I walked into work on Friday & the first patient I encountered was a very pregnant Corgi named Puppet. I mean she was ready to pop! She was in for a c-section. The vet wasn’t in yet but we were going to go ahead & put an IV catheter in her. She didn’t want to sit or lay down because it was too uncomfortable for her so I sat on the floor with her while the other tech got supplies ready. The look this dog had in her eyes was complete terror. After all she was 6 ½ yrs old & this was her first litter. She had absolutely no idea what was going on! Once the doctor got there, we prepped her for surgery. The owner & another breeder friend came in about that time & were ready to help deliver the puppies. As I was shaving & scrubbing the dog while she was still awake, the breeders were having casual conversation about how the moms of some previous litters had died soon after c-sections. That’s the last thing you wanna hear right before you take a dog into surgery. We asked them to please stop talking about that because it kinda freaked us out. One of them said “don’t worry Puppet will be fine!”
so we induced her & got her into surgery. We were all ready with clean towels & many hands to rub puppies once they came out. The vet got her opened up & one by one he kept pulling out puppies & passing them on to us. This is a pretty gross operation but awesome at the same time. I’m always afraid I’m gonna drop one as the vet passes them on to me! so slippery!! But we got them all clean & rubbed down to get fluid out of their lungs. Puppet ended up having 11 healthy puppies! I helped tie off & cut their umbilical cords then we put them all in the incubator to keep warm.
Mama Puppet was doing fine thru out the whole surgery up until the time the vet had finished stitching up her uterus. I was helping flush that when the tech monitoring her said she was having a hard time hearing a heartbeat. The equipment was reading her vitals all outta whack. I tried listening with a stethoscope too but swear I only heard a faint heartbeat. With her abdomen still open the vet tried to feel for a heartbeat but nothing. Puppet was crashing. We all went into crisis mode. The vet began CPR & was giving out orders. Another tech & I started grabbing & drawing up emergency meds. I had to keep going out into the hall for other supplies…when I did, I had to pass by the owner & breeder. I heard one of them say “something bad’s going on in there isn’t it.” I had to ignore that comment for now. After about 5-7mins of CPR & emergency drugs, Puppet was gone, leaving 11 new-born puppies without a mom.
Bitter sweet moment...new puppies but mama didn't survive. Talk about an unbelievably sad feeling. Her body just couldn’t take it. I thought back to earlier that morning when I was sitting on the floor with her. She kept nuzzling me & hiding her head under my arm. That scared look in her eyes then still haunts me now. You have to wonder if she knew what was going to happen. That lingered with all of us the rest of the day. Needless to say, after work, I went & drank a lot of tequila with friends hoping to get that sadness out of my head. I did forget about it for a while...until I sobered up the next day & it all rushed back to me.
Days like this at my job are very trying & emotionally draining. You never want to experience them but they are inevitable. They break your heart but also make you stronger & remind you just how precious life really is.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
M.I.A....take it 2 da house!
so i realized that i've kind of abandoned this here blog of bloggatory bloggings since the MS150 bike ride nearly 4 months ago. that experience is still one of the most amazing things to be apart of! Things have just been non-stop as usual. it slowed down enough for me to regain some sanity which was helpful only to lose it a bit more each day.
i'm into my last semester of school...approximately 105 days left but who's counting. i'm still overwhelmed with how much information they cram into this 2yr program! I'll take national & state boards in June. Then i'll have to officially join the real world & find a full-time job....so in reality it's crunch time more than ever!
we organized our very 1st Vet Tech Adoption Day last fall & had great success with it so we're planning another one next month for our new slew of amazing cats & dogs!! if you know some one who's interested in adopting a pet, you'll be able to check them all out at this website very soon! http://mcckc.edu/main.asp?P=DP_VETT.
as for classes, we're getting back into the swing of things. Surgery rotations are starting even earlier now. its always a little nerve racking only because there's a real world way we do things at our jobs & then there's the Maple Woods way where everything is by the text book. the MW way always stresses ya out but last semester my group did good despite some ups & downs & us always getting the crazy animals with weird issues!
i did a lot of house sitting last fall too & at one time was watching 3 different houses with dogs. Luckily they were all great dogs & the houses were close by each other so i just made my rounds every morning, noon & night. i should of asked to get paid by the mile. good news is Jake, the dog i was fostering finally found a home the first of October right before my house sitting maddness began! perfect timing...i miss Jake but he immediately took to the older couple who came to meet him. i wasn't expecting him to leave that day but he did & i was sad....yes i'm a sap & cried after he left but oh well...i guess that means i'm not as cold hearted as i thought.
i've been playing volleyball Monday nights with friends from school. its just co-ed recreational thru the NKC school district but it's been a lot of fun! i didn't realize how much i missed playing volleyball until that first night. sadly i can't do my wicked overhanded serve like i used to thanks to my shoulder injury in college (falling off a computer chair..sober!) but it's still a lot of fun. plus more friends from school are playing with us this semester! what's even more entertaining are the other people we play with. couple of younger people my age play but it's mostly folks in their mid-30's, 40's & 50's....its fun to watch some of them get competitive & angry when other people mess up & then go silent when they screw up. my favorite will always be Rick, the old dude with a sweat band, cut off sweat pants & sweatshirt, bad knees & a pulled groin getting mad at me when i missed an easy shot couple times & i laughed at myself....later he "accidentally" spiked a ball at my face.
