Penguinning along

Don't get me started!

2012-02-10T18:27:00.000+13:00

There are two things that really irk me since coming under the power of the MonSter. Mobility parking vs parents with prams parking and account passwords.

Mobility parking: it's really good to have and it's great when you have struggle with a cane, crutch or wheelchair to be close to amenities. When it's difficult to get around and you're reasonably slow moving it is really helpful having a park close to the store, mall or facility door. But can someone explain to me why parents with prams need to be nearer the door than people who have difficulty walking? I think parent with pram parks which are wider than normal so a pram fits easily between cars are a great idea - I've never seen any though. If there were a row of parks in the middle or second parking row back in a shopping centre carpark and they were wider than normal and had a painted walking strip leading to a safe crossing point I'd applaud the centre designers. But what I find is illustrated in this video:
Getting to a mobility park

I had just left the mall and was returning my car in a mobility park. Behind me are another 2 parks and across the lane behind my car are another 2 but the occupants must cross in front of vehicles to get to the mall.

Clause D1.3.6 of the building code states :

Vehicle spaces for use by people with disabilities, shall, in addition to the requirements of D1.3.5 [which includes appropriate dimensions, crossfall and slope] be:

(a) Provided in sufficient numbers
(b) Located to avoid conflict between vehicles and people using or moving to or from the space, and
(c) Easy to find as required by Clause F8 Signs.

I'm thinking this is not the case with these two!

And my other gripe -passwords!

My brain has lesions and my memory is now shite. I can't remember passwords. I do have them in my iPhone but my fingers are also a bit shite! If I ask for a hint it is often some abstract question which the answer I give never seems to be correct. Asking for the password to be sent to my email account is usually not an option - the option is to reset my password WITH A NEW PASSWORD that I have not used before - I now have to think up a new password and then I have to remember it to add it to my password safe and then I have to change it in 101 different locations. The impact of changing a google account password is so far-reaching it's unbelievable - gmail, youtube, circles and who knows where else! Youtube asks for my user name - ah but it's just tricking - it really means my Google login - I need a stiff drink!

When I get a password wrong what do you think pops up! A stupid nonsensical word in italics with all the letters crammed so close that someone with great vision would struggle to differentiate between nn and m. Try it with optic neuritis! All to prove I'm a real person - having failed three times it would appear I am not. Which really sums up how the world often perceives people with disabilities!

Got me some more drugs!

2012-01-12T17:02:00.000+13:00

I'm now trying copaxone which is not an interferon so shouldn't do the flu-like thing but may make me feel like I'm having a heart attack and also melt fat but not in a nice uniform way that would be worth paying money for - more a deep pit of despair sort of way! It just gets better and better! And it's daily injections! And it's injections - so unlike injections!

I was late for my appointment because the neuro clinic is on the 8th floor of the hospital through a warren of corridors and I am struggling more and more with walking. I mentioned this again to the nurse. She told me to arrive early for my annual assessment later in the year so I'm rested so I can walk 500m unaided. Ah, I can't! I feel a little like I'm shouting into a void as no one seems to be hearing me. If I continue to relapse it shows that the medication is not working. I keep saying I'm continually deteriorating but no one really seems to be thinking "Hmmm maybe the medications are not working" - I only escaped from the interferons due to abnormal LFTs and unsightly blemishes. The drugs will not cause any improvement, that's up to my body - stop inflaming and I'll remit or be remiss or something. I get that but the sales pitch is that I won't get WORSE. I am therefore it would seem to me they are not working. Perhaps this one will stop the march, one can but hope.

I'm also trying to figure out the logistics of traveling from LA to San Francisco to Anaheim and back to Auckland if I take a wheelchair. I guess I'm going to have to shell out more money and use shuttles rather than buses. Bit of a pain since come April I'm jobless! Oh life is just a bowl of cherries!

Got myself some new wheels!

2012-01-09T22:45:00.000+13:00

Not exactly high-tech carbon fibre rigid frame with body hugging upholstery but still beats lurching and not being able to go anywhere. More a Land Rover Defender than a Porche I guess! I chose a folding chair because I wanted a chair I could chuck in the boot easily and to get a rigid frame that I can do that with would have cost mucho dinero. It's 9.5kg after I pop the wheels off (easy as!) so that's only 1.5-2 kg heavier than a rigid. I can dismantle and load it in less than a minute - haven't tried it blind-folded!

Had a good trial at Auckland airport today. I was able to get easily from the carpark to the terminal and not get run over! We went basically the length of the terminal twice with no problems whereas with my crutch and AFOs I'd have been exhausted. It pivots very nicely and fits easily into cafe table spaces. Tomorrow I'll tackle the marathon that is Sylvia Park!

Since I can still stand and move around with crutch or wall hugging then I saw no point in going through the funding process to get the chair covered. If I end up deteriorating then I can go for the bells and whistles carbon fibre like the Ti-lite ZX or a Melrose chair but for now I'm really pleased.

Two months!

2012-01-08T20:18:00.000+13:00

I have been a bit lax! Nearly two months has zapped by. Of course Christmas came in the middle and when you have MS Christmas can present some unique challenges which sap the old energy stores and leave little left for blogging (at least that's my excuse).

Crowds:
Trying to get through a throng of people can be a challenge when your balance is not too good and you have an 'outrigger' - but then the crutch is good for 'accidental' ankle taps so it's not all bad.

Crutches:
When you use a single crutch then you're left with one free hand to carry all the shopping, get into handbags and search for wallets, carry cups of coffee and table numbers - sometimes all at the same time. I really don't know how people who use two manage! I tend to drop something regularly - in New World I once dropped everything! People are usually quite helpful. The problem being that the ground is just so far away! I no longer read books from the library that dwell on the bottom shelf for this reason.

My plaquey brain:
The lesions in my brain have turned my memory from most excellent to 'what were we talking about again'. So I might buy a present for someone and forget I've bought it and so buy another one. I forgot to turn the oven off when a cheesecake was in it slowly cooling - luckily it was on a low temp so not too much damage occurred when I discovered it 2 hours later.

Extreme fatigue:
The whole shebang is just so dang tiring! I've actually subcontracted out the food shopping to my son. I write the list, he shops, I sit and have a coffee - what's not to love!

The one big plus has got to be the mobility parking permit! No more circling hunting for a park! There's usually one to be found and they do reduce the traveling distance incredibly.

Now Christmas and the New Year has passed so it's time to get sorted. I had some resolutions for 2012 but can't remember them.

Tomorrow is a big day - it's wheelchair looking day. My mobility has significantly reduced and I'd rather save my energy for essential uses. A wheelchair to get around shopping centers etc will go a long way to doing this. It will be no use at home thanks to all the stairs and the "Garibaldi St' driveway. I looked at a motorized adapter for manual wheelchairs that might have got me up the driveway but it would have cost over 10000 New Zealand dollars + 399 to fit it + the cost of a flight to Sydney to get it! Excuse me but I can buy an actual electric wheelchair for a tenth of the price!

I'm starting on a new medication this month. I was taken off Betaferon after having hideous liver function tests, red itchy discolored areas on my legs and stomach and generally feeling terrible. It was hoped coming off it would make me feel better but I'm still not getting that remission! I start Copaxone which has had some pretty good press with the women with MS group I belong to. It's not an interferon so hopefully I'll do better on it. I do feel like I'm bashing my head against the wall when I try to point out to the health beings that I am deteriorating not stabilizing or improving. It is sooo frustrating!

Today I said Simon could have my cherished Garmin - anyone who knows me knows that that is a sign that I've accepted this is how it's going to be and I'm not likely to be running in the Waitaks or doing any marathons on my own two feet anytime soon.

Well that was long and drawn out! Note to self - keep up the entries so they are short and sharp. Now if only I could remember to make a note of my note to self then maybe I'd actually remember!

Pasta!

2011-11-14T21:58:00.000+13:00

My legs seem to have lost their bones. They're both wobbly and weak. It's making work a challenge. Fortunately there's a bit of a lull at the moment so I'm only visiting 5 women and their babies. It's not putting me in the happiest of places. I'm still waiting for the promised remission - it can't be relapsing-remitting MS if I don't get a remission - I demand my remission as promised on my diagnosis letter.

I had my bloods done on Friday so now I'm just waiting for someone to check them and either go 'holy moly!' or find them back to normal. I'm a bit over the old Betaferon at the moment. I'm covered in red itchy welts at all the injection sites apart from the one I did manually reeeeeeeeally slowly, like an iron injection. Trouble is I can't do the jabs in my bum manually - just not dextrous enough. I can put the needle in but can't push the plunger so they have to be auto injector so sting and will probably reward me with a big itchy red welt tomorrow - great....I'm going to be scratching my bum for the next 5 days!

I did find a 'young and groovy' rollator - the active walker . The woman in the video using it looks like she's having a lovely time but when you get down to it , it's still a rollator! Even if you get a nifty shopping basket, a padded seat that raises and lowers and optional accessories of colored cushions. Guess I'll just have to cover my crutches in diamantes and be done with it!

I'm lily-livered!

2011-11-09T21:02:00.000+13:00

Actually I'm probably yellow livered! It seems my liver does not like betaferons. My LFTs are very elevated. Apparently a rare side effect - I like to go for the rare and unusual - rare obstetric diseases, unusual foot structure. I have to repeat the bloods and then they'll decide my fate. I must admit the idea of stopping injections is not unpleasant - unless the alternative is daily injections of the non-Betaferon Copaxone. While I wait I'm forgoing alcoholic imbibing - not that much of a sacrifice because I am more of a social drinker as the 8 bottles of wine lined up on the dresser will attest - awaiting an occasion to open.

Permitted to park here!

2011-11-01T22:41:00.000+13:00

I went to the doctor today to touch base and to get a script for amitriptyline to try and control the restless leg syndrome. I'm a bit worried about the possible side effect of weight gain - why can't I be put on a medication with weight loss as a side effect! She is a really lovely caring doctor and she asked whether I had a mobility parking permit. I was planning on asking about one but wasn't sure I'd convince her so it was a score to have her mention it! It would have been handy to have one prior to the appointment because parking was terrible!

She filled in the form for me no problem. I then drove to the local CCS branch who administer the permits. I handed over my form and $50 and got an orange placard in exchange! It lasts 5 years and allows me to park longer in P30 and P60s and to of course park in disabled parking spots. It was handy at the supermarket especially since my splints are making it harder to walk while I adjust to them.

My question is....am I getting more disabled or are the health professionals enabling my disability? I am a determined cuss so I will push myself to do things. I will continue to do this because that's me. If it's not convenient to take a crutch then I'll lurch around. I guess it's the mindset of "Harden the f##k up" vs "if they're available to help you, then you should use them".

At this juncture in time I'm prepared to use my crutch as much as possible because it prevents the hideous pain in my legs from trying to convince my spastic right leg to keep up with the left leg. I'll use the mobility parking permit if I would otherwise not go somewhere because it is too hard to get from where I'd have to park without it and the venue. The jury is out on the splints - my hip has felt much better today when I trialled them but I also used my crutch.

I can see how people get stuck in wheelchairs once they start using them. The schizophrenic nature of MS really doesn't make decision making easy! It's so confusing! Will I never be able to do any proper walking or running or one day will I wake up myself again but with a mobility permit? That's the sucky part - everyone is different so some people relapse and then remit(?) back to their old selves with just occasional flareups, others don't get better but don't get worse apart from the flare ups and others head down hill and never get a break! Sucks, sucks, sucks!

Got my new bionic legs!

2011-10-31T11:17:00.000+13:00

Yuck! I got fitted for AFOs (Ankle-Foot-Orthosis or Anti-Fashion-Object) today. FOR BOTH LEGS! Horrors! They are white plastic with velcro and you have to wear socks with them! It's heading to Summer in humid Auckland! I really wanted to cry when he brought them in. I am really starting to think the health system is taking 'run yourself ugly' to the extreme 'walk yourself ugly'. They do help me walk so that is a gain but they are really not compatible with work!

My working day involves driving to clients' houses - try that with a bit of plastic strapped to your leg and foot! Then visiting them in their homes. A large percentage of New Zealanders have shoe-free homes so the whole contraption has to be removed since the forms fit under inner soles where possible. It doesn't instill confidence in clients that I won't drop their baby when I need plastic to hold up my legs!

I know all these products are designed to help make our lives easier but it is really hard to adjust to them. I've done OK with the crutch, although I'd prefer a lilac one with diamantes. I've coped with the red blotches and bruises from injection irritation on my left leg - for some reason that's the only spot that causes problems! I sacked the physio because she was wasting my time and not giving me any thing in return. I sacked the OT when she threatened to come and assess my house for future possible problems - I'll sort them when they occur! I'm sick to death of people thinking I can just move from a townhouse to a single level dwelling just like that! For a start this is Grammar zone! Single level dwellings around here do not come cheap!

There are people out there who are trying to make more user-friendly AFOs. The best I've seen are those by Allard which are light, and cool looking - the toe-off looks really cool -the woman is running in it!

Yesterday was a downer day. I had been to the Armaghedon convention and done 30 minutes on the wind trainer plus taken the dog for a wee walk the day prior. It was also the day I had my betaferon. I try to do as much as possible on good days (aka days that I'll be taking meds in the evening). Yesterday Simon was running a double marathon - one tacked on before the Auckland Marathon. In the good ol' days I'd have supported him but the optic neuritis means I can't drive at night so he had a buddy do it. I planned on making my way to downtown and cheering. When I woke up I felt like I'd been run over by a steamroller! Then I opened the curtains and saw brilliant sunshine - there is no way I can stand more than 10 minutes in the sun or I get a super exacerbation of symptoms. So once again MS robbed me of another facet of my life! The funny thing was when Simon got home we had the exact same gait! At least I have an easy explanation of my symptoms for my friends who do these crazy distances - I feel just like you do after a marathon/ultra!

