, but it doesn’t really make a difference to me.

@ Chipotle… scared.

Examination of the cow now marinated and in my Burrito Bowl.

IRON.

… El Fin …

Time for me to end here amigos. I hope you will understand my decision, and if you don’t… well, your choice! I’m all for honesty as we all know, and this is what’s currently going on. I appreciate your honesty, whether it is in accordance to what I am thinking/feeling, or not. As always, any questions and comments are welcomed whether you leave them here in the comments section or send me an email.

Shoot. Now I gotta go change my “ABOUT Me” page. So much for finishing this VO2 report!

⠇⠕⠧⠑ ,

Erika (yes – that’s what the “E” stands for!) aka Dr.TriRunner

p.s. maybe I could win this $60 shopping spree and buy something from CNS’s kitchenware site… I could definitely use some help in the grilling department!

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The Triathlon Rx | January 24, 2010
12 comments

A Long “Run” and a Live Post…

As promised – I’m back on Sunday, my favorite day of the week! And I have a lot to give you, so I’ll get right to it!

Sunday Long “Run”

Poppin (Remix) – Christ Brown ft. Lil Wayne & Juelz Santana

Today, being a Sunday, would mean it’s a long run day. We haven’t discussed my running status much as of late, because well, there really isn’t a status. It’s been constantly changing! For the month of December, running was super minimal. (read: like 30 miles for the entire MONTH maybe?) No – its most def. not because I can’t handle the Minnesota winters – we all know I’ve got that covered. ;) Unfortunately.. it would be the hip. Again. My next “big” Dr. appointment is February 8th. Maybe I’ll know more after that, but at this point, this is what I do know: (words of my lovely sports med doc:) “It’s not going to just break through while you’re out there – if you want to be running, and it isn’t excruciatingly painful, you might as well.”

High Definition – Lupe Fiasco ft. Snoop Dog & Pooh Bear

So since January, I’ve taken that and run with it, literally. My milage is still NOTHING like “normal”, but at least I’m running a few days a week. However, no weekend long run for me. So today’s “long run” is brought to you by my Octane Q47 (or what I refer to typically as my “xRunner”) machine… lookin a little like this:

Dirt Off Your Shoulder – Jay Z

And since I have two hours scheduled with this bad boy, I figured what a better time to give you my ellipti/run/music rundown. What you see in BOLD and PURPLE are the songs that are playing currently while I am typing. Yes. Blogging while working out is pretty much the only way I have time for this right now. And since right now I have, oh… an hour and 44 minutes left, you get lots of songs. ;)  My iTunes is on Shuffle btw, but I’m skipping around a bit if I hit a song I don’t like.

Beggin – Madcon

As you can also see, I’m not writing a ton in between what are anywhere between 4-5 minute songs. That’s because blogging, as I’m sure all of you who have your own site know, takes mucho tiempo.

Track 7 – Grey’s Anatomy Soundtrack

(Don’t know the actual name… really not a fan of this song… but it gives you an idea of the eclectness of my iTunes.) Which brings me to the next item on my agenda…

Future Updating Schedule:

Guarantees – Atmosphere

It’s no joke that I am super busy this semester. But this blog is really important to me, and I actually really LIKE doing it! My iCal last week looked a little like this, and this is even just a four day week, with school just having started, so not a ton of homework yet. This also doesn’t show the 6 credits of online classes I have currently going on! Ayyy. Contemplating dropping Physics this semester, but that doesn’t seem like a good plan because I still need to take it at some point. All the classes I’m taking right now are ones I need to eventually take! Thank you God for inventing iCal…

This Is What It’s Made For – Usher

Because of this insanity, my posting schedule will most likely be once or twice a week. It will also probably be a bit more to the point and content driven than all this extra curricular stuff. Actually.. no, it probably wont. That’s just how I roll. :D If you’ve seen some of my tweets lately though, you know I got a lot going on:

  • 20 credits
  • 2 labs
  • 2 jobs
  • boyfriend
  • family/friends
  • the Tri team
  • Dr. TriRunner
  • the Tri team’s website – I just took this one on, but I’m excited about it!

There’s no blame or fingers to be pointed (other than at myself ;) )… this is what I get myself into. Welcome to the life of a Type A (+) overscheduler. Moving on…

Real As It Gets – Jay Z ft. Young Jeezy

On Friday I promised you a gear review, and that’s what I have for you now!

