Good News, I Guess

I've never been great at handling pain medication, and this situation has proven to be no different.  I can't stand the pain of my fractured patella, but I also don't like feeling nauseated and weak all the time.  I have to take the pills on a full stomach to avoid that, but I can't eat every 4 hours!  This morning I took a pill and ate some cereal, but it still wasn't enough to make me feel confident enough in taking a shower.  I get weak when I stand up for too long while taking this medication, and I figured that adding in the effects of hot water would most likely lead to fainting.  I can't bend my knee at all, and there's not enough room for me to sit with the shower door closed, while my leg is extended.  I found a solution to getting myself clean, and let's just say it was quite creative. (The floor outside the shower got a tad bit wet).

After that ordeal, which I'll unfortunately have to go through daily for the next few weeks, Meezy drove me to the orthopedic surgeon's office.  They took some more x-rays to see if anything had changed since Wednesday night. They showed me the fracture, which was like a horizontal line through the middle of the patella.  The two pieces didn't move far apart, so the surgeon told me he didn't recommend surgery.  He believes the pieces can fuse back together on their own if my leg is kept immobilized for a few weeks.  They fitted me with a brace that has rods on either side to keep my leg stiff.  My knee can't move right now, because they have it locked down.  As more time passes, they can release the tension and set the angle of the rods so that they are able to bend some.  I have no desire for that to happen anytime soon, since the little bending I've done so far has been excruciating!  I still can't put weight on that leg, even with the brace on, so I'm stuck with crutches for a while.  It's been hard getting used to it, but I know it'll get easier.  Just imagine not being able to sit regularly on your couch, in your car, in a chair, etc.  My leg always has to remain completely straight.  I'm going back to the surgeon next week to make sure the healing has started and to verify that surgery still isn't necessary.

I know this isn't anything I can't handle, but I'm really upset at how much it has ruined my plans for the next couple of months.  No more flag football, no tennis playoffs, no half-marathon, no Big D Climb, and probably no Warrior Dash.  If you know me, you know how much my life revolves around sports and athletic endeavors.  To say I'm disappointed is an understatement.  I'm not one to be content with coming home and sitting on the couch every day.  I'm an active person, always looking to do things on my feet.  That won't be happening again for a while.  Sigh.  Here's my setup for the next couple of months:

 Notice the lack of definition in the right knee since it's still super swollen.  :(

Life Changes Fast

I had a moment in my flag football game last night that, despite happening in a matter of seconds, will affect me for at least the next 4-6 months, and possibly longer.  I was running a route, looked back to the quarterback to receive the pass, and collided knee to knee with a defender.  He was standing still, and I was at medium speed.  I immediately dropped to the ground and felt shooting pain coming from my knee.  I sat on the ground for a minute, trying to see if I could bend my leg and work it out a little bit.  It hurt like hell, but I got up and tried to continue.  I play on a co-ed team with a bunch of pretty tough folks, so I let them convince me it was just a "stinger."  As soon as I put weight on it to run, I knew something was very wrong.  I tried as hard as I could to stay in for a couple more plays, but finally I swallowed my pride and told them I needed to sit out.  Luckily another girl showed up right then, and she took my spot on the field.  I sat on the ground for the rest of the game since it hurt to put any weight on my leg.  Afterwards, I hobbled over to my car and cried once I got inside.  It was excruciating.  Since I was by myself, I had to suck it up and drive home through the pain.  Once I got home, I hopped inside and went immediately to the couch.  Laying there with my leg extended straight out, the pain was manageable.  My knee started swelling up pretty badly though, and it definitely wasn't looking right.  At one point I had to use the restroom, so I hobbled there and sat down.  Bending my knee was the worst pain I've ever felt.  Luckily it was only my doggles in earshot, because I yelled out some choice words.  I went back to the couch and started getting worried about what was really wrong. 

Once Meezy got home, we decided we'd call my doctor first thing in the morning and try to set up an appointment.  I had to use the restroom again, and this turned out to be the last straw.  I couldn't handle the pain and I yelled out in agony.  I was bawling by this point.  Meezy knew there was no way I would make it until the next morning.  It was after midnight, but we headed out to the hospital.  I had to scoot myself into the back seat with my leg extended.  The drive to the ER felt like forever!  Once I got there, the admission process was fairly quick though, and I made it back to a room before too long.  Without moving at all, there was throbbing pain, and I couldn't twist or bend my leg in any way without it being immensely worse.  They gave me a morphine shot, and I tried to wait patiently for it to kick in.  After the shot, they wheeled me into x-ray.  They took a few films and the tech told me he was pretty sure he could see the problem, but he would let the nurse or doctor give me the prognosis. 