Now let me get this right...

2011-10-20T19:01:00.002+13:00

in order for Betaferon to help me have fewer relapses I have to endure a few months of my symptoms being exacerbated. So to feel better first I must feel worse....it sounds like a Buddhist saying. "Before zen one must first feel crap". There is a fabled t-shirt which reads "No, I'm not drunk, I have MS. What's your excuse!". Well I need that t-shirt! Today I can't walk straight or talk straight! I also have a red raised area on my leg thigh from the jab 6 days ago. It's not itchy, it's just there. And the optic neuritis is worsened so I can't see straight.

Now here's what I reckon....Betaferon doesn't actually make you any better. It's just for the first 3 month's supply they put in a mild paralytic so you don't function properly. Then after 3 months they just have sterile water and NaCl. So then you feel better and think the interferons are working but really it's just you're not paralyzed any more!

It's interesting observing different people's attitudes to the disclosure of MS. My mother asked me if anyone (meaning the neighbors I think) had said anything about me using a forearm crutch. I told her no but if they did I'd just tell them I had MS. Her newer was "You don't have to tell anyone.". Fair enough but what's the other option? A) lie - "I've got a spanned ankle" or B) "None of your fecken business!". Surely the truth is the best option! Today I had to tell a bank teller I had MS because she asked what I'd done to my leg. I didn't mind - she was the embarrassed one not me.

Today I also confronted two teenyboppers coming out of the disabled toilet. I was quite nice "You know that's the disabled loo, eh?". They looked chagrinned (result!). BUT I then had to use the loo even though I didn't need it or it would have looked a bit petty!

Those motorized scooters are starting to look a lot less unattractive! There is even one based on a Harley! now that's what I'm talking about! And it has a top speed of 16kph! I could throw on a leather jacket, some Oakleys....born to be wild!

Betaferon is a pain in the bum!

2011-10-11T22:44:00.000+13:00

I've had a week of Betaferon jabs and I can report that jabs in the thigh or stomach = no problemo but jabs in the butt are a bit owey! I had to put my long-suffering husband in charge of butt jabs because it's just too hard at this early stage of things! I iced appropriately - I may have frost bite! I got everything ready and handed him the auto injector and then foolishly said "Don't press too hard" so of course the weight of the auto injector pulled the needle down a little so it stung! Tonight was better, a bit more pressure and a lot of icing! It seemed so easy when I was giving women jabs in their bums in the line of duty!

Also in the world of MS, I've been out to Rehab+ to see the physio twice. It was all a lot of talk about what to do and not a lot of doing! I have never been a real physio fan, only really trusting one who is a magician! But I thought she might do something to help my spastic legs or my excruciating hip but alas no! Part of the problem is I have relatively good leg strength even though it is drastically reduced - it's all relative I guess so compared to a stroke victim I'm a super being. Still I kind of resent driving out westish to spend an hour talking about how it's silly to do weight training for my upper body - what's my aim? Duh! to build upper body strength, to tone some cooperative muscles and because I enjoy it. She feels Tai chi or yoga would be more suitable!

When you get a dire diagnosis, everyone tells you it's important to have a positive attitude but begorra it's hard to when all the allied health professionals have such a dismal outlook! Tomorrow is OT assessment where I have to convince yet another person that "no, selling my house with stairs is totally not going to happen, particularly in the current economic environment" (always wanted to say that!). I have managed to get the stair rails re-attached so that's a start! We have a disabled shower downstairs from the previous occupant so that might earn a gold star! Of course I don't like it and prefer the over the bath one upstairs which earned me a dire prediction of broken hips from the physio! I was also advised to come downstairs in the morning and not go up again until bedtime! I would prefer to simply stay upstairs and be waited on but neither is likely to happen!

I prick myself (like I touch myself but less fun)

2011-10-05T19:54:00.000+13:00

Today was my first dose of Betaferon. I presented myself at Neuro Central for a quick start guide to giving myself my interferons. I got a demo, then I tried on the demo and then I was up!

In order to give yourself Betaferon you have to do a little work. First you have to attach the syringe of saline to the bottle of interferons. Not too hard if you remember to take the cap off the syringe. Then you shake it baby - but not too hard, suck it back into the syringe, detach the empty vial and you're nearly ready for business. In fact if you are a brave person you are ready. Now would be the time that you would 'peench an eench' and put in the jab. But if it had been me I'd still be there finger poised over the plunger, too chicken to push it.

Fortunately for chickens there is a lovely auto injector! You put the syringe in, close it up, put it on the spot you want, push the 'play' button and there's no turning back! It slowishly injects you and when you're all done "Ping" a little alarm goes off! It was much less traumatic than I was expecting! I have a supplied ice pack to put on the spot and I bought one as well so I'm all set.

Once you've done the deed you then open her up and remove the syringe. So you're left with a sharp little needles contaminated with interferons and human. So it must be disposed off. The good old way is to put them in a sharps bin. These will take the whole kit n caboodle which is fine at home. Once it's filled up you give it to the biohazard people. But what if you're gadding off around the world....or spending 3 weeks in the States. You can't as easily heft around a sharps bin. I guess you could put it in your check-in luggage but it's a nuisance really. Never fear! There is a fabulous little device to stop the hassle of carrying a big yellow bin around. It's called a needle clipper.

The needle clipper does just that - you poke the needle in a funnel on the side, press a button and the needle is snipped off and you are left with an innocent syringe who wouldn't hurt a fly! These hold 200 needles so last way longer than a sharps bin, can be easily transported on a plane and are pretty easy to use.

So those are the fun toys I got! But wait there's more! There's a stress ball to squeeze, a diary; to mark which of the sites I used so I can rotate around 36 sites before returning to the first - theoretically more than 2 months later; and a mat to use when preparing my syringe - reminiscent of Club in Co in the 70's.

When you travel on a plane you have to carry all your medication with you in your carry-on. Well my medication is a carry-on in it's own right! For a three week trip to California I need to take 11 boxes containing vial, syringe and connector, the auto injector, the snipper and an ice pack. Sounds manageable doesn't it. To make life easy the nice Bayer people even give you a bag to carry it in. So we're talking a toilet bag sized bag you're thinking.....no think more back pack!

Yep! She's a good size! Basically I take that on board and that's my hand luggage now the US only allow one bag! Otherwise it takes up all the space in my carry-on thus preventing me from carrying out my clever plan to fit 3 weeks worth of clothing pretty much in my carry on leaving a whole suitcase for bring stuff back in. - More on that later!

Prepare for change of course

2011-09-26T16:53:00.000+13:00

In New Zealand midwives are kept in order by the New Zealand Midwifery Council. They make sure we are all good little souls who keep up their skills and don't do anything naughty. If you are a nurse you only need to keep up your skills in your chosen area e.g. orthopedics but there is nothing stopping you becoming a paeds nurse if you can get a job or you can carry on working in your happy little niche. But midwives are required to work across the spectrum - antenatal, intrapartum and postnatal, up skill with courses to a certain number of points, do 3 yearly intensive workshops, annual CPR for adults and neonates and be reviewed either annually or biannually depending on where they work.

Due to the kind effects of MS I am easily fatigued (try doing a 12 hour shift or a 16 hour labour!) and so run the risk of not making good clinical decisions, I lurch around which wouldn't inspire much faith in someone in labour and I can't handle heat - delivery rooms often sit around 26 degrees. So I can only practice in certain areas of midwifery. Simple then to give me a practicing certificate limiting me to antenatal and postnatal you would think but no! If you can't do all areas you can't be a midwife. Apparently if you don't do deliveries regularly you will forget how to help deliver a baby should one present itself in front of you while out shopping! Forget that all you do is guide and encourage most of the time and that would certainly be the case in the centre of Sylvia Park (large shopping centre). I contacted the College of Midwives and they said yes of course we can help you. All you have to do is form a plan to work in all three areas over the next 3 years. Excuse me but that differs from what I currently do how? Oh and tell your colleagues so they don't think you're drunk or drugged!

So it looks like after 15 years I will be leaving the field of midwifery and trying to find another career path that accepts women who on occasion do Quasimodo impersonations and appreciate a nice lie down on occasion. Politics maybe? There's a research project manager position advertised at Auckland Hospital - part-time - so I may look into that despite that fact I have no real research background - you can but try.

Still waiting to hear if my application for DMDs has been approved. The approval timeline is supposed to be 10 working days. I may have to be a squeaky wheel again. I hate that and resent being put in a position to do it but I am my own advocate so squeak squeak squeak

I had a title but now I've forgotten it!

2011-09-21T17:17:00.000+12:00

Having read copious amounts of information on MS I've found that most people seem to bargain. People who are on their feet for a lot of the day say "I don't mind cognitive changes but please don't let my legs get weak". Authors and teachers often say "I can cope with being in a wheelchair but please don't give me cognitive changes." In my experience no one listens to your bargaining!

I certainly don't have the memory I used to have. I can't remember a simple list of numbers read on one website long enough to input them in another (OK, I'll be honest - I can't remember the solution to puzzles read in walk throughs long enough to use them in games.) This doesn't impact on my work so that's fine. What does is the 'tip of my tongue' syndrome where the word you need just won't come and then you lose track of where you were going with the conversation. Case in point: lecturing to a bunch of baby doctors. I was talking about Maori birthing practices pre-European and just completely lost the word I needed. I fudged around it but was thrown for the rest of the lecture concerned it would happen again. So that part of cognitive changes impacts on my work. When I sit down to write I pretty much have to read everything I've written previously to remind me where I'm going. My iPhone is my constant companion and every task I have to do goes into immediately I decide it needs doing. I used to joke that it was my brain but now it pretty much is.

The physical changes have certainly been a kick in the pants. After 100 metres I become a member of The Ministry of Silly Walks. My left leg seems to want to climb a mountain while the right is tromping through mud. Throw in the attractive side lurch and it is worthy of a grant for development. Using a forearm or Canadian (why?) crutch is helpful, clinging to a shopping trolley while assisting with number 3 son's paper delivery helps, using a horrible walking stick also helps. Fortunately in my work it is usually less than 100 metres from my car to a client's front door so they are not subjected to John Cleese in drag.

The real kicker is in order for me to practice as a midwife I need to be able to practice in all areas. There is no way I can safely attend a delivery where I might be there for 12 hours because i'd be useless for making safe clinical judgements. The rules are made by the Midwifery Council of NZ so I thought I'd check out their website to see what allowances they make for their disabled members. The only thing my search turned up was.......how to dob in a disabled midwife if you think she's not able to work properly/safely! I'm going to have a powwow with the College of Midwives who is loosely like a union as well as having other roles but I think I'm on the outers.

The two big-ups I've had are the kneeling bus bent down for me and if there's a queue in the loos I never get glares when I jump the queue and lurch into the disabled loo. You've gotta look for the positives!

I flew down to and back from Wellington yesterday and I feel like I've run a marathon today! Coped fine during the expedition but paid for it today! But at least I have had the opportunity in the past to do a few marathons so I have credibility when I say it!

Still waiting to hear back on the DMDs (Disease modifying drugs!) - can't believe I'm keen to start injecting stuff into myself! (I would never have made a good drug addict!). Apparently interferons slow down the progression of cognitive changes so I'd be so up for them for that reason alone.

Still can't remember what my brilliant title was! I can remember when I was erudite and quick, seems like only yesterday.

But I can't see anything!

2011-09-09T20:49:00.001+12:00

The Rugby World Cup 2011 has launched with a plethora of fireworks and whoops. The family all climbed up Mt Hobson to get a panoramic view of the locations with 1000 others.

This is when it hits home what having a chronic degenerative disease (that doesn't sound fun!) means to me. I couldn't go up to watch the fireworks because I'd not have made it home. I had to stay home and watch between the trees so I saw flashes of light and any high fireworks. The Wynyard Quarter is apparently fantastic. I'd like to have a wander around it. Parking around there is horrific especially now so what the old me would do is park further away and walk to it - not going to happen now! I can probably hobble round it though.

I had to pass up tickets to the Home Show (I know, not exactly gold plated entertainment) because it suddenly struck me that I'd struggle with it. Of course, if I had that lime green wheelchair then it'd be a different story! ;-)

I took Millie for a walk pre fireworks - just up the drive and down the road a wee bit - a meander really. I decided to try out the floral walking stick I got when my hip was dodgy. It helped a bit but something amusing occurred. I was trying to adjust it (I think Simon has been playing with it) and thought I'd broken it because the bottom section pulled out. Then I realized it is a folding stick! I had been peeved cause I couldn't find one and Duh! I had one. Don't know if I would want to use it in daylight hours - I think it's more of a vampire aide de marchant.

I'm being very well adjusted to my diagnosis and coping with the sympathetic looks and hugs. Far better than everyone saying 'Yeah, so what!'. It's a work in progress deciding who to share with. Many people have advice - some of it a bit suspect - like the hairdresser who told me her boss' wife had MS but she became a vegetarian and now she's cured. Everyone knows someone who has MS and they're fine but from reading forums etc I'm getting a sense that not only is MS a hidden disability but when anyone is badly effected they don't hang out with their friends so they would seem fine. It's a bit like all the advice you get when you're pregnant. So I'm treating it the same way - smile, thank, file away or discard.

My next self improvement exercise is totally overcome the desire to wound, maim or eviscerate and wounded runner who moans about not being able to run for a week because of any injury. Currently I manage to bite my tongue and keep my hands off them but really on a sympathy scale they're getting a big fat zero (maybe slightly higher if I like them). I in turn whenI'm feeling sorry for myself think of Ian Winson, who lost his legs in the Onehunga Gas Main explosion. He was a driven man who was the force behind the Legend. I'm happy he at least got to run it once but I'm sorry he isn't running this year not because he's done it and once was enough but because he lost the ability to. Though maybe if he got a cool lime green wheelchair....!

