Oh where oh where have my Big Sistas gone...oh where oh where have they gone? (my apologies to Mother Goose...or was that Grimm?)
Anyhow, I figure I will re-start this since the holidays are about upon us, and that is SURELY good fodder for blogging!!! ; )
Let's see.....first quarter grades are out...Kyle made high honors with all A's and a VERY high B+. Momma is very pleased! He has worked hard, and knows this is an important year for him. He just missed the all A's by .31 of a point....oh well! He has been working hard flippin' burgers too and making some cash for Christmas and all of his little desires, as well. Not sure about the basketball thing....think he is balking and may not try out after all...RATS! I really love to watch him play...
As for me....I have been running again...on a treadmill anyhow, which is easier on my weaker ankle. Up to 3+ miles, but nothing more than 5.7 mph so far. It feels good just to be able to do that much again, and I don't plan on pushing it. A friend asked me if I might run the Brewer High School Turkey Trot this coming weekend....I think I am going to...Won't be setting any records, but the satisfaction of it will be well worth the effort. Will keep you all posted.
School goes on....and on......and on.......and, well you get the picture! No, seriously it is fine. I am teaching basketball to just the girls while the boys swim....LOVIN' IT! The ladies are having a fun time too, which is great for the ones who really don't like the game much.
Everything else is fine here in lovely Brewer, Maine. Hope you are all well!
Kimmie
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Monday, October 20, 2008
The LAST time....I hope!
Yes...this could be and I SINCERELY hope it will be, the very last time I blog about my stupid achilles tendons!
Saw Dr. Hanley today in Portland, and he said he would NOT do another surgery, no way!!! Said after already having two surgeries that he would NOT even go there at this point. I was glad to hear that, and just hope it all works out. He thinks the tendon and muscles will continue to strengthen with a lot of P.T. and other strengthening exercises that I can do on my own. Said running will help because of pushing off the forefoot etc. He and his associate were very nice, and helpful. Answered all my questions, even the one about WHY my tendon is "stretched" the way it supposedly is. He even admitted that "sometimes we don't get the tension just right" but that it will be fine, not perfect, but will get better in a few months yet. What a relief!!!!! There was NO way I was looking forward to another surgery on that one!
So, hopefully the ankle saga ends here.....I actually jogged 3+ miles comfortably on Sunday. I did not push it even, and do not plan to ever again! I will now be mixing up my routine between runs, bike rides, eliptical workouts, tread climbers, and whatever else!!!
Kyle is doing very well this quarter in school....All A's up until Friday...he did bomb a Graphic Arts quiz which even HE admitted he should have studied for. Their last game is this week...Varsity at Bangor (ugh) on Friday night, then he plays home to them on the following Monday. He was very happy that his cousin, Tyler, and Uncle Don came to his game last week.
I had a great time chatting with them during the game as well.
We went to see Bob Marley at the Bangor Auditorium this past Saturday night...God that man is funny!!! Kyle really enjoyed it.
That's about it from here....just working on clearing leaves away...I HATE this time of year!!! Be good you all!
Kim
Saw Dr. Hanley today in Portland, and he said he would NOT do another surgery, no way!!! Said after already having two surgeries that he would NOT even go there at this point. I was glad to hear that, and just hope it all works out. He thinks the tendon and muscles will continue to strengthen with a lot of P.T. and other strengthening exercises that I can do on my own. Said running will help because of pushing off the forefoot etc. He and his associate were very nice, and helpful. Answered all my questions, even the one about WHY my tendon is "stretched" the way it supposedly is. He even admitted that "sometimes we don't get the tension just right" but that it will be fine, not perfect, but will get better in a few months yet. What a relief!!!!! There was NO way I was looking forward to another surgery on that one!
So, hopefully the ankle saga ends here.....I actually jogged 3+ miles comfortably on Sunday. I did not push it even, and do not plan to ever again! I will now be mixing up my routine between runs, bike rides, eliptical workouts, tread climbers, and whatever else!!!
Kyle is doing very well this quarter in school....All A's up until Friday...he did bomb a Graphic Arts quiz which even HE admitted he should have studied for. Their last game is this week...Varsity at Bangor (ugh) on Friday night, then he plays home to them on the following Monday. He was very happy that his cousin, Tyler, and Uncle Don came to his game last week.
