One Helluva Week

Grab a refreshment, this is a long one...

It turns out I should have never mentioned putting an end to my Happy News series. That quickly turned this week into a real sh*! storm (my new favorite phrase - thank you, Julie S).

Where to begin? Well, last weekend was THE big training weekend. Saturday was an 18 mile walk and Sunday was 15 miles. Despite the crappy weather, I completed both and was pretty frickin' proud of myself! Saturday, I left the house at 5:30am and walked 7 miles, ending where else but at my hair dressers. I got my hair cut, changed into a prickle-free shirt, stopped at Whole Foods for a water, banana, and dairy, soy, and gluten-free energy bar (thank you, LARABAR) and walked another 11 miles. The last 2 miles of this were brutal. My legs cramped up pretty badly and when I walked in the front door my husband said, "You look rough." Thanks, honey.

After some pain reliever and a good lunch, I felt a thousand times better. I was still really sore and my right leg was super-crampy but I was moving at least. Taking off my sneakers and socks, I noticed some swelling on my right shin. I kept my feet up and assumed it was one of my infamous hives. By the morning it was much better so I didn't worry too much.

Sunday morning at 6:00am, we got the kids up and the whole family headed into Newton. They dropped me off, in the rain, near Boston College and I walked home via the Boston Marathon route to Framingham. Saturday's 18 miles was done in two loops. One all within Framingham and the second to Sudbury and back. This makes 18 miles seem less far. Walking to Framingham from BC makes 15 miles seem really freakin' far. The rain, although it cleared up at one point, did not help. Sherri and I had originally planned to try to get together for these long ones because they are so boring by yourself, but the craptastic weather left us both unsure if we would walk at all. Plus, these long training walks really irritate her plantar faciitis. She has to save herself for the real thing.

Anyhoooo...when I got home on Sunday, I felt much better than I did the day before, but the swelling in my shin was back. The swelling was an odd shape, red, and warm to the touch and then I also had some pain and tightness in my calf. My husband scared the hell out of my twice before with blood clots in his legs. Since this thing with my leg had gone away with rest and then came back, I started to wonder. Sunday night, more rest and elevation. Monday morning, fine. Monday, errands and running around on feet all day. Monday night, pain and swelling back.

Tuesday, I went to the doctor. After an ultrasound, they determined it was not a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and felt it could be a small clot in a surface vein or some sort of infection. They sent me home with a prescription for antibiotics and orders to "take it easy" for at least the rest of the week.

Wednesday, I felt much better after 2 days off from walking. There was very little redness and swelling and the pain was gone. I filled the prescription anyway and was going to start it on Thursday morning. Did you know that at Stop & Shop antibiotics are free? Where have I been?

3 am on Thursday, I woke from a dead sleep with stomach pains like none I have EVER experienced before. First thought: gas. I took some gas reliever that did nothing of the sort. Second thought: heart burn. A handful of Tums helped a tiny bit for about 30 minutes. Then the pain doubled and started to radiate to my chest, back, and shoulders. Third thought: the ultrasound missed the DVT, I've thrown the clot, and now I am dying from a pulmonary embolism. This is when I woke my husband. Fourth thought: Get a grip, it's heart burn. The rest of the night is a blur but I know I spoke with my doctor who said to take some Prilosec and head to the ER if that did not work. I know my husband was at 24 hour Walgreen's at one point. I took more heart burn stuff and did actually drive to the ER but turned around in the parking lot when I thought I was feeling some relief. Damned if I was going to be the ass who payed the emergency room copay for a case of heartburn. The pain ended around 10:30 am and I was back to the doctor's office that afternoon.

After some blood work and another ultrasound, I found out I had gallstones but the Nurse Practitioner was concerned because my blood work showed trouble with my liver function. It's too late to make a long story short but I will give you the Cliffs Notes version of the rest. I was then tested for hepatitis A, B, and C because of the liver function issues. Can you imagine? I was thinking I would have to confess to shooting up and having unprotected sex while getting pierced and tattooed with my many boyfriends, which I swear, I quit shortly after college (just kidding, mom). Either that or my husband would have to confess to the same. Both were almost better alternatives to thinking about how I would have gotten hepatitis A, which you contract by eating food that has come in contact with the feces of an infected person. Yum. Well, it turns out that I do not have hepatitis from any part of the alphabet, thank God, but that I passed a gallstone which causes temporary problems with liver function. So I have to have another liver function test on Monday and need to see the gastroenterologist this week who thinks I should have my gallbladder removed.

So this is my plan. I will have the blood work done and will see the gastrenterologist but unless there is another major stone-passing incident in the next 3 weeks, I am not having surgery until after the 3-Day. I will be damned if I am going to get sidelined now. Seriously? Seriously.

