No words.

For the first time in my life, I have been having trouble putting this experience into words. I have felt like anything I could try to write to describe the experience would come out as cliche or trite. Even though pictures hardly do justice as to what I have been experiencing, I think they speak louder than words.

I am now in New Delhi for work, staying in a quite posh hotel. My coworkers arrive late tonight (Friday night). I will be going a half day sight seeing tour this morning that I am quite looking forward to. Will post more later, as well as a copy of the email I recently sent home.

...On a jet plane.

...That is where I will be at 8pm tonight. And then for the next 15 hours. I have been remiss in posting this week, needless to say work was insane and I didn't even get close to finishing all that I need to do, so I will be spending some QT time on the plane with my laptop.

I am a little frustrated about it, as I was really looking forward to 'unplugging' and not being online at ALL for the next week, but I will definitely need to be in constant touch with work at least through the weekend. Such is life, I am after all, going to be in India, on work's dollar, so I can't complain too much.

Here's to hoping that they let apples through security so I have healthy food to munch on during the flight!


Oh- and after much debate, I decided to bring the running shoes. But NO workout clothes whatsoever. Well, that is not true, I am bringing swimming stuff. But I am going to rest-rest-rest the next 6 weeks (besides touristy walking, of course), and am not even bringing work out clothes to be tempted to try to start doing anything more active while I am gone. I am committed to getting this leg back in working order so I can get back to it when I return.

Until next time, probably upon arrival in Delhi next week!

Overwhelmed.

I have been overwhelmed with life the past week. Life in general- work, love, life, anything and everything. I decided I needed to take this weekend to NOT think about the fact that I am leaving the country on Thursday for 6 weeks.

NOT think about how to pack for 6 weeks and 2 continents, work and travel, and roughly 3 climates.

NOT think about the fact that I cannot and have not run in over a month.


...So instead of making lists and loading up on immodium at the drug store, I have been sitting at my computer and cursing MAC. I switched to MAC in grad school and have never had a complaint.

Until Thursday.

What happened thursday?

Well I got my new I-pod in the mail, plugged it in to charge/load all my 4G of music and playslists....and found out that my MAC Operating System (10.3.9) is TOO OLD for the newest generation I-pod (yes, my fault, should have read the fine print). So in order to get my music onto the new I-pod I would need to shell out ANOTHER $150 for a new operating system, for my PERFECTLY good MAC ibook G4, which is only 3 1/2 years old.

So, after much googling and searching for ways around this (there aren't), I am simply having to transfer ALL my music onto my work laptop, via a flash drive. Yes, PAIN IN MY ASS. Yes, I will have to recreate all my playlists. But the truth is, it has been an amazing way to take my mind off the fact that I should be packing this weekend.

Excuse me, I need to go drop and drag some Robin Thicke onto the new computer :)

Yes We Can.

I held off on this post until after super-Tuesday. I am not officially registered in either political party. I do not believe I can define or predict what candidate I will support based on the distinction of 'Republican' or 'Democrat', Red or Blue. I fear too many people base their opinion and vote on these rather empty, meaningless words, rather than what or who a candidate really is. Because of my lack of affiliation, I am unable to vote in the primary of my home state.

I often shy away from political conversation, as it makes me uncomfortable to have to 'prove' or 'justify' my beliefs or opinions to someone else. I am also the first to admit that I am not as educated as I wish I was on certain issues. I have based my support on the issues that are important to ME. ME as a female. ME as a professional in the field in which I work. ME as a young person. ME as an American.

I don't expect my politics to influence others. I don't expect to push my beliefs onto someone else. Our country is a wonderful place in the sense that we are able to form and hold our own opinions, supposedly without fear or retribution. I think there is only one candidate that stands for this- for what America is supposed to be. And I believe that, regardless of the experience or lack there of, this candidate is what America needs right now in our history.

A candidate that believes in Hope, believes in Change, and believes in Us, the American people.

Diagnosis Confirmed- again.

Yes, my hip is still stress fractured. But it is not 'cracked', which apparently is a good thing. Looking through the MRI with Dr. M was CRAZY! It literally felt like I was seeing through my body, it was so, so cool.