So I'm coping with my bowl of lemons but could use some sugar for the lemonade.

Congratulations...it's MS

2011-09-05T16:31:00.000+12:00

The absolutely wonderful Fiona, MS nurse extraordinaire, came through and I got an appointment with neurology. Even better it was with the neurologist I wanted (is it anal to have a preferred neurologist?).

The appointment was today and after reviewing my history the Doc said yes it was MS. So I am not neurotic despite what a number of physicians have thought in the past! The fact that I have developed at lisp in my 40s is not regression to childhood, when I think food is going down the wrong way - it is, I haven't had to give up marathons because I'm old - my legs are dodgy,I didn't fall down the stairs three times because I'm clumsy. It's all because I have MS!

So now I'm in the system and we're begging Pharmac to let me have interferons - at a cost of $1322.89 for a months supply! Then if they say yes I have to man up and give myself a sub cut jab every second day! I based my choose of interferon on shortest needle (you can have a weekly dose but the needle is a mean long intramuscular beastie), coolest auto injector (it rings like a cash register when you're done!) and lesser number of jabs a week (every second day vs daily). It apparently makes you feel like the after effects of a wine binge so it'll be bedtime jabs for me. Plus I get to mix it! Love chemistry!

I had to do a 500m walk assessment which resulted in a referral to physio and orthopedics for a foot brace! Apparently they are no longer ala Forrest Gump and more discrete - not sure how discrete a foot brace can be! When i googled them they looked anything but!

There is also the issue of stairs - I can't leave the house without ascending stairs. So it may mean a move in the future. The irony of buying a house with stairs because that was what Danae wanted and now she's left home has not been lost on me. Hopefully Simon reattaching the stair rails may be a short term solution.

So now it's really a waiting game! This is an individualized disease so no one can tell you what will happen. My only proviso is if I have to have a wheelchair I want a really cool one with cool wheels in a cool color! You can get attachments things so you row rather than push the wheels. Apparently there is a huge wheelchair tennis community - now if I could just play tennis it would be great!

I refuse point blank to ever use a walker. A) they are aesthetically not pleasing, B) they make you hunch over and C) they are not me.

I've been using my crutch and that's been working well - better than the very attractive floral walking stick I also have. It means I can still get around Sylvia Park which is imperative.

So here I am, diagnosed, labelled, disabled. Now can I get a parking permit!

Owie

2011-08-12T11:03:00.000+12:00

Today I must head off to vampire central and I am afraid, very afraid!

I had some blood taken last week for my drug trial. I only have one good vein - it's in my left arm and I am very protective of it. Well, the plebotomist must have nicked a nerve because it's been a week of pain radiating from my elbow up the back of my arm and occasionally down it. Ibuprofen has no effect and it is not pleasant!

It wouldn't be quite so bad if I didn't need a follow up take today because my liver functions are elevated. My vein is in hiding! I've put it off for 2 days but can't any more. Definitely not happy! At least the study nurse says I don't need any blood tests after my next visit on the 30th so that's a relief!

I guess I'll have to bite the bullet! Hope it's only one tube and no vaccutainer because I think her wriggling the vaccutainer around is what did the damage. Of course it may be due to the hosepipe they used to give me my iv steroids but it is not as likely. So off I go into the brink....wish me luck!

Heat, incompetence and dodgy LFTs

2011-08-10T10:30:00.000+12:00

I flew to Wellington yesterday, as you do. Only an idiot would catch a 12:30 flight down and book a 6:30 return flight. Only a real idiot would say "No problem" when Air NZ cancel the return flight and ask is the 6pm flight OK? The flight down was great - cellphone use allowed on board! Could text but couldn't use foursquare because it had no idea where i was!

The weather in Welly was divine. I worked on my short story at the airport (free WiFi rules) and then walked to the bus stop to catch a bus (as you do) to the Hospital. It's an open bus stop - no shelter. I thought "Glad it's not raining!" - if it had been I'd probably have taken the Airporter bus and then taken a bus from the railway station to the hospital. The bus was supposed to appear about 3:15 and I was there at 3:05. Tons of buses went past in the opposite direction and loads of school buses went past but no sign of no 11. The sun was beating down and after half an hour I noticed I was having double vision - crap the heat was making my optic neuritis flare! Finally after waiting 45 minutes a no 11 finally bowls up! Great I can still make it in time for my lecture (important when you're the one giving it!) Then at the next stop the drivers changed! And the new driver faffed around for ages! I did make it to the hospital just in time but not a picture of calm and serenity!

While I waited at the airport for my return flight I picked up an email from the angel MS nurse. And all my misgivings about the Eye clinic were confirmed. I'm wondering how many people who may have MS are not getting seen by a neurologist because Eye clinic is not referring them. Optic neuritis is often the first presenter with MS so the Eye clinic stands to see a lot of them. Here's the email:

Hi Nic,

I’ve chased this up with the secretary at the Eye clinic. She is going to follow-up with Dr X as there is no evidence of a referral being made although that doesn’t mean its not there or hasn’t been done!!………..but a good thing you contacted me.

I will follow-up with her early next week (Dr X is only in once a week apparently) and let you know where things stand

Kind Regards

Angel Nurse

I am so peeved with them! Incidentally Dr X is not one of the doctors I was seen by and isn't head of the team I was an inpatient under.

And just to make my life extra sweet, I got a call from the research nurse on the study I'm part of to say my Liver Function Tests (LFTs) are elevated so they want me to have another set of blood tests done - and it's always so urgent -TODAY! Like I have nothing else going on! I wouldn't mind but I've have a horrible neuralgia in my arm since I had the last lot done and my superstitious mind says it was due to either scarring from the dirty great cannula I had in for the IV steroids or she did a wonky job doing the blood collect - she wiggled the vaccutainer something chronic! Either way I'm not that keen to repeat the experience. I only have one vein suitable for blood collects, IVs, etc and I am not keen on having it ruined! All the others run from needles - they look fine and then skitter away from the needle. It's the sensible Plebotomist who listens when I tell them they have to take blood from my left arm.

Those cracks are mighty big!!!

2011-08-08T09:36:00.000+12:00

Whenever I interact with our beloved healthcare system I worry about falling through the cracks. I work in it and I know what happens at the end of clinics - the consultant has a big pile of notes to dictate letters for and depending on the consultant/Reg they can be done instantly or sit around for a week with a label on them saying 'X's dictation pile'.

My experience in the Eye Clinic and on the Eye ward reinforced my paranoia! So I've been concerned about my referral to neuro. I got no discharge letter, which is a handy dandy heads up! I thought I'd give them a week and then, well then I didn't really know what I'd do!

So a week rolled by and my self imposed kickass time limit ran out! By googling a bit I found two things - an Ask the doc column on the Neurology Trust website and an email address for the MS nurses at Auckland. So I flicked off an email to both, not expecting much. Basically I asked the nurses how long should I expect to wait for a referral.

Well this morning this was in my box (Names changed to protect the great!) - it shows paranoia sometimes isn't paranoia!

Hi Nic,

I'm pleased you got in contact -X, who you emailed no longer works here but the email was fwded on to me which is great.

I've not found your discharge summary on the system but will call Dr Y or Z's team at Greenlane eye clinic and chase up your neurology referral. Ideally it would be best to pop you into an appointment asap so will try and arrange for you.

Will let you know how I get on. How is your optic neuritis now after the steroids?

Kind Regards

Super Angel

So now I feel a little less blind (apart from the neuritis, which makes me slightly vision impaired!). So now I await her reply.

I've also sent a request to Clinical records for my notes while under the care of Eye Clinic. May or may not be interesting reading!

It just appalls me the way people can just fall through the cracks! Sometimes it works to your advantage - when I had a scratched cornea I left clinic after waiting 2 hours for my probably last follow up appointment because that is just too long and never got a new appointment - probably because I'd checked in so technically attended.

So lets see how the wheels move now.

Chinese whispers

2011-08-03T16:42:00.000+12:00

I'm taking part in a drug trial currently. It's looking at whether the addition of some compound or other to Detrusitol will reduce the side effect of dry mouth. I've had to take Detrusitol for 6 weeks to see if I get the dry mouth - I do, oh boy do I! When I first got the symptoms of optic neuritis I wondered if it was a side effect of the Detrusitol - if it dries your mouth out, surely it might dry your eyes out too. Seems it wasn't to blame.

Today I went in to be randomized for the next step - blind testing where you have 4 weeks on Detrusitol, 4 weeks on placebo and 4 weeks on the new drug. When I was hospitalized I contacted them to let them know so today was also a bit of a follow up to that. I'm now getting used to the looks on people's faces when you say I have optic neuritis and lesions on my MRI. I often want to slap them because you know they're thinking "MS!" but of course don't want to say it. For goodness sake I'm a health professional with an iPhone!

They asked if I'd brought in my discharge letter - I laughed! What discharge letter! It was 'goodbye and thanks for all the fish!". All I could do was relay that when I asked about the MRI I was a told there were plaques. "Plaques are lesions, right?" I had to tell the I had no idea when I'd have an appointment with the neurology team. Now things could have ground to a halt there but no! The doc rings radiology and asks what my MRI showed - multiple lesions. He then tried to get hold of a neurologist but no one was answering his calls. So he gave me a diagnosis of probable MS but of course can't confirm and we decided there is no reason to not continue the trial since it won't exacerbate 'my MS' - hits home when it's described as something belonging to you!

Not my MRI, just an example!

He also thinks it'll probably be 10-12 weeks before I get an appointment so the study will be done and dusted by then anyway. Of course if I go private then I'll put a spanner in the works but we'll see. So I've got a differential diagnosis based on Chinese whispers! Oh how I love the health system! I'm really over it! Just another area that is on my list to fix when I rule the world.

Not a good day

2011-08-01T20:22:00.000+12:00

I'm not feeling 'good' today. I feel as though I'm in a vat of congealed fat. It's hard to move. I took the dog for a walk and I was thinking about the tables they use to determine how bad someone's MS is (I'm reading a lot!) and they talk about how far you can walk without resting or using a support etc. I got to the turn in the driveway and thought 'I want to stop here' so that would be 200m but I didn't. In a marathon you think 'I want to stop here' frequently but you tell yourself to stop whining and carry on. And so I carried on. So I can walk for a reasonable distance without support or resting because my head is trained to make me do so. It'd be like someone lost in a desert - you make yourself go on. If someone said "How far can you walk?" my answer would be "How far do I have to walk?". So how accurate are the tables? Would a more accurate assessment be "When do you first feel the need to stop walking?"

I am exhausted. I had to have a nap between dropping Toby at school and going to work. I fell after my last visit - foot drop. The idea of going down the stairs to dinner was like asking me to walk to the city centre. It's the worst fatigue I've ever had. It's probably the insomnia finally impacting! Only half a prednisone tablet left to take tomorrow and then I'm steroid free! For me the side effects have outweighed the benefits. I still have blurred vision and weakness after 3 weeks of treatment and I'm grumpy, sleep deprived and moon faced to boot. I think I'd only ever take a repeat dose if it was the choice between steroids and an MRI. An MRI is pretty close to the top of things I never want to do again without medicinal aid. I'm pretty sure I will be faced with a repeat in the not too distant future. I may try going private to avoid the technician who trusses you up like a hostage victim. For goodness sakes guy! breathing is not optional!

I'm awaiting a referral but have no indication of when it might appear. The collective conscious have all decided that if I don't hear by Friday I am to go to my GP and get a private referral from her. It would be nice if things just went they way they are supposed to. I once described depression to a woman as the statement 'I can't be bothered', how I feel at the moment is similar but I had a much better term until my brain went squelch and all higher levels of functioning stopped. It's more I'm powerless to be bothered. I have way too many things to be doing to be feeling like this!

Insomnia sucks!

2011-07-31T00:43:00.000+12:00

Insomnia does give you more hours in the day, this is true. Unfortunately those hours are grumpy. It's 00:21 and I'll wide awake after only 4-5 hours a night for the last fortnight or so. Brilliant minds may flourish on this little sleep but minds like mine tend to head more towards psychotic bitch from hell.

The world seems to be populated with annoying stupid people. They drive stupidly, they stand around stupidly, they get in my way stupidly. I have only a modicum of patience and it is used up by the women I visit so the world is at my mercy.

I'm planning a hostile takeover of an event and really got peeved with someone who was trying to rally support for it. It wasn't the actual act of trying to resurrect it, I agree entirely it needs an overhaul. It was the way her plea was worded and laid out. To be taken seriously you need to state your case in a direct and eloquent manner. Perhaps and maybe have no place. And poor grammar is not an option. Really, the sooner people give in and let me rule the world, the sooner there will be peace.

The problem with insomnia is it really mucks with the brain. I've been trying to write a proposal, a short story and edit a newsletter and words just keep failing me. I have not let that stand in my way and have been inventing new words for use when the correct word doesn't pop to the front of my brain. They are simply placeholders but some of them have been really good potential words - again, once I take over the world.....

They say older people need less sleep. I'm wondering if it's just a line that's been fed to them. Perhaps the reason so many older adults are so grumpy is they are chronically overtired. Maybe old people need more sleep - like babies. It would fill some of the hours and give them an excuse to avoid basket weaving classes. They could probably do some yoga because if the room was warm enough they could have a nap.

The funny thing is so many of my clients are complaining, as many new parents do, about the fact that they are hard pressed to get 3 hours straight sleep. BUT between 10 and 7 they may get 7 hours! I get 4 and have to function as an adult and not moan. I can sympathise in my head but on this little sleep, it's not a sympathetic voice in my head!

