Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Ta Ta Da!

Had my surgery this morning! Checked in at 6:30, spent about 2 hours freaking out about it, then into the OR @ 8:30. I know they gave me a little Versed, which took the edge off right before they wheeled me to OR. I remember commenting that it looked like a storage room (lots of boxes of supplies piled up) and the CRNA telling me that it was crowded today because they ordered too much stuff over the weekend. Then she put a mask over my mouth and nose and I thought "This stuff smells metallic" and then I was out.

I came to in PACU at about 11:30 and was really surprised that I felt no pain at all. Just a bit of soreness. I was able to get up and reposition myself and drink some water, then off to the discharge area. I was there for about 2 hours, so that I could have a little something to eat and they could do vitals for a little while. I was out of there and home by 2pm!

Now I'm just hagning out, drinking water and sleeping. My new boobies are really pretty :) No clue what's happening with the belly, and I have to wait until Friday to see it unwrapped!

Saturday, May 28, 2011

The screaming. Make it stop.

I worked today, which is unusual for me. I don't typically work weekends, because I work second shift during the week and that is my perq for working the "crappy" shift. Personally, I like evenings. That has nothing to do with anything, but I do. Like evenings.

Mainly because I don't have to make dinner for the children. Around 4:30, my darling little angels begin grousing about the lack of snacks/milk/fruit/flesh of animals in their darling little bellies. I begin gathering my dinner supplies, pouring milk, getting plates from the cupboard. The second Mommy's little sweathearts see the food? They go apesh*t. Wailing, gnashing of teeth, rending of clothes apesh*t. Pat will jam himself between my legs and the cupboard and wail for a piece of food, subsequently bashing his head against a drawer pull and wailing EVEN LOUDER. Charlie sits in the middle of the kitchen floor and does this droning whine that makes me want to TEARMYHAIROUTOHMYGOD. When I finish the prep and dish everyone's dinner, I put them in their chairs and call for Lily to use the bathroom before supper. I put the food down in front of the rabid little monsters and their gaping maws...and in four minutes flat they have annihilated ALL the food and are crabbing around for more. They eat more than adults. It is insane. Did you see dinner for me in there anywhere? No? That's because I don't get any. If I am eating once they have destroyed their meal? It makes them crazypants.

So when I work evenings, my dear husband makes dinner, and I enjoy an hour long lunch break with adults. Win.

Today I worked the 0700-1730 shift. Meaning I got home at 6pm which is usually pajama time for the boys. Today it was streak from the living room to the kitchen and scream at Mommy while clawing at her pant legs to be picked up time. It took forever to get them changed and that hour from 6 to 7pm was the longest. hour. ever.

It's not that I don't miss them when I'm gone. I do. But that doesn't stop me from wanting to leave again...what can I say? I am the least mothering mother I know. I'm basically a dude. I am the work full time breadwinner type. My husband is much more mom-ish than I am. He's a caretaker by nature, it's one of the things that attracted me to him. It's a good thing he's the one home most of the time. I am the person who describes the emotion felt upon the birth of her child as "a deep sense of obligation". Not exactly a poetic reaction, right?

On a less dramatic note, the boys had ice cream for the first time on Friday. People look at me like it's weird that they haven't had ice cream. They are 14 months old...is there a timeframe for ice cream? Anyway, Charlie picked up the scoop with both hands and cried because it was cold. That didn't stop him from eating it, mind you, he just cried the whole time and freaked out when anyone tried to take it from him (to, you know, stop hime from crying). Pat poked his icecream with his finger and cried because he couldn't pick it up. I wish I had video of it. I'm pretty sure there was money to be made off of that one!

Tonight's exchange with Lily:
Me: It's 8 o'clock, time for bed!
Lily: I don't want to go to bed.

Nothing special, but if you repeat the lines over and over and over and over again? They become funny to the point where you and your three year old are laughing so hard you can barely speak. My daughter is a crazy person. She gets that from her Dad.

Less than 3 days until Ta Ta Tuesday!

Thursday, May 26, 2011

And I Ra-a-an, I Ran So Far A-wa-a-ay...

So yeah. I am a runner. Of sorts. Here is a nifty survey I stole off Kim's blog!

What is your favorite type of cross training?
Wait. What? Cross training? Does golf count? Sometimes I do P90X...

What is your favorite running song?
Hmmm...."Let Go" by Frou Frou. I listened to it on one of my first runs, and it still transports me. "Closer to Fine" by Indigo Girls. "Two Step" Dave Matthews (the Red Rocks version). I also listen to Eminem. A lot. I'm a little ashamed of that...but so many of his songs just fit. Plus, did you know he's a runner? Yep. It's true.

What brand of shoe do you wear?
Mizuno. Specifically the Wave Alchemy. Love them. I recently bought a pair of Brooks (because they were an awesome, awesome color) and while they were a nice tryst, I doubt I'll be leaving my long time love.

Do you wear a hat when you run?
A fleece hat in the winter, but that's it. I hate ball caps. They make me look like a dude. I will wear a visor when my hair is long, but that's it. I'm a bandana girl.

