What else?

It's been a week since my last post and so many things transpired during this week. I am gaining a lot of weight and rapidly. It's very frustrating and causing me to be a little depressed. Gaining weight for us woman is so difficult to understand. You see, society says that you must be super thin in order to be consider beautiful. That is what you see on TV, Magazines, pretty much everywhere you go. Don't get me wrong, I was never super thin but was in very good physical condition and I loved my 150 lbs weight. Yes! I am very happy at 150 pounds. Now I am at 175 and feeling it in every clothing I wear. I am very frustrated and not knowing if this will continue. In the meantime I am trying my best to exercise when I can. I am so depressed with the rapid weight gain that I am finding difficult to get any motivation to exercise, so today I went and got myself a new pair of running shoes so I can find more motivation. Also, I signed up with Team In Training to raise funds towards cancer and in return I am getting trained for the St. Anthony's Triathlon in May 1, 2011.  That will keep me in balance and motivated. Hopefully, this will all stop soon.

In 3 more days I am starting my "awesome" Low Iodine Diet to get me ready for Radiation Therapy on November 17.  What a great way to spend my birthday ha!!

I wish I could have better things to say, but I honestly just want all this to go away and I want my life back on track.

To make matters worst, now I am also having hives in my back and belly...where they come from i steh new question so I am heading to doctor tomorro wto find out why I am having hives.

Hopefully, next time I blog I am in better spirits and with better news.

TTYL,

Michelle

A very positive day.....I tackled the Masters Triathlon.

So today I woke up at 0530, made pancakes for Don, Allison and myself. We headed to the Masters Triathlon at Moss Park where I decided I to compete on my first triathlon since I had surgery a month and 3 weeks ago. I was very nervous for various reasons. The week before the race I was not feeling well at all. I was having really bad joint pain plus I had not swim for 3 months and I was about to do an open water swim. Open water swimming is not easy, is not like swimming on a pool. In open water, you have nothing to hold on to. In order to get out of the water...well you must swim out of it or wave at a lifeguard to come get you with the kayak and that is definately not a choice for me. LOL.

This triathlon is of great significance for me. I can believe I finished it even thou I was not secure I would get out of that water but with a positive attitude I was able to make it happen. No matter how many times I have done a Tri, I was still very nervous!!!!

Today, I learned I got what it takes. Once again, the power of the mind is so strong. Something to take from all this.....If life gives you lemons, well.....make MARGARITAS!!!

A big thanks to Coach Beth, Allison, Don, Tracy and other team vortex members who believed in me and supported me to finish..ohh and I also got first place!!!! Bam!

TTYL,

Michelle

Not that much time to blog lately...

wow...feel so horrible. I haven't updated my blog as frequent as I used to. It seems like now I dont have all the time I had in the past. Being now on a regular job like everyone else, I just dont have the time for much. I think I am going to start blogging from my desk so I dont forget. ;)

So what's new? I was feeling great and then the last 7 days I was going through really strong joint pain. We think it might be all the stress I am going through...(bills coming in and not the same income, plus lots of work...lots). I am starting to feel better today. I guess I have to adjust!!!! I want to go and do everything and didn't even game myself time to properly heel. I learned a lesson.

I am racing the Master Triathlon , not really ready AT ALL!!! But I promised myself that I need to show myself  that I am not finished and that I still have what it takes...I will not win for sure. I am experiencing a great amount of shortness of breath even when I teach a class and then to find out that that is one of the side effects of this type of surgery. I was very concerned because as a person I run and bike should not have been experiencing the shortness of breath and I AM BIG TIME!!! This is going to make it difficult at race.

Well, I will let you all know tomorrow if I finished the race...hopefully I will.

TTYL,

Michelle

Mayor Improvement......

What a great day this was! I woke up early, got my bike in my car, grab my working clothes as well as my nunning gear and headed for a morning bike /run brick workout. I work around the airport area and there is a bike lane at Heintzelman Blvd so it is very convenient for me to do a workout before heading to work. I didn't have to be at work until 10 am and my building have shower facilities so it was the perfect setting to head for a workout and then straight to work. I love doing this as it gives me energy all day long.

This was the first time I was going on my bike in almost two months and believe me...I felt it! I was very short of breath and felt a little pain on my knees, but even like that I was able to clock 20 miles. Mayor improvement! After I was done with the bike, I put on my running shoes on and went for a 2 mile run.  This is called a brick workout in Triathlon Training. It's very beneficial to do this workout as one of the most difficult things to do in Triathlons is to switch your muscles used in one discipline to the other set of muscles used on another discipline. The more you practice the better you will be able to switch from sport to sport at a race. I was surprised to see I was able to do a brick so early in the game but was very pleased. Just the fact I was able to do this....I know I am on my way to a full recovery very soon.

