Day 66 - Truth, Love & Consequences

I'm back on my daily wagon, but, boy, am I feeling the repercussions of eating fast food three times last weekend. My wedding band is tight and I can feel the swelling all over my body - especially in my face...around my eyes and cheeks. If you're a chronic fast food eater, there is no way to sugar coat it. You need to stop. On a monthly basis, we might eat "fast food" three times, with two of those times being pizza from Bosco's or Marco's. This weekend, however, I ate fast food 3 or 4 times. We were going non-stop all weekend and fast food was easy and cheap.

In the past, I would blame it on my busy schedule, however, now, I know that it's not because of a busy schedule. It's a simple lack of preparation on my part. It's not difficult to pack a lunch and a few snacks in a cooler and throw it in the back of the car. It would take less than 10 minutes to prepare lunch and snacks for the entire family, pack it in a cooler and put it in my car. Pure laziness. SMH. I'm paying for it now. I'm hoping that if I drink lots of extra water this week, I can flush out the swelling and get back to feeling normal.

I hit the treadmill again today. Managed 45 minutes before my episode ended. While I was walking, an older gentleman opened the door and just stood there. I watched, curious as to what he was doing. Turns out he was holding the door for an older heavyset lady, who I assumed was his wife. She came into the gym on a motorized wheelchair. My heart broke. Here is this man, who loves his wife so much that he loads her into the car, drives her to the community gym, helps her out of the car and onto her wheelchair, and then helps her squeeze into the gym (it's a tight entrance...but I'll be up there tomorrow to re-arrange the equipment for her). He goes to, what I can imagine, a great extent, just so she can do pull-down exercises while sitting in her wheelchair. You could tell that they had been at this routine for a while because once she was in, he let her go her own way. She did her arm exercises while he did the elliptical. They didn't speak. They didn't smile. Then they left.

I don't want to be that couple. When Charlie and I retire, I want us to be physically healthy. I want to go on cruises and travel the world, not be confined to a wheelchair. I want to believe that 2012 will be my turning point. 300 days to go.

Photo courtesy: www.sodahead.com

Day 60 - IN YO' FACE

I spent much of today getting my two photography blogs up and running, with tags and keywords and content and photos and links and OMG. I was so drained by 4pm that I could barely keep my eyes open. Managed to cook Charlie some dinner, chat with the BFF for a few minutes, make plans for the weekend and then had to head out to my 8:15pm hair appointment.

As soon as I got there, I was graced with 5 minutes of free time before she was ready to get started. BAM! 25 push-ups. She finally finished wrapping up with her previous client, started my foils, and then about 3/4 of the way through, she had to leave and go mix another small batch of color. BAM! 25 push-ups.

She finished the foil and then headed out to make a few phone calls while my "highlights" processed. BAM! 25 push-ups. She came back in a few minutes later to check the color. "Two more minutes," she says. Guess what... BAM! You guessed it... 25 more push-ups.

Now, if my calculations are correct, that would be a total of 100 push-ups.

BAM! (Or as my 7yr old would say: "IN YO' FACE")

The only problem is, because I was so preoccupied with getting my push-ups in, my stylist and I had some sort of miscommunication and now I'm a brunette. Oh well. I'm down another pound. Still just a total of 7 because of my shenanigans last weekend.

7 lbs in 60 days, not dieting, just eating smart proportions 85% of the time, and eating chocolate cake and ice cream the other 15%. WINNING!!!

Day 56 - Poker, Pizza and Push-ups

Had an amazing night of poker playing up in Dade City at my BFF's house, even though I didn't win. Also met some very cool people, two of which live in my neighborhood in Wesley Chapel. It's a small world, for sure!! I had the entire day to myself and did NOT go to the gym. Regretting that, since I decided to munch on all of the Poker Night goodies, which I'm sure were NOT low-fat or even in the neighborhood of being "healthy."