What temperature is your favorite for running?
35 degrees and sunny. For real. Anything over 60 sucks ass.

Do you have any big races coming up?
Next half is the Whistlestop in October, then the Fall 50 relay.

Are you a morning, noon, or evening runner?
Morning. The earlier the better. I'm actually peeved when the days shorten because my runs have to be later. If I'm not done running by 10am, I'm unhappy. I never run outside in the dark. Ever. Pre-dawn glow is okay, but not the dark. I am far too paranoid. I'm pretty sure muggers and rapists aren't awake at 5am.

Do you run solo, or with a buddy?
Solo, please. It's my only alone time, really. I will occaisionally run with a friend, and there's one in particular that I race with (well "race" is a loose term, it's more like "chat idly while moving feet"), but it's not my usual.

What is your favorite post-run snack?
I can't eat right after I run, though I do like chocolate milk.

What is your favorite distance?
The half marathon. 5Ks are fine, but for some reason I really dislike 10Ks. They bother me. A half feels like an accomplishment, but it doesn't eat up your whole day.

What is your least favorite race?
The Bellin Run (Huh. A 10K. Go figure). It's just too damn big. 40,000 runners or somesuch. By the time my wave starts, the elites are finishing. That and there are too many walkers that don't observe race ettiquette...also most of the course is boring as hell.

Who is your running idol?
Ummm....I dunno.

How long have you been running?
About 4 years. Long enough to know some stuff. Not long enough to be fast.

Do you run with your wedding ring on?
Nope. No jewelry. Especially rings, as my fingers swell when I run.

What is your favorite workout?
The long, slow run. Turn off the brain, turn on the tunes, and just go on vacation in my head.

Do you use a Garmin or other tracking device?
I have a Garmin 405 that I adore (though it locked up on me before the Cellcom. Dirty bastard thing.). I used to use Nike+ until I realized that it lies through it's virtual teeth about your pace and distance. I don't like being lied to. Not even by disembodied Lance Armstrong.

So that's my running in a nutshell. Totally awesome, right?

On a completely, totally, outrageously unrelated note, I dreamed last night that I'd had my surgery. And my new boobs were beautiful. And they were on my husband.

I have a feeling they're only going to get weirder over the next 4 days.

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Countdown to Ta-Ta Tuesday

I had my pre-op yesterday. Talked to the surgeon, got prodded a bit, and tried on some boobs! Well, what I thought I wanted? Were large to the point of slight ridiculousness.

Okay, that's not fair. I would not have looked freakish or abnormal, but I would have looked *ahem* blessed. Also would likely have attracted more attention than generally wanted. It was kind of funny, because when I told the surgeon what I thought I wanted, he took some measurements and said "Well, that's possible, but I don't think that's what you really want. I think you'd like this size (handing me a boob) a lot better". So I tried it on. And he was really, really right. He then said "I mean, we're not looking to make a living with these, right?"

This is one of the reasons I picked this surgeon. Because of comments like that.

So what sizes, you ask? First I should probably explain (for those without the fake ta-tas) that silicone breast implants (yes, I'm getting silicone, and no they don't cause cancer/lupus/silicone migration/fibromyalgia/insert disease of the day here) come in three "profiles" which indicate how wide they are at the base and how far they "project" or stick out from your chest. The same size implant can look very different in each profile. I thought I wanted 339cc implants in a moderate plus (kind of sticky-outy). Turns out I want a 286cc mod-plus or a 300 high profile (really sticky-outy). You wouldn't think that 40-60ccs (3-4 tbsp) would make much difference, but holy crap did it ever. I put those 339s in and put my t-shirt on and BA-BAM! Boob city. It was freaky. The 286s looked like I always wished I looked. Full, perky, conservative cleavage. Normal. Pretty. I'm officially getting excited.

My belly will lose between 6 and 8 inches of skin. Sounds incredible, doesn't it? That there could be EIGHT INCHES of just hanging flabby stuff? That is what twins did to my body. I almost can't believe I get to have it fixed. I'm registered. I'm scheduled. It's all paid for.

7 days until Ta-Ta Tuesday!!

Friday, May 20, 2011

No! I want a KISS not a FART!

The title is something my daughter actually said to me last night. By way of explanation, I didn't actually fart on her.

Remember that episode of the Cosby Show when Cliff and Rudy were "zerberting" each other? Basically involving blowing a raspberry on the other person's cheek? This is what I did. She knows what a zerbet is (what can I say, I love the Cosby Show), but is completely obsessed with farts lately. It's annoying. But when I zerberted her cheek and she came back with that line? I laughed. Loud. To the point where I had to sit down on her bed so I wouldn't fall over.

First she looked at me like I'd grown another head. Then she laughed, too.

Yesterday night she and my husband had this exchange:
Jamie: What would you like for supper? A hot dog?
Lily: No.
Jamie: Spaghetti?
Lily: No.
Jamie: A grilled cheese sandwich?
Lily: Nope.
Jamie: Then what do you want?
Lily (smirking): A kick in the ass?
Jamie (stifling laughter): That's not a nice thing to say.
Lily: Okay, sorry. A kick in the butt?