I had a great time chatting with them during the game as well.
We went to see Bob Marley at the Bangor Auditorium this past Saturday night...God that man is funny!!! Kyle really enjoyed it.
That's about it from here....just working on clearing leaves away...I HATE this time of year!!! Be good you all!
Kim
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
I DID IT!!!
Today, for the first time in OVER a year, I ran....not on a treadmill, which I was able to do last spring before the last surgery, but on the dry land. NO hills, just a 1/3 mile loop that we have nearby...I ran 6 of them even! Ok...so "RAN" is really a stretch, cause it was truly a "JOG" in the eyes of a physical educator, but I did in fact have two feet off of the ground at one time, which classifies it as a running pattern kinesthetically at least!!! My left leg, the one with the continuing issues, was quite tired afterward, but it sure felt good to try again. I know, I know...don't push my luck....and, believe me, I WON'T!!! I will need a day or two to recover...thinking biking instead, then will try again...gonna take it slow.
My second opinion is scheduled for the 20th of this month, in Portland. I am curious what will come of it...The right one is coming along nicely...getting stronger every day.
Kyle is doing well....a good half of the first quarter so far...am proud of him. Football-wise, his J.V. team lost by 55-0 to Lawrence!!! Ouch. They played some Varsity players, and we got waxed!!! Kyle jumped up to catch a pass, which was behind him, and got slammed by another player (it was the hardest I have seen him hit and I was freakin'!!!) and his middle finger got caught in between his helmet and the other guy's..nice. Thought I was gonna have to release the nail bed for the hematoma that developed, but he iced it, which killed he said, then went back in! What a tough guy he is afterall. :)
Super Sib #2 came up on Friday night, spent the night here, then we headed to Karen Mac's for the last day of her art exhibit in Rockport. It was fun to be with them both again; been a while.
Am looking forward to the long weekend, the Red Sox games (YEA) and just relaxing for a few days. The boy is looking forward to another Varsity game that hopefully we can win (Cony), working 3-close at McDonald's on Sat. and his first day back at church since my surgery. Busy busy busy!!!
Have a good one all.
Kimmie
My second opinion is scheduled for the 20th of this month, in Portland. I am curious what will come of it...The right one is coming along nicely...getting stronger every day.
Kyle is doing well....a good half of the first quarter so far...am proud of him. Football-wise, his J.V. team lost by 55-0 to Lawrence!!! Ouch. They played some Varsity players, and we got waxed!!! Kyle jumped up to catch a pass, which was behind him, and got slammed by another player (it was the hardest I have seen him hit and I was freakin'!!!) and his middle finger got caught in between his helmet and the other guy's..nice. Thought I was gonna have to release the nail bed for the hematoma that developed, but he iced it, which killed he said, then went back in! What a tough guy he is afterall. :)
Super Sib #2 came up on Friday night, spent the night here, then we headed to Karen Mac's for the last day of her art exhibit in Rockport. It was fun to be with them both again; been a while.
Am looking forward to the long weekend, the Red Sox games (YEA) and just relaxing for a few days. The boy is looking forward to another Varsity game that hopefully we can win (Cony), working 3-close at McDonald's on Sat. and his first day back at church since my surgery. Busy busy busy!!!
Have a good one all.
Kimmie
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
What is WRONG with kids nowadays???
Today at school, we used funds from a MELMAC grant (you remember that name Sistas...they held our school loans for a time) to hold a career/college fair day. I have this group of sophs. who could not give a rat's patootie about their education/futures whatsoever! They soooo tick me off!
Can't tell you how many presenters asked me what was up with them...Jeesh. Here's an opportunity to observe direct hire companies, colleges, and a variety of other job and post high school situations, and they sat on their hands, some even uttering the dreadful 'I wish we had classes instead of this today' comments!!!! "Oh my GOD, Magnum" what is wrong with these kids!!!???
Ok...that's off my chest. Not that I feel better, but.....I think my son is seriously considering a lot of options at this point, so feel good about that.
