Final Day

I had my final day of this school year with my good friend, Vicki's, fourth grade class yesterday. They had a lovely volunteer appreciation breakfast in the morning before I spent my last morning with her classroom. She had such a GREAT group of kids this year and they were a blast to work with! I'll miss my weekly visits with her kids, but look forward to a new crop to screw up next year. She got some pics of me with the kids I worked with most of the school year and, provided she gets permission from their parents/guardians, I will post the pics here at a later time.

Vicki and I are like siblings that actually get along and have a great friendship. We serve together on the worship team at CrossRoads and are a great support and encouragement to one another on the parenting-front as we both have teenage daughters of about the same ages with much the same challenges. She was also one of my greatest supporters in my marathon effort and... endured the exposure sufferings of that miserable race day with many other of my awesome family and friends. Below is a pic of her, on the left, along with Tammy in the middle, and friend, Dianna Johnston, following the marathon. Vicki... the Lord had truly blessed me the day he put you into my life and began to grow our friendship! I am so very thankful for having you in my life!

Doctor Says I'm Broken

I had two doctors at the sports care facility in Toledo examine me today and they are fairly certain from the x-rays, MRI I had done, and from their physical exam of my leg that I have a stress fracture of approximately 3 cm on my distal, medial tibia (lower, inside part of my leg). They put me in a splint-type boot to wear to take the weight bearing off my lower leg bones when I am up and about, and I have some exercises to do. I will go back to see Dr. Ragan again when I get back from a tour of duty for work down in Columbus I have to do until June 6th. I leave for Columbus on Memorial Day night. If the boot has not helped with my healing, Dr. Ragan will do some more diagnostic testing, but he is fairly certain we are treating my injury appropriately now.

The bummer thing about the boot is that I can't wear it driving and my job entails a lot, like 200+ miles/day, of driving and I'm in and out of the car and do a lot of walking around. So, I will wear the boot as much as I can. I'm also restricted to light duties with the fire department. I have to use the boot 4 - 6 weeks. I can use the stationary or regular bike for cardio work as long as I don't stress the leg in higher gears or do any "spinning" type classes (no worries there - hehe).

So, there you have it. I'm out of running commission for a little while longer. Pretty wicked to think I ran (mostly) 26.2 miles with a fractured leg in snow squals, sleet, driving rain, and in freezing temperatures. No wonder I don't remember much of the end of the race.

Thank you so much everyone for your concern, your thoughts, and your prayers. I really do sincerely appreciate them, and you, all. : )

Sports Med Appointment

I have an appointment on Monday with a sports med doc at Sports Care at Wildwood in Toledo. Just got off the phone with one of the receptionists who called to confirm my appointment and she also advised she had located all of my radiology and MRI reports and would be sure the doctor (Dr. Reagan, though not spelled that way) gets all the info prior to my appointment. I'm anxious to be looked at by another physician that will hopefully be able to diagnose what is wrong with my leg and get me on a road to recovery. It really feels no better and aches constantly. I tried to go to sleep night before last without taking any ibuprofen and could not as it was aching so much that I could not get to sleep.

I got Cassy's shadow box out in the mail today. Should be there within a week. I can't wait till she and Aunt Denise get it.

We'll be at Lindsey's school softball team's final tournament in Monroe for most of the day tomorrow, then I have rehearsal at church later in the afternoon for Sunday's services. I'm singing on the worship team and also doing a tune by Matthew West, "You are Everything", in the services.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Why We Drill on Ladders

Just got back from drill at the fire station and training tower. Drill was on ground and aerial ladder usage. Seems like we do this a lot during the course of the year and it seems like they would be a simple enough tool to use, but refreshing our usage is always good.
Case in point... here is how NOT to properly foot a ladder: Click here.

