A new PR and a new train of thought!

Once again, it's been what seems like forever since my last post. I've actually had a lot to say lately, just haven't had the time to type it out. Well, that and the fact that I sit at a computer all day. So when I get home or finally have time to myself on the weekend, I'm anywhere but near a computer. But…I really am going to start making time to write more.

With that said, I am so excited to post about my latest race: the St. Jude Half Marathon! I went into it telling myself it's okay if you don't PR {really, you're not going to PR, so get it out of your mind}, and it's okay if you don't even get below 1:50 {which don't get me wrong is an awesome time...but that's a stretch, so you may as well make it 2:00}. This year has been quite wacky health-wise: overcoming the most excruciating pain ever with a kidney stone episode during the peak of my marathon training, changing the dosage of my PCOS medication THREE times, having two other kidney stone episodes, and then finding out about a spine issue.

Needless to say, my mileage decreased significantly. To my surprise, I have been just fine with that. I've wanted to decrease it anyway, trying to put more focus on getting pregnant now that my PCOS condition is somewhat under control.

But who am I kidding? I'm a competitive person, and though I went in believing trying to tell myself I was okay with a slower than PR time, I knew I wouldn't be in the long run (no pun intended :).

I started with the 3:30 marathon pace group and stayed with them the entire time. Running through St. Jude campus and seeing my dad right when we entered...seeing all those precious kids and their families cheering so loud for the St. Jude Heroes...the encouragement of super awesome and random runners along the way, especially our pacer Kevin...one of my closest friends and running buddy, Autumn, finding me at several spots along the route...and finally crossing that finish line knowing I had beat my PR by 4 minutes with an average pace at sub 8 minutes...that was truly a proud moment for me.

I'm not sure if it was all the shorter-distance races we ran, having trained for a marathon - even if it was 8 months prior, knowing everything I had overcome this year, or just setting a goal and knowing that I could reach it. Whatever it was, I sure was happy with the outcome!

The starting line {that guy in front of me was hilarious!}

Running down Beale Street!

the final .5!

Yes, I beat her!! :)

Such a great race!

Can't wait for my next 13.1...or 26.2. Who knows! :) Regardless, I'm going to stop obsessing about getting in X miles before a race. Training is still important obviously, but as long as I'm running and pushing myself, that's what really matters.

Finally, some answers!

Okay, so nevermind about the whole 30-day blog challenge. Things are way too busy, and I haven't been around my computer for the past few days. Maybe in 2012. :)

I finally received a call from my doctor last Tuesday. Good news: the stone has PASSED! And I didn't even feel it. This was such a huge relief...until I was immediately reminded of the intense lower back pain.

The CT scan showed some possible lower back issues, most likely related to a slipped disc. Great...just what an avid runner wants to hear. So he suggested I take it easy and look into going to a chiropractor.

I've never had any alternative treatments (acupuncture, going to a chiropractor, etc.), but that's not to say I'm against it at all. Acupuncture is supposed to be a lifesaver for all kinds of joint pain as well as infertility. And I know tons of people who swear by their chiropractor to help them not only with alignment, but stomach issues, acid reflux, and more. Needless to say, I'm open to almost anything.

Last Friday, I made an appointment with a chiropractor my Mom and sister go to. After talking about various pains and my daily routine, he took a few X-rays. Finally...we have an answer! All my discs look great and there's no blockage. But right at the bottom of my spine, just before my tailbone, it curves to the left. It was seriously the freakiest thing to see it. "There's your pain," the doc said. Well, duh!

It's more like the "Thoracolumbar" (3rd) image above, but lower - closer to tailbone.

He adjusted my neck (so weird!) and back, both of which popped more than I ever knew they could. I felt better at first, but of course he said I'd be sore for the next few days. Understatement of the century.

Up until yesterday morning, I was in pretty intense pain and feeling extremely sore. Nothing was helping - not Ibuprofen, my heating pad, alcohol, not even muscle relaxers. But finally when I woke up on Sunday, the pain was gone. It was torture not to run for three days straight! I'm in Nashville this week for work, so I had the chance to run through Downtown yesterday morning. Heaven!! I am so in love with this city!