Family issues are at the forefront this month....two nieces have gone away to college, one for the first year, the other for her third. I love them dearly, and always think about how they are faring, though have no doubts that they will be fine.
Brother #2 (or is that 3 with Bob in the mix?) is now "engaged" but no date is set...a good thing.................I guess. Wish him well, certainly, but don't really know this girl, except for a few not so wonderful experiences she has had with Drew. We shall see....like I said, I hope it works out for him/them. Kyle is fine...doing very well this year so far in school....spoke to his football coach tonight about a few concerns...something I rarely do, but Kyle has a hard time being assertive, and now I know his coach has seen that too. He is a good man, and Ken was his major influence in being a coach to begin with, so he knows me very well. Ken knew the family well, coached both brothers in fact, and would be pleased that Don is Kyle's coach. He is very concerned with Kyle and wants desperately to find a role for him....hope he does. Hard to be a wide receiver in a running type offense though...suggested more defense and special teams, but we'll see. "It's a dog-eat-dog world and Kyle's wearin' Milk Bone underwear" at this point...not a snow ball's chance in He@* in other words!
As for me...have a second opinion meeting in Portland with Super Sib #1's referral, Dr. Haney, on the 20th of Oct. Now to just face the music of requesting my medical files and telling my Doc here that I am looking elsewhere on this one! Hopefully, he will understand why...if he doesn't, too bad! Need my whole body to do my job...not just my hands like he does. Who knows though, I may not hear what I want anyhow, so it's still so up in the air.
That's about it on the Brewer front kids......Ciao!
Kimmie
Can't tell you how many presenters asked me what was up with them...Jeesh. Here's an opportunity to observe direct hire companies, colleges, and a variety of other job and post high school situations, and they sat on their hands, some even uttering the dreadful 'I wish we had classes instead of this today' comments!!!! "Oh my GOD, Magnum" what is wrong with these kids!!!???
Ok...that's off my chest. Not that I feel better, but.....I think my son is seriously considering a lot of options at this point, so feel good about that.
Family issues are at the forefront this month....two nieces have gone away to college, one for the first year, the other for her third. I love them dearly, and always think about how they are faring, though have no doubts that they will be fine.
Brother #2 (or is that 3 with Bob in the mix?) is now "engaged" but no date is set...a good thing.................I guess. Wish him well, certainly, but don't really know this girl, except for a few not so wonderful experiences she has had with Drew. We shall see....like I said, I hope it works out for him/them. Kyle is fine...doing very well this year so far in school....spoke to his football coach tonight about a few concerns...something I rarely do, but Kyle has a hard time being assertive, and now I know his coach has seen that too. He is a good man, and Ken was his major influence in being a coach to begin with, so he knows me very well. Ken knew the family well, coached both brothers in fact, and would be pleased that Don is Kyle's coach. He is very concerned with Kyle and wants desperately to find a role for him....hope he does. Hard to be a wide receiver in a running type offense though...suggested more defense and special teams, but we'll see. "It's a dog-eat-dog world and Kyle's wearin' Milk Bone underwear" at this point...not a snow ball's chance in He@* in other words!
As for me...have a second opinion meeting in Portland with Super Sib #1's referral, Dr. Haney, on the 20th of Oct. Now to just face the music of requesting my medical files and telling my Doc here that I am looking elsewhere on this one! Hopefully, he will understand why...if he doesn't, too bad! Need my whole body to do my job...not just my hands like he does. Who knows though, I may not hear what I want anyhow, so it's still so up in the air.
That's about it on the Brewer front kids......Ciao!
Kimmie
Sunday, September 14, 2008
And the hits just keep on coming...
Well, it seems my super sibs are finally back on line again, so I guess it's my turn(?) Alas, I have larger fish to fry than Sarah Palin...sorry girls, not even going to waste my time there. Personally, I think we should be able to throw all four of them back and tell this country we want new candidates all around!
Kim is a bit jaded these days...her health triangle has been off balance for too long. Finally, I got some good news on the infected right ankle...it is healing just fine after a bit of an ugly scare...but, as I said, "the hits just keep on coming."