speaking of injuries...on Halloween i broke my own toe. well alcohol & a heavy bowling ball were involved so you can imagine what happened. my big toe was dysfunctional for about a month & half. i'm still waiting for the nail to fall off....its not a lovely sight for anyone to see that's for sure!
i thought i'd start writing on this blog again for my own sanity. the holidays came & went so a healthy diet went right out the window & of course with winter upon us means no more nice weather for bike riding. so needless to say i've fallen off the band wagon. do bands really have wagons anymore? um more like i fell off the pimped out band tour bus. a lot of things are happening for me this year & i want to get ready mentally & physically for what lies a head in my future. so i gotta get my butt in gear again!
all i have going right now is school & that takes up most of my time & brain space but i must balance it with something entertaining...hence the random babblings of me! no one will probably read this anymore just like no one used to read my other blog years ago during my fun run in radio (feel free to check it out at http://amy-d-28.xanga.com/) but that won't stop me from writing it this time either!
so here's to me wasting my time & probably yours...but it'll be worth it right? just tell me it will be worth it so i don't feel guilty for doing this occasionally instead of studying.
and we're off....
i'm into my last semester of school...approximately 105 days left but who's counting. i'm still overwhelmed with how much information they cram into this 2yr program! I'll take national & state boards in June. Then i'll have to officially join the real world & find a full-time job....so in reality it's crunch time more than ever!
we organized our very 1st Vet Tech Adoption Day last fall & had great success with it so we're planning another one next month for our new slew of amazing cats & dogs!! if you know some one who's interested in adopting a pet, you'll be able to check them all out at this website very soon! http://mcckc.edu/main.asp?P=DP_VETT.
as for classes, we're getting back into the swing of things. Surgery rotations are starting even earlier now. its always a little nerve racking only because there's a real world way we do things at our jobs & then there's the Maple Woods way where everything is by the text book. the MW way always stresses ya out but last semester my group did good despite some ups & downs & us always getting the crazy animals with weird issues!
i did a lot of house sitting last fall too & at one time was watching 3 different houses with dogs. Luckily they were all great dogs & the houses were close by each other so i just made my rounds every morning, noon & night. i should of asked to get paid by the mile. good news is Jake, the dog i was fostering finally found a home the first of October right before my house sitting maddness began! perfect timing...i miss Jake but he immediately took to the older couple who came to meet him. i wasn't expecting him to leave that day but he did & i was sad....yes i'm a sap & cried after he left but oh well...i guess that means i'm not as cold hearted as i thought.
i've been playing volleyball Monday nights with friends from school. its just co-ed recreational thru the NKC school district but it's been a lot of fun! i didn't realize how much i missed playing volleyball until that first night. sadly i can't do my wicked overhanded serve like i used to thanks to my shoulder injury in college (falling off a computer chair..sober!) but it's still a lot of fun. plus more friends from school are playing with us this semester! what's even more entertaining are the other people we play with. couple of younger people my age play but it's mostly folks in their mid-30's, 40's & 50's....its fun to watch some of them get competitive & angry when other people mess up & then go silent when they screw up. my favorite will always be Rick, the old dude with a sweat band, cut off sweat pants & sweatshirt, bad knees & a pulled groin getting mad at me when i missed an easy shot couple times & i laughed at myself....later he "accidentally" spiked a ball at my face.
speaking of injuries...on Halloween i broke my own toe. well alcohol & a heavy bowling ball were involved so you can imagine what happened. my big toe was dysfunctional for about a month & half. i'm still waiting for the nail to fall off....its not a lovely sight for anyone to see that's for sure!
i thought i'd start writing on this blog again for my own sanity. the holidays came & went so a healthy diet went right out the window & of course with winter upon us means no more nice weather for bike riding. so needless to say i've fallen off the band wagon. do bands really have wagons anymore? um more like i fell off the pimped out band tour bus. a lot of things are happening for me this year & i want to get ready mentally & physically for what lies a head in my future. so i gotta get my butt in gear again!
all i have going right now is school & that takes up most of my time & brain space but i must balance it with something entertaining...hence the random babblings of me! no one will probably read this anymore just like no one used to read my other blog years ago during my fun run in radio (feel free to check it out at http://amy-d-28.xanga.com/) but that won't stop me from writing it this time either!
so here's to me wasting my time & probably yours...but it'll be worth it right? just tell me it will be worth it so i don't feel guilty for doing this occasionally instead of studying.
and we're off....
Monday, September 28, 2009
car UP! car BACK! on your Left!
the 3 phrases i heard &/or repeated quite often thru out the weekend during the MS 150 Bike Ride. I need to write this post of the adventure that was this past weekend before i'm sucked back into reality & forget all that happened. even though my legs & butt probably won't ever let me forget it! this is long..so read at your own free will!
I knew this was all going to be an adventure from the get go when i went to pick up Tasha & couldn't get her bike to fit on my crappy old bike rack ...after many different attempts which included trying to take off the front tire & put it in my hatchback & even that was unsuccessful, we finally made it work! then after getting lost in a neighborhood full of rich houses, we finally found our place to crash for the night at Kristin's in-laws. after a restless night sleep before the big ride we were all awakened by the "Bike Time" song & dance alarm.