On November 17, I will undergo my radiation treatment and I know that at that point I will once again lower the intensity of my workouts but in the mean time I just want to get a little ready for the upcoming Triathlon I signed up for and for Ragnar Race in Key West. Now...I am heading to bed as I am getting ready to do my first swim in almost two months tomorrow morning with my fellow team members. Can't wait to see them and can't wait to swim....

TTYL,

Michelle

A little motivation...why not?

Hello Dear Friends,

Another day and more things to conquer! I am feeling the motivation running through my veins. Triathlon season is almost over and I honestly don't want it to end. Like you all know, I was about to do my first Half Ironman distance triathlon on October 30 but I was taken into a different kind of race...the one against cancer. Now that surgery is over, I am feeling way much better and have started running again I feel the need to end this triathlon season with a bang.  I am not all there yet but I am quite sure that I can finish a sprint triathlon, that is why I have made the decision (hard one since I am so competitive) to sign up for the Orlando Womans Triathlon at Moss Park on October 23. Since I can't do the 1/2 Ironman I will end up the season accomplishing another race.

Back in August of this year (one week before my cancer results) I got second place in my category at the Moss Park Triathlon. I am signing up in the same category with the expectations of finishing the race but I will try to defend my tittle and maybe even winning first place. I know!! To much expectations so early in the game but you must dream high....that is what gets you going. When you look back, you say "I gave it my best". I am looking forward to enjoying my last Triathlon of this season...but the first one of many to come as a SURVIVOR.....Let's roll.

TTYL,

Michelle

what a great weekend....

This was by far the best weekend I had since all this cancer issue came about. My dear friend Don invited me to go to a college football game (Syracuse..his Fav) and a Tampa Hockey game aswell. I was a little hesitant because I am not a fan of either sport. I didn't grow up with either sport so I it's kind of hard for me to get into it. However, to my surprise I did like the hockey game. It's fast, constant action and the fans are outrageous. However, football is not and will never be my favorite. Too slow....but I was so excited  to be able to go and experience it and learn why football is such a big part of the american society.

It was great to be out and about. As soon as I was back in town, I grab my sneakers and went for a 5 mile run. I've been running but is not as strong as I used to. I express that concern to my doctor and he says I am still healing and just to take it easy. Well, I will continue my warm up as I call it because it soon will turn into full blown training. Now...a well deserved sleep.

TTYL

Michelle

Radiation it is...

Today was my follow up with my endocrinologist who game the news that endeed I need radiation treatment. I was hoping that I wouldn't need it but the margins of my thyroid gland show that there might be a slight chance that cancer cells spread beyoond the gland tissue so I am getting radiation to make sure if there is anything else, we kill it. It is hard to listen to all this...I feel good and that made me feel like I was already out this illness and that I was already cancer free, but not yet. I keep saying, surgery is not the hardest part of this process, is the waiting and the uncertainty. Once I finish radiation which is schedule for November 17, I will have to remained locked in my house with no contact with people for 3 days and then head to do a full body scan to see if any of other parts of my body light up indicating cancer cells. I am crossing my fingers I will not turned into a Christmas Tree!

Also, on November 3 I will start the amazing low iodine diet. This is the diet they use to get you ready for Iodine Radiation.  So guess what am I doing the rest of October and the first 3 days of November?.....EAT ALL THE FISH, DAIRY and SALTY FOODS THAT I CAN!!! you got that right....

And off we go with the wait until radiation.....

And running we go..

Well, as you can see not much blogging lately. The reason: WORK! yes I am back at work and there is lots of it. But today's blog is super special to me. Today I went for my first run in 1 1/2 month. It felt good and liberating. Last friday, my surgeon gave me the ok to start working out...been a little hesitant I waited until today. The good news is that my muscles remember me, they are out of shape but they remember. Hopefully in another week I'll be feeling super while running. I have to!

My friend Charlie invited me to be part of his Ragnar Relay Key West team. Ragnar is a 100 miler run that we must do in 24 hours from Miami to Key West. Now I have to train so I can run the required milage. As far as I know, I think I will do 3 turns of 8 to 10 miles each....ouch!!! Hopefully I will last...

So, so far so good. Don't know about radiation yet...but I know I am haeding that direction anytime soon.

Keep you all posted!

TTYL

Michelle