Sherri keeps telling me that it's okay and I should take care of myself and not worry about the walk. She is being a good friend but I ain't goin' no where but the finish line, baby! Not after the hundreds of miles in training and the thousands of dollars raised. I know what she is really thinking is, "Seriously? It's just one sh*! storm after another with us!" This has been a long standing phenomenon with Sherri and me. Whenever something crazy is happening with her or her family (like the fact that she AND her husband have plantar faciitis right now), something crazy comes up with me (gallstones) or vice verse. When I was pregnant with my son, Sherri was pregnant with twins. One of her kids would get sick, mine were sick within the week. She'd have car trouble, I'd get a flat. You see? So when Sherri got cancer, I just assumed it was a matter of time for me. I have been so lucky that the pattern did not show itself there. I HAVE to do this walk! It's my repayment to my lucky stars.

The bottom line is things could always be worse but this was one helluva week. I will keep you posted but you can count on me making every effort to finish what I started here. Everyone do a little gallbladder dance for me. Be creative and interpretive. By the way, my leg is fine. NO idea what that was about since I never took the antibiotics. What the hell, they were free.

Onto a new week. I start my summer position as Inclusion Facilitator at 2 rockin' camps in Newton. Can't wait to see what is in store there.

Thanks for reading. More later...

Happy News #3

This marks the 3rd and final installment of my "Happy News" series. This is not because I want any more bad news but because my sarcastic nature and my delightfully witty cynicism isn't really well-suited to this unrelenting happiness. If I'm being honest, it's choking me a bit. :)

So the first bit of Happy News I can report is that ~

SCHOOOOOL'S! OUT! FOR! SUMMER!

I do love my job but I was extra ready this year for a break. I am serving as a summer inclusion facilitator for students with disabilities at 2 area day camps beginning July 6th, but this mini-vacation is doing me gooood. My husband is on vacation too next week so it will be super nice. As I have mentioned before, we never see each other since we work opposite hours. Once we get used to being under each others feet, it's always nice to just sit on the couch at the end of the day and argue about what to watch on tv like normal couples. I like network television with a little Burn Notice or Entourage thrown in. My husband is all about the cable reality dramas...Man vs. Wild, Deadliest Catch, Ice Road Truckers, and a new favorite, Whale Wars. The Happy News is that we can usually come up with a compromise. We both enjoy the hot mess fest that is Intervention.

In other Happy News, the location of opening and closing ceremonies for the 3-day have been announced. Sherri kept saying that she wanted closing ceremonies to be at the same place as last year, and it is! UMass Boston! Sherri said walking along the water into UMass was so beautiful. I am pumped to experience this. What was even better Happy News was that the opening ceremonies are in FRAMINGHAM! They are literally down the road from me across the street from my favorite walking spot! I will post more information as it becomes available. I encourage you all to come hang out with my and Sherri's families at the cheering stations. It should be great fun!

My last bit of Happy News is that Sherri and I have raised over $8000! Thank you all so much. Keep those donations coming. Keep sending folks to this blog. Keep sending your support!

You are such a huge part of this journey.

THANKS. More later...

Happy News #2

My son turned seven last Friday, which was a big deal. He is one of the youngest in his class and his closest buddies have all been seven for a while. He was beginning to feel like he would never turn seven. A few weeks ago, he proclaimed that "being six is for losers!" Poor guy. Well, loser no more. He is indeed seven! And to celebrate? Miniature golf!

Sunday morning, I opened one eye and cringed as the sound of rain registered in my sleep fogged brain. All morning my husband and I pretended everything was fine as we prayed for a simple 2 hour reprieve, preferably from 1-3 pm. The buckets turned to light rain and eventually to a misting. At about noon, there was even something that resembled the sun hanging overhead. There were a number of times I can remember as a child that snow threatened to postpone my December birthday parties. That level of disappointment is not something a child should get as a birthday gift. So I decided to seize the moment to address what I had been ignoring all morning.

"Hey buddy. Look! It stopped raining!" I said with a wide eyed smile.
Running to the window, crinkling his brow, he said, "Aaawww."

What? Disappointment? Wait a minute.

Duh! He's a seven year old boy. Of course he wants to play in the rain. A chance to stomp in puddles while swinging a club and spraying anyone in the line of fire? Of course that's what he wants.

Happy News - It ended up being the best of both worlds. The real rain held off until about the 18th hole but it was still wet enough out to make it messy. A baseball hat was the remedy for my incredibly bad hair day and we only had one slip and fall - skinned elbow cured by band aid.


Thankfully, I have some great friends who are also parents of my son's friends and enough of them stayed to help out. I had not thought this part through and am eternally grateful. There was some serious cheating going on and having each group with an adult at least made it so everyone cheated equally. In case you were confused about how math works these days, anything equal to or greater than 4 is the same as 4 except when it's 3. Also, sometimes mini golf is more like hockey than golf and dragging the ball is fair as long as your groupmates are on the other side of the obstacle and cannot see you. The golf themed cupcakes were a big hit and green frosting is best when used to make a goatee while eating.