I was pretty freaking nervous about this bicycle ride. its no ordinary ride of 10 or 20 miles. No...it was 80.6 miles on Day 1 and then 80.4 miles on Day 2. i couldn't quite wrap my mind around what i had gotten myself into! i don't think any of the 4 of us could. but me, Kristin, Tasha & Ryan...aka Team Awesome, were about to attempt it. once we figured out where all our numbers went on our bikes, ourselves AND our luggage, we made our way to the starting line. as part of the final group to be sent off that first morning, we were on our way to who knows where!! well, we know we were gonna end up in Sedalia but no idea of the roads that were going to get us there!
it was all very exciting in the beginning & the first 30 miles seemed to fly by! we had to learn the biking lingo & get in the groove. very weird to think how fast it went but i think our adrenaline was just pumping so much it made our legs pump even harder! Thanks to Kristin for her constant supply of electrolyte pills every 10 miles! we stopped for lunch at 50 miles...talk about a swarm of people! i had never seen so many bikes in one spot. what a place to people watch too! all the different biking jerseys & just random people in general.
so with a stomach full of food & energy, we headed back out on road only to find ourselves in the worst part of the whole ride...hills, followed by some hills, but then we were lucky enough to have a few more hills after that! i only walked 1 of those hills. needless to say Rest stop # 6 saved my sanity by supplying me with the best frozen lemon ice i have ever craved! by this stage in the ride, the 4 of us knew we couldn't all stay together because we all rode at such different paces so we just made sure we met up at every rest stop to regroup & make sure we were each accounted for.
it was about half way thru Day 1 when i think we realized if any one of us were to get a flat tire, we'd need each of us to change it. I had a tube, Tasha had the CO2 cartridge, Kristin had the device for the CO2 & Ryan had the expertise on how to change a tire...we got lucky & none of us got a flat all weekend!!
as the day wore on, i grew more tired & my butt went numb, but i became more confident that i might actually finish this thing. it was mind over matter the whole weekend. i just kept telling myself..."only 10 more miles to the next rest stop? that just like a quick evening ride down Shoal Creek". or whenever i saw 1 mile to the next rest stop.."that's like riding from my house to Cookingham...no big deal! i got this!"
the big highlight about being the last one in my group to coast in at the end of the first 80.6 miles was that the rest of Team Awesome was there to cheer me on! sure there were tons of strangers i didn't know cheering too but it meant more coming from my friends.
Day 1 ended with free beer & lasagna in the Village, a bus ride to the memorable Sunset Motel run by Russians, shower shoes thanks to Kristin's flippy floppies, idol hands, Spider pig, winter socks, lights out & asleep by 8:30pm!
Day 2 was a whole new ball game. we had to be up by 4:45 (cue "Bike Time" alarm.) slow to rise but we made our way back to the fairgrounds by 5:45...excited that we were going to have pancakes for breakfast only to find out they hadn't even started making them. good thing there were beagles! we found some strangers to help bump up our tires, then got yelled at by the only rude person all weekend since we weren't lined up correctly at the starting line. oh well, we were still able to squeeze our way past the orange cones & start the ride as part of the first wave of bikers to leave at 7am.
Then the moment we all dreaded...sitting back on that tiny bike seat...i feared it greatly but in reality it wasn't as bad as i thought. all 4 of us quickly scattered again...plan was to meet up at RS#3 but i had to stop at RS#2 only because tons of bikers were stopping & blocking the road. then i realized i was outta water & had to use the rest room. plus there were peanut butter & jelly sandwiches while i waited in line. i think our official pictures were being taken at that rest stop & i hope so cuz i tried to make mine fun when i saw the cameras! =)
i was back on the road faced with a few more hills i wasn't too fond of. met back up with the group at RS#3...was told the worst of the hills was almost over. i believed that but none of us had a clue how horrible the wind would be later on. with each rest stop came sweet relief that i was that much closer to home. i was really starting to get worn out by this point. it didn't help that we were going up & down fairly easy hills but with winds up to 25mph coming straight at us, i felt like i was going no where & possibly being pushed backwards!
i've been asked how in the world i kept riding...all i can say is at some point your legs just go on autopilot & the rest of you is just along for the ride. i kept seeing SAG vehicles carrying loads of people onto the next rest stops. people were dropping out of this ride left & right...but here i was: only been riding maybe 3 months & even then only 2 MAYBE 3 times a week for max 10miles at a time. Hell, i've come this far, i'm not giving up now!! plus my dad donated a dollar for each mile i rode...it was only right i make that donation worth it. if i could finish this, i might make a few people proud of me...or even surprised at me or impressed by me! not that any of that mattered what so ever because i was just going to be astounded at myself if i finished this ride in one piece & it would all be for a great cause!
the last 30 miles were probably the hardest. i was out of energy...pb&j sandwiches only last so long! i found myself needing to take a breather every now & then especially after going down a big hill only to be matched with going up another...usually it wouldn't have been too bad except the wind had the audacity to steal all my momentum. i'd take wind out back in an ally & fight it if i could!
