Hanging up the running shoes

It has been the hardest year I have ever had for my physical health and after a visit with my doctor yesterday, I will be hanging up my running shoes for some time after the Nike Women's 1/2 marathon.

After doing more research and talking with him, tibial stress fractures actually take up to a year to heal. He recommends no running for 9 months and to take up biking and swimming (I am so not a strong swimmer).

I am trying to handle this all very well.

I don't like being told I can't do something, but my body didn't get the proper time to heal and I'm frustrated that my initial doctor told me differently and sent me on my way.

I have just been able to start using the elliptical with no pain this week and just for 30 mins at a time every other day. Sigh..

This is very difficult, although I am taking it better this time around, but I still hate not being able to get out and just run! It's so mind-freeing and stress-relieving for me.

I am going in for a bone density scan, as soon as we get our insurance cards, and doing a blood draw as well to look for calcium and Vitamin D deficiencies. I am lactose intolerant so I don't get in the calcium I know I should be getting so he wants to gauge exactly how low they may be, although Vit D should be fine since we live in the Valley of the Sun. I am thankful that Dr. T is running all these tests to rule out everything other than not enough healing time.

AND The fall I endured with Teagan, the day after my stress fractures showed back up, caused permanent tissue damage in my thigh muscle. Basically, I have a dent in my leg from the injury and it will never fill back in again because the trauma was so intense it compressed my muscle and permanently. WILD! So now there goes my career as a thigh model.

On a completely other note, we had school conferences for all three olders this week and I was SO impressed and here I brag by my own right ;-)

Teagan: Is the only one who can write a letter of her name on the first day and is considered very mature for her age even with her high anxiety of being away from me. She is engaging in the classroom with her peers and having finally talking to her teachers! Her academic skills are considered to be above level for her age and already will have no issues graduating to Pre-K next year! Her teacher, Mrs. Karin, is just so amazing and rather cool really. I love her teaching style, her mannerism with the children, and her look on life! She's a mom and just really gets it and this is truly her gift to teach children. Teagan LOVEs to do homework and is so proud to turn it in for a sticker ;-)

Riordan: Is doing really well academically in class and is finally engaging as well with his peers and 'sharing' feelings and thoughts in circle time! They exclaimed how much he has grown since August and love having him in their classroom! When I asked about his speech and understanding him, they were quick to say they can't understand him when he's excited and that I should talk to our doctor if he needs more speech therapy. That to me screams a yes, so as soon as we get our cards, we will set up a re-eval for him. He has only had one bad day at school with his anxiety and I am so proud of him! He loves loves to do homework and is so detail oriented with every aspect of school from taking out his folder to coloring in the lines.

Caden: Got a soaring report and words we have heard before. He is every one's friend, a leader, but not in a bossy kind of way, but in a peace keeping kind of a way. He is extremely helpful in the classroom with his teacher and his friends and always accepts challenges that come his way. He is at second grade level for reading, in the advance reading group for his room, and is on target for math, science, and writing skills. He does get tired and can be inconsistent in his work, so that is an area we are working on. Also, his misbehavior in class has been rectified, which was when he engaged in classroom talks he was very loud and silly, so we have had no more issues since those two weeks.

Mike and I got to do Teagan and Riordan's assessments together, which was neat, because he's never been for any. We are both so proud of our children and feel like as much as rearing children can be hard, tiring, taxing, difficult and frustrating at times, we are enlightened that we are doing a great job as parents to be raising well rounded children! It was a fun day to hear everything and see their work in progress!