My favorite part was the t-shirts. The amazing career and tech ed teacher and staff in the graphic design department at NNHS, Tom and Jonpaul, invited my son in to make the t-shirts himself. He designed the graphic with me at home and then they took him through the process of making a silk screen (this involved a power washer - sooo cool), setting up the shirts, and applying the ink. His little sister even got to help with her shirt and one for her friend who came to the party. This opportunity to learn how shirts are made might have even made up for the shaky math used at the party.

So the party was a big success and my big guy is really growing up. Speaking of growing up, another bit of Happy News is that my son's photo is being used in Father's Day advertisements at the portrait studio we use. He looks very grown up in the picture. It's really hard to believe he was only six then. My husband and I are very proud. Both kids have had a great couple of weeks!

More Happy News to come...

Happy News #1

Thank you to everyone for your kind words, prayers, and all the support you've given the NNHS community. The outpouring has truly been amazing.

Okay...this begins my series on Happy News!

I want to follow up on my May 18th post, I'm so Sick of Cancer. I am HAPPY to report that my friend Tom had very successful surgery and is cancer free. The healing process will be a bit easier, I'm sure, knowing that what lies ahead are happy days. I am sure glad you made my Happy News list, Tom.


More Happy News comes in the form of my daughter's first dance recital. As you can see, she is quite a character and the recital did not disappoint. As a rule, this child walks no where...rather, she twirls, sashays (chasses?), and boogies from place to place. Many of you have seen her YouTube numbers (#1, #2, #3) that exhibit her love of song and dance (the talent will come...she's only 3). She also does not have a shy bone in her body. Her confidence is brilliant, if not a bit frightening.

The night of the show, she came out waving like she was in a parade and then did the whole dance wearing a very serious, game day face. She was thoroughly entertaining. It was great to have all the grandparents and Auntie Kerry there. Her brother even sat still for most of the show. Like any good dance recital, we topped the night off with a trip to the ice cream parlor. Nothing can warm the heart like a chocolate covered "Rockin' Little Angel."

Another piece of Happy News is that training is going well. Sherri was sidelined a bit with plantar faciitis but the Happy News is that she found a pair of non-hideous Birkenstocks and is healing well. I told her I would carry her across the finish line if need be. Whatever it takes!

Weekend walks are getting longer and longer and I fear that there are people driving all across Framingham saying, "There is that lady again. Where the hell is she walking to?" I finally found a route I like that has sidewalks the whole way. There have been a few days where I got myself into some sidewalk trouble. When I map a route online, I try to use the "street level" function on Google Maps to see if there are sidewalks but not all streets can go to street level. My daughter has taken a couple of rides with me to see what the sidewalk situation is. My latest route has a few options, which is good. I can make it a 10, 12, 15, or 17 miler depending how far out I loop. The training has really been worthwhile because the 10 and 12 milers were starting to feel really easy. Fifteen was tough the first time - sore quads - but I did 17 today and feel great! I'm tired but not sore. Besides, I've been tired for a little over 7 years now.

Off to finish cupcakes for my son's birthday. Did I mention he's 7.

More Happy News to come...

Too much to take

I apologize that it has been so long since my last post. Things have been pretty terrible lately.

Those of you who have been following my/Sherri's blog know that on 5/27, we loss a beloved colleague, Bob Mitchell, to cancer. This was, unfortunately, not our first loss this year. In November, we lost a colleague, also to cancer. Donna Mandatori was the secretary in the Career and Technical Education Department and a spunky, passionate member of the NNHS community. On May 6th, we learned of the death of a recent retiree, Tom DePeter, an English teacher for 35 years. So when Bob passed, the pain was palpable. We had just begun to learn of the arrangements for a memorial celebration on June 20th and were sharing stories and memories to try to help each other cope. Then the unthinkable happened.

On Saturday, May 30, Ucal McKenzie died after collapsing on the soccer field. He was our 32 year old guidance counselor, soccer coach, peer mentor advisor, break dance club advisor, esteemed colleague and smiling friend (he smiled from the inside out and it was infectious). This tragedy has consumed us. It will not break us. We will become stronger. But the healing will take time. The NNHS community is grieving in the midst of a typically celebratory time. Tonight is prom, Wednesday is graduation, and summer vacation begins in 2 weeks. It is hard to balance the emotions. I wish I could share with you how amazing it is to be a member of the Newton North community. The outpouring of support and the way we have all come together is so entirely uplifting. Students, faculty, staff, parents, family, friends... supporting each other with raw emotion. It is impossible to put words to how that feels and more impossible to explain how you can go from embracing a friend, a student, a parent and wiping away the tears you thought couldn't possibly still come, to reviewing for final exams all in the same morning. How does that make sense? But still we keep moving and keep doing what we do best. But we are tired and spent and ready for summer.

There are many happy things that have happened that I would love to post about - and I will. Thanks for your patience.