the last rest stop of Day 2 was only 5.4 miles from the end. another amazing frozen lemon ice recharged me & i was ready to "kick this bitch in the back!" i said these words but don't recall forming that sentence in my brain. that's when delusion must have kicked in. that was the longest 5.4 miles i have ever ridden but as i made it up that final hill, the rest of my team was waiting. Team Awesome was gonna ride the last 1/4 mile together across that finish line...and we did! Oooohhh YeeeaaahH!! plus we all got medals for our crazy attempt & conquer of a 161 mile bike ride!
this was the first time me, Kristin & Tasha had ridden in the MS 150 & we were surrounded by veteran riders. i quickly got used to being passed..no big deal. i'm always an underdog but i still managed to finish! it was actually encouraging for me to hear a stranger say "you're doing a great job...keep it up...or just keep peddling, just keep peddling!" those words of encouragement usually came at a moment when i was starting to lose confidence & needed it most.
i like to say that with my slow & steady pace, i road anchor for Team Awesome. but after all, we knew this wasn't a race but a ride. there was no need to bust our butts more than we had to in order to finish before anyone else. This was a ride for charity...a chance to do something amazing with an unbelievable group of people. I know i followed that motto mostly because i couldn't really go faster than any one else =) i just hope the rest of my team did the same & didn't lose sight of the purpose of this weekend!
Other weekend recaps (that i can remember right now):
-the Fun Police...the whole group was encouraging thru out the ride. i played leap frog with the same 2 members both days! crazy haired skinny guy & freakish mustache guy. they really were fun!
-Legs...sure many of them on bikes but none more memorable than "Legs" the guy who rode his bike so weird we swore he was bow-legged but we saw him walking around at a rest stop & he was fine...mystery..dude probably just needs a bigger bike!
-getting excited when i could hear someone with a radio strapped to their bike coming up behind me...only to be saddened when they passed me by & took the music with them.
-the most organized event of this capacity i have ever witnessed. and the most friendly staff & participants i've ever encountered.
-a bike built for 2 with the longest chain of life on it...still baffled about how they transported it.
-lady at a cross road really loving her job of waving flags to signal traffic. looked like she was trying to land a plane with them! oh man did she love those flags!
-kid on old school bike with only 1 gear...how he survived, i don't know!
-guy carrying all his luggage attached to his bike...including a backpack strapped to the side of his front tire...how was he not falling over?!
-guy with his legs wrapped up with ace bandages...still unsure of his story but i did pass him again half way thru Day 2 & he was being picked up by a SAG...he no finish.
-the horror that was white chocolate/seizure road...spend some money & improve the 2 1/2 miles of gravel road for crying out loud!!
-feeling the need to thank each & every person volunteering during this event...from the guy who took my luggage in the beginning, to the road side direction pointers, to the lady who gave me my frozen lemon ice, to the kids who retrieved my luggage at the fairgrounds, to our bus driver, to the old lady at RS#5 who pointed me in the right direction of water or Gatorade, to the lady making my pb&j sandwich, to the guy dancing at RS#7 while he cut up oranges, and of course to the girl who handed me my medal as i a crossed the finish line.
-despite the fact that i now have helmet pressure acne on my forehead, soar quads, a numb butt, a pretty sweet helmet strap tan & my right hand is only functional when in the handle bar position (its like my thumb forgot how to be opposable & it makes it hard to even turn the key to start my car!!) this was one hell of an experience & i'm honored to have had the chance to share it with an amazing group of friends. i am proud of all of us...we rock!
MS 150...bing bang boom....donezies!
I knew this was all going to be an adventure from the get go when i went to pick up Tasha & couldn't get her bike to fit on my crappy old bike rack ...after many different attempts which included trying to take off the front tire & put it in my hatchback & even that was unsuccessful, we finally made it work! then after getting lost in a neighborhood full of rich houses, we finally found our place to crash for the night at Kristin's in-laws. after a restless night sleep before the big ride we were all awakened by the "Bike Time" song & dance alarm.
I was pretty freaking nervous about this bicycle ride. its no ordinary ride of 10 or 20 miles. No...it was 80.6 miles on Day 1 and then 80.4 miles on Day 2. i couldn't quite wrap my mind around what i had gotten myself into! i don't think any of the 4 of us could. but me, Kristin, Tasha & Ryan...aka Team Awesome, were about to attempt it. once we figured out where all our numbers went on our bikes, ourselves AND our luggage, we made our way to the starting line. as part of the final group to be sent off that first morning, we were on our way to who knows where!! well, we know we were gonna end up in Sedalia but no idea of the roads that were going to get us there!
it was all very exciting in the beginning & the first 30 miles seemed to fly by! we had to learn the biking lingo & get in the groove. very weird to think how fast it went but i think our adrenaline was just pumping so much it made our legs pump even harder! Thanks to Kristin for her constant supply of electrolyte pills every 10 miles! we stopped for lunch at 50 miles...talk about a swarm of people! i had never seen so many bikes in one spot. what a place to people watch too! all the different biking jerseys & just random people in general.
so with a stomach full of food & energy, we headed back out on road only to find ourselves in the worst part of the whole ride...hills, followed by some hills, but then we were lucky enough to have a few more hills after that! i only walked 1 of those hills. needless to say Rest stop # 6 saved my sanity by supplying me with the best frozen lemon ice i have ever craved! by this stage in the ride, the 4 of us knew we couldn't all stay together because we all rode at such different paces so we just made sure we met up at every rest stop to regroup & make sure we were each accounted for.