After thirty minutes, the nurse came in and gave me the news: I had fractured my patella and it was currently in a couple of pieces.  I immediately felt sick to my stomach.  I wanted to vomit just thinking about that bone being broken.  She told me that surgery was probably necessary, and I'd have to set up an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon to go over my options.  Great.  They gave me a brace to keep my knee immobilized, and sent me home with a prescription for pain medication.  It was 3:30am by the time we got home.  I set my alarm for 8:30am the next morning, when the surgeon's office opened.  Turns out I only made it to 7am before the pain became unbearable again.  I took a pain pill, but it didn't help much.  I laid in bed uncomfortably for the next hour and a half.  It sucks to have to lay on my back with my leg extended, when I'm used to being a side sleeper with my legs bent.  Bleh. 

When I got ahold of the surgeon's office, they told me they couldn't see me until Friday morning.  Bummer.  I have spent all of today (Thursday) either in bed or on the couch.  It's frustrating.  The pain medicine isn't really taking away the pain, but it is making me sleepy.  So, at least I'm avoiding the pain some of the time by just being asleep!  It's really weird that my leg feels like it weighs a hundred pounds.  When raising your leg, the power comes from your knee.  I have no ability to generate any power there right now, so it's not possible for me to move it. When I try to change positions, I have to use both of my arms to pick it up and manually move it.  Awesome.  I hope this night goes by quickly and my appointment goes well tomorrow.  I'm a little nervous about what they're going to tell me, but I'm just hoping that whatever their recommendation is, we start it immediately.  I think all the options involve some sort of cast or stint for 4-6 weeks, followed by rehab for a few months.  We'll see. 

Here's a pic I took right after I got home from the game last night.  This was before I realized the extent of the injury.  One of those knees is not like the other!  Hopefully I'll get to view the actual x-ray pics tomorrow, if my stomach can handle it!

    

The Half Marathon is Getting Closer

We're getting down to crunch time, with only three training weeks left before I have to run 13.1 miles.  This past weekend my training plan called for a 10-K run, which is about 6.2 miles.  Meezy and I decided to put it off until Sunday since we were both nursing sore feet.  We started running and were surprised to find that our feet were holding up well and we weren't experiencing much pain.  We planned on pushing it further than the 6.2 miles and seeing just how far we could go.  Then we came to this one street that had a steep decline.  Boooooo.  I didn't realize running down a hill was much harder than running up one.  The amount of stress that put on my hip and ankle was too much to handle.  Instead of heading out for another lap around our neighborhood (~3.5 miles), I turned and went back to our house.  That put my total distance run at 7 miles.  Not bad, and more than my plan called for, but not as much as I wanted to run.  Meezy was a trooper and went another lap, which means he ran more than 10 miles.  What a boss!  The long runs we have left are a 9 mile run and a 10 mile run.  Of course we're supposed to be doing some additional 3 and 5 mile runs during the week, but with sports and sore muscles, we've been slacking on those assignments.  I'm just happy we've still been able to do the long ones, because that's what we're in for on December 5th!    

Make a Difference

Having donated bone marrow this past January, and then undergoing apheresis in June for the same patient, I make it a habit to keep up with the happenings of the National Marrow Donor Program (Be The Match).  I recently heard about a program they are sponsoring, wherein parents can donate umbilical cord blood.  It doesn't involve any extraction from the baby, just from the cord.  The blood from the umbilical cord is collected after the baby's birth and donated to a public cord blood bank to help someone with a life-threatening disease.  Umbilical cord blood can be used in transplants for patients battling diseases like leukemia and lymphoma, just like bone marrow can.  Considering the cord would normally be thrown away, why not make it useful?  It could save someone's life.  There is no cost to you, because public cord blood banks take care of the collection, testing, and storage. 

The NMDP website lists the steps necessary to donate in more detail, but here they are in a nutshell:

- Discuss your decision to donate with your doctor.
- Find out if your hospital collects cord blood donations.
- Contact the public cord blood bank partnered with your hospital and fill out their consent and eligibility forms

That's it.  They take care of the rest.  Nothing is done differently as it pertains to your labor and delivery.  (The website also details your options if you don't see your hospital on their list).  If you need more convincing, read this boy's story.  If you want to find out more information about donating umbilical cord blood, it can all be found here.  Whenever the time comes for Meezy and I to start a family, I will definitely pursue this.     