It's times like this that the wonders of pharmacology do sound nice. An imovane now and I could be off in lala land. Really clever medication! They make you do what your body/brain is refusing to do. One minute your brain is contemplating Archimedes' theorem and the impact on how much ice cream to soda you can put in a spider and the next zzzzzzzzzzz. So clever and much safer than laudanum!

Guess I might as well head to bed, at least it's warm and I can play bejewelled on my iphone!

My history

2011-07-28T22:40:00.000+12:00

Here is a brief rundown of the past events that are now setting off alarms in my poor head.

In the mid 90's while training as a midwife I had an episode that lasted two weeks or so where I developed very slurred speech and had difficulty moving my tongue. It was investigated by physical exam and I was diagnosed with a post viral syndrome and sent on my way. Since then I frequently felt less mentally adept and sometimes quite foggy.

I started to suffer from an overactive bladder - the key in the door syndrome - when you gotta go you gotta go. But after 5 children the pelvic floor probably wasn't the best. I recently addressed this through medication. Medication I initially suspected caused the blurred vision - it dries your mouth out so maybe it dries your eyes too.

I started to get quite achy about 7 years ago and worried that I had arthritis. A visit to a specialist left me with the diagnosis of Fibromyalgia which I have basically treated by ignoring it! I was achy, had brain fog and my hands felt tight most of the time and I am always tired.

When I was pregnant I developed Cholestasis of pregnancy and had many blood tests. One thing that showed up was the presence of Epstein Barr Virus antibodies. I had glandular fever as a pre-teen following on from mumps and the mysterious post-viral syndrome so this is not surprising but many people with MS have higher than normal levels of the EBV antibodies.

Six years ago we moved to a new house with stairs. I slid on the stairs 3 times in quick succession - damaging my tailbone quite significantly. It became a major mission to descend the stairs and I still have to really concentrate. Not helped by the removal of the stair rails for DIY.

I have often choked on my saliva and taken food down the wrong way. It's a transient thing but worried me enough to get a referral. Of course the day of the investigation it showed little more than a slowing/pouching at the back of my throat but nothing going into my lungs - I could have told them that without the machine! So I continue to choke and sometimes spaghetti dangles into my lungs and I cough madly and sometimes a small amount of food feels like (and I'm convinced it does) gets into the top of my lower respiratory tract and I choke and cough and feel like my lungs are seared.

I have irritable bowel syndrome though it's not been too bad for a few years - could be learned management!

I knew fibromyalgia responded well to exercise so I pushed myself to run. I was enjoying it and getting quite a bit of zip when one day I managed to slip off the kerb (bit like stairs!). My foot felt like a knife had gone through it. This sent me off on a whole nother tangent - (ACC blaming my split perineal tendon on degeneration rather than accident because I'm so old! No payment for surgery so it's been two years and it is finally coming right due perhaps to the Steroids).

So running was pretty much out the door. But I could still walk my dog......until about 5 weeks ago when I suddenly struggled to make it up the driveway and could only hobble 300m down the road. It was a combination of weakness and pain in my right hip which has been part of my life since I was a teen.

The off-shoot of no exercise was weight gain! So I started a weights program which has helped a little but my lifting weights have dropped significantly. Where I could do 15kg per arm I'm now struggling with 5kg! I'm also too damned tired!

There have been other things which I was really not aware of until I began reading a book today and thought "Holy shit! That's me!". I 'see' sounds - I get bright flashes with loud or sharp noises. When Simon gesticulates with his fork I feel like it is grabbing my eyes and pulling them. I can get vertigo on very small heights (anything more than 3 steps up a ladder is no go! I splash cups of tea and coffee all over the place. I love hot baths but my legs get really tired trying to keep me from slipping under the water! After 15 minutes all the fun has gone out of it. It is also pretty hard to keep the book from falling in the bath (Can't have a bath without a book!) as my hands feel swollen and start to ache.

I can't keep my legs and arms still for more than 15 minutes - try 45 minutes in an MRI machine without going insane - I cried and would have screamed but I'm too socially constrained.

So I have a whole hodge podge of symptoms which have been investigated in isolation and never really linked.

Maybe a neurologist will pull it all together but based on my past experience I'm really not holding my breath. If I wasn't such a sceptic I'd really have little faith in medicine! I'll tell you one thing if I find out I have MS and I'd have had a better prognosis if it had been investigated more fully at the 3 crucial presentation points I will be up that postal tower pretty damn quick!

Why I changed the direction of my blog.

2011-07-28T22:02:00.000+12:00

On the 10th of July 2011 I woke up and couldn't see properly out of my left eye. The vision was really blurry and dark. Within an hour it came right. The next day it happened again and lasted a bit longer. On the Monday it lasted all day but the blurry area became narrower as the day progressed. On the Tuesday I made an appointment with my optometrist because it just wasn't right.

The optometrist carried out a battery of tests including peripheral vision testing, colour recognition and the usual acuity tests. Based on the results she told me to front up at the Eye clinic at Greenlane Clinical centre the next day.

The clinic opens at 7:30 but I couldn't make it until 8:30 so faced a bit of a wait. That was fine, I had a book. After about 3/4 hour a nurse called my name and took me off for triage. It then transpired that the Optometrist had written the date on her referral as 8/7/11 so they thought I wasn't particularly compliant. After explaining that 'no, I actually saw her at 4:30 yesterday' things changed. I was placed in the acute waiting room - a dimly lit area.

After a short wait I was called by a Reg who repeated most of what the Optometrist had done but did mention that optic neuritis which was what I had can be associated with MS! Normally this wouldn't be a biggie but my past clinical picture made alarms go off in my head (I'll go over this in my next post).

A HS came in to apparently take my history as I was headed for the Eye Ward for possible steroids. Near the end of this history taking another Reg came in to explain a bit more. She skirted around MS but I told her the previous Reg had mentioned it (I'd also googled on my iphone in the interim!). She then explained that Steroids can speed up the healing of my eye - it would also heal without them - and may delay onset of MS in people developing it by 2 years. So did I want to proceed with the steroids - that would be a yes. The next suggestion was an MRI. I wanted as much information as possible so agreed it would be a good idea.

So I was admitted to the ward on the Wednesday for IV Steroids - only to discover it was 3 days worth! Oh well a change is as good as a holiday so I settled in. The steroids were foul. I had nausea, a metallic taste in my mouth, insomnia and general malaise.

On the Friday my MRI was booked. This was one of the most horrible experiences in my life. It was not the small space that caused me distress, it was the being totally immobilised and bound across my chest so tight it caused paroxymal coughing which naturally made imaging difficult. I had to keep my eyes closed but my eyes tend to dart about even when closed so again I was not popular. The whole torture took 3/4 hour and if I never have another one it will be too soon.

I returned to the ward for my final dose of steroids and my discharge. I was given an appointment 13 days later to come back. When I said it seemed along time to wait to find out if I had MS, the nurse said there was no mention of it in my notes - you'd have thought that would have raised a flag but no. I was sent home on 16 days of Prednisone - 60mg for 14 days and 10 mgs for 2 days.

The oral steroids were only slightly better than the iv. I've been not particularly hungry (a plus), grumpy, barely sleeping, swollen and foggy. It does seem to have helped with muscular pain but my eye stills feels like there is a smear on my glasses - but I'm not wearing any.

So today, 13 days later I returned to the Eye clinic. The wait wasn't too bad as I had an appointment. I was seen by another Reg and took this as perhaps a good sign because surely if there was anything bad on the MRI the boss would be seeing me. She did all the tests and then said she was going to discuss it with the Consultant. There was a long wait and then the consultant came in.

She explained that things seemed to be improving - I see dark orange rather than light orange for red out of my right eye now. My vision had supposedly improved but that is probably only due to the fact I had my contacts in rather than my not-good glasses.

"So, do you have any questions?"

"Ah, yes! What did the MRI show?"

"Well, it showed inflamation of the optic nerve and there were a few plaques. It means you are likely to present again with optic neuritis"

"By plaques do you mean lesions?"

"Yes but you haven't got any of the other signs of MS"

"You mean like weakness and foot drop and episodes of slurred speech?"

"Ah yes! Do you have those?"

"Yes, I had slurred speech years ago and I had weakness and foot drop prior to the neuritis" (this had all been told to previous Regs and HS)

"Oh! Well we had better refer you to a neurologist. But we won't need to see you again"

And that was it! Out into the cold with no idea when I'd have an appointment or what to do if I was concerned!

The documentation must be terrible! I can see how people slip through the cracks. I could have presumed the MRI showed nothing and gone my merry way.

So I am now blogging to document my journey - be it to the world of MS or status quo.

Ooo yuck mud!

2010-08-07T21:39:00.000+12:00

For some reason I decided to do my long run on trail, despite my foot being of the 'nearly healed' status. I looked at a lovely map of the Waitaks and picked out some nice trails which were either walkable or easy tramps. The first three were relatively pleasant and only the continued rain made it less than idyllic. But it all changed when I turned on to Hamilton Track! Really 'on to' does not describe it. "When I slogged through the muddy ruts and hauled myself past cutty grass" would be closer to the point.

Hamilton track is a feast of roots and ruts. I could have coped with that but the past few days of rain had left it a bog full of bottomless holes at the bottom of innocent looking puddles. All the footprints were moving in the opposite direction and they all seemed to be from size 14 tramping boots. If Hell is a wet murky bog filled with slippery roots and low hanging branches, I know where it is! To call it a run would be a lie! I staggered along like a belligerent drunk, cursing at trees that seemed to bump into me and banks that leapt out in front of me. Falling flat on my face while my Garmin cheerfully beeped the k marker did nothing to improve my mood. Clambering across a waterfall in full flow was not a refreshing break!

The joy I felt on emerging onto the Nihotapu dam road was quickly dampened by the realisation that I had to double back! I made it through by counting down the k's of mud sucking hell to go "2 and a quarter ks of mud sucking horror to go" "2ks of mud sucking torture to go". On the way out I'd put thought into my line, not so on the return. It was faster but only because I ploughed straight through the wallows of mud, often feeling the tug as the mud fought to steal my shoe or sinking up to my knee in the 'puddles'. Luckily I only turned my ankle two or three times on the way back.

It was a death march near the end, I was running but not as we know it, Jim. Wet skins are not pleasant and prone to get very cold. I almost laughed hysterically at the shoe cleaning points. Scrub off the mud, yeah right!

Note to self: when heading to the mud mines, remember your beanie and gloves, make sure there is at least a towel if not a blanket in the car and a thermos of something hot so you arrive home a lot less grumpy. And always check the headlights are turned off because there's no cellular reception to call the AA.

Road is hard

2010-08-01T15:12:00.000+12:00

My Salomon packvest went for a nice long trail run yesterday ....unfortunately it didn't take me, in fact it didn't even tell me it was going!

So I was left to do a road run today that had way too many hills and way too few trees. You'd think roads with names like "Gillies Ave", Khyber Pass" and "Mt Eden Rd" would be nice but they're not! The dog went out too quick and I ended up towing her near the end.

We did maintain a nice pace despite the nasty hills and even did a grand spurt of speed to make the cross signal triggered by the 5 1/2 pack from the Y coming up the hill. Always nice to pass other runners when you're doing a decent clip rather than slogging!

I remembered to tape my foot so that went well apart from a slight rub on the side of my foot where the tape was a bit tight. So I've now managed to push the poor foot up to 9.5k with 5 and 6 k runs during the week so it seems I am on the mend. Now if I can do 5 times the distance I'm sweet!

On the road again...

2010-07-30T19:10:00.000+12:00

The dark before the dawn saw Millie and I doing a reasonably pleasant 45 minute run. I can't say how far we went because I accidentally keylocked my Garmin so I can't get off the virtual partner screen (I was 170m behind him this morning...I'll catch the little bugger yet!). There were hills of sort involved but alas no trail, unless Cornwall Park counts but we didn't go off-piste.

My foot was slightly tender on the return journey but I blame the amount of driving I do for that rather than the running. The motion that the foot makes when depressing the accelerator is it's least favourite movement. I guess I might have to get back into taping if I want to be able to go any longer than an hour....which I do.

It was a nice start to the day but I'm feeling a bit tired now. Fortunately everyone was open to do-it-yourself pizza. All I had to do was shove the various concoctions in the oven. The boys seem to have developed an addiction to Paprika! I had a pleasant chicken, olive, capsicum and onion pizza with parmesan and tuscan seasoning, om nom nom. I could manage some chocolate but will resist, after all I know my virtual partner won't be eating chocolate and I WILL catch him, mark my words!

Whoops I accidentally ran trail

2010-07-09T18:08:00.001+12:00

I know my plan was to hold off the trail until my foot was 101% better. I really had every intention of doing so. There was no trail in my training plan for yonks. But today was so beautiful and my trail shoes were just so embarrassingly clean.

Millie and I ran the Montana Heritage Trail in the Waitaks and I remembered why I don't do trail with her. She is the ultimate line hog. If there's a best way to go down the trail, she's on it. She also has an absolute confidence that she knows the way. Normally that's not a problem because I can see the right way and just take it. Unfortunately there was a point where the trail split, one way was narrow and looked like a created trail and the other was wide and looked well used. Now you'd have thought the sign pointing possibly more towards the narrow trail then the wide trail would have been a pointer but it really pointed at both trails. I'm sure in good weather the wide trail is fun and obviously heaps of people have used it but after days of rain it was exposed red clay interspersed with quick sand areas of mud. Millie was inclined to charge down it and I was inclined to turn the air blue with expletives.

We survived the pseudo trail (by that I mean I didn't strangle Millie and leave her for the possums) but we had a severe falling out on a set of stairs where she charged as my foot hit the slimy wood edge of a step causing initial impact of butt with the edge of the stair and then with the lovely deep muddy puddle below it. There was much anti-dogma and insults. I could hear her thinking 'stupid human! If you insist on running on those two legs what do you expect?'. I now have a step imprint on my butt. On the plus side my shoes are now way not pristine!