Shadow Box

I made this shadow box of my race bib number, a photo at the finish, and my finisher's medal for the marathon I ran on Cassy's behalf. It will be going out in the mail to her in San Antonio with a letter. Cassy and my Aunt Denise have persevered with so much more than I ever will in training for and running a race and are such an inspiration to me. They deserve it so much more than me.

Negative Findings on MRI

No surprise here. My "doctor", who shall remain nameless, called me yesterday while I was on the road. He didn't even remember getting my history, examing me, what he said to me, what he ordered... blah, blah, blah, until I filled in all the holes in his worse-than-mine memory. Anyway, he said the MRI was negative for a stress fracture. No surprise there since I already had that information from another source.

So, I say, "So, what's next?". Doc replies, "I was going to ask you the same thing." I say "Orthopedic consult?". He says, "I wouldn't go to an orthopedic surgeon yet." I say, "Bone scan?". He says nothing. Ultimately decided to refer my care over to a sports doc that their office is affiliated with. I think - but don't say - "Thank goodness, you quack!". So, my next step is a consultation with a sports doctor. Hopefully a significantly better physician than the "I'm not a doctor, but I play one on t.v." doctor that I started with. : )

Leg - still killing me - I couldn't get to sleep last night cause it was aching so badly. : (

Blog - will keep as is with some tweaking when I get the time. Thanks everyone that chimed in on that prior post. It's nice to know that people are actually reading this - other than me. Q - I don't know what Seely means?!?

We're (Tammy and friend, Dianna Johnston) heading up to Grand Rapids this afternoon for the Fifth Third River Bank Run. Tammy is going to run the 5K race at 8:10 tomorrow morning and Dianna is running the 25K race. I was to have run/ran (whatever) the 25K race with Dianna had I been up to it, but am definitely not so... I have broke out the cheerleader skirt, sweater, and pom-poms for the races. There will also be several RA (RunningAHEAD) people there that I will have the opportunity to meet up with before the race so, that will be really cool!

Good luck to fellow blogger Sherry (Stiffy Leg Blues) who is in her first triathalon race this weekend in Orlando, FL. Swim, bike, run yer booty off, Sherry!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Rick

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Happy Mother's Day to all you Moms out there!

Cost of a Mother's Day card: $4.23

Cost of Mother's Day flowers: $3.19 (you have to know where to go for them)

Cost of a Mother's Day dinner out for a family of four: $80.00 (roughly depending on where you go)

Value of what all you mothers mean in our lives: PRICELESS

Thanks moms for all the thankless things you do everyday that we children and husbands all too often take for granted.

Love,
A thankful son and husband

No MRI Results Yet

For those of you who have been wondering, I have not gotten the results from my MRI yet. I stopped in my doctor's office yesterday morning following a run I had with the fire department which had me going to the hospital ER right around the corner from my doc's office and they didn't have time for anyone to get to me about the results and said to call.

So, I called later in the afternoon yesterday, got a nurse who promptly asked me for a number a doc could call me back at to give me the results. I gave her my cell phone number as they have my home number on file, but I have not heard anything. So, I don't even know if they have the radiologist's report on the MRI at the doctor's office of not yet or if the doc has signed off on it for anyone else to be able to relate the information to me. I am in the dark as much as any of you.

What I do know is my leg pain is like a roller coaster. Yesterday afternoon/evening it was killing me, it is like a dull, hard, constant ache with definite "hot spots" to the touch on the bone. Today the dull ache is not there, but the "hot spots" are the same. Although, I feel as though if I needed to run I could manage it.... Just kidding.

MTA (05-08-08): I put a note in the comments about more info I got yesterday regarding the MRI and what will likely happen next for those of you that like to know further.

For My Daughters

Most of you know that I have two teenage daughters, Chelsea, age 16, and Lindsey, age 13. For a father of two girls, this is a difficult period in my life. Neither one of them are any longer "my little girl", though in my mind, they both will always be. Chelsea has matured into a beautiful young woman, vivacious, fun-spirited, and full of life and Lindsey is just entering into that stage in her life where she is "coming into her own" and maturing into a beautiful young lady as well with a heart to match.