More to come about the fun times in Nashvegas...I LOVE my job! :)

Starting 30-Day Blog Challenge!

As one of my New Year's resolutions, I wanted to write a blog every day for an entire month. With all the craziness going on in November, I might actually have enough to write about each day. We'll see how long that lasts, though...

I was supposed to get my CT scan results back from the urologist yesterday, which would then determine if I was going to have the current {and HIGHLY uncomfortable} stone removed by lithotripsy or cystoscopy. But of course, I'm still waiting. Hoping to hear something soon so we can get this resolved before I head out of town.

Autumn and I are doing a long run this afternoon, and I couldn't be more excited about it! I haven't run since Race for the Cure on Saturday, haven't done a long run in who knows how long, and I've been feeling so down and just blah because of it. But as my blogger friend Amanda said in today's blog post: there's no point in dwelling over runs that aren’t fast enough, long runs that aren't long enough, having no time to cross train, only time to run, and beating ourselves up for taking an extra rest day. "You have to appreciate your run TODAY!"

And so...I will. :) I'm going to appreciate that, my family, my friends, and so many other blessings today.

Another month, another stone...

{NOTE: This is a highly personal post and might be TMI. Just letting you know.}

Seriously…we're back here again?! Last Wednesday, I went to my urologist who informed me of what I already knew...ANOTHER kidney stone. Awesome. But instead of going ahead and removing it or giving me a real plan of action, he just said, "let's wait until it passes and then run some tests." Or in my case, "let's wait 'til it gets stuck again and you end up in the ER for 8 hours on a Sunday."

This is now my third episode with stones. Yesterday I was so thankful to have started feeling better, as the intense pressure subsided a bit. Over the weekend, I had to go back on prescription pain meds, which was SO not fun. The nausea, extreme tiredness, and lack of motivation don't really make for a great few days (especially when you have a wedding and shower to attend).

Now, however, I'm starting to think it was just because the pain meds had left my body and I had a little more energy. As I was getting ready this morning, I all of a sudden felt incredibly lightheaded, and then came a huge rush of pain. I had to sit down on the tile floor and just breathe for a few minutes. After a glass of low acid OJ and two Tylenol Extra Strength, I started feeling a little better. Could've been a combination of low blood sugar, what's supposed to be a certain time of the month, and the stone moving around...or it could've been something else entirely. Whatever it is, you can imagine the frustration of having no answers.

And no (to those of you who I know will ask), I did not run this morning. There may be speculation of distance running playing a part in getting stones or not being able to conceive...but I am convinced - as are my doctors - that it doesn't play a role in either. Maybe I should cut back slightly on the races, but other than one completed 10-miler and two upcoming half marathons, my distance hasn't picked up at all. I'm still between 20-25 miles a week, which both my doctors strongly encourage.

Personally, I'm convinced it's the medicine I'm on to make me that's supposed to make me ovulate: Metformin. Not only is it a diabetic drug (which is obviously great for someone who's borderline hypoglycemic...yea, not so much), but there has been a lot of correlation between that and kidney issues. Not to mention the fact that I started the medication in late May of last year and had my first kidney episode in early October.

I was running long distances long before 2010. AND, not that I would ever be in this great of shape, but please tell me how doctors gave this woman the okay to run marathons (yes, plural) during pregnancy if running was so bad for you? Of course I know every person's body is different...but still. Anyway, I go back to my OB-GYN next week to get put on Clomid. Can't wait to see what side effects that brings on! ;)

I'm waiting to hear back from my urologist, but if I still feel like this come Monday, I'll go in for a CT scan and either have it removed by cystoscopy or hopefully get it broken up by laser treatment next week. Will keep you posted...

On a positive note, Brent has been AMAZING this past week dealing with me and my moodiness. So sweet, cooking for me every night, and just being there for me. And it's Halloween week!! The hubby and I don't have any set plans yet, but there are a few parties lined up for the weekend. We'll see what happens. All I know is, we're ready for 10/31 at the Wilson household - Buster included!