So it appears that Millie will have to remain a Roadie unless she learns to a) not hog and b) listen when I shout 'Wait' or make the tsh sound. If she could be off-lead we'd be on a winner but alas that conflicts with the Waitaks laws.

There are heaps more shoe cleaning stations on the trail now. It used to just be at the entry exit point but now they're at lots of trail junctions and entry to any areas where the Kauri are healthy. I big pits with the brushes and high-powered sprays are great but the little squirty bottles and scrubbing brushes are hard work. And what about Millie's paws? She didn't like being squirted.

Just as an after thought....why aren't there wine stops on the Montana Heritage trail. And will it become the Brancott Heritage trail now Montana has changed it's name since it was confusing the poor little Americans. What next? We change the name of French fries?

Protein bars nom nom nom

2010-07-08T21:04:00.001+12:00

I've always found protein bars to be reminiscent of eating a cardboard box. They would have to rank just behind Leppin gels as my least favourite thing to refuel with......until now! I was looking for a bar that had more than 10g protein, 25g carbs and 5g fat to have in my car for midmorning or afternoon mini meals if I couldn't escape. So I grabbed a Horley's Carb Less protein bar. The flavour was double Dutch Choc Fudge .....sounds yum but I've been fooled before. After a rather stressful visit I was really wanting some chocolate....as Buffy says 'There is nothing in the world that chocolate can't fix'. Since there was none on hand I decided to try half the Horley's bar with it's 18.4g of muscle building protein, measly 4.5g of carbs and a tinsy 1.6g of saturated fat. IT WAS DIVINE! Yumminess in an innocent metallic blue wrapper. Do you realise what those numbers mean? Half a bar is like eating two treat size pinkies (you know you can't stop at one). The pinkies would have been 112 calories vs 91 (OK not too much diff), 1.5g saturated fat vs 0.8g, a piddly 0.9g protein vs 9.2g and 17.2g of carbs to a trifling 2.2g. Plus it tasted and felt much more satisfying.

Of course the real stamp of approval came from Felix who ate a whole one and when busted pronounced it yummy! So now I know what to have tucked away to give me a kick when I need it or a bribe to do weight training!

Oh yeah...I ran 5k again and it wasn't raining. I wish someone would invent something to stow doggy doo in after you've bagged it when you're running. I've got a cool carry bag with a secret sealed compartment but it's no good for running. I'm sure it would sell!

Wow!

2010-07-06T20:48:00.000+12:00

One day into fundraising for the 7in7 challenge and I've already had $30 in donations! Makes this morning's run in pouring rain and wet shoes so much more worthwhile! I bought another pair of runners today so the wet shoe issue will be a thing of the past. Now if they can only make me go faster! I swear my virtual partner on my Garmin is laughing at me but it doesn't have to run up hills!

Today was a repeat of yesterday's run.....boring! I am not enamoured with the streets but time constraints meant there was no chance of heading West or south to find some nicer paths. The dog doesn't really care. A run is a run and if there are birds to chase even better. Why can dogs not understand that they cannot fly!

Back!

2010-07-06T09:28:00.002+12:00

A game of S.N. cricket put my return to the trails back significantly. It was a case of twist and shout! So I've spent 5 months babying my foot. It's been taped so much I think I'll permanently have a white area on my calf, it was allowed only gentle walks and flat shoes.

By May I was able to powerwalk and that at least kept my sanity. Six weeks ago I decided to try a little short run in the evening...I'm talking maybe a k! But there was no pain and only slightly more twinges in the morning. Things were looking up!

Normally I charge ahead like a bull at a gate but for once I decided to take it slow....little steps. So I settled into doing a 1 mile course on the hilly streets around our house. Occasionally I'd push out to 2k but not further. I mixed in longer walks and was quite happy.

In fact I changed my focus and started weight training so my runs were just a cardio work out rather than the be all and end all. And I totally love the weights workouts! So instead of feeling like I was missing out on something I was doing something else I loved.

So I was rocking along like this, happy as Larry, until the first Saturday in July.....Kepler registration. I had resigned myself to the fact that a 60k run over trails was not doable if I wanted to really get sorted so I slept in. And then the remorse set in. So I decided to look for something to take my mind off the Kepler on the day and I found it....The Goat.....running round Mt Ruapehu. So joy was restored ....if I could up the ks.

Then I read the runs list for the 7in7 Challenge that Mal Law is running to raise money for the Leukemia and Blood Foundation. The day one run was a marathon in the Wanaka area and you didn't have to eat nails for breakfast to do it! So I registered my interest but it all depended on whether I could actually up the running. I have most running books under the sun and I knew just the book to grab...Marathon Running For Mortals. It's written by John Bingham aka the Penguin and Jenny Hadfield. So diary in hand I plotted the training programme. It looked doable but the proof was in the running so off I went yesterday for the first run....5k later.....no pain! Don't worry I've got until the end of November to get the ks up! So I set up my fundraising page because I can do this! All runners are encouraged to raise at least $400.

My page is Nic's 7in7 fundraising page. So if you've read this far, how about dropping by and promising a few dollars! And no, I won't be doing it in costume!

I am complete!

2010-02-12T20:43:00.000+13:00

Having run with my crackberry and suffering it swearing that I can run across water without even getting my feet wet and dropping satellites at the appearance of the slightest cloud I was spitting tacks. I wanted to know where I'd been, where I was going and why my legs hurt so much!

The answer to all my questions now adorns my wrist during runs! A Garmin 310XT! At a glance I can see my pace, how far I've gone, the time of day and how long I've been running. I even managed to beat my virtual partner to work today! I just wish that it would then do my job so I could have a sleep in!

I had a nice negotiation with the lovely Karl at Trig Instruments and got the best price in NZ (less than their advertised price due to price guarantee)! And had it delivered right to work. No need for credit card, I was able to pay by fastcheque. All is good! And now I can eat again! And drive my car to work on wet days (not all of them or I'd never get a run in!). And even have a coffee at work, though I've become quite fond of red zinger tea made from tea bags. (Instant coffee is not coffee - it is a hot beverage that bears no resemble to a delicious cup of java.

And so I leave you now, for tomorrow the wide open road (ok Oriental parade round to Hataitai Beach) calls and me and my Garmin are ready to answer. Can't wait to take it up Mt Kaukau!

I am hurt to my core

2010-01-11T18:22:00.000+13:00

Runners need to strengthen their core muscles, pilates strengthens the core muscles therefore pilates would be a good thing, right?. An hour of pilates has left me barely able to breathe in and out without groaning. My muscles are threatening to go on strike. They tell me they are all that stands between my internal organs and the outside world and if I cause them any more trouble they are just letting go and I'll see how much use 5 layers of skin are.

I crawled home from work, wondering 'Is 6 o'clock too early for bed?'. I decided maybe it was so I'll be a devil and stay up until 8. I have come to the conclusion that Pilates just makes running seem easier because it doesn't involve you having both legs raised off the ground for what seems like an hour, teasing them with nearly placing them back on the floor and then not. Of course you do get to lie down more with Pilates. The only time you get to lie down with running is when you fall over and then people never let you lie there and enjoy it.

With less than two weeks until the Hutt River events I'm vacillating. Do I do the half, the 10k or just be a great support. Currently my answer would be 'whichever option does not require any use of any muscles'. I'm such a snob, I really don't want to do the 10k. But I have to remind myself that I enjoyed the two 5ks I did. Oh the decisions! I will have my answer by morning. Of course a half marathon would be a true test of the magic of taping. But if I do the 10k I could run with May from work. I need chocolate!

Looooong run

2010-01-10T20:01:00.001+13:00

Today I ran to Pompeii via French Bay. Ok, I ran to Te Papa to see the exhibition 'A Day in Pompeii' after doing my regular homage visit to the McCahons on level 5. The wind was wild in Wellington today so I decided against running the Skyline Track as my powers of flight are not yet fully developed. The waterfront was wild! At one point I felt like my right leg was being blown away to the south! I can't believe in January I had to be rugged up in my merino 2XU t and my running jacket. I'm not certain polyprop gloves wouldn't have gone amiss!

It was a wild adventure! I don't know if my hair a la 'something about Mary' was really up to Te Papa's standards. The run was far better than the exhibition but at least it gave me a purpose. I couldn't believe it when I got home and it wasn't even 1 and I'd had a run, been to an exhibition, gone to two markets and come away with a huge haul of fresh fruit and veg, done the vacuuming and a load of washing! A most pleasing day was had! I'm hmming and haaing over running to work to tomorrow. The lure of a cup off coffee and a homemade muffin when I get there will probably convince me. But I do love running along the waterfront....and not just because it's flat and Tory St is not!

Off to retape my leg now. I gave it some tapefree time today and realised what an excellent job the taping was doing.

A brisk walk up a hill

2010-01-09T23:12:00.000+13:00

A work colleague yesterday asked me if I would be keen for a brisk walk up a hill today. I thought it sounded like a fine idea so agreed. Wellington is not short of hills so I imagined a pounding of suburban streets would be the order of the day.

We were joined on our walk by Leo, the confused male cavoodle belonging to a friend of Ruth's, who sported a lovely pink ribbon...this may have explained his need to cock his leg every five minutes in a bid to demonstrate his masculinity. The three of us headed out to Khandallah in Ruth's little red Starlet, in a roundabout way - a driving tour of Wellington was provided free by Ruth. Parking by the summer pool we headed up the path. The sign read "Mt Kaukau" - the mountain bit should have been a warning! We headed bravely up at Ruth's pace with the occasional breather (Ruth and I) and leg cocking (Leo). It was probably three quarters of the way up that it became apparent that it was some time since she'd been up there and the hill seemed to have grown in that time. There were indeterminable steps and the path seemed to always be promising an end just round the corner but never producing it.

Finally we reached the TV mast at the top. Some smart guy had labelled the stile at the top "The Hillary Step" - and they weren't far wrong! The view from the top was worth the slog though. You could see most of Wellington spread out beneath you. Forget Mt Vic! This is the place to go for a fantastic view!

A "nice well-spoken young Khandallah man" (Ruth's description) kindly told us how to go back down another way. The route is sign posted but not on par with the Montana Heritage trail. There could have been potential for me to get lost I'm sure (who am I kidding....I can get lost in Westfield Queensgate). When we told the NWSYKM the way we'd come he informed us we'd taken the boring route.

Well, by boring I guess he meant not life-threatening for walkers! The downward path was a reasonable facsimile of a trail with the all important channel caused by winter rains running down the middle. It would have been fun at a run but picking our way down meant we could enjoy every nuance. I said to Ruth that the NWSYKM probably ran down at full pelt, something he confirmed when we met him at the bottom. I think by that point Ruth had other not-so-nice names for him!

It gave me great sympathy for those kind fit/fast souls who have borne with me on runs that have pushed me to my limits and barely raised a sweat on them. I really appreciate Ruth introducing me to Mt Kaukau and I plan on returning to it very soon and this time I'll run it!

What today did prove is that the wonderful strapping that Michele showed me does help my foot! My leg has no chance to go equine on me. My foot stays perfectly in place and no stressing occurs. The padding in my shoe has also helped but I wore my trail shoes today and the lack of padding was not a problem. Trail has hammered my foot in the past so I am well pleased! Ooo rah! Someone buy that woman a drink!

Santa wouldn't buy me a Garmin.

2009-12-27T15:31:00.000+13:00

I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas and got a run in if they were so inspired. I didn't run on Christmas Day this year. No time due to the travelling around the parental units. I had enjoyed my run last Christmas so was sorry to not be able to make time.

Santa didn't give me a Garmin so I remain a lost soul. I am gutted. Millie and I went for a very pleasant run today through the bush systems around the Newmarket area and it was lovely. She got to swim in the various streams and waterholes so really enjoyed herself. My foot was very niggly. The uneven surfaces of the trails mean my ankles do move about a lot and pressure is put on the peroneus brevis so it hurt and the shoes I was wearing were not as supportive as my regular ones so I finished with a slightly swollen sore foot but I'd had a great fun run so I'm happy. The weather was slightly cloudy so it wasn't too hot when we were on the roads. We are pretty lucky in New Zealand, having access to lots of lovely bush to escape to.

The worm has turned!

2009-12-23T20:07:00.000+13:00

I'm not letting the evil conglomerate get me down! After nearly expiring with disappointment and regret watching the guys finish Kepler, I figured I had nothing to lose.

I've been hitting the waterfront and surrounding areas in the mornings (loving Welling ton waterfront sooooo much....wind not so much) and have had few problems! I've found that tighter shoes and remembering to step off kerbs etc with my left foot means I can avoid a lot of pain. So far 10k is my limit but I haven't pushed it ant more and some days are better than others but I'm out there snubbing my nose at ACC. Without shoes my foot is sore and high heels are killers! Taping works on occasion but I think I'm just going to have to take things slow and hope the split knits. Or win lotto so I can afford a couple of months off work.

So my goals for 2010 have shrunk incredibly. I'm aiming for a 10k in April or May, probably at the Rotorua Marathon if I end up there. A half marathon around July and then the Auckland Marathon....wearing my Roadster number, OOOOO RAH! Then KEPLER SHALL BE MINE!

Hanging out with people who are on the whole sedentary helps. They think 10k before breakfast is superhuman. Of course I'm permanently tired because I'm getting up early enough to run, drive to work in time to get a park (great traffic planning CCDHB) and have a shower so I'm at my desk working away over an hour before anyone else appears. So no one is really inspired by my example to give exercise a go! And I do spend a lot of the evening wondering if it is too early to go to bed. My answer is usually "It's never too early!"