Anyway, every day has it's new horizons or new bridges to cross when it comes to raising two young women and, I confess, I don't always know the "right" way to proceed or react in every new situation that arises. I have strived to be a Godly father modeling for them the man I hope they would ultimately seek - loving, caring, selfless, honest, with integrity - but fall short on a daily basis, which isn't a self-criticism, but rather a reality. My heart has always been, and always will be, for the best for them, to protect them and that they never experience any hardship or heartbreak, which I know is not humanly possible... even as their dad.

I know relationships with young men are inevitable and we've already entered into those phases of their young lives. That doesn't make it any easier for a loving, caring, and protective father to let go. What I do know is that had either my or Tammy's parents interfered with our relationship when we first starting seeing each other when she was only 16 and I 17, they could have potentially thwarted something that God had planned way before we ever knew each other. I try to be mindful of this with every new boy that steps across the threshold of our front door and to not be judgmental or formulate opinions based on first impressions. It is not my plan, but God's, in who He intends to pair my daughters up with ultimately and I don't ever want to get in the way of that.

While I would like to selectively hand pick my daughters' future husbands - after hours of grueling, under the microscope and flood lamp interviews - I know this simply isn't realistic. But, I do pray. I pray for the man that will honor and cherish them for the beautiful and lovely young women that they are... that God has created them to be. I pray that he cares for, respects, and adores them as I and our heavenly Father cares for, respects, and adores them.

So, when I when I came across the following passage from Kenna's blog (Pastor Mark's awesome youngest daughter, Lindsey's age, that I adore as if my own), it got me thinking about the man that my daughters will eventually make a life with and I pray, he is something like this:

Find a guy who calls you beautiful instead of hot ,
who calls you back when you hang up on him,
who will stay awake just to watch you sleep.

Wait for the guy who kisses your forehead,
who wants to show you off to the world when you are in your sweats,
who holds your hand in front of his friends.

Wait for the one who is constantly reminding you of how much he cares about you and how lucky he is to have you.

Wait for the one who turns to his friends and says, ...'that's her!'

Chelsea and Lindsey, it's not easy trying to mature as a father along with you both and, slowly letting go. I love you both so much... perhaps more than you will ever know, but... I hope not.

Love,
Dad

Where Do I Go From Here?

Well, I essentially have completed the task I set out to for which this blog was created. There are a few loose strings relative to this blog, one of which will involve Cassy yet, that I have to wrap up, but really, there's nothing more in direct relationship to this blog title. So, it appears I am at a crossroads with what to do with this blog site as my friend, Sara, was with her's following the completion of her first marathon, The St. Louis Marathon. Now, I know what baseball legend Yogi Berra would do at this point as he once said, "When you come to a fork in the road, take it." I'm not sure what I should do about the fork in this blog road though.

I guess there are basically three choices: 1. Keep blogging under the same title as all my runs are with Cassy in mind anyway - once I am able to run again - and it's not like this blog has been strictly about running anyway, but more of a snapshot of my life 2. Re-title the blog and keep blogging generally, really no different than what it is now with its current title and, I would have to come up with a snappy new blog title, which I really am not good at, or 3. Quit blogging (a chorus of cheers ring out across the land).

I won't do anything with this blog until I have fully completed the few loose ends that I have yet and post on them. Once that is completed, I am open to any suggestions. I hope that this blog hase been somewhat entertaining, for all 2 or 3 of you that read it (me included, and I've found myself to have flashes of brilliance at moments and downright PIMP - peeing in my pants - witty at times), enlightening, and encouraging. So, feel free to chime in on if you think I should take the fork in the road or not. And, if so, which one... or another?

Perhaps I'll take up competitive Bridge playing and blog about that? May be one of my viable alternatives if I can't run for awhile...

I think I can take these fellas... even WITH a bum leg! ;-)