it was about half way thru Day 1 when i think we realized if any one of us were to get a flat tire, we'd need each of us to change it. I had a tube, Tasha had the CO2 cartridge, Kristin had the device for the CO2 & Ryan had the expertise on how to change a tire...we got lucky & none of us got a flat all weekend!!
as the day wore on, i grew more tired & my butt went numb, but i became more confident that i might actually finish this thing. it was mind over matter the whole weekend. i just kept telling myself..."only 10 more miles to the next rest stop? that just like a quick evening ride down Shoal Creek". or whenever i saw 1 mile to the next rest stop.."that's like riding from my house to Cookingham...no big deal! i got this!"
the big highlight about being the last one in my group to coast in at the end of the first 80.6 miles was that the rest of Team Awesome was there to cheer me on! sure there were tons of strangers i didn't know cheering too but it meant more coming from my friends.
Day 1 ended with free beer & lasagna in the Village, a bus ride to the memorable Sunset Motel run by Russians, shower shoes thanks to Kristin's flippy floppies, idol hands, Spider pig, winter socks, lights out & asleep by 8:30pm!
Day 2 was a whole new ball game. we had to be up by 4:45 (cue "Bike Time" alarm.) slow to rise but we made our way back to the fairgrounds by 5:45...excited that we were going to have pancakes for breakfast only to find out they hadn't even started making them. good thing there were beagles! we found some strangers to help bump up our tires, then got yelled at by the only rude person all weekend since we weren't lined up correctly at the starting line. oh well, we were still able to squeeze our way past the orange cones & start the ride as part of the first wave of bikers to leave at 7am.
Then the moment we all dreaded...sitting back on that tiny bike seat...i feared it greatly but in reality it wasn't as bad as i thought. all 4 of us quickly scattered again...plan was to meet up at RS#3 but i had to stop at RS#2 only because tons of bikers were stopping & blocking the road. then i realized i was outta water & had to use the rest room. plus there were peanut butter & jelly sandwiches while i waited in line. i think our official pictures were being taken at that rest stop & i hope so cuz i tried to make mine fun when i saw the cameras! =)
i was back on the road faced with a few more hills i wasn't too fond of. met back up with the group at RS#3...was told the worst of the hills was almost over. i believed that but none of us had a clue how horrible the wind would be later on. with each rest stop came sweet relief that i was that much closer to home. i was really starting to get worn out by this point. it didn't help that we were going up & down fairly easy hills but with winds up to 25mph coming straight at us, i felt like i was going no where & possibly being pushed backwards!
i've been asked how in the world i kept riding...all i can say is at some point your legs just go on autopilot & the rest of you is just along for the ride. i kept seeing SAG vehicles carrying loads of people onto the next rest stops. people were dropping out of this ride left & right...but here i was: only been riding maybe 3 months & even then only 2 MAYBE 3 times a week for max 10miles at a time. Hell, i've come this far, i'm not giving up now!! plus my dad donated a dollar for each mile i rode...it was only right i make that donation worth it. if i could finish this, i might make a few people proud of me...or even surprised at me or impressed by me! not that any of that mattered what so ever because i was just going to be astounded at myself if i finished this ride in one piece & it would all be for a great cause!
the last 30 miles were probably the hardest. i was out of energy...pb&j sandwiches only last so long! i found myself needing to take a breather every now & then especially after going down a big hill only to be matched with going up another...usually it wouldn't have been too bad except the wind had the audacity to steal all my momentum. i'd take wind out back in an ally & fight it if i could!
the last rest stop of Day 2 was only 5.4 miles from the end. another amazing frozen lemon ice recharged me & i was ready to "kick this bitch in the back!" i said these words but don't recall forming that sentence in my brain. that's when delusion must have kicked in. that was the longest 5.4 miles i have ever ridden but as i made it up that final hill, the rest of my team was waiting. Team Awesome was gonna ride the last 1/4 mile together across that finish line...and we did! Oooohhh YeeeaaahH!! plus we all got medals for our crazy attempt & conquer of a 161 mile bike ride!
this was the first time me, Kristin & Tasha had ridden in the MS 150 & we were surrounded by veteran riders. i quickly got used to being passed..no big deal. i'm always an underdog but i still managed to finish! it was actually encouraging for me to hear a stranger say "you're doing a great job...keep it up...or just keep peddling, just keep peddling!" those words of encouragement usually came at a moment when i was starting to lose confidence & needed it most.
i like to say that with my slow & steady pace, i road anchor for Team Awesome. but after all, we knew this wasn't a race but a ride. there was no need to bust our butts more than we had to in order to finish before anyone else. This was a ride for charity...a chance to do something amazing with an unbelievable group of people. I know i followed that motto mostly because i couldn't really go faster than any one else =) i just hope the rest of my team did the same & didn't lose sight of the purpose of this weekend!
Other weekend recaps (that i can remember right now):
-the Fun Police...the whole group was encouraging thru out the ride. i played leap frog with the same 2 members both days! crazy haired skinny guy & freakish mustache guy. they really were fun!