Continuing with the positivity, I got an iPhone yesterday...whoop!! I'm learning quickly, and I absolutely LOVE it!

Last but not least, I get to go to the 2011 CMA Awards!!! My company, Mahaffey Tent and Party Rentals does the red carpet tent for it every year, and this year I get to go...at least, I'll be there for the red carpet. I'll be there with our crew to film the set up (we're creating a super fab time-lapse video to use for marketing) and red carpet on the day of the awards. Still holding out for a ticket, so we'll see! I also get to spend a few days with my fabulous new friend Whitney and her husband Michal. We met them while in Seaside, FL for our friends' wedding.

Lots to look forward to!!

One thing after the other...

I've contemplated blogging about this for some time, but always felt it was best kept private. But so many friends and acquaintances have told their stories, and I felt like it was time I shared mine...especially since the "you don't have kids yet?" question has come up more lately than ever.

I consider myself pretty healthy. I exercise regularly, eat healthy for the most part, and do what I can to keep stress levels down. Running helps tremendously with that, as does Buster the Boston Terrier. :)

However, I’ve always had issues with acid reflux (severe when I was a baby and came back my senior year of college) and low blood sugar (I've passed out more times than I can remember and was diagnosed as being borderline hypoglycemic). Other than that, I haven’t had many issues.

In May of 2010, I was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). Since then, it's been one thing after another. I got off birth control in the fall of 2009; for one because I was getting cysts and you shouldn’t being on the pill, and two because I had been on it for over 11 years and I knew we eventually wanted to start a family.

Brent and I briefly "tried" to have kids early last year, but obviously nothing happened. I promise you, I could buy stock in home pregnancy tests. My cycle was either late or nonexistent every month, complete with what I thought were pregnancy symptoms. One of the last tests I took messed with me big time, as the second (or "You're pregnant!") line showed up, but quickly went away a minute later. I finally had enough and made an appointment with my OB-GYN. I explained to her about some irregularities and minor pain I was experiencing, so she scheduled an ultrasound. Bad news...not only was I not pregnant, but I had a severe case of PCOS.

One of my ovaries from the ultrasound...the other looked just like it.
All the black circles are cysts.

Basically, I wasn't ovulating, making it impossible to get pregnant. I was devastated. Spending so much time and money wondering if (wishing) I was pregnant, only to find out that might not be in the cards for me. I was put on Metformin, one of the top drugs to treat PCOS and get me to start ovulating. It took quite a while for my body to get used to, as Metformin is also a diabetic drug which lowers your blood sugar (just what I needed since mine is already low). Dealing with painful cysts, night sweats, and at times what felt like mild depression has been very trying on me and just about every relationship from my marriage to friends. But I've done my best to recognize the symptoms and to not let them affect me.

Then, just before Christmas last year, I started having terrible pains and discomfort in my lower back on the right side. After experiencing numerous symptoms and becoming an expert Google searcher, I realized it was kidney-related. Blood in urine, extreme pressure when I had to use the bathroom, etc. After a few very expensive trips to the urologist and the most excruciating kidney-stone-trying-to-pass experience (imagine what's in the image below going through something the size of a straw), I thought that mess was behind me. Ha!

This is what my lovely 4mm stone looked like...

Just this weekend, I started feeling that awful, all-to-familiar pressure in the lower right side of my back. Every day it got a little worse, and then came blood in the urine again. I finally got in to see my urologist yesterday morning. Just as I suspected...two kidney stones. Thankfully, these are smaller and I have been assured they will pass without pain. I was so upset, as I've been following a low oxalate diet since February. That obviously didn't matter...I'm just one of the "lucky few who's prone to them." Super. So far, no severe pain, but there's still a good bit of pressure. I have pain meds to take when needed, as well as a Flomax-type medication to speed up the passing process (I just love feeling like a 70-year-old man). Fingers crossed that it works soon. This morning was not pleasant...and while I enjoy being able to work from home in my pjs, I'd much rather be at the office.