I DID, however teach one of my new friends how to do Kitchen Counter Push-ups. He made fun of me as I did sets of them in between stuffing my face with bites of greasy pepperoni pizza, so I challenged him to try a few. His arms were hurting the next day. Told ya so, Kevin. They're not for weenies. Try doing 200 of them. My "guns" might be water pistols right now, but come summertime, I'll be packing heat for sure.

It's not often that I meet people that I actually like, so to meet 6 new people in one month - and actually like them all, it's a friendship miracle.  Yay friends!!! Julie is still my favorite, though.

Day 54 - Birthday Mission Completed

Today is my Birthday. I'm 38. I'm ok with that, but ask me again in two years and I might still be 38. My mother has always told me that her 40's were the best times of her life. She said something happens and you start thinking less about what others think, and more about what YOU think. Sounds good to me.

So today, my friend Amanda suggested I walk 4 miles and then get a pedicure. The conversation went something like this:

Amanda: Happy birthday!!!!! Treat yourself - walk 4 miles & get a pedicure ♥

Me: I'm thinking 2 miles and a new pair of kicks.

Amanda: no. i said 4.

Me: Challenge accepted.  

I don't take challenges lightly. I am competitive to a fault. Always have been, always will be. It took one and a half episodes of Grey's Anatomy to get there, but I did it. My legs felt like jello when I finished, but I did it. I had to pull out my inhaler when I got home, but I did it.

Plus, I did it in my brand new kicks!!! I went with Saucony Pro-Grid Guide 5, and donated my old shoes to charity.  Putting my Birthday money to good use!!! Check out my video below.

I wish I could say that maybe I'll lose an extra half-pound, but I know how much pizza and chocolate cake I ate yesterday. I might be back at square one, but I had chocolate cake, so I'll call this a "Win." 

My new kicks:  <3 PINK <3 (And they match my ear buds!!)

My new kicks IN ACTION:

Day 52 - Time Travel Camera

Light is a funny thing. You can't see it, but without it, you can't see. Plus, when you take a picture of yourself in the mirror with light coming in from the back, it lets you see into the future. I snapped this photo this morning and the light bending around my waist took off a good 3 inches. Don't be fooled. Those jeans are size 13.

It's a fabulous camera trick, if you can get it just right. I once lost half of a bride's neck in a very similar situation. It wasn't an important shot...so she never saw it. Ha!

I had 45 minutes to exercise today, (and by that, I mean that I procrastinated up until I only had 45 minutes left), so I used every single minute that I had left, truckin' with Grey's Anatomy. I'm almost finished with Season 6...then pulled back into the garage just as Lil C was getting off of the bus. Whew!

I still can't believe I'm walking for 50 minutes at a time, and it's a breeze. I remember the day when it took everything I had to stay on for the entire 20 minutes that I started with, and I can't imagine where I'll be on December 31st, 2012. Hopefully looking something like I do in that photo up there!

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Day 49 - Big Fat & Juicy

Wow. Now THIS is something new. I'm not sure if it has anything to do with all of the physical activity I've incorporated into my life, but I'm thinking it might. After taking my "twenty" (which is now "50") on the treadmill watching McDreamy throw the Chief under the bus in an attempt to take his job, Charlie and I made plans to meet some of our best friends for dinner at Gator's Dockside out by USF. Did I order a salad and vegetables? Heck no!! I ordered the fattest, juiciest BBQ Bacon Burger on the menu. However, when the lady started listing my choices for side items, I should have stopped her at fries, because when she got to "veggies," my conscience kicked in and I couldn't very well order the fries knowing that veggies was an option. So, I got my burger and chased it with broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and squash.

I ate half of the burger at the restaurant and finished the rest at 10pm that night. Normally, when I eat something of this magnitude, I wake up feeling bloated and literally 3-5 pounds heavier...water retention I'm sure. This time, however, I woke up and weighed myself only to find that I was the exact same weight (to the tenth) as I was the day before.

