I am an Ultrarunner

Well, I completed the Bandera 50K on Sat. Jan 7th.  My second official "Ultra" (short for UltraMarathon...that means it's longer than 26.2 miles).  Two years ago, almost exactly, i completed the exact same race.  Then i got cancer, did treatment, trained, then ran it again.  Last time I did the race it was my "A" race...which means that was my focus, i worked up to it and i tapered, or rested for it. 
Last time i ran a 6:09.  A good solid race effort.  The weather was perfect for me (very cold...12-44 degrees). Everything went very well.  I Placed 7th female and 2nd in my age. 
This time around, i decided about 10 days before the race that I would do it.  I did  not taper.  I ran 26 miles 7 days before the race on Saturday.  The weather was beautiful for a picnic, but not exactly perfect for an ultra trail run. (55-75 degrees).

This year i ran a time of 6:19.   I felt very happy with that time.  This year the race was also much larger.  I placed 12th female and 4th in my age group.

Both years I started and finished the race with my good friend Lisa.  A funny thing, though, because last time we trained very much together and we ran the whole race together.  This time, we've trained differently and were apart for much of the race, and still finished together.  I felt there was something symbolic about that...of course :).

No the shirts were actually NOT planned! :)

I remember when i first admitted that i was a "marathon runner."  It was after i'd run my second marathon and had qualified for Boston.  Always before that i would tell people i was not really a runner...just a person who ran sometimes.  This past week at work, it started to become common knowledge that i run A LOT.  People began asking and began to explain that i ran 31 miles the past weekend, and that i'm planning to run 35miles tomorrow.   One person asked.....31 miles? what is that??Called.   "It's an Ultramarathon".  (Even if, a "mini-ultra" in comparison to many other ultra events).  Then i found myself speaking aloud..."I'm an Ultrarunner.  Yikes! I've never said that before!
A few days later i was having a discussion with Lisa about the issues that being an ultra runner can cause... and she mentioned these UTube videos.  This is funny! You Simply must watch!

I am an Ultrarunner

If you like that, you must also check out on UTube "Training for an Ultramarathon", and "...I am a Marathon Runner. I am injured."


I've officially signed up for the Nueces 50 Miler on March 3rd. 

35 this Saturday
3M half marathon next weekend
40 miles the Saturday after...
Then begin to taper

With all that said, i've had a few strange things going on.  Hormonal Mostly.  The HOT Flashes have been horrible.  Possibly worse since i depleted my energy at the Bandera race, but not sure exactly.
I've been a bit panicked by this port, since #1 i wore the wrong  bra without a band aid over it and literally rubbed holes in my chest, and then i read on the Carnations Blog that the thing was supposed to be flushed now and then, and of course my Oncologist had not mentioned that...In his defense, he just said get it taken out.  I've delayed makin the appointment to take it out because it is unclear how many days i cannot run after the procedure.  It was 10 days after they put it in.

So...now i have an appointment with the surgeon on Monday to discuss taking out the port.
I suppose we will also talk about the plans for my second surgery.  Left mastectomy and reconstruction.  I've still made no absolute decisions, but have had some productive discussions with my husband that have helped.

Phase II (T-H) Round 2 Giddy?

> Phase II: Round 2
>
> Done.
>
> Easy.  Even Great.
>
> Best week I’ve had in 3 months.  Christmas was good, but this week even better, due to the loss of the bone pain! Yeah!  Some mouth pain, but doable.
>
> As i mentioned in the last quick email, my blood counts were great.  Kinda funny though, because, when i was at the appointment, when the nurse was about to stick the needle into my port to check the levels, i freaked for just a moment (which i do every time they are about to stick that thing) and said, "if the blood levels are too low, then we'll have stuck this thing for nothing, right?"   The nurse replied, "yes", and "we can go thru the arm (which is usually not very painful) in case".  She also mentioned.. on the side,,,that every time we access the port it is a risk for infection...great.  So we went thru the arm for the first blood draw.  Most of the other lab people there are pretty good at that.  This girl was pretty good at something else, i'm sure.  Anyway, i was so excited about the huge rise in the blood counts, and a few other things, that i didn't even notice the bruise until yesterday.   The eventual stick into the port was not too bad, and despite the unexpected 1 hour wait to start the chemo, everything went pretty smoothly.  It was nice having Lisa there for entertainment and emotional support, for sure.  They gave me only 1/2 the amout of benadryl this time, so i was still a semi? functional human.  Able to walk myself to the bathroom, etc.
>
> One of the "other" things included the fact that i felt so good even on the day of the chemo, after 2 naps, that i was able to go out that evening from 6:30 to 8:30 to see Richie's new band Downtube Shifter play their first official gig!  It was awesome. 