I told my Dr. that I was more concerned with the two time repaired left ankle as I still cannot bear the weight of my own body on my toes there yet, something I can already do on my right. He said he knew that and didn't "want to concern me until the other one was out of the woods." Great...in other words, he has known this is not good. Apparently, to make a long story short, my left achilles tendon is too long...or "stretched" and will not, therefore, allow my calf muscle to contract properly...it is misfiring, or rather NOT firing. Now, a stretched ligament and/or tendon indicates a clinical sprain, but that is an acute injury that I would surely have felt...and I did not. He gave me no explanation (as usual) about why it is like this, only that another surgery would have to be done to shorten it....HUH??? I don't think so, Doc. Not by him anyhow...he had two chances already at it, and I still need another surgery? What the heck?!!!
Emotionally, he didn't suggest I do this now...(ya think!). The problem is, I HAVE to be able to run to do my job, and by run I don't mean miles at a time like I REALLY want, but simply up and down fields, courts, and just to escape injury from flying objects on any surface! So, somehow, I need someone to fix this....again!
I am seeking a second (or more) opinion at this time, and thank you Gretch for your contribution. Portland is really the closest that I dare go, as these guys here will simply circle the wagons around this man, and I may not get the honest answer that I am looking for...of course I am being skeptical at the moment, but come on...realistically, if I totally ruptured it the second time, as in laterally, it ought to be shorter now anyhow! Furthermore, if he hadn't put me in that damn boot to begin with, THAT wouldn't even have happened. Yes, Kimmie is just a tad irritated. Ken's friend Joe, also my lawyer, will also be called....just in case. I know it sounds odd, and in a way inappropriate, but my body IS my livelihood at this point in my life. As much as I love to be physically fit, I also HAVE to be.
Anyhow, that is where my head is at these past few days. To add insult to injury, I have also been walking around with a partially torn hamstring and/or tendon in my right butt...it hurts too! Not sure if it is from over compensating or an "acute injury"....I think the injury is probably more likely since I was just getting back to being able to do things again last May when I started feeling it. The MRI showed a tear... I guess I really AM going to have to face aging once and for all. I was hoping the damn reading glasses would be enough though!!!hahaha
Enjoy!
Kim
Kim is a bit jaded these days...her health triangle has been off balance for too long. Finally, I got some good news on the infected right ankle...it is healing just fine after a bit of an ugly scare...but, as I said, "the hits just keep on coming."
I told my Dr. that I was more concerned with the two time repaired left ankle as I still cannot bear the weight of my own body on my toes there yet, something I can already do on my right. He said he knew that and didn't "want to concern me until the other one was out of the woods." Great...in other words, he has known this is not good. Apparently, to make a long story short, my left achilles tendon is too long...or "stretched" and will not, therefore, allow my calf muscle to contract properly...it is misfiring, or rather NOT firing. Now, a stretched ligament and/or tendon indicates a clinical sprain, but that is an acute injury that I would surely have felt...and I did not. He gave me no explanation (as usual) about why it is like this, only that another surgery would have to be done to shorten it....HUH??? I don't think so, Doc. Not by him anyhow...he had two chances already at it, and I still need another surgery? What the heck?!!!
Emotionally, he didn't suggest I do this now...(ya think!). The problem is, I HAVE to be able to run to do my job, and by run I don't mean miles at a time like I REALLY want, but simply up and down fields, courts, and just to escape injury from flying objects on any surface! So, somehow, I need someone to fix this....again!
I am seeking a second (or more) opinion at this time, and thank you Gretch for your contribution. Portland is really the closest that I dare go, as these guys here will simply circle the wagons around this man, and I may not get the honest answer that I am looking for...of course I am being skeptical at the moment, but come on...realistically, if I totally ruptured it the second time, as in laterally, it ought to be shorter now anyhow! Furthermore, if he hadn't put me in that damn boot to begin with, THAT wouldn't even have happened. Yes, Kimmie is just a tad irritated. Ken's friend Joe, also my lawyer, will also be called....just in case. I know it sounds odd, and in a way inappropriate, but my body IS my livelihood at this point in my life. As much as I love to be physically fit, I also HAVE to be.