An Emotional Experience

I volunteered at the Komen 3 day race this past weekend, for the second year in a row.  Last year, our exchange student did it with me, and it was a really rewarding experience for both of us.  This year, a bunch of my family members got involved, and it provided more great memories.  My mom and I stood on the path towards Pit Stop 4, the last pit stop for the racers before they finished, and cheered them on.  We kept getting choked up at the pictures and messages people had on their shirts, referring to loved ones lost.  When we saw our dear friends, Sarah, Rachel, and Becca make their way towards us, it was bittersweet.  We felt such pride in seeing them conquer this challenge, but also such sadness in remembering why they were doing it.  My mom, Peggy van Wunnik, recently wrote an article for the Neighbors section of the Dallas Morning News about this experience.  I am reprinting it below, with her permission.

This past weekend, 2700 women and men took part in the Dallas-area Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure. Each participant raises at least $2300, funds which go to global breast cancer research and local programs supporting breast cancer education, screening, and treatment. In a commitment beyond fund-raising, they walk 60 miles over the course of three days to raise awareness, support those fighting breast cancer, honor lives lost, and celebrate those who have survived the disease. For one unforgettable weekend, they become a community.

Hundreds of volunteers help at the base camp and the pit stops, give rides to those who need a break, care for medical needs, and much more. The pit stops allow walkers to rest, rehydrate, and have a snack. Pit Stop 4 each day is manned by staff from Komen national headquarters along with volunteers. My daughter Joanna works for Komen, and she persuaded me to volunteer. Once I experienced it, I was hooked.

In 2006 my friend Dianne Horton of Cedar Hill volunteered with me. Our task was to stand on the corner and cheer the walkers as they approached Pit Stop 4. We laughed at the crazy outfits some of them wore, and fought tears when we saw tee-shirt tributes to lives lost. We didn’t know anyone walking, but it didn’t matter  - we celebrated as if they were long-lost friends, and told them “Hang in there - you’re nearly done!”

In November 2009, Dianne was diagnosed with Stage IV breast cancer. During her illness, her daughters Sarah St. Louis, Rachel Edwards, and Rebecca Epperley signed up for the 3-Day to honor their mom. They held a garage sale, hosted a concert fundraiser, and appealed to friends, family and coworkers to support their efforts. Their dad Hank joined the support crew which camps with the walkers.  Together the family raised nearly $11,000 for the cause.

Dianne lost her battle with breast cancer on September 11. It would have been understandable for her daughters to decide not to go through with the walk while their grief was so fresh. But they channeled that grief into a determination to follow through, to walk in tribute to the mother they loved so dearly. They know how important it is to hold on to hope for those who still must fight. 

Some people say they’re tired of seeing pink ribbons and hearing about breast cancer. But breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among women across the globe. You may never have breast cancer, but someone you know has it or will have it. Even though individual battles will be lost, we have to believe that the war against breast cancer will ultimately be won.  By giving, by loving, by supporting those who fight. 

And for Sarah, Rachel, and Rebecca, by walking 60 miles.

Washington D.C. - Day Four

Our last day in Washington, DC was a busy one!  We started out by visiting the Holocaust Memorial Museum.  I had been eagerly anticipating our visit to this museum because I obviously learned about the Holocaust growing up, but knew there was still so much more I needed to see.  Before entering, I saw this sign:

 
I knew that what I was about to see behind those walls would resonate with me for years to come.  It was an emotional experience.  Even though there are pictures, videos, first-hand accounts, etc, etc, about what happened during that time, it's still hard to wrap your brain around it.  As I walked through the exhibits, I felt anger.  I felt frustration.  I felt extreme sorrow.  I had moments where I felt so incredibly disappointed in the human race.  It's not easy to describe, but I think it's worth everyone's time to experience it for themselves.  There's a quote in the Museum that grabbed ahold of my heart: 

"First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out - because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out - because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out - because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me - and there was no one left to speak for me." - Pastor Martin Niemoller

If the Holocaust isn't the most profound example of why we have a responsibility to our fellow man, then I don't know what is.  It didn't just take Hitler and the Nazis to perform this egregious act.  It took countless others who did nothing to stop them.  There were people who stood up, but there weren't enough.  I hope I never forget this lesson.  (On a related note, it used to slightly piss me off when people would unjustifiably compare Obama to Hitler to get attention and create fear.  Now, it makes me furious.  In my opinion, people who try to make that comparison are disrespecting the millions of people who lost their lives in the Holocaust.  Find a more appropriate criticism when you merely dislike someone, asshole).  