-Legs...sure many of them on bikes but none more memorable than "Legs" the guy who rode his bike so weird we swore he was bow-legged but we saw him walking around at a rest stop & he was fine...mystery..dude probably just needs a bigger bike!
-getting excited when i could hear someone with a radio strapped to their bike coming up behind me...only to be saddened when they passed me by & took the music with them.
-the most organized event of this capacity i have ever witnessed. and the most friendly staff & participants i've ever encountered.
-a bike built for 2 with the longest chain of life on it...still baffled about how they transported it.
-lady at a cross road really loving her job of waving flags to signal traffic. looked like she was trying to land a plane with them! oh man did she love those flags!
-kid on old school bike with only 1 gear...how he survived, i don't know!
-guy carrying all his luggage attached to his bike...including a backpack strapped to the side of his front tire...how was he not falling over?!
-guy with his legs wrapped up with ace bandages...still unsure of his story but i did pass him again half way thru Day 2 & he was being picked up by a SAG...he no finish.
-the horror that was white chocolate/seizure road...spend some money & improve the 2 1/2 miles of gravel road for crying out loud!!
-feeling the need to thank each & every person volunteering during this event...from the guy who took my luggage in the beginning, to the road side direction pointers, to the lady who gave me my frozen lemon ice, to the kids who retrieved my luggage at the fairgrounds, to our bus driver, to the old lady at RS#5 who pointed me in the right direction of water or Gatorade, to the lady making my pb&j sandwich, to the guy dancing at RS#7 while he cut up oranges, and of course to the girl who handed me my medal as i a crossed the finish line.
-despite the fact that i now have helmet pressure acne on my forehead, soar quads, a numb butt, a pretty sweet helmet strap tan & my right hand is only functional when in the handle bar position (its like my thumb forgot how to be opposable & it makes it hard to even turn the key to start my car!!) this was one hell of an experience & i'm honored to have had the chance to share it with an amazing group of friends. i am proud of all of us...we rock!
MS 150...bing bang boom....donezies!
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
i have a scrambled brain!
no time for a big update this week. its crunch time in more ways than one over the next 2 weeks. I have a couple big mind-blowing tests next week, organizing a couple school events & of course finding time to prepare for the MS-150 on Sept 26th & 27th! (there's still time to donate by Clicking here!!)
According to the movie Big Fish "The more difficult something is, the more rewarding it is in the end." I sure hope this is the case for me!! So i hope to see you all on the other side of this crazy train I call the month of September!
According to the movie Big Fish "The more difficult something is, the more rewarding it is in the end." I sure hope this is the case for me!! So i hope to see you all on the other side of this crazy train I call the month of September!
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Chaos is the name of this game
yea i'm a little behind on updating this blog this week. in fact i've had the intention to write it several times already but other things came up & had to be done first. but right now, i'm just trying to stay awake while i read about pigs. they have sharp teeth, ya know...so don't put your finger in their mouths but feel free to rub their cute soft noses! so adorable! anyhoo, enough of that.
Life is not slowing down anytime soon with school & work & more school & training for the bike ride in less than 2 weeks. this has all been confirmed by a dream i had just last night. I was somewhere with family & friends from school & all of a sudden a tornado started heading our way. i remember looking up the street & saw it coming straight towards us. next thing i knew, it was circling around us. everyone else got to safety but all i could do was hang on tight to whatever was attached to the ground in front of me. i could feel the tornado picking me up & trying to pull me away but i kept on holding on. Finally the tornado passed & i returned to the ground. i had a feeling of success & of course just thankful to be alive! then i remember wanting to keep whatever it was i was holding onto as a souvenir. turns out it was a leather footstool that wasn't actually attached to the ground at all...dang dreams are so weird! i swear it was real. i've heard that tornadoes in dreams symbolize stress or chaos in your life...clearly this is true!
i'm not gonna lie but i am a little disappointed in some of my own family for not being willing to support me in the MS-150 bike ride while a few family members, friends & coworkers i hardly know have stepped up & already donated. at least they believe in me!
i'm also not gonna lie that i've been slacking on my attempt to become less awkwardly shaped the past couple weeks. i'm not down this week at all & no inches lost. however, i did ride 20miles on Sunday & 26 miles on Monday. i think i could have gone further both days but i just didn't have the time to do it...places to be & things to do! i took today off but if the rain holds off tomorrow i'm gonna try to head out again after cleaning the barn at school.
aw yes, the large animals are pretty fun so far. the piglets are cute as can be but the cows are pretty awesome & powerful too. one goat in particular has won my heart & many others because she's so sweet & likes to follow me around even when i'm picking up their pebble poop! sheep are crazy but i would be too if i had to wear all that dirty wool everyday! i'm sure its entertaining enough for all the animals just watching me try to heave hay up into their bins..only to have half of it fall on my head every time! in reality, the opportunities i get at school are extraordinary & i'm glad i finally got the chance to do this. i just hope i can keep a level head & keep things organized in my brain & other parts of my life over the next several months!
the weight loss will come with time so i won't fret too much about it. like with everything else, i just take it all one day at a time & hope i make the right choices.
