My newest adventure

After completing Team in Training and learning about different endurance events, I'm now interested and ready to train for a Century ride. Susan (my sister) did the ride a few years ago in Lake Tahoe through TNT. I want to do the same next year (get your wallets ready guys!).  

I spent most of last week learning about and testing lots of different road bikes. I drove from place to place to see brands, I tried out expensive ones and I tried cheaper ones. I found one that I was especially fond of (Trek Madone 4.5), but couldn't seem to locate it anywhere in the size I needed. No one was able to order it anymore, but after one last effort I found it. I decided to call The Bike Doctor of Waldorf. 

Trudy (who I met in Alaska) spoke very highly of the Bike Doctor. I called, and they did in deed have the bike I was looking for. They had it in my size, and it was still in the box! That day, they built it and I drove down and went for a test ride. For my first bike, I knew this was the one I wanted. It was comfortable, I was happy with all of the components and most of all, the color worked. I put a downpayment on it the next day, and went to pick it up on Monday. Today I took it out for it's first spin in Howard County. Only 7.70 miles, but hey - it was my first time on a ride bike in quite some time. It was awesome!

                                   

Stitches.... around my teeth!

Today was the day I have been dreading for a few years now. When I used to go to the dentist more regularly, she would mention I had slight gum recession behind my lower front teeth.  She also said not to worry about it and if it got dangerously low, she'd tell me. Well, I changed jobs every year and didn't really have the chance to get to the dentist. Back in June, I finally went. The moment I had dreaded came. "You need to see a periodontist." Then, came the estimated payment on my end. Which was s-h-o-c-k-i-n-g. 

I came home and told my parents, to which my dad replies "Oh, they call them 'gum gardeners" GROSS. After putting if off for a few weeks, I decided now would be the best time to have the procedure done. I made the appointment and had it all worked on today. The needles for numbing were the worst part. After that, I didn't feel a thing. I have four small stitches that weave in and around my bottom two, front teeth. The gum was peeled back for deep cleaning within the bone.  Cadaver bone was intertwined within the existing, and new gum stitched in on top. I was given 3 prescriptions and had them filled. All in all, recovery for me should be easy. I have an antibiotic and 800 mg of Motrin to take every 6 hours and serious pain killers should the pain get severe. For those of you that know me, I will push a pain killer away because I can't sit in the house all day. Plus, the pain isn't even all that bad right now.  Go me!!! 

So, check out my grill piece:

                                      

BP, HR and Cholesterol

After five years of avoiding the doctor for a physical, I felt it was necessary. I'll admit, I was scared. First because it had been five years since my last one. Second, I had waited awhile to go to the dentist, and what do I need now? Yes, Oral surgery for receding gum line with bone showing.  So, I can only imagine something has gone drastically wrong with my normal feeling self. 

I had chosen a new doctor, one everyone seemed to know.  Everyone I said his name to responded with a, "oh he's popular!" I thought I would give it a shot. A week ago I went and had my blood tests completed. I went to the doctor on Tuesday and had a really great visit. It was different going to a new doctor, but I really didn't like my other one. For some reason, after I stopped going to a Pediatrician I really didn't connect with any other doctors. My last doctor used to give me this face, that immediately made me feel like a hypochondriac. She always made me feel like I was making it up, but three days later - I would be sick. I knew my own body. 

I showed up at my new doctor and was slightly nervous. He came in, and made friendly conversation. (The male factor also worried me...I am used to female doctors except for my other "dad" my allergist - another story for another day) We chatted and I admitted I hadn't had a tetanus shot in a very long time. He felt that with my line of work, I should get one every 5-7 years. I knew I finally needed to give in and get one that day. After he checked me over, we went into his office and he took down a health history.  I only take meds for allergies now, which he commented on. To be honest, I don't even know if I even need those meds anymore. After my tonsil removal when I was 22, and the elimination a lot of other meds from my life - everything changed. Then, I lost the weight, which I'm sure added to improved health. Most of you know, I have fallen in love with running, which has also caused me to lower my heart rate (I used to have a mild tachycardia where my resting heart rate would often by around 94 bpm). I confessed that I wasn't sure I even needed them anymore - I had taken myself off of allergy shots four years ago and bascally stopped getting sick at the same time. 

This led into my story of my diagnosis of CFS and how sickly I was as a child, which led into the 40+ lbs weight loss, which led into my smoking - which I don't do anymore. Each time I brought something up, he looked more and more surprised. At the end he said, "Looking at you when you first walked in the door, I NEVER would have imagined all of this. Are there any  more weird surprises?!?" I laughed... that was it for now. 

Overall, he told me I looked good. My BP was 118/64. My resting heart rate has dropped from low 90's to mid 50's. My cholesterol is 188 and I am happy about that for now. That night I went to get that tetanus shot and felt really good about myself. Now, my arm has been killing me for two days and hopefully it'll feel better tomorrow. I think something exciting is also happening tomorrow.....!