Does this mean I'm going to start eating big fat & juicy burgers all the time? Nope. But, it sure does feel good to be able to do it once in a while without the guilt that I would normally carry with me the next day. The guilt that would then begin the cycle of failure, which would lead to more burgers and less exercise. Not going down THAT road again.

Photo: Not my photo. Found using google search. It IS, however, the big fat & juicy burger that I ate.

Day 48 - The Arrival

It has arrived.

Day 48.

The day of the invalidated excuse.

Today I spent a good part of the day sorting through receipts, e-mails and bank statements preparing things for my tax accountant (Mr. Joe Pitcher, for those of you looking for an awesome accountant).

Unfortunately, the feeling of relief that I felt as I entered the final document did not last long. I decided to check my voicemail from the day before, only to hear a message from a realtor who wanted to show my house in 3 hours. Wha???? So now, instead of spending the next 3 hours resting my eyes and brain, I spent it running from room to room, cleaning up all of the messes in the house, scrubbing toilets and sinks, vacuuming and mopping floors, etc. It lasted for a good 2 hours, and I was sweating.

Technically I could have claimed this time as my "twenty," but I didn't. I had a fully acceptable excuse NOT to go to the gym, but I didn't use it. I set the excuse aside, grabbed the iPad and my headphones and headed out the door. (Photo of McSteamy, my Grey's Anatomy workout buddy)

I win.

Day 46 - Used Earbuds???

I just purchased my very first (ever) pair of earbuds....and they're PINK!!! I've never been really big into music, to the point where I would need to purchase a CD or a song for my iPod. I don't even own an iPod. Every other member of my family does...even Lil C. Plus, the old hard earbuds never fit in my ear...even the ones that "guarantee" to stay in your ear. What's the guarantee? They refund your money if they don't fit. I don't see what the big deal is with a guarantee like that....Doesn't EVERY company allow you to return earbuds if they don't fit? Maybe not...that would be kind of gross...buying 'used' earbuds?? Ewww.

Now, an iPad on the other hand...don't think I could live without one now. (Thanks for the iPads Meme & Papa). Heading up the the gym shortly with it...... and my new pink earbuds. 

Well, I finally made it back on the wagon. Not sure if it was 2 or 3 days that I went without "really" putting in the time and the sweat. I know that this started out as me just taking 20 minutes for myself...doing whatever I wanted to do, but I've at some point I started holding myself accountable for the effort that goes into my time. We had lots of family in town this past weekend and I suppose it took me a day or two to get back into my rhythm. But I'm back on top now and decided to add 5lb weights into the mix as well as add .3 speed to my pace. For 45 days I've been trucking along at 3.5mph for 50 minutes, so I'm upping the ante and will start pushing 3.8mph from here on out...maybe. Hey, it IS my time. As for the weights...eehh...if I feel like it, I'll use 'em. I'm down a total of 6 pounds in 46 days. You can do the math. I'm outta here.

Day 43 - Alligator Headache

What a fantastic weekend. Celebrating my in-law's 50th wedding anniversary and getting to hang out with all of the people that we don't get to see enough of throughout the year.... *sigh*

The day started out slow... had to go through the recovery process after partying like rock stars the night before. Watched the original subtitled "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" then headed out to The Florida Aquarium with the entire family. LOVE that place...except for those darn alligators. I walked up behind all the kids to see what they were so interested in. I poked my head through the wall of cousins and WHAM!! Gator eyeballs two feet away....looking right at me. My heart skipped a beat then nearly jumped out of my chest. My skin got really hot and then tingly and my head started pounding. I'm not too fond of alligators, as some of you may know. That headache lingered for a couple of hours...

I have to give a shout out to my sister-in-law, Mary, for stepping up to the plate and joining me on my "twenty" - Although it was short lived, we managed to squeeze in a brisk 10 minute walk around the neighborhood and then returned to do 50 kitchen counter push-ups. When questioned about what I was doing, my other sister-in-law, Carrie, explained that they were my "kitchen counter push-ups." She reads my blog!! Yay. Feels good to share and know that people are reading!! Finished off the weekend with some yumalicious pasta with cappicola meatballs at Aunt Toni's!!! We've been eating low-carb in our house for months, so it was hard not to slip into a carbohydrate coma.