You were clearly able to see the area of major swelling in my femoral neck and hip joint. Although I am OF COURSE not 'happy' to be hurt, when you are in as much pain as I have been in over the past month, to see a tangible PICTURE of the pain, somehow made me feel better about the entire situation. I have never been seriously injured in my athletic career (save major ITB issues while swimming in college), so even being able to describe the pain in my hip has been hard for me. I couldn't pinpoint exactly 'where' it was or exactly 'how' it felt:

Sharp? Yes, when I step wrong or with too much weight.
Dull? Yes, when i lay on it and try to sleep.
Achy? What's the difference between dull and achy?

See how hard it is??

Anyways, the treatment plan (at least for the next 10 days before I leave) is:

1. To get a bone density test this week, Dr. M wants to rule out any osteopenia.

2. A calcium supplement, such as Viactiv, EVERY day. I am awful about taking pills or anything on a regular basis, so this is going to be a challenge for me.

3. To try to get in at least two Physical Therapy sessions before I leave. Although I can't imagine doing any type of strengthening right now, hopefully some heat, electronic stimulation and/or ultrasound will help with the pain and swelling of the bone before I leave.

4. Re-evaluate where I am when I return. Absolutely no running while I am away. And as Dr. M put it, trying not to do anything that would hinder the healing process (like I did when I drank way too much on Saturday night and ran to catch a subway train...just an example :). So an hour and a half hike around Table Mountain while in Cape Town? Or a day full of walking around and exploring the ancient ruins at Ellora? Yea, I should be aware of those.

Dr. M also gave me a great article about dealing with injury. It was pretty clear in our appointment that I am having some trouble accepting the injury and what the future holds. I understand that I cannot be running right now- I have accepted that, mostly likely due to the simple fact that running is too painful, and I get that. However, I think in order to heal and have hope for my future running, I need to let go of any type of timeline for return, and let get of the worries of how long it is going to take to get back to where I was. I have to simply focus on healing myself, and allowing PT to strengthen my hip, so when I CAN return to running, my legs are in the best place they can possibly be in.


So in 10 days, this blog will officially turn into a travel blog and may be opened up to my friends and family and the whole world to see. As of now, I have only shared the link with people who I feel like I have come to know through their blogs over the past year, and 1 friend (who shared her blog with me so I felt it was only fair!). I am conflicted about it, not sure about it yet. We will see.

Hurtin' puppy

My thought process over the last week:

Monday "Ok, I really do have a stress fracture. Damn, but the doc said I could swim- so exciting!!"

Tues: "I'll do 4500. Ok, my leg hurts a little, but the doc said I could swim!
OK fine, I should stop now, 2800 is more then enough"

Wednesday: "Wow, I can't believe my leg isn't bothering me after swimming yesterday- it feels great! Swimming 3200 sounds like a GREAT idea!, as does staying out wayyyy too late. Whatever, at least I only had two beers."

Thursday: "Ugh, I feel like crap. But the doc said I could swim! I have to swim, I'm fat and lazy and so out of shape."

Friday: "Owwwww!!! Yeah, maybe three days in a row on a stress-fractured femur wasn't such a good idea. Damn- where are those painkillers?"

Sat: "How in the HELL did I swim 3200 yards on Wednesday, I can hardly walk. Damn, damn stupid girl. You have a STRESS FRACTURE..in your FEMUR...what are you thinking?!"


....yeah, so maybe I did a bit too much this week. Feel like I am right back to where I started pain-wise, and I feel like it's totally my own fault. Guess that is what happens when you tell a type-A athelete that she is 'allowed' to swim even with such an injury. I am VERY glad I ran into my doc on Wednesday night and he told me no spinning/biking, b/c he had hinted it was a possiblity last week. Next appointment is Monday to go over the MRI results.

So this week, if I am going to swim, I NEED to try to keep it at an easy, 30 minutes or 1650yards. No kicking, no building. Just easy-peasy back and forth swimming.

I need to focus on getting my body in the best place possible so it is ready to take on India in less than two weeks!

1200

1200-ish last night. Didn't feel too hot, my stomach was feeling funny and I was just feeling blah. Stressful day at work that can usually be dealt with by a nice, hard run, and the swimming just wasn't cutting it.