All that said, it's safe to say Brent and I decided it was best to wait on the baby talk. We're both crazy busy with work, and we're having a blast traveling when we can. Every time I feel like we might be ready to start trying again, my body goes through something else, and then I want to give it time to get back to normal. Not that I believe "the right time" will be on our schedule anyway...it's ultimately not up to us.

Through all this, I still have to thank God for my health and so many other blessings. Things could be so much worse, and I know that. There's still hope that Metformin will work as it should when we are "ready." It's already done its job getting my cyst count down tremendously, as well as helping to regulate my cycle for the most part. SO thankful for that! Should it not work, I'll switch to Clomid for 3-4 months, fertility drugs after that, and if nothing happens by that point, we'll reevaluate what we want to do. Oh yeah...and every doctor I've been to says that all the running I do is excellent for me. So again, things could be a lot worse...I can't imagine not running!

Growing up, I always thought I'd simply decide when I wanted to get pregnant, and it would happen just like that. Having talked to so many friends and other women and read about how common this and problems like it are, I've remained hopeful. I also never thought kidney stones would be something I'd have to worry about either. Life is all about dealing with what you're given and making the best of it. So that's what I'm trying to do. :)

As usual, sorry for the long post.

Seriously...a diet?!

Okay, don't freak out...I'm not going on a "diet," per se. But now having a history of kidney stones, I have been put on a low-oxalate diet for pretty much the rest of my life. Just fabulous.

So, this is all pretty boring stuff. And to be honest, I didn't give it much thought until this morning when I felt a small nagging pain in my lower back. I know it's not another stone, but it did get me thinking; so I gave my lovely do-not-eat list a good once-over. I consume so much of these products on a daily basis...not good. I guess it's time to officially go on a "diet."

Here is a link to high-oxalate foods I'm supposed to avoid. Green beans, draft beer, strawberries, and cereals are all on the list. Awesome. Oh yeah, so is tofu...there goes my plan of becoming a vegetarian.

Overview
Oxalates are compounds found in many foods and may be one source that leads to the formation of kidney stones. According to MayoClinic.com, kidney stones develop when there is not enough fluid in urine to dilute mineral and acid buildup. Oxalic acid, the byproduct of ingested oxalates, is one factor that can become out of balance. High oxalate levels in urine and plasma may work to create calcium oxalate, the substance that forms some kidney stones. Neutralizing the oxalate levels in your diet may help prevent problems with your kidneys and improve overall health.

My instructions:

1. Limit your intake of high-oxalate foods. Cut down on green leafy vegetables, chocolate and caffeine drinks, such as soda or tea (not including green tea...thank goodness!). Brewed coffee is OK, but stay away from instant coffee mixes. Other foods to limit include cereals (dammit!), bran, nuts, black pepper, and soy sauce.
   
   
2. Increase your intake of low-oxalate foods. Include lean meats (turkey meat...thank you!), green tea (morning ritual...thank you!), bananas, cherries, mushrooms, cauliflower, cabbage, and most berry fruits...but I have to stay away from strawberries. :(. Shifting your diet away from foods that contain high levels of oxalates is the best way to eliminate the acid from your body.
   
   
   
3. Drink plenty of water each day (I'm a runner...duh). One factor in the formation of kidney stones is low levels of liquid in urine. Drinking water will counteract that problem and neutralize oxalate. Monitor your water intake to ensure you drink at least eight glasses or more of water daily.
   
   
4. Add 2 cups of calcium-fortified orange juice to breakfast (luckily I already drink a glass of low acid juice every morning). Citrus juices contain citric acid and may neutralize some products in urine, including oxalic acid. Science has yet to prove this, but MayoClinic.com lists citrus juice as one alternative medicine for treatment of kidney stones.

For more information on this oh-so-interesting topic, visit http://www.livestrong.com/article/268569-how-to-neutralize-oxalates-in-a-diet/.

The Power of a Kidney Stone

The phrase "it brought me to my knees" took on a whole new meaning for me last week.

