Another Run, More Pushups

This morning we went for the first run since before Christmas.  We left Maryland, and our children and grandchildren, our friends, in a hurry shortly after Christmas to go to Iowa where my sister was dying of stage 4 cancer.  I'd been taking care of her for 10 months, during the days, with the exception of a couple of breaks to return to Maryland.  But this time she was admitted to the hospice room in the local hospital and was quickly losing multiple abilities.

So we got back and took the night shift in the hospital.  It was ugly.  Stressful.  Awful.  We did 15-16 hour shifts.  We'd come around 5pm and leave 8am or 9 or later the next morning.  We did that, with a couple of breaks (other sisters spelling us) for almost a month. Even when we weren't at the hospital, I couldn't sleep most of the time.  We went for some hikes in the snow, but no running.  No pushups.

My sister died on Monday, January 19th.  Her funeral was that following Saturday.  Two days later, we left Iowa in our RV.

So now we are recovering from a very stressful 10 months or so, which culminated, of course, in the most stressful time of all, right before she died, as things got so, so ugly.  With the multi-trillion dollar medical establishment in this country, you'd think we could do dying of cancer a little better, but no.

Anyway, so today, we ran for the first time.  Maybe 40 or 50 minutes.  I'm not sure. I forgot to check my watch when we stopped.

And I've already done three sets of 10 pushups.

So rocking out here.

I'm coming back.

From Struggling to Success; Just Do It

Nothing like seeing my blog to get me started again.  I had gotten busy, and we've been traveling, and didn't get those pushups going like I said I would. What to do?

I just dropped and did 5 pushups.

I just dropped and did another 5 pushups.

And another 5.

And 10 pushups.

And 10 more.

OK. So I got that struggle thing changed to progress.

Yes.

Going towards the 100 Pushups Again

For the last three days now I've started back to pushups.  I've started each of the three days with the intention of doing 5 sets of 5 each.  So far I've only gotten to the third set.  Why?  My sister died and I have been a bit of an airhead.

But I am on my way to the 100 pushups goal again.  Stuttering start, but the point is that I keep starting.

I have the urge to go run the 16.2 mile bicycle loop around this small town.  I haven't run more than about 3-5 miles just a few times over the past couple of months, but hey, I always get it done.

Going on 5 months, no sugar!!

Yeah.  I can't say that it is hard. There is something about having decided NOT to do sugar that makes it easier for me.  I know the decision, and my ability to stick to it so doggedly, is tied to my sister's journey, dying of cancer.  When there is little you can control (I've been a caregiver to her for going on 10 months now), and you light on something you CAN control, it feels so empowering, in an otherwise powerless situation.

All the days spent at her house, there was virtually NOTHING healthy in her refrigerator or cupboards, ever, unless I brought it in.  Though her husband, a family practitioner no less, is the worst of the junk food junkies, she and her kids were close.  The youngest daughter was the only one who really feasted on fresh foods, though she had  sweet tooth as well.

And there were always tons of sweets, from cookies, cakes and other desserts that friends brought over, to the professional cookies and treats brought home by the youngest daughter who worked part time after high school at a bakery, to five or six different containers of ice cream, plus ice cream bars, etc.  It was crazy.  So much stuff got thrown away too, only because there was SO MUCH STUFF.

I need to get back on the pushups, and get some runs in, or more hikes.  Since we came back from Christmas early due to my sister taking a severe downturn with her battle, we've been pulling duty at the hospital hospice room (again full of sweets).  Each evening when we come in to get settled in my sister's room, I take plates of cookies left by friends and family in the adjoining family suite, TO THE NURSES STATION.  Yes, I know, they should be eating healthy too.  There is something about a night shift though, that makes them vulnerable to the sweets. But me, I've sworn them off and am so glad I did!  Otherwise I'd be up 20 pounds (especially since this has been over the holidays too) and climbing.

OK.  So I know better than to say I NEED to get back to pushups, et al.  That is a cop out.  I will DO 5 sets of pushups TODAY, and will carry that forward each day, back on the regimen.

Thank you for this blog that no one reads but me in my free association of thoughts on paper.  You help me get my head right.

Christmas Dinner

I am now three months with no sugar, except pancakes a couple times.

I made a beautiful chocolate truffle cheesecake with dark chocolate ganache on top and a white chocolate snowflake that I successfully "drew".  I am proud of that cheesecake.

And proud that I didn't eat any of it.

Happy face.

Turkey Trotting and Back on the AT

On Thanksgiving morning we ran a 5K Turkey Trot in Westminster, MD.  Then we went to Bob Evans and porked out.  Going the wrong way there.

The last couple of days we hiked on the Appalachian Trail in Pennsylvania.  That was fun.  About 10 miles each day.  We would be hiking again today except my husband thinks he has a sinus infection.  He is not in good shape, waking early this morn feeling miserable.  So as soon as the Doc's office opens we will call and see if we can get him seen.

It was rainy this first day, but beautiful.

We love hiking in the fog.

The second day was sunny and warmer.  The rocks actually ARE the trail.  The AT is rocky as hell.

Dave.

Yes, that's right, go through here.  Many of these boulders you just go OVER the top, rather than around.  Sick sense of humor that those trail designers have, huh?  Love it.

Biked the Katy Trail Across Missouri in October

Yeah, biking the Katy Trail from St. Charles, MO to Salinas, MO was an awesome adventure.  We did it the second week of October.

We intended to bike all the way to Clinton, MO, but that last day it rained heavy with thunder and lightening.  We'd ridden the entire time with rain, and Missouri had gotten hit with so much rain that the trail was like riding on a beach at times, and totally washed out in places.

Still, this was an awesome adventure and I highly recommend it.