Punishing my foot

2009-11-10T20:37:00.000+13:00

I was in two minds about running the Auckland Half but really wanted my roadster number so finally decided to. In the end I was glad I made the decision to. My hip was fine but my foot felt like a knife was wedged into it. I made it over the bridge which was my goal. I was then going to take it easy but actally put more effort in than I had in past events and finished feeling strong but sore. It took a while for the power of speech to return. It was great to finish and although I wasn't back in time to see Ingrid finish her 100th marathon I was close.

It was nice catching up with people you only see at events. The highlight for me was the sausage from the Cortexa tent! Since I only eat vege food in Wellington I sometimes get an overwhelming craving for meat.

After surviving Auckland I, for some strange reason, decided that doing the Feilding Marathon the following Saturday would be a good idea. It was not. I had to get up at 3am to drive to Feilding. My foot had been niggling on my walks to work but I ignored it. I taped it and for 11k the tape worked brilliantly ...and then it didn't. The rest of the event was absolute agony. I had to convince myself to carry on by thinking in small distances...another 5k and you're half way.....two more k and you can have 5 gummi bears. The whole field aprt from two passed me, and since I started before them that was no real comfort! With 5k to go I was bawling my eyes out and craving KFC! All I wanted was to be finished and home but that meant hobbling another 5k and then driving for 2 hours! By sheer bloody-mindedness I finally made it back. My relief was so great I even drank a can of Tui! Thanks, Norman!

Having survived the concerned looks of my co-workers after Auckland, I decided to try and defeat DOMS. So for two days I lived in Skins. Wellington naturally put on brilliant weather on the Sunday so I could swelter in them! But it worked! No DOMS! I only shuffled a little because of my hip and foot and ibuprofen covered that!

For a month my poor foot has had no respite! I'm still walking to work, I ride my bike and I do stupid events! And now I think I have killed it. It is swollen and tender. I had to wear jandals to work today because my shoes didn't fit. RICE is at work now and hopefully tomorrow I can look a little less casual!

And still I wait for ACC to decide my fate! I have never really liked them and every time my foot twinges my dislike seems to increase! And they have the audacity to ask me to pay nearly $3000 in levies! Ai carumba!

I have the plague.

2009-10-28T18:34:00.000+13:00

I have a cold. This may seem like nothing but for me it spells a really really terrible Auckland Half as opposed to just a really terrible one due to my split tendon. Incidentally, I still have no further information on when I can have my split repaired so the Hutt River Ultra now looks like a no go as well!

Any way, why would a cold spell disaster? Because cold's trigger my fibromyalgia so I end up feeling like i have the flu and generally take about 5 days to recover from even a mild one. So I've got the stuffy head and drippy nose which are not conducive to running anyways but being above the neck don't preclude it. But my shoulders, elbows, fingers, knees and ankles feel stiff and sore like I have the flu. My tongue is also on a go slow so I feel like my mouth is full when I speak.

But I shall not be vanquished! That roadster number shall be mine! As long as I make it over the bridge in time then I can cruise the rest of the way. And this is what I'm focussing on! I don't even have a costume to take my mind off things!

Still penguining along grimly

2009-10-25T22:40:00.000+13:00

It's the Auckland half next weekend and it's only the fact that I want my roadster number that keeps me from flagging it. I still have no date for my op and my foot varies between tolerable and red-hot pain.

I'm running and walking to work but that's not particularly far. The longest I've managed before feeling like shit is 6k! So I think the half will involve much walking. I'm not happy because I really wanted to do a serious half and I was so on track before my accident. The real downer is my injured gait is effecting my hip again so I'm taking regular arcoxia to keep me from screaming.

I'm keeping up my fitness on the Tranzx. I treat the neighbours and the pigeons to the entertaining sight of me pedalling away on the balcony. I moved my bike out there so I wouldn't annoy the downstairs neighbours and prevent a build-up of microscopic rubber fibres on the wall.

I need to get organised and join the local pool so I can do some more DWR but haven't got round to figuring out when.

Up and running...sort of!

2009-10-15T09:50:00.001+13:00

I can manage the run to and from work without too much pain and no noticeable swelling so that's a good thing. Of course it's only 2.6k to work! But little steps blah blah blah!

I've got the bike set up on the balcony so I can do some static riding. Should provide some entertainment for the office workers! And the pigeons, or as I affectionately call them, the rats of the sky.

The wind here is a whole new challenge! It's wacky! Almost akin to running on a treadmill! I'm moving my legs but just don't seem to be making as much progress as I'd expect! I'll have to get a handle on it before I venture down to the waterfront and join Viv for a bit of her morning run. I don't know how she manages! At least I have ballast!

Cross-training rules!

2009-10-12T20:24:00.000+13:00

Despite being allowed to run on my foot I'm not pushing it too much....why? Because it hurts and swells up! But with the Auckland Half roaring up I'm not slacking. Yesterday I went for a two hour ride along the Hutt River Trail. Of course I spent half an hour trying to find the start of it! Who would look down a driveway between buildings! Once I found it and made it across the Estuary Bridge it was brilliant!

There's been a bit of rain so there were some nice muddy patches to cover me and the treadly in mud. It was a glorious day and there were a few others out enjoying it but not as many as I would have expected. It's a great flat trail and I'll be back running it next opportunity I get!

Going back I took a wrong turn (they don't call me Lost Soul for nothing!) so ended up going across the railway bridge on the rickety pedestrian/bike path. Luckily I was over just before the train went through but the wind still challenged me. Then I had to traverse a golf course! A couple of other riders were doing the same but it seemed weird and a little nerve-wracking when surrounded by weekend golfers!

Luckily I made it back to the car safely and loaded my poor filthy treadly on. It's going to stay on the back of the car for a couple of days to dry out and lose some mud before I bring it up to the apartment.

I walked to and from work today and my foot was fine so it seems only running stresses it at this point! So it'll be a slow but steady Auckland or a faster but sore one. Depends how I feel on the day. But it is great being allowed to do what I want and to get some exercise.

I've seen madness!

2009-10-04T16:01:00.000+13:00

I spent my weekend watching people run round in 400m circles for 24 hours. The Sri Chinmoy 6-12-24 hour event was held at the Millenium Stadium and I got to provide a bit of support for Simon on the 6 hour (which he won with 65k!) and Matt on the 24 hour (which he totally owned!).

For 24 hours 16 people ran or walked around the track, changing direction every 4 hours. 9 did it for 12 hours and 10 for 6 hours. The weather was abysmal with rain for well over half the event that made rivers beside the track, drenched everyone and resulted in lots of chafing and blisters.

I did a 6k run around the neighbourhood and it was great while I was running but my foot swelled up something chronic overnight. I elevated it a bit and it seems fine now. Of course there was more standing than elevating but that is the price you pay for the privilege of watching these incredible people battle. There were some really determined people out on that track...and there was Sophie. Sophie was joy in motion. She never stopped smiling...she was 2009's Viv Cheng! When her feet hurt she ran in jandals, when it rained she wore a rubbish bag, she was a ray of sunshine!

Matt took out the 24 hour with 201km! He genuinely enjoyed himself and even when he struck adversity he kept ongoing and even came up with some novel solutions. He took the news he had to run another 5 laps not 1 lap due to counter error with good grace (everyone was tired and he had 3 runners who were close together to keep track of and there was a note that said 3 laps to 200km but he just saw the 200k and was excited!) and was rewarded when he thought he had 2 to go with the news he had 1 to go. He finished strongly and was an inspiration! And he's a National champ now!

What a great way to spend a weekend!

Bye bye to Kepler

2009-10-01T08:43:00.000+13:00

I've withdrawn from Kepler :-( There was just no way I could do the training if I had surgery anytime soon. It was a huge decision but the deadline for withdrawal and only losing $45 was upon us and it seemed the best decision. Now I'm in limbo and really have no incentive to do anything which is ironic since I'm allowed to run, bike, swim, jump!

It's the school holidays too so I'm not in my usual routine and it's easy to say I'll do it later. A walk around the zoo definitely hurt so I'm thinking running will hurt more! But I should get back in the pool! The rash on my chin from the chlorine has cleared up so I've obviously been out of the water too long!

No chance to do much this weekend as I'm supporting at the 6-12-24 hour champs. Simon is running in circles for 6 hours and Matt is running in circles for 24! Plus Nick is also doing 24 so there will be much to entertain me. I'm not certain how Simon's plan for Toby and Felix to have a 'camping adventure' will pan out - 24 hours with a 7 year old and a 10 year old in an enclosed area with no access to other entertainment! It may be a Dean-dream.

Saw the Doc!

2009-09-28T16:11:00.002+13:00

Finally got to see the Doc and the news was variable.

My perineal brevis has indeed split, I have hyper-mobile ankles, I'll need a repair of the tendon or it will rupture and I'll need a reconstruction of the area round the ankle to either allow it to be reattached or a sling made for it if the grooze is as narrow as she suspects.

Probably at least a three week wait to see what ACC say. They apparently argue a split is not the result of trauma when trauma is the only cause. Then once the op is done 2-4 weeks in a backslab cast and then into a moon boot - mobilising after about 10 days.

But the good news is I can't do much more damage to it so I can run again if I want and bike! So Auckland half looks like a goer. I'm advised not to run on unstable surfaces or in the dark. Kepler is probably a no go but I'm not quitting til I have an operation date because I can do it unrepaired. I'd hate to pull out and then find surgery doesn't happen until mid-December!

So I am a happy camper! I'll still keep up the DWR because it means I can get in even more training without stress on the tendon...Oo rah!

Sneaked in!

2009-09-24T20:24:00.000+12:00

Today was officially my rest day but because I was going to be in Wellington from Thursday afternoon until Saturday afternoon I wouldn't have had a chance to get in my Friday work out. So I did Friday's today.
Intervals...of course! The lovely ladder of increasing intervals up to 4 minutes and then back down to 1 minute with 30 second recovery. And I was all alone! Oh the freedom of just being able to put my head down and go without judging whether I can overtake before the end.

Now I'm in Wellington where it is cold and rainy and my hotel room is reminiscent of a barracks room apparently. When they said shared bathroom I didn't realise they meant one bathroom for the whole floor! At least I'm on the floor with the girl's bathroom. Going down stairs in the middle of the night does not sound like fun.

So now I'm starting on a Battlestar Gallactica marathon....if I can get the player software sorted. I may have to turn the heater on....it's Spring! I must make sure I don't drink too much...long way to that bathroom!

Another day of more than 1k!

2009-09-23T17:03:00.001+12:00

40 minutes of constant pace meant I totaled 1025m . I had the ipod, the watch and the aquabelt, I remembered underwear and I had $2 for parking so it was a good day all round. Only two others in the lane meandering so there was a bit of darting and diving but generally I was content.

There was no vacuuming being carried out so another hurrah! Yes, in the world of deep water running it was a glorious day! I'm always stoked to go over 1k! Who'da thunk it! The weather outside pretty much mirrored the conditions in the pool....wet! so no sorrow there! And a man held the door for me.

The aftereffects of DWR are pretty heavy! My abs are feeling over-worked, I'm sooooo tired and I could eat a McDonalds Angus Burger when I'm finished! I make do with a bowl of Special K and soy milk. Recent research has shown this has equivalent benefits to drinking a restore/replace drink so I'm happy!

What were they thinking!

2009-09-22T19:01:00.001+12:00

Today was 8x2:30 intervals. It was also the day or time the lifeguards decided to vacuum the pool! Now if you are putting a vacuum with a very long out of control blue hose attached into a lane where someone is deep water running what would you do? Would you say "I say excuse me! We're just going to vacuum here. Stay in but you may need to just use half the lane"? Well they didn't! They just pretended we didn't exist! So I was doing 10m loops at one end of the pool and a guy was doing 5m loops at the other! And the life guards just avoided eye contact! Lucky I wasn't doing distance! 9am is usually a fairly busy time but Asian ladies were absent today. Then after 15 minutes they removed the vacuum and put it away. So tell me this....what do we do in the aqua jogging lane and far end of the slow lane that means it requires vacuuming when the rest of the pool does not!

I got my workout in but it was not as fulfilling! I figure I covered about 800m but who knows! And to make matters worse I didn't have the strap for my ipod so no music! I think it was equivalent to a mud run on a pouring day.

Long run!

2009-09-21T21:52:00.001+12:00

Yesterday I deep water ran 1.5k in the pool! Not easy! I did 5x5min intervals and managed to knock it off it just under 45 minutes!

I shared the aqua jogging lane with a blind guy. He bungyed himself to the lane divider and swam in place while I charged up and down. We coexisted very happily.

I'm still enjoying deep water running. I may get too fond of it and never want to run on dry land again! You keep relatively cool, there's no stress on your legs, you get to smell of chlorine 24/7 and you get a nice raisin pattern on your fingers. What's not to love!

The day was completed by a lovely BBQ brunch...just like the land runners do!

They tried to kill me!

2009-09-18T16:19:00.000+12:00

Today was a ladder session: 1 min fast, 1 min recovery, 2 min fast, 1 min recovery, 3 min fast,1 min recovery, 4 min fast, 1 min recovery, 3 min fast, 1 min recovery, 2 min fast, 1 min recovery, 1 min fast. It was high powered! The lane was empty at 1pm...woohoo! Apart from the vacuum tube under the surface which would flail out and get me! I had to turn early until a life guard (who only seems to watch the shallow end) finally noticed and removed it.

My otterbox continued to meet all requirements...Green Day 'Gloria' really gets you moving! The aqua-jogging belt keeps my head above water so that is a good thing. But the watch....went blank the minute I started down the ladder into the pool...had to use the pool timer...not so easy. And would you credit it...the minute I left the pool back came the display!

Easy day today!