For months, I was dealing with some major health issues...from unbearable pressure in my lower back to dealing with hypoglycemic symptoms to blood in the urine. After a few trips to the urologist and one to my OB-GYN, they found a couple small kidney stones. Of course that was after a lovely bill from a CT scan, cath test, and who knows how many other tests. Thankfully everyone was in agreement that my running had nothing to do with any of this. :) The urologist assured me that the blood was just from an infection and being that the stones were so "microscopic," I shouldn't even feel them pass. HE. WAS.WRONG.

The Saturday before last, I had the incredible honor of being invited to go wedding dress shopping with one of my closest friends! It was such a fun day (once we got there, at least). We were meeting at Kelly's at 6:45 that morning, as her appointment was at 9 and the place was about an hour and a half away. Around 6:15, I had my first attack of the day. After about 10 minutes, the pain went away, and I finished getting ready. I was a little nervous about it happening again, but went about my day anyway. About an hour into our drive to Low's Bridal Shop, another attack came on. This one was worse than the first...I started sweating profusely, and the pain became unbearable. I laid across the back seat of Kelly's Jeep, across her sister and Molly (thanks again, ladies!). Thankfully I passed out for a minute. A few minutes later, we stopped, and I was able to get out and use the restroom. I felt fine after that and didn't have another episode for the remained of the day.

Sunday was a different story. I ran 16 miles with Autumn that morning, and oddly enough, it was one of my best training runs to date. I felt great the whole time and was totally pain-free! We started super early, as we both needed enough time to get ready for church. Around 11am, just before we were about to leave, I started feeling really sick. Then came the back pressure. I tried laying down on the bed to see if stretching helped, but that only made it worse. Then it hit me...it was the most EXCRUCIATING pain I've EVER felt! It was like someone was beating my kidney with a steel hammer, while stabbing and yanking it out with a knife...all at the same time.

At first, Brent thought I was just being a wuss and needed the heating pad. I could barely speak, but managed to get out that I needed to go to the ER right away. He said I would be fine, just needed to lay still for a few minutes, and it would pass. He left to go to Walgreens to pick up some Tylenol Extra Strength and a heat wrap. In the 5 minutes he was gone, I called him twice, called my dad, and was about to dial 911. Never had I ever been in that much pain, and it wasn't letting up even the slightest bit. Finally, I convinced Brent it wasn't your average back pain (maybe it was the ridiculous shrieking that did the trick?!), and he drove me to the ER.

We got there around 12:15pm...four hours and 45 minutes of me screaming my head off and causing more ruckus than in all my 28 years of living, I was finally admitted into a room. It was 30-45 minutes of excruciating pain followed by 20 minutes of just numbing pain followed by another 30-45 minutes of excruciating pain followed by 20 minutes of numbing pain. It went on like that the entire time in the waiting room. About three hours in, I was at least put on fluids, as they needed me to have something in my stomach for when I was finally given pain meds...which were AWESOME, by the way! If you've never taken Dilaudid, take my word for it!! Not trying in any way to promote an addiction to pain killers, but for someone in the amount of pain I was in, this stuff works!

A few hours, another CT scan (confirming a 3-4mm stone), and three more injections of Dilaudid, and I was finally able to go home. I have to throw in that my amazing parents were up there with Brent and me the entire time. :)

The doctor told me I would pass it by the next day...umm, not so much. I had three episodes on Monday, two not-so-bad ones on Tuesday (even went into work for a few hours), and had the stone removed by cystoscopy on Wednesday. I went into work for a half day Thursday and was back to myself and totally pain-free by Friday. Madness, I tell you! Madness that cost us about $5,000...not awesome.

Through it all (aside from the first few minutes of not taking me seriously on Sunday), Brent was absolutely amazing. He never left my side, made me soup for every meal, carried me from the couch to the bed, brought me TCBY (my fave!), and showed me more love than I could've ever imagined. I am so thankful for him and feel so blessed to call him my husband.

Now that that's behind me, I'm just hoping to stay injury-free until marathon day!!