Life is not slowing down anytime soon with school & work & more school & training for the bike ride in less than 2 weeks. this has all been confirmed by a dream i had just last night. I was somewhere with family & friends from school & all of a sudden a tornado started heading our way. i remember looking up the street & saw it coming straight towards us. next thing i knew, it was circling around us. everyone else got to safety but all i could do was hang on tight to whatever was attached to the ground in front of me. i could feel the tornado picking me up & trying to pull me away but i kept on holding on. Finally the tornado passed & i returned to the ground. i had a feeling of success & of course just thankful to be alive! then i remember wanting to keep whatever it was i was holding onto as a souvenir. turns out it was a leather footstool that wasn't actually attached to the ground at all...dang dreams are so weird! i swear it was real. i've heard that tornadoes in dreams symbolize stress or chaos in your life...clearly this is true!
i'm not gonna lie but i am a little disappointed in some of my own family for not being willing to support me in the MS-150 bike ride while a few family members, friends & coworkers i hardly know have stepped up & already donated. at least they believe in me!
i'm also not gonna lie that i've been slacking on my attempt to become less awkwardly shaped the past couple weeks. i'm not down this week at all & no inches lost. however, i did ride 20miles on Sunday & 26 miles on Monday. i think i could have gone further both days but i just didn't have the time to do it...places to be & things to do! i took today off but if the rain holds off tomorrow i'm gonna try to head out again after cleaning the barn at school.
aw yes, the large animals are pretty fun so far. the piglets are cute as can be but the cows are pretty awesome & powerful too. one goat in particular has won my heart & many others because she's so sweet & likes to follow me around even when i'm picking up their pebble poop! sheep are crazy but i would be too if i had to wear all that dirty wool everyday! i'm sure its entertaining enough for all the animals just watching me try to heave hay up into their bins..only to have half of it fall on my head every time! in reality, the opportunities i get at school are extraordinary & i'm glad i finally got the chance to do this. i just hope i can keep a level head & keep things organized in my brain & other parts of my life over the next several months!
the weight loss will come with time so i won't fret too much about it. like with everything else, i just take it all one day at a time & hope i make the right choices.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Gotta get the word out!
another Sunday night of studying in full swing...yet, here i sit...clickity keying away! but hey, my brain has to take breaks every now & then from note card writing & brightly Hi-lighter highlighting...my orange one has almost ran out cuz i tend to use it more often..yes, i neglect the other colors sometimes but don't call me a racist!
i'm down 3lbs this week so that puts me at 250...which might only be attributed to the fact that i couldn't eat much last week thanks to the aftermath of dehydration. as much as i wanted to, the nausea lingered all week but i think i'm finally back on track...dang those electrolytes getting so depleted & outta whack!
ok....so reason for this week's update: thanks to a switch-a-roo with a classmate, i can now officially do the MS-150 on September 26th & 27th. I am horrible at asking for money for things..even if its asking my parents to help pay my bills in order to survive! However, this charity ride is for a great cause...raising money for multiple sclerosis. Maybe you don't donate to causes like this because you don't know anyone with MS so it doesn't hit close to home. But maybe one day it will. I've learned that as i get older, i've come to know more & more people therefore my world gets smaller everyday. the likelihood of someone we know coming down with
MS or another incurable disease is greater each day. If i can help advance science just a smidgen by riding my bike 150 miles with friends over a nice autumn weekend, i'm gonna do it! probably with lots of blood, sweat & tears but that's ok...slow & steady!
I haven't gotten married yet & i'm certainly not having any kids any time soon so therefore, i HAVE NOT asked ANY of you to buy me ANYTHING for a shower or housewarming gift of any kind!! (your welcome!) I'm a cheap friend & am only going to ask each of you to donate at least $10 towards me riding my bike for 2 days...even if you don't think i can do it (and why don't you think i can do it, friend?!?!), the money will still go to a great cause. If enough of you have faith in me that i can do the entire 150 miles, it will help encourage me greatly along the ride. Sure, I don't wanna let you down but mostly i don't wanna let down the people who suffer from MS. I'm lucky enough to have the ability to ride a bike. So on that note: if you could please Click here to get to my personal page & you can make a secure, online donation or you can pay me in person if you want. I know economic times are tough but at least we're all alive & well for the most part...we are the lucky ones! If you can't contribute, i completely understand but at least send positive thoughts my way that weekend in September...i will need it!
i'm down 3lbs this week so that puts me at 250...which might only be attributed to the fact that i couldn't eat much last week thanks to the aftermath of dehydration. as much as i wanted to, the nausea lingered all week but i think i'm finally back on track...dang those electrolytes getting so depleted & outta whack!