Anyhow, that is where my head is at these past few days. To add insult to injury, I have also been walking around with a partially torn hamstring and/or tendon in my right butt...it hurts too! Not sure if it is from over compensating or an "acute injury"....I think the injury is probably more likely since I was just getting back to being able to do things again last May when I started feeling it. The MRI showed a tear... I guess I really AM going to have to face aging once and for all. I was hoping the damn reading glasses would be enough though!!!hahaha
Enjoy!
Kim
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Back to the ol' Grind!
Back to work for this Summer Girl! Today was only an optional day so we could meet our Year 2 Technology Standards....such B.S. for a P.E. teacher. I want my students to be out moving NOT sitting behind a stupid computer screen!!! I DID learn something(s) today though, so it wasn't a total loss, despite of the nice weather!!!
As I told Super Sib #1, I KNOW no one feels sorry for us teachers, with our summers off-without pay mind you, but if you know how hard it is to go back to work after even ONE week off, you have to understand how hard it is after being off for 8-10 weeks! Hey, I didn't write the school year calendar...I just have to follow it. Summers off are the best in Maine, but when I DO get time during the school year, that's when the airlines jack up the prices too...."stickin' it to the man" as usual!!!
Tomorrow is an all staff day, and I will secure my schedule, rosters, and put my office back together before heading south to Bean Town for a Sox game with the "girls"! Meeting Super Sib #2 for lunch on Friday, which will be fun too. Looking forward to it. Then back home on Saturday so I can take Kyle school shopping, though he did a good job today on his own!
Have a great Labor Day weekend kids!
Kim is back in the gym
As I told Super Sib #1, I KNOW no one feels sorry for us teachers, with our summers off-without pay mind you, but if you know how hard it is to go back to work after even ONE week off, you have to understand how hard it is after being off for 8-10 weeks! Hey, I didn't write the school year calendar...I just have to follow it. Summers off are the best in Maine, but when I DO get time during the school year, that's when the airlines jack up the prices too...."stickin' it to the man" as usual!!!
Tomorrow is an all staff day, and I will secure my schedule, rosters, and put my office back together before heading south to Bean Town for a Sox game with the "girls"! Meeting Super Sib #2 for lunch on Friday, which will be fun too. Looking forward to it. Then back home on Saturday so I can take Kyle school shopping, though he did a good job today on his own!
Have a great Labor Day weekend kids!
Kim is back in the gym
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Almost out of the woods...
That is the scoop on the latest set-back of the achilles saga! Today, my Dr. said he is still cautiously optimistic, but that it looks good. He reiterated that he was really on the fence after first seeing it the day after the E.R. visit. I actually had a suture come to the surface the other day and finally fall off...wonder if that was the issue to begin with.
Spent the day at a workshop, for any school personnel, about identifying students, or anyone else for that matter, on drugs and alcohol. It included field testing used for DWI's and a number of eye discrepancies, etc that occur with the 7 classifications of drugs. It was very informative and was only part one of a possible two part workshop...which I think I will attend in Sept. That way, I can, if necessary, actually do some assessments on students along with a couple of other colleagues who also wish to be able to do so. Not that we will be "Narc Hall Police" or anything, but just knowing what exactly to look for is helpful...especially in a college town! There are WAY too many drugs circulating for my comfort level.
Only two more weeks left of my "vacation"...HA...SOME vacation! Oh well....at least I will be DONE with this ankle stuff FOREVER I hope!
Spent the day at a workshop, for any school personnel, about identifying students, or anyone else for that matter, on drugs and alcohol. It included field testing used for DWI's and a number of eye discrepancies, etc that occur with the 7 classifications of drugs. It was very informative and was only part one of a possible two part workshop...which I think I will attend in Sept. That way, I can, if necessary, actually do some assessments on students along with a couple of other colleagues who also wish to be able to do so. Not that we will be "Narc Hall Police" or anything, but just knowing what exactly to look for is helpful...especially in a college town! There are WAY too many drugs circulating for my comfort level.
Only two more weeks left of my "vacation"...HA...SOME vacation! Oh well....at least I will be DONE with this ankle stuff FOREVER I hope!
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