Wet Feet

Since getting home from the hospital I have been told that I have no limits on exercise... running, hiking, walking, etc. Since I could hardly stay awake throughout the day, it made it hard for me to imagine doing any of that again soon. Actually, just watching people run or walk their dogs made me very tired! It just seemed so far away.

Every couple of days I realize that I am getting better physically. My Bell Palsy is slowly healing. The scar over my heart is looking better. All the knots, bruises and dots on my arms have disappeared from all the blood taken, or IV's, or whatever else they were doing to me during the Great Nap. In the last 2 days in particular, I feel like I am finding my new normal. 

I kept holding back on running, well for many reasons, but I had given birth all of 10 days before my seizure(s) and cardiac arrest thing. So I kept thinking "6 weeks". Every parent out their knows exactly what I am talking about. You go to your 6 week post baby appt. and they give you the green light for 2 things...sex and exercise. Tuolumne is now 6 1/2 weeks old and I had no more good excuses. I really couldn't even use the whole "I had a sudden cardiac arrest a month ago" excuse because my cardiologist gave me no restrictions with working out.

Then I realized I was actually a little scared to go running. I had lots of questions going through my head. Would I feel my ICD moving around my heart? Would it hurt? Would I be tripping and falling the whole time since my left eye is off a bit? Would I have another Great Nap? So my mind was turning and turning. 

On one of my first runs with Bryce in 2006, it was a wet cold kind of day. I was jumping and dodging over all the little puddles. Trying my hardest not to get my feet wet so they wouldn't be cold. Well, the very first thing Bryce does is run straight through a big nasty puddle on the trail. I asked why he did that and now his feet were going to be cold and wet. He said now he could run. He didn't have to watch out for every little puddle in the way. His feet were already wet so he was free from the puddle dance. 

I finally did it. I went for a run and I thought about that moment with him the whole time. I got my feet wet literally since we were on the tail end of a good rain. I thought about LOTS of things during the whole 26 minutes I was out. The best thing I thought about was all the great adventures I have had with my husband and all the adventures yet to come. 

I am not allowed to drive right now so it was the furthest from the house I have been by myself in quite a while. It was so nice to be out. It didn't feel awesome. I didn't break any records out there that day. But I am getting stronger. 

My brother Jeromy and his wife Brittany own and operate a Crossfit Box in San Angelo, Texas. They did a special Workout Of the Day right after I got home to help benefit our family during this time and my recovery. I was able to be on Facetime with my mom for part of it and say hi to everyone there. It was extremely overwhelming! So many people praying and fighting with us! The next week or so (I have no concept of time and days right now) I received this awesome shirt in the mail! I found it fitting to wear this shirt on my first run back. So a special thank you to all of San Angelo Crossfit! You all amaze me!

After it taking me 3 days to write this, I am off to wash diapers! 

Enjoy,