Gonna miss that bunch. Hoping to get together again this summer sometime!

Day 42 - The 50 Year Anniversary

Seriously. 50 years. I don't know what their secret is, but I plan to be there in 41 years...or is it 42??? What gets me is the the 7 years that Charlie and I were together BEFORE we got married. We earned those years, darn it.

So, today was a rest day...not planned in advance, but a rest day none the less. I woke early and then headed out to the University of Tampa for a Photography class field trip. It was fun, but I didn't really learn anything other than the fact that if you go to the concrete amphitheater in downtown Tampa and stand in this one particular square, the audio echo when you speak comes back - directly into your ears like you have headphones on and you can hear yourself speaking. It's wild. One step to the left, and it doesn't work. It was very cool.

After class, I had to rush home & clean the house to show it for a Realtor that was coming by at 2:45p, then we headed straight up to the clubhouse to start decorating for my In-Law's 50th Wedding Anniversary party. That lasted into the wee hours of the night, of course, leaving no time to take back my twenty. Today, however, I didn't mind. It was a fabulous day all around. Good times with good people and good wine. Cheers, all.

Photo is of the Bride (Meme) and Groom (Papa). Meme with my Lil C and Papa letting a young Sierra play beauty parlor with what was left of his hair while we vacationed in North Carolina. Priceless. Love my life.

Day 38 - Flossing Failure

I never thought it was possible. I walked for 50 minutes without batting an eyelash this afternoon, thanks to my secret Netflix donor. I used to dread 15 minutes...now I am pushing an hour. Yay me!

I took Superbowl Sunday off, then had my time stolen from me yesterday....so I was in a really bad place psychologically when I woke up this morning. I knew I had a busy day and feared another failed day. No more!! The lesson that I've learned so far is that if you have an opportunity in the morning to take back twenty, you need to take it. Yes, there are 500 other things that "could" be done, but you are more important than those things. Yeah - I trumped laundry today. Booya! I'm looking forward to the day when I trump the dishes.

If you're on my Facebook as a "Friend" (http://www.facebook.com/SoulSearchPhotography) then you might know that I went to the dentist this morning. As much as I LOVE my teddy bear dentist (pictured above - Dr. Michael Collins in Tampa - ask for 'Debbie' to be your hygienist. She's awesome!), I loath the disappointing "Your teeth look great...no work for me here!" That's his nice way of saying, "Your gums could use some attention." You see, I floss like I used to work out................... yeah. I said it. I had no cavities for 21 years.... until I got pregnant. Then I got 4 in one appointment, and haven't had another one since. I suppose the Taco Bell Burrito Supremes and the Burger King Chicken Sandwiches weren't giving me adequate calcium. I just hate to floss, and they know it. It's all good. I just pay an extra $88 a year for a third yearly cleaning. I suppose it would be cheaper to buy floss, but I really wouldn't know. That was just Charlie's opinion when he saw the receipt on the counter tonight....meant to hide that one. Ooops.

Are you Taking Back Twenty? or Thirty? or Forty? Please leave me a comment letting me know if this is helping you. If you don't, I may just start blogging about flossing my teeth.

Day 35 - Your Children Will Become You

The BFF and I took our families to the Monster Truck Show tonight. As we were about to enter the complex, we were faced with the decision of either standing in line to go up the escalator or walk up the 30 degree incline ramp. What came out of my son's mouth next just about blew my mind. Lil Charlie, for those who don't know him, is my 7 year old son. He is a video game master who hates sweating, team sports, and being outdoors in general. Well, as we approached the complex, Lil Charlie says, and I quote, "Let's take the ramp so we can get our exercise." OMG. It makes me want to cry right now, just thinking about it. This is profound. If any of you reading this think that your kids aren't paying attention to the things that you do and say, think again. Your children will become you. Be who you want them to be. (A modification of my favorite quote from Mahatma Gandhi "Be the change that you want to see in the world).