2009-09-17T20:00:00.000+12:00

Today was great! I only had to deep water run at the same speed or thereabouts for 35 minutes. Easy, especially with the tunes on board! I even taught a new lady how to deep water run! She was kicking her legs out the back and really just dog paddling. As I would pass her she'd try out the knee raising, butt kicking technique and by the end of the session she was moving really well! Now if only Asian ladies 2 and 3 would get in to the groove we'd be sweet.

The water was really cold today! I don't know what they're doing! The new lady was quite tentative getting in...but it may have been taking the final trusting step into the deep water and believing that piece of foam around your middle will really stop you drowning!

I only covered 800m but it was a good 800m! I reckon that my arms are getting much more of a workout than they do when running. I have a wake! So the promenaders have to fight through it! Ha ha sweet revenge!

I started late because we had a plasterer in to fix a hole in the ceiling where the bath pipe leaked so the pool was slightly emptier. It was a bit of an effort going though! Not only did I fall down stairs yesterday and graze my knees but this morning I was plugging the vacuum in to charge and the iron fell on my head! Someone doesn't like me!

No DWR today!

2009-09-16T16:48:00.000+12:00

I was looking forward to a simple session today but it was not to be! I fell ass over tea kettle down a client's stairs and took miles of skin off my knees and did something extra to my foot. So the session has been put off until tomorrow.

So I've been entertaining myself with photoshop. Mocking up some shots to taunt a friend, in a loving caring yet in-your-face-I-win way! It was a quicky so no clever shadow work!

Otterbox....Oo rah!

2009-09-15T10:53:00.000+12:00

Today's DWR session was brilliant! There was only Asian lady 1 in the pool and she meanders at such a pace I can turn when I reach her if necessary and not get in her way. She keeps left which is always a plus! She left when I had 5 minutes to go and I was joined by a new player - very pregnant woman. She was slow but sure and I was able to do 1.5 lengths to her 0.5 so we never clashed.

The otterbox is a winner! Time flew while listening to Ozzie singing crazy train, Guns and Roses, Pink being a bad influence, Matchbox 20, good old Miley, Pitbull and my REALLY guilty secret (as opposed to Miley my simply guilty secret) the cast of Mamma Mia the movie! The earphones were comfortable - not even noticeable. Good comfortable earphones is a big ask for me as I have narrow ear canals. Plus they keep the water out! The otterbox clips securely into the armband so after a couple of laps I forgot all about checking it. I thought it might feel cumbersome and weighty but it was not even noticeable. I tucked the earphone cables through my togs strap and this kept them on my back and out of the way. So fantastaballistic!

It was good I had my tunes because today was a hard one. Probably because it was building on yesterday. The session today was 2 sets of 7x1:30 intervals with 30sec recovery between intervals and, again a glorious 2 min recovery between sets. At the time it didn't feel too bad but when I got out of the pool I knew I'd worked hard! During the workout I covered 925m. Tomorrow is just a 35 minute straight DWR session so that will be a nice change. It'd give all the other pool occupants a rest from my serious pushing my limits face!

And the highlight for pool goers today was...I wore pigtails! I don't feel I can wear a swimcap because my head doesn't go in the water. I may need to wear googles for long 'runs' because my lenses don't like the chlorine. Such an attractive sport!

Yeah Baby!

2009-09-14T16:16:00.000+12:00

Woot woot! My otterbox arrived today!

Now I shall have tunes will I run...in the water that is deep! I'll try not to listen to Miley Cyrus "Bottom of the Ocean" or Lily Allen "The Fear" while in the deep deep water!

I am so happy! I want to go out and get in the pool right now! But despite what some people might think I have restraint! Tomorrow! Yee ha! The tunes will be pumping!

Note to self: do not sing Lily Allen "F**k you", GreenDay "American Eulogy", Any Eninem songs, most of Pink's songs... out loud or even mouth them or the old ladies might have a conniption!

Feel da burn!

2009-09-14T10:49:00.000+12:00

The water was boiling today because I was feeling da burn! Two sets o!f 6x1:30 intervals with 30secs recovery between intervals and a glorious whole two minutes between sets! Adding in the 5 minutes warm up and warm down I covered 875m today!

When I initially arrived the lane was clear! Glory glory allelujah! I had a good 7 minutes before Asian lady 2 arrived. She added her perfume to the water making it even more crucial to not swallow the pool! We worked out a complicated little dance whereby we both coexisted happily.

Then the games began! Asian lady 3 arrived and promenaded up and down with Asian lady 2. Still I managed to get round them and time things just right. So I moved up a level in the game of Aqua jogging dodgems! Two older women entered the mix! Now these two promenaded but had half a body width between them, making passing hard! I went through the middle once in a bid to get the message across. The funniest thing was when I was on my last warm down length and I heard Older woman 1 say to older woman 2 "I'm not going to talk much today because I find it interferes with my workout!". I very nearly drank the pool then!

I am providing entertainment for the guy on reception who is noting my increase in speed both in the pool and on my crutches! Nice to know that I'm providing a service. Paid $3 to park right outside the door today but I don't know if it's worth the extra dollar.

I am stuffed! I definitely feel like I've had a good workout. I hoovered a bowl of rice pudding as soon as I walked in the door. Feeling nearly human now.

Sunday long run!

2009-09-13T14:12:00.000+12:00

Today's long run was....wait for it.....1k! Yes I did 1km in 40 minutes. It was a pleasant day. The usual conditions for DWR prevailed....humid air, very wet. There were only two others in the lane so it was not too bad. The only disconcerting thing was the guy in the mask and goggles sitting on the bottom of the pool. He made me realise just how deep the pool was!

I know I definitely reek of chlorine! So I'm just going to go with it!

I had an excellent brunch after the run which I felt I earned. The cafe in St Kevins Arcade on K Rd was a pleasant venue, the company was delightful and the coffee and bagel went down well. It's the little things that make life bearable!

The wonderful thing about DWR is that it is not affected by the weather! It was lovely, sunny and 19 degrees this morning but now the dark clouds are rolling in. But it doesn't matter! I did have to park in the car parking building today since all the outside parks were full. I paid $5 for the privilege of walking further!

The Chlorine Queen

2009-09-12T16:57:00.000+12:00

I have never spent so much time in swimming pools! This morning I took Toby and Felix to swimming lessons. Toby is doing so well! He just needs to hone his technique - less flailing! But Felix! He has come along in mega strides. Before the class he was cavorting underwater and swimming without a board! He now dives in...I got some great video footage which has never happened before...normally he'll only try things once! Both boys are now real water babies. We even went to Meadowbank bakery to celebrate...a huge treat!

Having escaped the Sacred Heart pool with seriously frizzy hair I went to the Olympic pool to see what other damage I could do! My one piece was still drying so I had to wear a two piece....nerve wracking...would I lose the pants? Would the top stay up?

Everything stayed where it should and I completed four lots of 5 minutes hard - legs pounding, fists flying, teeth gritting - with 1 minute recovery in between. With the five minutes warmup and warmdown it was 34 minutes of immersion. W00t! Something I have noticed is that my aquajogger is narrower than the ones hired out by the pool and I have to work slightly harder to keep my shoulders above water. This is not a bad thing because my abs get engaged more and my legs have to keep moving. I'm enjoying warming down by pedalling and keeping my arms behind my back. It means I can check my technique and my arms get a rest ...win-win!

Bring on Kepler!

Intervals and dodging

2009-09-11T10:33:00.000+12:00

Todays session in the world of DWR was intervals. Fast for 1 min, rec for 1min, fast for 2 mins, rec for 1, fast for 3 mins, rec 1min, fast 4 mins, rec 1min, fast 3 mins rec 1 min, fast 2 mins rec 1 min, fast for 1 min. It went well and time flew.

However, I couldn't get any idea of distance because I kept having to zap across the lap and turn round to avoid the promenaders, it was between 700 and 900m. Do they actually think they're getting any value as they bob along? There is no exertion involved! It's not even social because they all bob along in silence. A benefit is that I'm getting the hang of turning without the leg flailing!

It's a rainy day so I had to hop using my crutches rather than taking a little weight on my toes to avoid wet sock syndrome. After a DWR workout it was hard! The car seemed to have got further away! I was starving by the time I got home. A peanut butter sandwich hit the spot nicely and set me up for work.

Whinge

2009-09-10T20:23:00.001+12:00

After over six weeks of pretty constant pain and discomfort I'm having a bad day! I can't wiggle my toes because it involves the use of the split tendon, it seems, and therefore results in stabbing pain so my toes are getting crampy. I feel like my foot is slowly burning. I am sick of ibuprofen. I am sick of only wearing one shoe....and it's never a nice heel! My tubi-grip looks nasty! My sock gets wet when it rains. It huts to drive, it hurts to walk, it hurts when you get that cramp in the middle of the night.

If I wasn't able to deep water run, I'd be a basket case! The four weeks of no exercise nearly did my head in! I gained 4 friggen kilos! I've kicked just over 1kg off so that's good. I am not thinking what will happen if and when I have surgery and I can't get in the pool. Maybe I'll have to have my lips sewn together too!

I wonder if ACC cover chocolate purchasing for medicinal purposes?

12 second tv whinge!

My long "run"

2009-09-10T15:52:00.000+12:00

I did my Wednesday long 'run' today since I was in Wellington yesterday. Half an hour after a five minute warm-up. I managed to do more than 925m! - I'm not the best at length counting! It was a reasonably hard slog and the water was a tad chilly today.

The usual promenaders were there...I reckon I travel more distance then I think getting around them. There was also a grandmother and her grandson...between 4 and 6, I reckon. She put an aquajogger belt on him and had him trying to swim up and down...in 4.4m deep water. I was worried he was going to slip out of the belt. Initially he was terrified and crying. He got a bit better but I think he felt much happier when she took him into the recreational swimmers lane which is 1.5m deep at the end. They were a chore to get round since they were side by side.

I'm getting slightly less tolerant of the people who are not really getting in the spirit of aqua-jogging....the ones who breast stroke slowly up and down. I get whacked with their hands when I try to pass and the sign saying "Aqua-jogging lane - aqua-jogging only". They should be in the slow swimming lane. In fact I've only seen two other people actually doing anything resembling aqua-jogging. One was a woman with no belt....huge kudos to her. The worse thing is when they wander in the middle of the lane because there is no room to pass on either side. We need an aqua-jogging cop. "Pull over swimmer! Good morning madam, are you aware you are doing the breast stroke? Did you see the sign back there? Would you please accompany me to the slow swimmers' lane."

I'm having a mixed bag of experiences in the changing rooms. It is no fun juggling shampoo, conditioner, shower gel and crutches to the shower...there is a real danger of losing your towel. Streaking from the locker to the shower is best performed by clients of the local plastic surgeons and is only then barely tolerated. If I don't take the crutches the crippled hobble is not much more dignified. I also must remember to vet my underwear! Appropriate underwear is essential in a Newmarket changing room. Underwear that snuck in the washing machine with the new black jeans is not appropriate. It looks Bridget Jonesish! All underwear should match, it should have a requisite amount of lace and it should have intact elastic.

More non-running training

2009-09-09T20:14:00.000+12:00

My indoor trainer for my bike is insitu also! When I get the go-ahead to pedal I'll be on it! No balance issues so it is not stressing the peroneal tendon....apparently.

My poor treadly is feeling very unloved! It will welcome being buds with the Tranzx Indoor trainer, I'm sure! Nice gift from Simon, huh!

Got good reviews - good value! Oooo Rah!

Instead of running I flew!

2009-09-09T16:56:00.001+12:00

I flew to Wellington and back to Auckland today. Not bad for a former very nervous flyer! The weather in the capital was gorgeous and the coffee was excellent.

Air New Zealand are using a safety briefing video with body-painted staff to try to get passengers to pay attention. Our purser on the flight was one of the body-painted staff (she was dressed). An excellent way to see if anyone actually watched the briefing!

Air New Zealand's safety video

And on another note: The 1:05 pm Jetstar flight was delayed over two and a half hours! Way to go Jetstar!

News Flash!

2009-09-08T16:32:00.000+12:00

My aqua-jogger belt has arrived! No more using the pool's skanky ones and having to adjust them so I don't drown and no more having to scrape together $3! Ooo Rah!

Two things!

2009-09-08T10:34:00.000+12:00

Number one!
My cheapie sports watch did the job in the pool! I could keep track of my intervals and just made sure not to press any buttons in the water. It beats slogging up and down counting "1 Missississipi 2 Missississipi.....". 6x2:30 intervals today with 30 sec recovery. My abs are being put to good use! And I no longer think about how deep the water is which is huge progress. Of course, I double check my belt before entering the water.

The turning at the end is still a slog....I seem to be fighting to get across and round. My technique (I use this term very loosely) goes to pot and I end up leaning sideways with my left leg sticking out. I keep telling myself "You are a swan. Calm on the surface and paddling/running like hell underneath."

Number two!

Since I am getting around in a moon boot or two crutches I noticed the diffrence in attitudes between the sexes. The door to the pool is a heavy Art Deco style one which has to be pulled to open. Men will generally hold it open for me and will even run to do so. But women! Today I was behind a woman who saw me, opened the door, stepped through it and let it close in my face! This has been my general experience apart from the woman at the coffee place at Wellington airport who insisted on carrying my coffee and food over for me.

Is it so hard to spend two seconds holding a door open? Especially for someone who could hit you a good one with either crutch. I always smile and thank them. Where are those Random Act of Kindnesses? I may start 'accidentally' putting my crutches down on toes at the pool side or in the changing room.

And so my rant ends!

Morgan and I are considering chess or petanque as a safer sport but me and heavy boules are probably not a good idea. As Morgan says "yep, big steel balls are always dangerous!".

Goodbye nails!

