I made it to 10 years and...

I get an email with fake people clapping for me...

Livs lipstick

"O" for Olivia

Liv has been learning how to recognize her letters lately. Her dad showed her that her letter was "O", mommy's is "S" and daddy's is "J". So, every time she sees one of these letters, on a sign, in a book, on the TV, on a passing car, she is absolutely amazed and yells - "Look Mommy, "O" for Olivia" (substitute with S and J and Mommy and Daddy in those cases as well). One funny thing is that almost every morning we drive past a Hooters on our way to the office and my little bug yells out "Look Mommy, 'O' for Olivia!" I say, yes baby, two O's but not for you. :)

Here's a quick update on my mystery condition that makes me pass out and dizzy at random times. I had a tilt table test in the hospital a few weeks back. Besides the fact that the test made me feel horrible as they pumped adrenaline into my body, things went well. I do not have Neurocardiogenic Syncope (meaning I didn't pass out during the test) but my blood pressure did drop as I was standing which has led to the diagnosis of Orthostatic Hypotension. My heart rate is still very low and the dizziness never fully goes away though it gets better and worse at times. It's frustrating as there are many reasons why a person may have Orthostatic Hypotension but all the tests I've done haven't resulted in anything positive. For now, I will not be taking any blood pressure medication as I can't be on the medication within 6 months of being pregnant. No, I'm not pregnant, but we're hoping to try for another within the next few months. That will probably increase my blood pressure! :)

So, instead of dwelling on this, J, Liv and I are going away skiing for 5 days in Vermont. Hopefully I don't pass out! (JK) Should be some good days out in fresh powder as they're supposed to get 2 ft of snow while we're there. I'm looking forward to teaching Liv how to ski.

I'll post pictures when we're back! Bye!

-S

Race Log

Date	Race Name	Race Length	Time	Pace
5/10/2009	Elizabeth T. McNamee Memorial Run (w/Liv)	5k (3.1 Miles)	35:19	11:23
7/5/2009	Massapequa Firecracker	5k (3.1 Miles)	29:18	9:27
8/23/2009	Babylon Classic Dirty Sock	10k (6.2 Miles)	1:04:25	10:23
9/13/2009	Ryde Bridge-To-Bridge Run, Sydney, Australia	10k (6.2 Miles)	1:08:33	11:03
11/8/2009	Long Island Run for the Warriors	5k (3.1 Miles)	30:14	9:45
12/19/2009	Ho Ho Ho Holiday Run	5k (3.1 Miles)	34:16	11:03
1/24/2010	Winter Series, Caumsett	5k (3.1 Miles)	28:26	9:10
1/31/2010	Winter Series, Jones Beach	5k (3.1 Miles)	29:36	9:32
2/14/2010	Snowflake Run, Long Beach	4 Miles	38:22	9:35
3/6/2010	Little Cow Harbor	4 Miles	36:53	9:13
3/27/2010	Run for Aspire	10K (6.2 Miles)	58:11	9:23
4/11/2010	Jack Dowling	10 Miles	1:38:00	9:48
5/2/2010	LI Half Marathon	13.1 Miles	2:10:09	9:56
5/9/2010	Elizabeth T. McNamee Memorial Run (w/Liv)	5k (3.1 Miles)	31:51	10:16
6/19/2010	Shelter Island 10k	10k (6.2 Miles)	58:03	9:21
6/27/2010	Massapequa Firecracker	5k (3.1 Miles)	26:12	8:26
8/3/2010	Marcum Workplace Challenge (w/Liv)	3.5 Miles	38:00	TBD
8/21/2010	7th Annual Tri/Du/Run the Wildwoods	2mi run/10mi bike/3.1mi run	1:36:35	n/a
10/16/2010	Post Office 5k	5k (3.1 Miles)	29:36	TBD
11/14/2010	Long Island Run for the Warriors	10k (6.2 Miles)	59:19	TBD
1/9/2011	Winter Series, Heckscher	5k (3.1 Miles)	31:32	10:17
1/16/2011	Winter Series, Jones Beach	5k (3.1 Miles)	27:45	9:04
5/8/2011	Elizabeth T. McNamee Memorial Run (w/Liv Running and baby in belly)	5k (3.1 Miles)	52:49	17:00

12 weeks and counting

The thermometer said it was 27 degrees this morning when I went for a run but as I started out the first mile it felt more like 5 degrees with the wind chill. I set out on my first official training run week 1 of 12, and decided to keep it slow and steady and at least get up to 4 miles. Good strategy I think since my speed training hasn't been so positive the past week. I fell on Thursday and bruised up my right arm, thigh and knee. Not fun at all. I think I've found a slight pattern with my falling though. Most of my runs where I'm prepared (eat, drink, gear, etc.) and not tired, I seem to have no trouble making it through the run without blacking out and falling. However, if one of those items isn't done exactly correctly... I blackout for a second during the run and fall. So, pre-run ritual consists of:
- taking meds (levothyroxine) at least 1 hour before eating
- banana (1/2)
- cereal (low carb, high fiber/protein)
- 24 oz water (before and after run)
- gear on securely (no issues causing me to stop during the run)

I'm writing this down now so I don't forget. :) For my health followers, I have a tilt table test on Tuesday so hopefully that will expose evidence of my syncope and we can move on to treating it. I also have a blood test on Tuesday to check up on my Thyroid and see if there is any evidence of low levels of T3/T4. My TSH is off slightly which can be causing my heart palpitations but not really the dizziness and blacking out. I've gone on a pretty strict diet to help increase my matabolism too since I've gained about 20 lbs since August 2009. Well, in the past 2 weeks I lost 8 lbs and was the biggest loser at work (we have a group playing the game). So, I'm sticking to it.