The place was packed with people i haven't seen in ages, some i hadn't seen since The Knievels days, and also with people that the other bands had brought. The band rocked, and it was quite exciting and emotional for me to see Richie back at what he does best.  Even in the face of all this crap.  I often liken Richie to Gristle.  So tough, yet nutritious, and even enjoyable to the experienced.  Joints...they're what hold things together... like "The Glue" as he is known in some circles.   Richie is the person you want along when times get tough, I tell you.   The excitement of seeing John and Richie harmonizing again with the excellent additions of our old Rockin' drummer friend Hugh, and new friend Kevin on keys, along with seeing old friends, AND feeling great, was thrilling.  Wierd, for me also, in that i did not have a drop to drink and i was probably higher than anyone in the place.
>
> I thought i might be worn out the rest of the week, but not so.  As my friend Cindy said to her husband about me, it was like i was almost even "Giddy".  I like that description, because it is pretty much how i've felt this week.  It is odd.   I have even felt well enough to exercise 5 times this week!  1 elliptical, 3 easy jogs and one easy bike ride!  Oh yeah, and a few Squish Ups :).  Don't worry.  i never exercise to the point of feeling worn out.  I usually feel just barely tired at the end when i stop.  I do a lot of walking during the jogging too.  Due to my inherent skepticism, however, i am preparing myself for possible return of the downs.  But, i'll take these ups any day!
>
> Round 3 is on Tuesday 1/4/11.  I think i'll drive myself this time. :)
>
>
> Emily
> 1/2/11

9/24/10... 3 days 'til first chemo

Hello All,

Just a note that first chemo starts Monday 9/27/10 8:30 a.m.  See the oncologist first then apparently 10 minutes of the A drug and 2 hours of the Cytoxin drug.  Mom will be there with me. Then, possibly off to wig store unless vomiting. They said my hair would fall out between 2-3 weeks of this first treatment.

I made my case that I should be a candidate for the Blood cell booster shot whether my counts were too low or not based on my addiction to exercise and my 2 snotty nosed kids, but the nurse just sort of laughed.  When I said “ I will not be happy if I am not able to exercise due to low counts” she simply stated “I can see that about you”.
She also said that some people just get right through this without much trouble,  then she said “ I can see that happening it this case- oh I don’t usually say that out loud”.  Well ,that made me feel good anyway.

They say that Chemo can decrease your appetite.  We’ll see.  Nothing’s ever done that to me before, except that one time Richie broke up with me. Correction: One of those times Richie broke up with me.

As far as this port is concerned, it is still sore, but I still plan to jog on day 11.  They said to wait 10 days.
Not to worry, I’ve kept up with stationary bike, spin class and stair machine.  But, they were right about the jogging. Because, as you might have suspected, I’ve tried several times the elliptical and jogging, and it just wasn’t right, so back to bike.

Anyway, I’ll be off work Monday and then see how it goes Tues. and Wednesday.  They said day 2 and 3 are often the worst.  Wish me luck-

Emily

Control Issues Vs. Methodology-Update

Control Issues Vs. Methodology-Update

Sent: Monday, September 13, 2010 10:18 AM
Subject: RE: Control Issues vs. Methodology-Update

Hello all,

Thanks to my baseline anxiety,  plus heightened anxiety due to Cancer and the support of certain OCD friends,  I went into full panic mode Friday pm around 4:00 and began calling every doctor I know.   At 4:50 pm the oncologist did call me back and told me he just received the pathology report on the hormones, and it is ER+ -which is apparently good because there are drugs for that.  “That is your gift for the weekend”, he said.  And, as crazy as it sounds, it really was a gift for me to have spoken with him and have some… not to quote the worst president in the history of USA (given my limited knowledge of history, of course) …resolve.
Anyway, he told me that he spoke with the surgeon “discussed your case over breakfast” and they decided to do chemo first.  He instructed me to call the surgeon on Monday to make appt. to get port/cath.  placed for use with the chemo, and we’d begin the chemo sometime next week.  So, I have an appt tomorrow with Surgeon to discuss  this port placement, etc, then on Wednesday at 1:30 p.m.  to actually put it in.    Apparently it takes 30 minutes, but has to be done at the hospital.  Then, I have the Oncologist appointment on Thursday 8:00 am, which Richie will be at.  His job is to make sure that the doctors understand that I am addicted to running, and that  I too (like Lance) will require EPO treatment during, or after the Chemo, and that other details/plans are laid out and written down.

Thank you all for hanging in there with me.  Again.

Emily