There was our answer. Little did I know JUST how far of a walk it was. Each lap around was about half the size of a standard track. Add on the 7 layers of ramp and I'd say it was at least a mile walk all the way to the top...at a 30 degree incline, I might add....with 4 kids. I'm sure you can imagine the kids reactions when we got to the top and then turned around to tell then that we now have to walk back down. HA!! They were pissed!

We eventually made our way back down, crossed over to the other side, and then decided to hop on the escalator this time. Ahhhhh...

The show was great. I want to be a Monster Truck Driver!!!

Photo taken from THIS blog page.

Day 33 - Not Worth Reading

I spent the entire day today editing photos from a family portrait session last weekend. They were such a gorgeous family...I'm talking magazine perfect. It's a shame she doesn't want them shared on Facebook. I can respect that. The dad is a Dr. for a few of the High Schools. I will, however, post a test shot I took before they stepped in front of the camera. It's at the lake behind our neighborhood clubhouse in Wesley Chapel. Talk about a GORGEOUS backdrop.

This is what Winter in Florida looks like. We've averaged 75-80 degrees Fahrenheit (that's 23-26 degrees Celcius) for the past 4 weeks.

I have a meeting at Lil Charlie's school tomorrow morning, and I have promised myself that I will spend at least a couple of hours in my bathing suit at our neighborhood pools...trying to capture some much needed Vitamin D....and try to tan this nearly translucent skin of mine. Going to bring our iPad2 and catch up on a Grey's Anatomy episode or two.

I managed to pull off 100 Kitchen Counter Push-ups tonight. I was so drained after sitting at the computer all day, I couldn't drag myself to the gym. Not to mention, the guys who are there in the evening kind of creep me out and get on my nerves. They're probably just trying to be nice....or to hit on me, who knows. I just figured that my wedding ring, headphones, lack of eye contact and limited responses to their conversational attempts would give them a hint. No such luck.

Looking forward to tomorrow! Have a GREAT weekend, folks...go take back what's yours.

Day 32 - ONE MONTH RESULTS

Thank you all for reading my blog. I get updates on how many people are reading on a daily basis and it truly motivates me to be my best.

One month. I made it. What a relief. Coming from someone who never sticks to anything for longer than a week or two, this is monumental. As a reward, I have officially bumped my 20 minutes to 40 minutes. Bringing the iPad2, headphones and Netflix to the gym is a game changer. One episode of Grey's Anatomy is 40 minutes....and once I get through Grey's Anatomy, I plan to move onto another series....brilliant, I tell ya!

On another subject, I had some bloodwork done a few weeks ago and it turns out that my B-12 and Vitamin D were on the low side, so I decided to go on the offensive and start taking the vitamins that I need now to help prevent what might be in my future. Not to worry, they were still within the "normal" range, but were definitely in the lower 20% of "normal." I eat fairly well, but I don't eat a lot of different things. I'm a meat 'n potatoes kind of girl. Meat, potatoes and pasta. (Note - Photo of my new Multi-Vitamin Arsenal) 

Here is my line-up: In the morning, it's B-12 Sublingual, Fish Oil, D3 2000IU and Biotin. In the afternoon it's One-a-Day Weight Loss Multi-Vitamin, Acai and Vitamin A.  After 2 days, I've noticed remarked long-lasting energy levels. These will be my monthly goal for February. I'm already addicted to "My Time" - and now my Twenty has turned into Forty.

Here are my results after one month: 
Weight Loss: I don't think so. I naturally fluctuate anywhere from 3-5 pounds in a 24 hour period, so it's really hard to tell. Plus, I've been eating bad stuff lately...lots of fats and sugars.
Armpits: They have clearly started to concave back to the way they should be.
Tri-ceps: A very clear indention from "Kitchen Counter Pushups"
Measurements: Neck and Arms are down by 1/2 inch, nothing else has changed.