At this point he was laughing. I wouldn't have made it that long. This child says the weirdest stuff. I'll take the blame for some of her language. I curse like a sailor, and while I try to watch my f*cking mouth around the baby....I often fail.

Lily: I want some lotion on my hands.
Me: Here you go (squirting lotion on one hand)
Lily: NO. I want it on BOTH hands.
Me: So rub your hands together and you'll have it on both hands.
Lily: Oh for f*ck's sake.

I had to admire the fact that she used the phrase in it's appropriate context.

So here's my big decision. I'm going to run a full marathon next year. Earth shattering, no? Specifically, the Outer Banks Marathon in November 2012. It's in North Carolina and goes along the beach. I've already scoped out rental houses and been in touch with an owner about Friday arrival and departure. I will make this happen. I've run 6 half marathons and have shaved more than 30 minutes off my original time. I'm going to get some speed coaching over the winter, get a few halfs (halves?) in during the spring season and then spend the summer working my way up to marathon shape. I'll do a half in October (as usual), the Fall 50 as a speed workout, and then the big 26.2 in November. Should be plenty of time to recover from surgery and get back into racing form.

I always said I'd wait until all the kids were school age so I'd have the time to train, but I don't want to wait 4 years. I want to start planning now. I need a vacation, and what better way to take a vacation than to include something awesome like my first marathon? Also it gives me license to eat everything that's not nailed down while on said vacation. Copious beer as well!

So, to that end, I've loaded up my Kindle with marathon training plans and strategies and while I'm recovering from surgery I'm going to develop my training outline for the coming year. I'm also going to knit, but that has nothing to do with running and everything to do with awesome striped socks.

Monday is my pre-op aka "Boob try-on day". I'm kind of excited. My husband is really excited. I have no intention of going all Playboy, but I've gotta say...the prospect of actual cleavage excites me. I've been a padded bra girl all my life. Lately I've been wearing inserts (you know, those chicken cutlet looking deals) to "practice". Also so I don't show up at work 2 weeks post op all "HELLOOOOOOOO!!! Looky here at my fake knockers!!!!" I'm easing into it.

Have I mentioned that I'm terrified of surgery? TERRIFIED.

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Wow. Day 2.

I haven't run a step since Sunday, which makes me grumpy.

Sunday was the Cellcom Green Bay Marathon (well half-marathon for me). First time running that distance at the event, and I have to say it was fun! I also set a PR in spite of brutal winds. 2:12:48...not exactly world record pace, but I was tickled by it. The spectators were fun, the post race beer was cold, and it was a beautiful day (once I stopped running into a headwind). Unfortunately, all of my friends (save one) that were to run the race had to drop out. Injury, conflicts, illness...one by one they fell by the wayside. My friend Laura had a killer time (2:08:08), but I never saw her at the start so I missed the chance to pace with her (dammit!!).

My overall observation for the day is this: 13.25 miles (mismeasured course) on concrete roads that are in questionable repair? Yeah, it's hard on the joints.

So now my spring racing season is over. It was pretty successful! Ran the Dick Lytie Spring Classic in March in 2:17:34 which was a personal best. It was 30 degrees, sunny, and windy that day...and there was a pretty substantial snowpack because it snowed 18 inches two days before the race! I did the Door County Half Marathon the week before Cellcom in 2:21:50. I had a 2:15 in me that day, I think, but I was busy running and chatting with a friend :) What a beautiful course that is. The weather was perfect, too...couldn't have asked for a better day.

Now that my 3 spring half marathons are behind me, and my next isn't until October (Whistlestop half...followed by the Fall 50 relay), my next adventure is...surgery.

So have I mentioned I have kids? Three of them? Two of which are twins? Big ones? Well, they are. I went to 37.5 weeks and they were each 7lbs. I was a landmass. I lost all the baby weight, but I'm pretty destroyed, so a week from next Tuesday I'm having all my bits put back where they belong. I am terrified. Also excited. Excited and terrified. Yup.

I need to run out my anxiety, but there isn't any time! Work, kids, work some more, baby showers out of town, kids, pre-op, work, work, work, kids, anniversary (our 5th!), work, work, work, SURGERY. Did you see "run" in there? No? Well neither did I. I need to find a way to wedge it in, though...I won't be able to run for a month (!!) after the procedure, so I have to get it in now!

If only the weather would start cooperating.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Let's see if I can manage to keep this up...

So I realized while I was posting this that I used to have a blog. 5 years ago. And I posted to it twice.

Wonder if this will go any better...

Well, here goes. I'm a 33 year old wife, mother, pharmacist, and runner. Pretty much in that order. The pharmacist and runner parts balance out the wife and mother parts. Most days. Other days beer balances out the wife and mother parts.

Maybe this will be entertaining...maybe it will be inspirational....maybe it will be total crap. Feel free to throw whatever rotten vegetables may be handy.