ok....so reason for this week's update: thanks to a switch-a-roo with a classmate, i can now officially do the MS-150 on September 26th & 27th. I am horrible at asking for money for things..even if its asking my parents to help pay my bills in order to survive! However, this charity ride is for a great cause...raising money for multiple sclerosis. Maybe you don't donate to causes like this because you don't know anyone with MS so it doesn't hit close to home. But maybe one day it will. I've learned that as i get older, i've come to know more & more people therefore my world gets smaller everyday. the likelihood of someone we know coming down with
MS or another incurable disease is greater each day. If i can help advance science just a smidgen by riding my bike 150 miles with friends over a nice autumn weekend, i'm gonna do it! probably with lots of blood, sweat & tears but that's ok...slow & steady!I haven't gotten married yet & i'm certainly not having any kids any time soon so therefore, i HAVE NOT asked ANY of you to buy me ANYTHING for a shower or housewarming gift of any kind!! (your welcome!) I'm a cheap friend & am only going to ask each of you to donate at least $10 towards me riding my bike for 2 days...even if you don't think i can do it (and why don't you think i can do it, friend?!?!), the money will still go to a great cause. If enough of you have faith in me that i can do the entire 150 miles, it will help encourage me greatly along the ride. Sure, I don't wanna let you down but mostly i don't wanna let down the people who suffer from MS. I'm lucky enough to have the ability to ride a bike. So on that note: if you could please Click here to get to my personal page & you can make a secure, online donation or you can pay me in person if you want. I know economic times are tough but at least we're all alive & well for the most part...we are the lucky ones! If you can't contribute, i completely understand but at least send positive thoughts my way that weekend in September...i will need it!
I don't usually ask for this kind of help from the people i know! and I feel the need to tell you don't feel obligated to help in this request. Just know when it comes down to it, help where you can..that's all that matters! hopefully someday down the line someone will pay it forward. Maybe you'll be part of this or maybe you'll choose not to. Clearly, I'm a horrible sales person so i'm not going to guilt any one into giving up a few minutes of their time or forking over money they don't or can not part with. That's not my style!
Monday, August 24, 2009
stay hydrated...or die
i'm not really in the mood to blog right now so this won't be a long post because frankly i'm exhausted & still have to go read up on pigs & other farm animals! i start working with baby pigs at school tomorrow...let's hope they don't squeal too much!
last week was kind of a bust as far as bike riding was concerned. Every time i wanted to go for a ride, mother natured told me otherwise & literally rained on my parade. so i didn't really get a good ride in until Saturday. i did 30 miles. it was nice to ride by myself & see if i could actually motivate myself to go the full 15 down & back on a back road. i went into it thinking i'd do at least 10 down & back but once i got to 10, i knew i had to keep going to 15. those last 5 were the hardest but i did it! I also met a nice Mexican guy before i started my ride...we had a good conversation about biking. i don't know his actual name but let's just call him Guillermo.
I thought i drank enough water after my ride knowing very well that's what you need to do...but apparently i didn't drink enough. after a night out with friends i woke up the next morning sick as a dog! i thought i'd get better as the day went on but i just got worse & by 6pm i had to leave my nieces 1st birthday party & go home & rest. good thing my mom is nurse because she came & took care of my dying self. ok so i wasn't really dying but i sure felt like it. i spent half the night trying to break a fever & chills...i finally did. but tonight it came back so i'm back on the all liquid lifestyle of H2O, Gatorade & Sprite. being dehydrated is for the birds...i don't recommend it. i haven't been able to eat much the past couple days for fear it would reappear including my shakes so there goes that! candid i know, but oh so true.
however, i did measure today & lost 4 inches from last week. so that's a plus...i'll weigh in tomorrow.
its still up in the air on whether i'll be able to ride in the MS-150 this year...i have my large animal kennel rotation the same weekend as the ride but i might have found someone to switch with me. if not, its ok...i'm not sure i've really had the time to properly train for it this year especially now since school has started. but we'll just have to wait & see what tomorrow brings...literally i know tomorrow.
that's all i have...sorry this wasn't very entertaining but my brain isn't functioning like it should right now. so just consider this post a PSA about "Hydration."...the more you know...bing bang boom.
last week was kind of a bust as far as bike riding was concerned. Every time i wanted to go for a ride, mother natured told me otherwise & literally rained on my parade. so i didn't really get a good ride in until Saturday. i did 30 miles. it was nice to ride by myself & see if i could actually motivate myself to go the full 15 down & back on a back road. i went into it thinking i'd do at least 10 down & back but once i got to 10, i knew i had to keep going to 15. those last 5 were the hardest but i did it! I also met a nice Mexican guy before i started my ride...we had a good conversation about biking. i don't know his actual name but let's just call him Guillermo.
I thought i drank enough water after my ride knowing very well that's what you need to do...but apparently i didn't drink enough. after a night out with friends i woke up the next morning sick as a dog! i thought i'd get better as the day went on but i just got worse & by 6pm i had to leave my nieces 1st birthday party & go home & rest. good thing my mom is nurse because she came & took care of my dying self. ok so i wasn't really dying but i sure felt like it. i spent half the night trying to break a fever & chills...i finally did. but tonight it came back so i'm back on the all liquid lifestyle of H2O, Gatorade & Sprite. being dehydrated is for the birds...i don't recommend it. i haven't been able to eat much the past couple days for fear it would reappear including my shakes so there goes that! candid i know, but oh so true.
however, i did measure today & lost 4 inches from last week. so that's a plus...i'll weigh in tomorrow.
its still up in the air on whether i'll be able to ride in the MS-150 this year...i have my large animal kennel rotation the same weekend as the ride but i might have found someone to switch with me. if not, its ok...i'm not sure i've really had the time to properly train for it this year especially now since school has started. but we'll just have to wait & see what tomorrow brings...literally i know tomorrow.
that's all i have...sorry this wasn't very entertaining but my brain isn't functioning like it should right now. so just consider this post a PSA about "Hydration."...the more you know...bing bang boom.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