After the Holocaust Museum, we headed over to the Capitol for our guided tour.  I was completely clueless as to what the Capitol's interior looked like.  I was surprised at how elaborate it was.  It was cool to think about the important people in our nation's history who had stood in the same places I was standing.  While we didn't get to see the House or Senate Chambers because they required an additional pass, we did get to see the Rotunda, the Old Supreme Court Chamber, and the National Statuary Hall.  Check out some pics below:

While leaving the Capitol, we saw the Supreme Court.  We didn't go inside, but just seeing the exterior of the building was a treat.  Quite a formidable structure!

 

By this time we were starving, so we walked over to Good Stuff Eatery.  There wasn't anything spectacular about the burger I got, but my Cookies and Cream shake was delicious (thanks to Sarah for suggesting it!).  From there, our next stop was the National Air and Space Museum.  This was Meezy's choice, so I let him set the pace and decide which exhibits to check out.  Tracking the history of air and space travel from its earliest beginnings to now is a mind-blowing journey.  I'm pretty amazed at the bravery the pioneers must have had to get us to where we are today. 

Our last stop for the day was the Human Rights Campaign store near Dupont Circle.  I shop online with this organization, but I thought it would be neat to visit their storefront, since the one in DC is the closest one to me!  Meezy and I picked up a few more items and then set out for our long trek back to the hotel!  All in all, I think we walked about 6 miles this day.  This wouldn't seem so bad, except we had done the same the three previous days!  It was quite an exhausting trip, but worth every minute.  I'm so glad we were able to mark our nation's capital off our list of places to visit.  Still a lot of destinations left, but we're working on it!

Washington D.C. - Day Three

Our third day in Washington, we started out with an awesome brunch at The Boulevard Woodgrill.  French toast was exactly what I needed before another long day of walking!  Our plan was to visit the Pentagon 9/11 Memorial, Arlington National Cemetery, the Marine Corps War Memorial (Iwo Jima), the Netherlands Carillon, and the National Zoo.  We headed over to the Pentagon first.  In the picture below, you can see the center portion of the building is a different shade than the sides.  This is the part that was hit and has since been replaced.  The Memorial there includes 184 benches, one for each life lost, in chronological order of their date of birth.  The youngest victim was only 3 years old, and the oldest was 71.  If you're reading a name on a bench and facing the Pentagon, it means the deceased was in the Pentagon. If you're reading a name and facing away from the Pentagon (and seeing sky), it means the deceased was on the plane.  It was a somber experience to be standing in that area, but I'm glad we went.  

After leaving the Pentagon, we had planned on heading over to Arlington National Cemetery.  Unfortunately for us, the Marine Corps Marathon was going on and they had lots of streets blocked off for it.  There was no easy way for us to get to the cemetery, so we abandoned that idea.  Instead, we went to the National Zoo.  In case you didn't know, all the museums of the Smithsonian are free for visitors.  The Zoo was no different.  We just walked right in!  We checked out all the animals, with my favorites being the pandas and the gorillas.  I love visiting zoos around the country, so I had a great time.

 
By this time, we were famished again, so we headed to Mark's girlfriend Sarah's neck of the woods (Adams Morgan).  We ate at a restaurant called Reef.  Any place that serves warm pretzels as an appetizer will get my thumbs up.  From there, we drove to the Marine Corps War Memorial.  This is such a famous statue, that I've seen pictures of a million times, but it was another instance where I just didn't realize how large it was until I was standing in front of it.  It was illuminated since it was nighttime, and it was a beautiful sight to see.   

When you're standing at this Memorial, you  also have an amazing view of the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, and the Capitol building in the distance.  They are breathtaking at night. 

Nearby was the Netherlands Carillon, so we headed there next.  It is a bell tower given by Holland, in gratitude for American aid during and after World War II.  I know my Dutch grandparents were immensely grateful to the American people during and after the War, so visiting this site had a special significance for me. 

I think, by this time, we were all exhausted from this busy day, and the other busy days before it!  I noticed the lighting on the Carillon provided some pretty good shadowy silhouettes of us, so we goofed off for a while, making funny poses and laughing at our silliness.  It was a nice break from all the "busy."