Two more days!... (and some barfing)

There's nothing like a violent stomach bug to stimulate a hardcore house disinfecting session. And for some reason, with me, these intestinal extravaganzas always stimulate a blog post. I guess a part of me knows what the public wants: vomit and diarrhea. And believe me, beginning Friday afternoon, we had plenty of that to go around.

Actually, it probably goes back to Tuesday morning. Gabe woke up 'stinky' and I thought it was caused by the olive oil I used on his head the night before to try to get rid of his horrible cradle cap. (Non-parents: Google it. It's a thing. AND.... the olive oil, along with a follow up with coconut oil, worked!) We don't buy very fancy olive oil, so I thought maybe it went rancid. (Now, now, don't call social services: I DID wash his hair thoroughly after I massaged his scalp with the stuff, but olive oil does not go lightly into the night. Or the shampoo and down the drain.) So, I gave him another bath (holy change of routine Batman! He was NOT happy about this AM schedule switch) to try to blow out the stink. When I went upstairs to get his clothes for the day (and turned on the lamp for the first time) I found... barf all over his crib.

Ooops. Guess we know what made him so stinky.

But, he seemed to be feeling alright, if a little cranky about the bathtub sitch, so we chalked it up to something not sitting well from the night before and moved on with our day. And our week.

Upon reflection, he was pretty off for a couple of days after that behavior-wise. He wasn't loving his meals or snacks and he was easily upset. But, ya know, he's TWO so we all (including daycare) just figured he was being, well, TWO.

Cut to Friday morning. Elliott, almost 8 and almost-always Mr. Chirpy, was devastated when I asked him to go upstairs and turn off the lights before we left for school. He complained of a stomach ache (or a 'stomach egg' as he calls it) when we got to school. I chalked THAT up to his 9:00 bedtime (fairly recently extended from 8:00) and his continued pre-6:00 wake up time. Long week. "Late" nights. End of the school year changes of routine.... He was just overtired and emotional. Plus, he made it through the school day, so I was totally right.

Wrong.

Thank GOODNESS he got weepy Friday afternoon. Thank GOODNESS he said he just wanted an apple juice when I offered to buy him a snack on our dreadful-but-won't-we-be-glad-when-it's-done trek to get groceries after school. Thank GOODNESS I decided that maybe he was legitimately not feeling good....  Because instead of heading out for a long afternoon and evening in the car and in the stores, we went straight home whereupon he barfed. And barfed again. And spiked a wee fever. 

And as these things often do, midst my clean up of his puke and preparing dinner for the people at our house who were not currently coughing their cookies, I realized that I was a little off myself. I decided to skip dinner and focus on getting through the Gabe part of the evening. I ALMOST made it. But my intestines were ready to party just a bit before night-night. 

I won't go into additional details, but let's just say ALL of us had at least some form of this abominable abdominal party going on this weekend. Scott and I spent most Saturday swapping off who was up out of bed and who was on Gabe duty. The older kids were basically on their own: Elliott never leaving the couch, really, and Tommy - less disabled than the rest of us but mildly suffering - enjoying a Minecraft session beyond his wildest dreams. To be honest, I definitely had more un- or barely-conscious time than he did. This thing was just plain killer and sapped every ounce of life out of me. 

I hear Saturday was a brilliant day weather-wise, but I don't think any of the Giesslers could confirm that.

So, today we all woke up feeling whole lot better. Which is a good thing because from about 6:30 this morning until about an hour ago, we were in full-on de-germination mode. 

Thank goodness that's all behind us and we'll never have another stomach bug in this family. 

But, enough barf-o-rama talk. Let's focus on something that makes me feel less like barfing and more like doing back flips: I get to run in two days!! It's going to be epic. (Or it's going to be horrible). I am going to feel great. (Or I'm going to feel horrible). I am so ready. (Or I am so horribly un-ready).