Family Changes: 
1. My husband has started Crossfit again.
2. My anti-exercise son asked me on 2 occasions if he could join me on my "20"
3. My daughter volunteers herself to go the gym with me from time to time.
4. Both of my sisters have started their own plans for getting back to healthy.

Overall, I can honestly say that this has TOTALLY been worth my time and effort. I plan to be down 20lbs by December this year. I've gained 20 in the past 2 years, so it's going to be tough to get it off in half the time. I've tried every diet in the book, so I'm changing books. Going old school: Ingest less...Move more.

Day 31 - McDreamy & McSteamy

I got a call this morning from a Substitute Teacher coordinator asking me if I could come in to sub for half a day. YAY! I love when they call me personally to ask. It makes me feel special! However, next time, I'll be sure to take note of which elementary school calls to ask. Yes, I showed up at the wrong school today. Typical me. Gotta laugh.

So, tonight, I discovered that our clubhouse gym has free Wi-Fi. Rock-ON!!! Considering what we pay for CDD and HOA, they should provide free iPads...

Thanks to a certain Netflix donor, and to Meme and Papa for the iPad2, I blew through 35 minutes on the treadmill catching up on McDreamy and McSteamy. That's code for Dr. Sheppard and Dr. Sloan - Grey's Anatomy. There was one season a few years ago that had a really slow start and I quit watching. Regretting that now. Regardless, that was the fastest 35 minutes ever! I had to stop 5 minutes early because sweat was dripping in my eyes, and now I can't find the episode that I was watching. UGH!!!

Tomorrow I will recap my first month blogging and Taking Back Twenty. Posting results and my plan of action for February!! Peace out!~~

Day 30 - Near Death Experience

Today was a scheduled "Rest Day." I have them pre-planed on my calendar every 10 days. It's like a freebie day. However, after today's events, I feel lucky to be alive...undeserving of a "Freebie Day."

I was pulling out of a store today when some j-hole ran a solid red light at 50mph, and missed T-boning me by a mere 1/10 of a second. I'm estimating these numbers, of course. However, based on the fact that the girl's vehicle physically lifted off the ground as she flew through the intersection, tells me that she was going fast enough to get some lift as she flew over a small rise in the pavement. It happened so quickly, and she missed me by MAYBE 3 inches. In my mind, however, it happened in slow motion. I actually saw the expression on her face when she realized that she thought that she was going to T-Bone someone. In that exact moment, I gunned the gas and cut my steering wheel left...fish tailing out of her path...leaving only black skid marks on the pavement. I'm still not sure how I survived this.  It makes me think that my Guardian Angel somehow slowed down time to give me the time to get out of the way. Craziness, I tell ya.

I've had 2 psychic-esque people describe in vivid detail what my Guardian Angel looks like, and their descriptions were remarkably similar... One was a friend from when I worked downtown at Verizon. It was out of the blue. She knew nothing about my family, but was able to tell me 2-3 things that only my Grandma Birdie would know. She had passed several years before. Then there was a palm reader that my sister and I stopped in to see. We weren't searching for info..we simply had 2 hours to burn in a town where there was one Dollar General store and one psychic. It was something that my sister would never do on her own, so I dared her. Long story short....both described my Guardian Angel's looks in detail and explained that she was with me all the time.

You may not be a believer, but the simple fact that I'm not either dead or in jail is proof enough for me. I was a wild child: non-conforming and above the rules, but somehow managed to not only survive High School, but also get a full ride scholarship to college.

Whatever you want to call it...a sixth sense, intuition, psychic ability.... I've always had internal dialogue. Learning to listen to it was the key.

Photo is from my Photography class at USF...I got critiqued today. Ouch!

Day 29 - A Walk in the Park

Literally. The weather here in Mid-Florida today, in the heart of winter, was a balmy 75 degrees. We packed up the bikes and drove down to Hillsborough River State park. Lil Charlie learned what happens when you mix bike tires and soft sand....the same thing I learned while riding my Harley through soft sand about 7 years ago. Ouch!