Cycling & Winter Running Socks: Review

You – Atmosphere

First up, my loves of all time: SMARTWOOL. More specifically, their Ultra Light Cushion Women’s Cycling socks:

These were a gift from the boy, and damn, does he know how to pick em’! I love the way these hug my arches in just the right spot, and I don’t have to fold them over because they’re so effing big or have the “heel” be sitting at my ankle! I wear these in spin right now and they are PERFECT! They come up just high enough so my shimano shoes don’t cut into my leg, but they’re still “ankle socks.” Final Grade: A

Dirt Off Your Shoulders Vs. Bittersweet Symphony Remix – Jay Z & The Verve

Next: CRAFT Pro Warm Quarter Running Sock

Alright.. when I told you everything  you’d ever want to know about WINTER RUNNING… I told you how much my feet/hands circulation sucks. Well that post needs a revision: my feet/hand circulation SUCKS when I’m not properly prepared!!

Jesus Walks – Kanye West

This was also included in a x-mas gift from the boy (he’s winning in all corners here!) and DAYYYNG. I. Love. Keep in mind that these were not sent to me by the company – this review is solely based on my usage of said socks and happy warm toes. These. Are. FANTASTIC. On a run where my fingers were frozen solid through… think permafrost frozen… my feet were SO toasty, but not sweaty! Just happy, happy toes. Thankkk you to novio and thank you to Craft! Final Grade: A+

Real World – Match Box Twenty

(Haha! I told you it was on shuffle!)  While were on the subject of SOCKS, I will say that I am yet to wear my supafly Kayano Left and Right specific running socks that my mom gave me for Christmas. I feel like these need to be reserved for races or special occasion / monumental runs only. Q: Do you have any clothes like that? I definitely have a racing only sports bra!

Push It Remix – Camron ft. Jim Jones, Juelz, and Lil Wayne

Annnd that’s one hour down! Love it! What I don’t love is this weekend is “Open House” weekend at my gym. Read: Way super overcrowded!! Un momentitio chicos… bathroom break. :)

OK! Hour two.. start it off with an all time favorite:

I’ll Be Missing You – P. Diddy ft. Faith Evans

This is also where I switch to going backwards and up the resistance a bit! Annnd make sure I’m continuing to hydrate:

Baby It’s Cold Outside – James Taylor ft. Natalie Cole

(Hahaha!! Don’t judge!) Ok so I’m starting to really enjoy this live blogging thing. Pictured above (excuse the blurriness.. I took it one handed and moving) is the new LEMON LIME Powerade Zero! But not only Powerade kids.. that would be Lemon Lime PowerDew. If you haven’t done the PowerDew yet.. hop on it. And make sure to tell me what you think!!! And because we’re talking about beverages and hydrating….

Nilla’ Mint Coffee Recovery Shake:

Hotel California – The Eagles

I also told you last Friday that I had a recipe coming! I fell in love the second this cool, creamy shake of shining glory touched my lips. Not exaggerating.

Always Coming Back Home to You – Atmosphere

Thankfully that was not a 4:26 am photo! Here’s what we got goin’ on:

  • Chocolate Mint Coffee, (.5 – 1 cup, depending on preference of taste and texture) cooled (a la Ghiradelli – sent to my by my absolute fave SwimBuddy Lizzy)
  • 2 scoops Vanilla protein powder
  • Xanthan gum
  • Ice ( I use about 6 regular sized cubes)

If you tragically are not able to find this miraculous mint coffee, as I no longer am because I ran out and apparently this is a seasonal delicacy, I have moved on to using regular coffee (or espresso to be more accurate), dark coco powder, and mint extract. Place all ingredients in blender of choice, and get to town.

Say Shhh – Atmosphere

(If you’re from MN.. GET that song. Has been a favorite of mine for a lonnnng time!) Depending on the type of protein powder you choose to use, you can get upwards of 20g of protein here! Other variations: you could use chocolate flavored protein powder and nix the cocoa powder. You could do half coffee/half milk (or milk alternative). If you’re lucky enough to have any leftover Girlscout Thinmint cookies stashed in your  freezer… send them all to me one or two blended up in the drink would lead to nilla/choco/mint ecstacy. Caution.