2009-09-07T16:34:00.001+12:00

The first casualty of DWR has been my beautiful acrylic nails!

They don't like the water and chlorine so were turning cloudy and looking like they would detach. So I bit the bullet and had them removed. Ouchy! Tantamont to having your fingernails pulled off and you are left with short stubby nails because the long nails under the artificial ones are so thin and pathetic they just peel off.

So now I have short functional nails that better like the water or they will be for the highjump! Some ultra dudes remove their toenails to prevent perpetual black peeling toe nails....would it be just as acceptable for a DWRunner to remove her fingernails? ;-)

The training starts now!

2009-09-07T10:26:00.000+12:00

First day of the DWR training program. 2 lots of 5x1.5 min intervals. If you can sweat in a pool, I was! I got a monthly pass ($65) which will be paid off in just over 9 sessions and since I'll be doing at least 5 a week it's good value!

When I arrived there were 3 sedate pool walkers ambling up and down. I joined them for my 5 min warm up. They were unaware of what was about to be unleashed! After 5 mins it was running time. It really is hilarious! You look like you're roaring along but movement is similar to running in jelly! But I wasted the walkers! I'd roar (figuratively) past and then a bit further ahead slow down for my 30 sec recovery. But none of them passed me! I also restrained myself and didn't shout 'Runner on your right!"

I do feel like I've done some work. I didn't brave the steam room today (10 mins steam, cold shower then hot shower to remove the chlorine smell) because it was full of elderly men. I didn't want to cause any heart attacks ;-)

Tomorrow is 6x2:30 hard intervals. I'll have earned my coffee!

Bad day!

2009-09-06T17:41:00.004+12:00

Not running has made me a little bitter. Today was a rest day from pool running so I had little to work my anger out on. So it was a bad day for Simon to go to brunch and a) not tell me and b) not check why I wasn't there.

Finally at 1:30pm he arrived home. I was not a happy camper. It felt quite depressed....didn't even want to sneak off and do an extra DWR session.

Health and safety warning:

If someone is injured to the extent they can do very little, DO not do anything that might anger them.

On the bright side, I've found an intensive 9 week DWR (Deep Water Running) program. It has DWR 5 days a week and cross-training if able.....which I'm not. So now I'm happy-ish! At least I have a focus and feel like i'm not blindly treading water.

I've ordered a bouyancy belt so I won't have to hire the pool's ones which are always adjusted for huge abdomens. And so I penguin on....penguins fly in water, right!

Pool running!

2009-09-05T14:38:00.004+12:00

Since I can't walk, can't run and can't bike and have a pathological fear of swimming I needed to find something to stop me from killing every runner I see.

The answer is pool running! Delicate petals refer to it as aqua jogging but I refuse to. I am going hard out so I'm running not jogging and I'm in a pool....pool running!

So what does my new sport involve? Basically I wear a bouyancy aid around my waist which by the miracle of science stops me sinking to the bottom of the 4.4m deep pool.....this is the woman with the pathological fear of deep water we're talking about! There is a lane for aqua jogging only so you don't have the annoyance issue. When I first tried it I spent 10 minutes in the Rec swimming lane so i could get used to rhe sendsation and still be able to touch the floor. Stepping into the unknown of the 4.4m deep pool ewas a real leap of faith! Once in the pool I move up and down in an exaggerated running motion. I managed 45 minutes today! I will get better. You can do most sorts of running workouts...apart from hills! It is quite boring going up and down up and down. There's no music playing in the pool and I have no waterproof ipod. Currently I use visualisation to keep me going but when I'm up to 2 hours or more I'll need something more!

You work really hard but your heart rate doesn't seem to get that high, you're cooler (no sweat!) and there's none of that impact! But you do end up feeling tired! Not muscle aching tired, just "Ooh it would be nice to curl up for a nap now" tired. You also seem to get a better upper body work out than with running due to the resistance of the water. Also if you pass close to a fast swimmer going in the opposite direction you get the added resistance of fighting their wake!

The people on the running machines in the gym overlooking the pool seem to find me very funny but as Lisa pointed out they are running and getting nowhere so who are they to laugh! at least I get to race elderly Asian ladies.

I'm planning to follow my Kepler training program in the pool so I'm going to spend a lot of time at the Olympic pool. I'll be there just about everyday up until my orthopod appointment and then see what happens. Either keep at it until I have surgery or if surgery is a no-go then I'll carry on! I guess I'll get used to the smell of chlorine which oozes out of your skin despite liberal use of body wash. I may have to invest in a waterproof mp3 player.

Long long runs will be fun! I guess I hop out of the pool every hour and hydrate (ha ha), eat something small, do a toilet stop and then back in. Currently I have to do two lengths every 8 with my arms tucked behind my back because they lose strength due to the fibromyalgia. But it means I concentrate on good technique while doing it so it's a win-win!

The year that's been!

2009-09-05T13:41:00.003+12:00

Up until 5 weeks ago I'd had a brilliant year. My fabulous physio had fixed my hip, I'd got faster...really faster! I'd entered two Ultras: the Great Naseby Water Race and the Kepler Challenge. I was trail running and loving it...life was good!

And then disaster!

I slipped off a kerb and hurt my heel. It didn't improve so I went to the A&E. It was put in a tubigrip and I was to have an xray on the Monday. I had the xray and the doc looked at it and said "All fine. Just a strain. Take ibuprofen and carry on". So I did. Then the xray report arrived! Possible fracture! No contact from Doc but my lovely physio arranged an appointment with a sports Doc for me.

I went off to Lower Hutt where I'd entered the 5 Bridges Marathon. It was not to be either! I made a great cheer section in my moon boot and had a blast at Norman's 50th birthday party instead!

On the Wednesday after my return I saw the Sports Doc who sent me off for a CT scan. Finally got it done the following Monday...four weeks after injury. Back to Doc ....fracture was pretty much healed so he said get rid of the moon boot. I had the feeling he thought I was a hypochondriac! On examination it was still bloody sore. OK...we'll get an ultrasound done. Not likely to show anything.

In between I go to Naseby to once again support at an event I was meant to be running. Still I had grat fun being the timekeeper (scored a woolly hat) and trying curling! Woo hoo!

Got in for the US on the Monday....5 weeks have passed. Radiographer looks and says it all seems fine. There's a bit that looks like a split but it's probably just a variation on normal. She decided to get the Radiologist to look. In they both come. Radiologist directs the radiographer on where and how to put the probe and voila! a bloody great split in one of the peroneal tendons!

Just going off on a slight tangent here. Where you go to the radiologists often it is to see the cause of a pain. So you would think they would realise that repeated wriggling around over a sore point is not pleasant! But no apologies!

Anyway, back to the Doc on the following Wednesday. Quelle surprise! you are not a hypochondriac! No! I have what I originally thought I had! So he talked about 6 months rehab! I then asked about surgical repair. Having read research and feedback I felt happier with the idea of a total repair. He agreed to refer me to an Orthopod. And surprise surprise.....get back in your moon boot! Bloody hell!

I rang the Orthopod and got an appointment...in nearly 4 weeks! So if she refuses to operate on healing tissue I'm going to be very angry cos I could have seen her by now if all the tests had been done at once rather than piece meal to appease the hypochondriac!

So that is where it stands! Kepler looks like yet another ultra i don't get to do but I'm not admitting defeat yet! I have 90 days!

I'm so lax!

2008-11-18T21:01:00.003+13:00

Oh boy am I lax!
The half and been and gone. Note to self: a fleece costume with full head piece is not appropriate running gear for a steaming hot day!

I did my slowest ever half I think. I couldn't see properly out of the eyes after I poured water over my head and it was steaming hot underneath!

The crowd support was really good - especially the kids - and only a few people mistook me for a rubber duck and only one boy thought I was a chicken.

I'm now concentrating on repairing my hip and getting a good base rather than roaring around doing what ever takes my fancy. I've already had to remind myself I can't do a marathon and, worse still, a 68ker!

My next event is a 5k! What luxury! Should be short and sweet.

Arthur's Half

2008-09-23T19:43:00.003+12:00

Well I didn't even qualify for slow runner! I walked it due to huge hip pain. Still it means I probably got to enjoy the views more than the runners. It's a really good course with enough challenge to keep it interesting. It started at Shadbolt Park in Green Bay and meandered around the edge of New Lynn, through Glen Eden, along West Coast Road and then left the marathon course and headed uphill for 5ks! - Carter Road and Shaw Road to Scenic Drive. The Half course then rejoined the marathon course and we met up with the tail end Charlie - he ended up winning the trophy for perseverance. We travelled up and down along Scenic Drive until it hit the roundabout with the Dr Seuss type sculptures in Titirangi. After marching past the cafe society enjoying the fine weather it was downhill - down Titirangi and Godley Roads. Godley Road was soooooo long but we finally came to Portage Rd and the finish was in sight for us - not so for the marathoners, they had a horror 7k loop to complete before they were done.

The weather was brilliant and the only fly in the ointment was that they decided to remove the first drink stop - the one prior to the big climb - before we got there - thank heavens for camelbacks! The drink stops were about every 6k so it was a long hot climb to the second one which fortunately was still there.

The prize-giving was well run with breaks for food and spot prizes between presentations - I won some compression socks - do I look like Paula Radcliffe! Don't think they are really me!

What to wear?

2008-07-28T19:54:00.002+12:00

I'm down to three or four choices for my costume for the adidas half. One is probably not a goer because a crucial part would set me back around $300! I'll have to try the various options for ease of motion.

Simon and Dan Hunter are conspiring together on a costume which will be 'interesting'. It may even give me the opportunity to keep up with them, at least until I peel off for the park and they carry along towards the long trek around the bays....and back.

Just found out that the cut-off for Arthur's half is .....4 hours so it definitely looks a goer. No costume but!

Trying out Arthur's Half

2008-07-19T20:20:00.002+12:00

I decided to try out Arthur's Half route today! I started in Titirangi so I could finish there and go to a cafe for lunch. The first half went well. It was down hill or flat. I made it quite happily to Glen Eden and bought two slices of ginger crunch there as my glycogen levels were feeling a bit depleted. I ate one then and saved the other one for later on. West Coast road was long but not too boring....and then I hit Carter Road! It is uphill nearly all the way to Shaw Road - 4kms! It goes up over 130m to Scenic Drive.
Scenic Drive was OK, just had to hug the edges and slosh through a bit of mud. Heading from centennial Drive to titirangi Village always seems further than I remember - a bit depressing.
I was glad to get into the village and sit down for some pasta salad and a yummy latte. I also managed to beat the rain - brilliant.
A bit more hill training and I'll be ready for Arthur's Half and Auckland should be heaps easier!

Inspired again!

2008-07-17T22:45:00.002+12:00

After the lows of Rotorua, the Gold Coast marathon has inspired me again. I'm thinking of doing Arthur's Half in September and Three Bridges marathon in December (I owe it to Mel).
I've been to the cross-training seminar at the gym so hopefully I'll get over my running addiction and make use of the resistance and cardio machines!
Now to see if I can train for a marathon and lose weight!

Gold Coast 42k - tick!

2008-07-10T20:36:00.004+12:00

We're back from the Gold Coast. I went to do the half and ended up doing the marathon! The day before the event we met Phil C at Harbourtown and he said that he was hoping to get Margaret through her marathon in 7 hours (she's 80!). I thought I can do that!
So in pouring rain I went back to the registration tent and once Simon had retrieved my race number from the apartment I upgraded. The girl on the counter was very surprised - most people were downgrading!
The race day dawned with pouring rain and winds. Lucky by the time we started it was just slightly overcast and there were a few drizzles.
The event went well with the ladies relaxed and enjoying themselves. The only fly in the ointment was the official who tried to pull us off at 25k. He said we had gone over the cut-off - noone was aware of any such cut-off and Margaret steamed off refusing to be thwarted.
The shock did manage to reduce the number of toilet stops so we made good time and by the next new cut-off we were 1 minute over and by the time Dot and I got to the next cut-off we were under the cut-off time! The organisers had agreed to keep the finish open longer but in the end it was totally unnecessary! Dot and I passed tired entrants as we gently coasted into the finish and Margaret and entourage finished under cut-off time too!
All the stress was forgotten by evening and we had a good story to dine out on. Most of the support workers were fantastic - encouraging and caring. Our 'tail end Charlie' woman on her scooter was a real star.
I came through feeling great and even managed a day at Movie World the next day no problem!

Intervals, intervals...and more intervals

2008-06-28T22:51:00.002+12:00

Having never really got the point of intervals I've now become a convert! I had to force myself on my run a few days ago to keep the pace and not change to an intervals session. They are just more entertaining, the boredom of the constant plod plod is broken up by the occasional gallopy gallop (and associated gasps of air). Whereas I used to promise myself after this 100m, 500m or k you can have a walking break it's become a case of 'another 200m and you can speed up for a 100ms'. My most exciting intervals were at the gym on the treadmill when i cranked it up to 14kph! That 150m flew by and fortunately I didn't fly off the end of the treadmill.

Only 8 days until the Gold Coast! I'm looking forward to it - especially a bit of sun! It will certainly be a case of spot the pasty Kiwis!

Counting down to the Gold Coast

2008-06-21T11:40:00.001+12:00

It's 16 days until the Gold Coast Marathon (or half in my case). I've been doing really well with my training and actually quite enjoying it (don't tell anyone!).

This half marathon lark is becoming a habit! I keep feeling like I should do the full Monty but then i try to tap into the memories of my hideous Rotorua and thankfully the feeling goes away!

I've put my name down on the list at the Gym of women doing Auckland. I felt a bit pathetic saying I'm doing the half but it's all for that Roadster number so I can cope.
I've entered Auckland - hurray! Now I have to think of a costume. It needs to be comfortable, able to be run in and not too hot - pajamas!