Category: Life

Early Mass.  First snooze in the hammock!  Steve’s Boys were here for brunch.

Bayside Out&Back:  67 minutes, 4.22 miles, 3.8 mph, HR-132.

TechnoGym Wave:  45 minutes, 9.69 miles, HR=142.  I got called back to the Mayo Clinic.  Something about another mammogram and an ultrasound.  Steve is going to come with me since it will be a relatively quick trip.  Two more mammograms and an ultrasound didn’t make the spot go away.  I’ll be going back yet again for a biopsy. 

I’m surprised the 24-hr blood pressure monitor didn’t bother me at all during the night.  I slept just fine.  My anticipated visit to the Sports Medicine Department was mostly uneventful:  I have unrealistic expectations of myself.  I have no leg length discrepancy.  I am remarkably flexible (for someone my age).  When running, I land too hard on my heels and need to learn to move that forward some if I want to improve my running.  There is no good reason to change anything nor is there a good reason not to.  I reported for my mammogram and pointed out all my electronics and suggested they reschedule for later in the day.  “Oh, no!” the Nurse says, “they can work around all that just fine”.  I get out of my clothes, into the gown, wait for my turn.  And find out…they can’t work around the electronics.  Geezzzz!  Lunch seemed like a good idea while I wait until I can take the electronics off.  Electronics off.  Mammogram accomplished.  Final visit with my Doctor to go over results.  Off to Cardiology.  The Cardiologist I saw today is very familiar with my issue because his wife has it.  She’s training for the Boston Marathon!  Diagnosis (again):  It’s nothing, eat more salt and avoid hot showers post exercise.  As soon as I get the all clear from Breast Imaging, I can leave!  Let’s hope that’s today.  I’m going to go ahead and pack.  I will be disappointed if I have to stay another night.  I’m home!

Turns out when I changed my visit from February to March a whole lot of appointments didn’t get rescheduled.  Putting my appointments into Outlook and syncing them to my phone wasn’t a waste of time because of the changes, but because no one here will even look at you without scanning the bar code on your Appointment Schedule and verifying your first name, last name and date of birth.  One has to have the paper in hand at all times.  As per usual, the day begins with a specimen collection and venipuncture.  Then I head up to Executive Health to meet with my Doctor.  We went over my health history and reviewed my appointments, discovering several were missing.  The most interesting of today’s appointments was my Echocardiography Laboratory Stress Echocardiogram.  They hooked me up to all sorts of electrodes and a blood pressure cuff, did an ultrasound of my heart, put me on a treadmill and when I gave that my all, they did another ultrasound of my heart.  My results were better than would be expected of a 15 year old.  They couldn’t tell me how much better, as 15 is as young as the chart goes.  I did 216% of what would be expected of a woman my age.  I am in very good shape!  So, why do I faint sometimes?  Right now I sure don’t look like I’m in very good shape.  I’m wearing not only a Holter monitor, but a blood pressure monitor as well.  I’ll be visiting Cardiology again tomorrow.  I had a Bone Mineral Density test.  Spent some time in Gynecology.  The Gynecologist was a young Indian male, first male I’ve seen all day.  I finally got to eat!  A whole foot long turkey sandwich from Subway.  My First Need Trav-L-Pure water purifier is working exactly as I had hoped it would!  I fill my Sigg bottles with filtered hotel room tap water and don’t need to buy water!  Hmmmm, I got called back for more extensive urine tests. 

TechnoGym Wave:  45 minutes, 9.12 miles, HR=131.  On the way to Rochester, I got a much deserved and long overdue speeding ticket.  For some reason, I’ve been upgraded to a Suite.  It’s nice that I have a mini kitchen, but it’s an unnerving amount of space for just me.  The connecting door freaks me out, I’ve checked the lock and put a chair in front of it.  I’m unpacked and settled in.  My stomach is growling, and I will be listening to that rumble until mid-day tomorrow.  For now, I’m limited to water.  I’ve put my schedule into my Outlook calendar and synced it to my phone, which was probably a waste of time as it’s a safe bet it will get changed at least twice tomorrow.  I forgot to put out the “Do Not Disturb” sign.  Turn down service gives me the creeps. 

Avery spent the night last night.  This morning we had breakfast at my gym.  After breakfast we spent a little bit of time in the meditation tower and then doing laps on the jogging track.  After our usual Friday stops at the gas station/car wash and the Post Office we went out to Gale Woods Farm.  The barns were closed, as it seems they usually are.  We were able to see chickens and sheep in outdoor pens.  I’m not sure which Avery liked best; the mud puddles or the big sink.  While we were there, we picked up our Easter hams and some other meat for the freezer.  We also signed up for Chicken, Beef and Pork shares!  Since Avery loves the farm so much, she won’t mind adding a stop there on Fridays to pick up our meat shares.  We will consume meat that has never ever been more than 20 miles from my house! 

At this point, I’m as ready as I’m going to be for tomorrow night.

TechnoGym Wave:  45 minutes, 9.68 miles, HR=131.  I have been anticipating my 2009 Notice of Valuation from Hennepin County in hopes I would get some tax relief in the year 2010.  Nope.  My home valuation is down a mere .5%. 

Early Mass.  If I accomplish nothing else today, I must gather the documents our Accountant needs to do my taxes.  Thanks to my AeroGarden, I had home grown lettuce on my sandwich this afternoon!