NYC Here I Come!

I feel so out of touch! My computer has been broken down and I'm just not comfortable with that!  I was finally able to sit down and get it fixed today over the phone by a very helpful Indian guy named Jaz.  Yay! I'm so Jazzed.

It's so hard to believe that it has been almost a month since I have posted an update.   Since my last post I have indeed made some, great and exciting, and other, slightly upsetting, GAINS.   Most importantly, each and every one of my "Ouwees" have healed up completely.  It really was almost like a miracle how both of the small lingering open areas literally "slammed shut" as we drove to the coast for our 4th of July vacation.  This made me SO happy because that meant that I could swim in the water without a greater fear than the next gal of the uncommon "flesh eating bacteria" that has been found rarely in the waters there in Matagorda bay.  It was so fun to be immersed in water and to swim again. I really missed that over the 12 weeks prior. It was also very fun and exciting to be back in a bathing suite and to be balanced again without the fuss and muss of my Spongeboob.

   We all had a great time.

Not an effect of Bacteria. They are so cute like this.

Secondly, I have been able to start running again!  It has been slow and quite horrible, but that's ok.  It still feels good to be at it again.  I'm now up to 6 miles as my long run. I've been able to do some distance biking as well, which I feel will eventually pay off for my running endurance once my muscles and joints are able to tolerate running again.  It has been interesting that my leg muscles and joints are actually feeling each additional mile like they once did years ago when I first began training for my first half marathon.  At approximately 12 weeks, this has been by far the longest break I've taken from running in at least 8 years, maybe even longer.  Even through chemo, radiation, and the first mastectomy,  I was not off from running for more than 3 weeks (radiation surprisingly enough).  Thinking this out does help put my discomfort into more perspective.  Outside of the mild joint and muscle issues, there is the more significant discomfort of the severely TIGHT abdomen.

It is so much better that it was, but still very difficult to stand up completely erect, and even more difficult to hold that erect posture, that is recommended for running, while running. Please do not get me wrong, I am actually not complaining.  I am truly thrilled that the wounds are healed and that I am able to start stretching and running and living life again!

The final, slightly upsetting gain that I have made since my last post is the 4 lbs that, did, literally, "sneak up from behind" after my vacation! I want to mention this because it is an interesting phenomenon or side effect of the DIEP procedure.  You might be asking "what's so interesting about 4 lbs of deep fried back fat?" Well I'll tell ya....
About 1 year ago I was warned by another breast cancer and DIEP flap reconstruction survivor that this could happen. (You can see the sides of it if you look closely above)...Anyway, because the plastic surgeon literally cut off all of the fat from the front side of my body (abs), when I gain weight it will no longer go THERE.  After 42 years of using my abdominal rolls as an indicator of weight gain I am going to have to rely on another method.  I've been feeling so 'thin' lately that I have not stepped on the scale in WEEKS.  The other day,  I accidentally got a view of my back side in the mirror, and just as the woman that I mentioned earlier had described to me a year ago,  I FOUND my 4 extra pounds!
It was shocking, but at the same time I got a laugh out of it because I remember this woman, and her words of warning, so clearly. 

15.5 Weeks until the NYC Marathon!  I'm cutting it close, but I can do it!  I know I can because  thanks to you all, my awesome friends and family members, and Fred's Team, my fundraising goal has been achieved (One donation not showing on the page yet). I wasn't sure how I was going to raise that money, but it happened, and this training is going to happen the same way! 

PS if you have a person you would like highlighted in this blog, please send me their information/write up if you have not done so already.  Thank You!

Emily