We rode around the main loop and then checked out the camp grounds...wondering why we never camped here before...so close to home. Instead, we would drive 50 miles to a campground that looks exactly the same. I didn't think that Hillsborough River State Park allowed campfires for some reason, but there were campfires burning all over the place. I'm thinking that this little trip might lead to a new (and by "new" I really mean "used") camper in the near future.

Missed the BFF today...we'd be attached at the hip if we could get away with it.

Day 28 - Nothing

I have nothing for you for this day. I did get some movement in today, playing X-Box kinect... Boxing, Volleyball and Bowling....catching up on the 29th. It's hard blogging on the weekends!

Day 26 - Time Warp to BHS 1990

BHS.
1990.
Volleyball.
State Championship.

The only differences:
An extra 40lbs.
It's 2012.
We were in my living room.
We are on different teams.

That's me and the BFF in the blurry photo. Her daughter Jenna took it for us. Beggars can't be choosers, I guess.

We decided to use the X-Box Kinect to take back twenty tonight. The game of choice: Volleyball. You see, we played together back in high school. We placed 2nd in State in 1990, so this match got a little heated. She won the first match, I won the second match and the tiebreaker went into quadruple overtime. Final match score: 9-7 Winner: J.V.

I have to admit, I was skeptical and didn't think I would get a good enough workout. Well, let me tell you otherwise...the sweat was dripping from every possible sweat gland on my body. Thinking this might become my workout of choice...at least two or three times a week. In fact, we ended up taking back between 25-30 because we couldn't beat each other.

Tonight was a fun twenty. We all need a little fun in our lives. Doing the same thing every night would bore me, which is why this seems to be working. In 26 days I've had 2 rest days and 1 fail day, which I'm hereby declaring "an unscheduled rest day," and going forward will be known as "PMS DAY" No one knows when this day will come. It will lurk in the shadows, skulking behind you and when you least expect it...... BAM! Kind of like real life PMS. Toodles!

Day 25 - X-Rays and Monster Trucks

One part about getting older that I wish I could change is the amount of time it takes the body to recover. Bang your leg on a table and you have a bruise for 2 weeks. Go out drinking and partying until 5am, and pay for it for 3 days. Pull your back doing dead lifts in November, and you will find yourself at the Musculoskeletal Medicine / Orthopedic Surgeon guy in January. He was my age and he had like 2% bodyfat. Scheesh.

So the nurse took me back into a room and tossed a pair of paper shorts and a paper gown on the table. I looked around. There was no x-ray equipment in this room. WTH? I was going to have to walk OUT of this room in paper clothes. No way. Started thinking that they probably have portable equipment by now and she'll be rolling it in any minute.

Nope.

"Come this way," she says as she opens the door. {o.O} Hoping that we would be going into the room next door, I followed her down the hallway, past a lady and gentleman sitting in another room, around a corner, down another hallway past a few more people and finally made it to the x-ray room. Seriously? As if wearing paper clothes isn't bad enough? You had to parade me around the office too? Julie - I know you're reading this. Please send them a message asking them to not make you change until you get into the x-ray room. Seriously. How embarrassing.

Either way, the x-ray looked good and I start physical therapy next week because a Strain/Sprain shouldn't last for 3-4 months. If there are any x-ray techs out there that see anything abnormal, please let me know. :o)

In case you are wondering, I DID hit the gym tonight. 20 minutes straight on the treadmill, then 60 treadmill push-ups. Arms were burning after 45, so I know they're working. It was infiltrated by a pack of 17 year old high school boys towards the end of my workout...thinking about waking up at 6:30am to take back my twenty tomorrow. Not to mention the 500 calories that I'll save by going to bed at 11pm.

p.s. We got out Monster Truck tickets tonight for the Feb 4th show. Good family fun with the BFF and family. Can't wait!!