When’s the Last Time – Clipse ft. Pharell

As you can see, I did this in my Magic Bullet and it barely fit. I’m still praying that the folks from VitaMix HQ over in Cleveland, Ohio will find this lil runner/triathlete/future doctor and realize:

Dang – this girl really needs a Vita Mix in her life. Her future depends on it. How can we help?

I have an extra kidney if any of your employees need it. We could work out a deal. KIDDING!!! Kinda… ;)

Bout It – Yung Joc ft. 3LW (Step Up Soundtrack)

Alright – decision time: I have half an hour of this “run” left… and there are still about a billion things I have on my “to post” list. I wanna give you a GU2:10 (or Goal Update for those who haven’t mastered the Dr.TriRunner terminology…) but I think I will wait till January is over and  give you a complete one month perspective.

Maria Maria – Carlos Santana ft. Wyclef Jean

(Yes, I really did only type that much in the time it took to play all of Bout It. Not a short song.. but I’m sweating more liquid than my shower gives on a good water pressure day. Haha what an attractive mental picture..) What I think needs to happen right now, since I neglected it on Friday, is a little guilt relief. That’s right kids – sounds like a…

Sunday Friday Confessional:

What We Talkin’ Bout – Jay Z ft. Luke Steele

You know the rules of the game: there are none. Nothing is off limits. You fess up, I fess up. We all feel better. This is a practice I have very much loved ever since my very first ever Friday Confessional back in November of 2008. One year ago I was fessing up to this:

  1. I’ve become rather spiteful without running. I’ve seen other people running outside or hearing them talk about running and wished they couldn’t run too. It’s like if I can’t run, no one else should. :(
  2. I stole my roommates pack of Cinnamon Spice gum off her desk. Sorry Laur – I owe you.
  3. I ODed on Cinnamon Toast Crunch one night in the beginning of the week. I literally had FIVE bowls. Just dry. Back to back.  And I felt sick as hell afterwards/the next morning. It was completely emotional and very delicious. But I don’t need to do that again.
  4. I paid $55 for unlimited group fitness at the Marino. And I’m yet to take ONE class. I signed up for abs tonight and spinning tomorrow morning.
  5. I accidentally brought home a pool belt from the Y. And it is sitting under my bed. And it’s mine.

Ever The Same – Rob Thomas

Have I changed? Let’s see…
#1 – I am currently running, but nothing like “I used to.” But my thoughts on that one are much more stemming from frustration.. not “spite.” Or at least I’d like to think so.
#2 – No stealing gum. I have a plentiful stock of my Stride favorites.
#3 – No more CTC sadly – I no longer have “the caf,” and therefore no longer have open access to crack this goodness. Probably a good thing.

Nothing Ever Hurt Like You – James Morrison

#4 – $55 seems like a steal when you’re paying $68/month for a gym membership. Nuff said.
#5 – That pool belt fits me perfectly :)

This week I’m going to confess only one thing to you in the blog word, because a) I only have 7 minutes left and I want time to make a song wrap-up, and b) I’ve been pretty darn good this week if I do say so myself. Here we go:

Move If You Wanna – Mims

  1. I have become increasingly reliant on sleep aids. Tylenol PM, Simply Sleep.. the melatonin ain’t doin jack isht. It’s at the point where if I don’t take anything, I just don’t get tired. No matter what. Friday night – took nothing. Fell “asleep” around 4 am. Was already awake when my alarm went off at 8am. I’m fessing up to this one because it’s actually a problem. I plan on talking to my doc about it at my next appointment. Which I am yet to schedule. :/

That’s all I have time for kids! This was a GOOD POST if you ask me! Sorry if I overwhelmed you with all of  this at once though. Here is the…

Long “Run” Song Wrap-up:

Encore – Jay Z (good song to end on!)
Poppin (Remix) – Christ Brown ft. Lil Wayne & Juelz Santana
High Definition – Lupe Fiasco ft. Snoop Dog & Pooh Bear
Dirt Off Your Shoulder – Jay Z
Beggin – Madcon
Track 7 – Grey’s Anatomy Soundtrack
Guarantees – Atmosphere
This Is What It’s Made For – Usher
Real As It Gets – Jay Z ft. Young Jeezy
You – Atmosphere
Dirt Off Your Shoulders Vs. Bittersweet Symphony Remix – Jay Z & The Verve
Jesus Walks – Kanye West
Real World – Match Box Twenty
Push It Remix – Camron ft. Jim Jones, Juelz, and Lil Wayne
I’ll Be Missing You – P. Diddy ft. Faith Evans
Baby It’s Cold Outside – James Taylor ft. Natalie Cole
Hotel California – The Eagles
Always Coming Back Home to You – Atmosphere
Say Shhh – Atmosphere
When’s the Last Time – Clipse ft. Pharell
Bout It – Yung Joc ft. 3LW (Step Up Soundtrack)
Maria Maria – Carlos Santana ft. Wyclef Jean
What We Talkin’ Bout – Jay Z ft. Luke Steele
Ever The Same – Rob Thomas
Nothing Ever Hurt Like You – James Morrison
Move If You Wanna – Mims