It's actually hard to believe that the time has finally (legitimately) come. I had these visions of acquiring incredible abs and Michelle Obama-esque arms while my knee was being stupid and preventing me from running. Come to find out, you can't just order those suckers up from Amazon. You have to actually DO the damn push ups and planks. Who knew? So, while I am by no means completely out of shape, I am certainly not the specimen I had hoped I would be as I start up the running journey again. 

It's like I just met myself. Shoulda seen that coming.

Another important decision I have made: I have chosen my 40 mile challenge. I will be running Ghost Train Ultra Marathon on October 25 (and into the 26th, if I decide to be totally hard core and run long). Although I loved the idea of doing my 40-miler on March 15 with my friends and family all there for me - and basically for me alone. But, this race is perfect for this re-boot for many reasons:

a. It's only $50! (WHAT?!?! That's NOTHING for a race of this length). 

b. It's a flat-ish out and back 15 mile course.

c. Gu and fluids and stuff will be available every 3.5 miles, so I don't have to plan out my nutrition and hydration too much.

d. I have 30 hours to get it done, so even if I walk the whole way, I don't have to worry at all about pace. (Many runners are attempting to do 100 miles, hence the long race time)

Most excitingly:

e. I have MANY pals (mostly from my Reach the Beach adventure) running it with me!! Granted, we probably won't be running WITH each other for the most part, probably, but this out and back course assures us that we will be in touch frequently through out our prospective journeys.

I am completely distracted right now. The Tonys are on. If you missed Hugh Jackman hopping for 4-minutes straight, then I am very sorry for you. I gotta go now..... 

Hugh's OK.... But NPH is still my fave.

Task avoidance: PT Day 2

I have a boatload of work to do for a church committee I am on, but I logged on to the computer and remembered that I hadn't posted about my second round of PT yet. So, here's to avoiding some writing.

The PT guy agreed with my idea to do a run just before my appointment today so that I'd be warmed up when I got there. With that in mind, I ran my easiest, flattest and fastest 3 miles in ages this morning just  before my appointment. His facility, in addition to being super cool and filled with a truck load of intriguing looking torture devices PT equipment, is just steps away from Cotton Valley Trail. This is literally the only flat running place in a 50 mile radius. Well, not counting the track. I was pretty pleased to feel the need to hold the reins tightly on this run. It has been so long since I've run with any kind of speed, I was truly tempted to let 'er fly. I still clocked the last mile at about 8:37. Not fast but certainly not the plodding speed I have been going.

It was another educational session. He taught me a couple of strength training moves to do with a resistance band. These are meant to increase the strength in my glutes, thus helping me stay away from Dead Butt Syndrome. This YoutTube link shows you the "monster walk" (though he had me put the band around my ankles as opposed to just below the knees). After a few minutes (or, for me, about ONE minute) this thing really starts working the hips (or, 'side ass'). His warning to me was to NOT overdo this and to NOT do this just before a run, as it will fatigue the  muscles and probably make you change your gait - thus, making you prone to injury.

The other exercise he didn't name so I can't give you a link. Basically, you stand with the band around your ankles, balance on one leg and pull out with the other leg at different angles. The muscles you are working should actually be in the leg on which you are balancing, not in the leg that is doing the pulling. Once you get the hang of it, you are also supposed to work your upper body into it by bending over, as if you are picking things up. This is also an exercise to be done POST run, not pre-.

We also reviewed the stretches he gave me the other day and had me show him 'how I roll'. Well, how I foam roll. I must have done it okay because his only advice was that when I found a tender spot to 'breath through it'.

He did another round of ultrasound on the tendon. This time he cranked the level a little and I definitely felt some, uh, action. This was comforting, actually, as the small amount of pain helped me feel like there was something going on in there. Healing, hopefully!

Finally, he massaged the muscles in my quad a bit, retaped my leg and I was on my way.

Another good session. Another BEAUTIFUL day out and about my boys this afternoon. I am in denial that we have to go back to school next week. What's the deal with me not being independently wealthy anyway? Humph.

Little Man loves the swing! And he kept his hat on today!

We are in for years bad family photos... And yes, my middle kid is wearing an orange shirt and a red hat. He's got the fashion sense of his mother.