Becca-Lynne: Whew!! Summer!!

Man.... the last month has been a busy one--last class of the year, Mental Health (booo!), finals, lots and lots of physical therapy and doctor's appointments, and then trying to find a job. I'm tired just reminiscing.

Let's catch up:
I have now had 17 physical therapy appointments. I know this is all I seem to talk about anymore on facebook, but this is really driving me crazy. For starters, I hurt... I have bursitis on my butt bone, and it hurts to sit, sleep, stand.... I have bursitis on my ischial tuberosities

<-- and greater trochantric bursitis. A pain in the butt. Today at physical therapy, I had a weird treatment done that felt like 100 bees were stinging my butt and hip all at once. It was called iontophoresis which uses dexamethasone (a steroid) filled patches that are stuck to my butt and hip. Electrical charges (the "bee sting" part) send the steroid into my skin and the goal is that the steroid will help with the inflammation. I've had 2 steroid shots in the last 2 months, so my orthopedic doctor won't let me get anymore for awhile. These steroid patches use less steroid, but the electricity is supposed to help the bursa absorb it easily. Who knows. It hurt, and it left red burn marks (not bad) on my hip, but this is pretty much all that can be done until my next appointment on June 11. At that appointment, we decide if the next step is an MRI ($$$ I'd rather not) or aspiration of the bursa sacks.... basically pulling fluid out of my bursa sacks in hopes that it will take away some pain while my body heals. I'd take amputation at this point if the doctor offered.... The good news is that since I'm working on strengthening the muscles in my butt, hamstrings and core, once they "fix" this bursitis problem, I should be able to run and exercise again, starting slowly, of course. HOWEVER, I also have issues with pain in my hip socket when the doctor "scours" it.... which basically means bending my leg up so the knee is pointing to the shoulder, then moving (scouring) the hip in an arc of motion while putting pressure down through the leg (yes, I googled this). The doctor said I might have a torn labrum which can't be seen without an MRI. Basically, that's torn cartilage around the hip joint (like a torn rotator cuff). If that's what's wrong, it would require surgery, but apparently it's not bad.... they use arthroscopy which makes just a very small incision for the surgery. Who knows. This has been a LONG process, but at least now my doctor is starting to figure out what the heck is wrong with my leg. I'm very thankful to Ryan and my family for helping me pay for all of these appointments!! This has been ridiculously expensive. Grrr. I'm pretty annoyed that with all of the doctors I've seen over the last 12 years, this is the first one to actually figure out what's wrong. Oh well. At least this guys figuring me out. That's something to be thankful for, right?

While I've been whining and cussing my sore butt, Ryan has been kicking butt training for his Ironman race on June 6!! I'm so proud of him. A few years ago, Ryan was told that his heart was not healthy enough for him to run or do anything strenuous. Early this year, a cardiologist discovered that Ryan's chest is thinner than what the EKG machine is used to, which is why he failed SEVEN EKG's while in the Army.... in other words, Ryan's heart is perfectly healthy and strong, and the doctor gave him the green light to do whatever it is he'd like to! :) Naturally, after being denied years of triathlons, Ryan decided to tackle a big one.... the Ironman! His goal is to qualify for Kona, the Ironman in Hawaii, within the next 4 years (the last 4 years in his current age group for Ironman). The Lawrence Ironman race is a 1.2 mile swim, a 56 mile bike ride, and a 1/2 marathon run. In Hawaii, everything is doubled. Ryan has been swimming at Tuttle Lake (I kayak next to him--safety first!!) in a wetsuit because the water is SO COLD! He is a great swimmer, raced in college, coaches at Junction City High School.... but open water swims are a different beast. He's discovered that dramamine is required before long open-water swims! :) If anyone wants to come watch his race with me, let me know!!

I have to share some photos of Ryan saving blue jay babies from the back yard this past weekend.... Our dog Sera snatched a baby jay when I let them out Sunday morning. Apparently a nest was in a big cedar tree right above the yard. They all fell out (or weren't successful on their first flight lesson) and were stuck in the yard since we have a big wooden privacy fence around the yard. I watched Sera chomping on one, freaked out, and made Ryan go outside and save them (after yelling at Sera and making the dogs stay inside). We went to church, came home and the parents were trying to teach the birds to jump up and over the fence.... this was not going to happen. Too weak! Ryan decided that he was tired of me whining about the poor babies being so small and tired from trying to get over the fence. He donned a bike helmet (to prevent dive-bombing mama from hitting his head) and gardening gloves. So funny!

Ohhhhh..... Just as I type this, I heard a noise at my kitchen window. The fox are back!!! While I enjoyed watching them grow, I am really nervous to see them back in my yard! They have grown so much, and they stand out so much.... it's hard to miss 6 fox wrestling, and I live next to a fairly busy street. Praying for these baby fox, and praying that the mama follows the creek out of town and takes them to the country. They are so cute though!