[Change of location - the workout went wonderfully! No pain, sweated my a$$ off, and feel good. At home now.] Hope you enjoyed this post as much as I did! I have two pages that should be up and running soon: music, and the return of my blogroll (finally)! There are more layout/style changes to come too. For now, if you’re looking for music (like the Reader’s Choice Ultimate Mix) just click on the “music” tag in the right column! Gotta go for now peeps – my VIKES are playing tonight!

-E

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The Triathlon Rx | December 18, 2009
4 comments

Hanging by a moment…

Or more like a thread at this point.. but I like that song. Lol… from quoting thesexiestmanalive this guy to Lifehouse, I’d say my taste in music is pretty eclectic. ;)

I just had to pop in and say that my absence will continue until SUNDAY, at which time I hope to make a full recovery and rejoin the blogging world. For at least a month, until I sell my soul to 20 credits next semester. Please note that my absence is fully excused and I even have a note from Dr. FinalsAreALifeSuck. Proof:

Haha ok.. so totally not mine. But can you read that? Toooo funny!

Haha ok.. so totally not mine. But can you read that? Toooo funny!

p.s. apparently there are a shitton of sites willing to sell you fake doctor’s notes if you cannot get the classy one above. #1 result when I searched “doctor’s note” was www (dot) bestfakedoctorsnote (dot) com. I bet the creator of that site has a very fulfilling life… :/

ANYWAYS, where was I? Oh yea, making lame excuses for falling off the face of the planet. Finals. Well, good news is that I’m two down, and that means only two to go. Also good news is that I actually aced, as in a full 100%, my lab final for anatomy. Yeaaah that’s right – it says DR.TriRunner. :D Not so good news is that I’m pretty sure I got shredded by my calc final. But I had an A going into that, and judging by how many people took the full 3 hours to finish, everyone else thought the test was pretty damn hard too. I did what I can do, and so glad to have that one outta the way. Lecture portion of Anatomy tomorrow morning, and Lifetime  Health & Wellness (kines bidness’ ;) ) tomorrow night. That means today I will be doin’ another one of theeese:

P1000058 mime-attachment_2

I am fully anticipating carpal tunnel syndrome, metacarpal osteoarthritis, and frequent carpopedal spasms (my foot only because I’m a chronic tapper…). Hahha ok.. now I’m just being a showoff.

One last excuse I can throw out there (and am doing mostly only because I have a photo) is my effing EYES. Remember the orbital cellulitis? Well I’m on amoxicillin for it, but I feel like it’s pretty much a medicationFAIL because I’m preeetty sure it’s getting worse. Swelling in my left eye went down, but then it strolled on over to my right eye. Now there is NO swelling but it feels like my eyeballs are bruised.. and if I open my eyes to wide and look down, they might just fall out of my face. Not to mention it makes it look like I was either cheifin all by myself of crying for hours.. neither of which are the case. Sweet.

Photo 26

Hot.. I know. And this picture doesn’t even do the crazy overabundance of bursting blood vessels justice. But since eyes kind of gross me out… and for the sake of my cute reputation once pretty eyes umm… damn myself, I’ll refrain from going any further.

SO, to leave you in true Sperly photo fashion, here is what you can expect to come. And photo #1 is first up because I’ve gotten lots of good questions! Feel free to keep shootin’ em my way if you have more!

  1. DSCN5367
  2. P1000077
  3. Despite the fact that I am Martha Stewart’s long lost daughter.. I promise that the giveaway is non floss related. Or string. Or yarn. Stay tuned!

Maybe this was the little study break I needed.. cause I definitely took my sweet time writing it. Back to work. Seee you later home skillets.
-E

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