Back to this mornings' run. It was a really beautiful morning. I ran from home, up to the lake and past into the Southards Pond trail. The trail was quite dry considering we had that "winter blizzard" yesterday that gave us about an inch of snow. As I was running along I saw a guy on a horse. The horse nodded it's head as if to say good morning so I did the same. The water was really clear in both lakes (Argyle and Southards) and both were about 50% frozen. It was a pretty sight and I decided, during this run to commit to the LI 1/2 in May. Yep, although I've been training for about 12 weeks now, I haven't really gone the distance. Now, after this mornings casual run, I got the itch to keep going. So, yes, May 2, 2010 will be my first 1/2 Marathon. I'm committed.

I'll see if I'm this positive next week for my 6 mile run. I'll check back then.

-s

Screenshot from iPhone

New Favorite IPhone Tip: Screenshots

This is very cool and I probably would have figured it out earlier if I actually used my iPhone for work and not play. :) Well, today a colleague asked me to send pictures of a process of opening an email and clicking on a link to approve a contract using my iPhone. Thinking I'm going to have use a camera to take pictures of my iPhone, I told her I'd have it tomorrow. Instead of giving up though, I Googled "Screenshot on iPhone" and found this site. So how do you do it?

Hit the "Home" button with the top "Lock" button at the same time and the screen blinks to show you have taken the picture. The screenshot is now in your Camera Roll.

How awesome is that?!

-s

28:26 with no falls

I'm back to running after a short stint away due to a few issues... I ended up in the hospital the first week of January due to heart palpitations, bradycardia (slow heart rate), dizziness, exhaustion, falling and a slew of other symptoms. Well, after 2 days in the ER and hospital, multiple tests (CT, MRI, MRA, etc.) they diagnosed me with vertigo and a slow heart rate and set me free.

Interestingly enough, the day after, I went back to my doctor for a follow up and to start my "vertigo" physical therapy and he does a quick test and says "you don't have vertigo". Okay, back to square one. Followed up with my Cardiologist and he concurs; "it's not vertigo". He really thinks there is something going on with my heart. Between the mitral valve prolapse they found when I was pregnant 2 1/2 years ago and the new bradycardia (my heart rate is as low as 40 bpm at times), he isn't convinced that all the symptoms are for nothing. He thinks I have "neurocardiogenic syncope" which simply is a fainting disorder of sorts that is controlled by being able to recognize the symptoms and take measures to prevent an "episode" as they call it.

Well, as you can imagine, this put a bit of a hurdle in the middle of my quest for running greatness (i.e. finishing the Long Island 1/2 Marathon on May 2, 2010 - note slight exaggeration on the "greatness"). However, I was determined to get back to running as soon as possible. I had already signed up for the Winter Run Series and missed the first race so last Saturday, 1 week after being in the hospital, I decide to run 3 miles in my neighborhood to see if I can finish the race scheduled for the next day. Doc says I can run as long as I don't feel dizzy so I was all for it. 2 miles into the run I suddenly fall. I don't know what happened... maybe I missed a step or I blacked out. I have no clue because it happened so quickly. What I do know is I was right on the side walk in town on Main Street and there were a ton of people watching. So, I peel myself off the ground and keep running, hoping no one saw me. No one said anything but I know they were thinking "idiot". Now I'm running (or rather limping) along and finally make it home 1.1 miles and 15 minutes later. That was the slowest 1.1 miles I've ever done (I think). My whole side hurt where I fell and my foot, my good foot, the one that never hurts was killing me. Another episode of... plantar fasciitis! How exciting!!! I ice all day and night and still can't really walk in the morning. Missing another race in the series was killing me. But again, I was determined to make it the next week, with no falls.

Fast forward to this Saturday, I ran 3.1 miles in 30 minutes - not too bad. My foot hurt but I iced it and did the tennis ball stretch (rolling a tennis ball under your foot with pressure to loosen up the tendon). This morning, I was ready to go. Bundled myself up in my new gear that my wonderful husband bought for me for Christmas and drove myself all the way to Caumsett State Park on the north shore. It was cold but nice out until it started to drizzle. I started out pretty good, even faster than I thought. My first mile was 9:18, second mile was at 18 something and then the third mile was at 27 something. Finished the race at 28:26, my best time ever. I'm very excited and hopeful for all the tests I have to do this week to show that my "episode" earlier this month was just a passing issue.

Tomorrow I have an Echo-cardiogram, Tuesday - blood tests, Wednesday - Endocrinologist for Thyroid, Thursday - Stress Test... it's going to be a busy week!

Picktails!

Welcome to 2010!

Livvy summed up our new motto for 2010 with this hit...




Happy New Year Everyone!!!