Trail Time!

Greetings from the northwoods of Wisconsin! My youngest son and I are on another hiking adventure on some new-to-us segments on the Ice Age Trail. We're taking advantage of a trail chapter shuttle on 2 of their segments. This enables us to complete the full segment point-to-point instead of doing an out-and-back. I'm sharing all the details below.

Earlier in the week, I started to feel under the weather. On Wednesday, I struggled with my run and called it quits earlier than planned. I felt achy, and by the end of the day, I knew I was coming down with something. Pretty sure I know which little cutie in my clinic gave it to me, lol. No shade at him--I should have worn a mask when I was in the room. I'm glad I was off work on Thursday and Friday to give me time to ride this thing out before the weekend!

On the parents' front, I had some good news this week! I took my mom to see her neurology NP for her semi-annual checkup. Although we had scheduled this appointment 6 months ago, the timing was perfect as it was 6 weeks after her fall. We did see a dip in cognition after the fall, but after her cognitive testing at the appointment, we learned that she had returned to her baseline. We were both so happy!

Getting My Groove Back

After the turmoil of the past 5 weeks surrounding my mom's fall and my dad's subsequent fall apart, I stepped back to focus on my mental health. With my mom at home and all her care in place, my dad continued to badger me about removing the caregivers from the home. The conversations were a never-ending loop. I continue to provide supervision of my mom's needs, but will now utilize our geriatric care manager to share information with my father. I also reminded myself that the agency will contact me if anything concerning is happening.

I won't lie, stepping back has been difficult, but mentally, I realized how much of a toll this has taken on me. As the week went on, I started to feel more like myself. I reminded myself that I can't be good to anyone if I don't take care of my needs. 

Stormy Weather

Wow, did we get rain this week! Along with the rain, we had severe storms every night. This week alone, we've received almost 4 inches of rain locally — some areas had much more —and there is flooding everywhere. It's been wild. After a final round of storms on Friday night, the summer-like conditions moved on out, and we're back to cool, calm weather again. 

After being off the past 3 weeks to care for my mom (and dad) and prepare for her return home, I resumed work this week. I thought I'd be starting with a full schedule, but we are in a brief seasonal lull and a break in the high demand for appointments. It was the perfect way to return after the recent period of high stress. Was it nice to be back? Yes and no. I found it difficult to focus completely on the job. Despite some really good runs and workouts this week, I still have a lingering unease that I can't shake. Oddly enough, after seeing 3 patients on Saturday morning, the power went out, and we had to cancel clinic for the rest of the morning. 

Taking Care of Myself

My mom is home from rehab, and with 24 hour care, I was able to step back a bit from my duties and resume some of my normal activities, including returning to the gym. I had a lot of things I wanted to do at home, but instead, I spent most of my time resting and reading on the couch, Cocoa by my side. There were still some challenges, especially with my father, but for the most part, being at home helped lessen the impact.

Let it Be

It was another difficult week. Fortunately, my modified fitness plan, while not optimal, was enough to keep me from losing my mind. That, and the support of my youngest sister, friends, and relatives, helped me get through it. 

The Worst Day So Far....

There were some workouts and runs this week. But most of my workouts were mental, as I navigated post-hospital care and rehab for my mom. The plan to take her home with 24 hour care was postponed, as we realized that it was unrealistic due to my mom's condition, as well as my father's behavior while at the rehab facility. 

It's been...a week.

From the Frying Pan Into the Fire

I couldn't think of a better metaphor to describe the past week. The temperatures in California were HOT. Like 100F+ hot with a blazing sun. As the saying goes, it's 'not the heat, it's the humidity,' and I found that to be true. But no matter how you look at it, 100F+ is hot, and on Wednesday, it hit 107F, a temperature I had never experienced before. The hot temperatures didn't stop us, as you'll read below, and the mornings were pleasant enough that as long as I got out before the sun was overhead, I had some really decent runs.

But...on Tuesday, we learned that my mom fell on the ice and fractured her pelvis. No head injury, thank goodness. She was hospitalized, and her dementia and my dad's anxiety proved to be a huge challenge to my sisters and me. The recommendation for post-hospital care was subacute rehab; my dad was determined to take her home. No one thought this was a good idea; getting him to understand this was a challenge I hadn't even considered, and it was formidable. It took a compromise--home health staff will be in place on Tuesday, and Mom will go to rehab in the interim. 

I took a couple of additional days off work to help my parents with the transition. I can't express how difficult this has been. I am thankful for the support of my sisters, who have agreed with my decisions for my parents. As I always do, I am leaning into fitness as much as I can. It's how I manage my stress.

Another Busy Week

Life has been very busy for me this fall, and it doesn't look to slow down anytime soon. I struggled to get my workouts in this week, but I did get a lot of movement in every day. And no, I have not gotten any miles on the Ice Age Trail yet for the Mammoth Challenge. I'm about to remedy that today--if you are reading this on Sunday, I'm in Whitewater earning some miles! I need 45 miles to earn my patch this year, and I have a plan to get it done, even with the limited time I have left in the month. 

It's all good busy, and I'm enjoying it. I just read a quote that resonated with me: "It's better to be busy than to be busy worrying". Being productive, achieving goals, and spending time with family and friends--that's the best way to be busy.

Smoke and Heat

Our summer's theme of heat, humidity, and smoke continued this week. Last week's cooler temperatures felt so good, but they were just a minor reprieve. Wednesday's run felt fine despite the smoky skies, but I paid for it later! I've never smoked, but I had chest tightness and a cough after that run. It felt as if I'd smoked a pack of cigarettes. I do love summer, but this year summer has been on fire!

All Mixed Up

I was all confused this week--my work schedule was altered to accommodate my 3 partners who were all out of the office this week. Plus, I had to drive my parents downtown on Monday for a doctor's appointment at Northwestern. More on that below. Besides my work schedule, the only other thing consistent in my life is my workout schedule, and I had to move things around to fit into my days. I got it all done, though! I think that is what kept me sane. I like to think that I'm pretty flexible, but this week I didn't know if I was coming or going!

Is anyone else hearing the Cars' song All Mixed Up running through their head right now? Or is it just me?

Where is the Sun?

 Disclaimer: This post contains an affiliate link.

As far as springs go, this one hasn't brought its best conditions. In fact, I'd rate it a 5/10, and that's generous. A lifelong Midwesterner, I long for spring after our cold winters. But this year it's been slow to warm up. The sun has been MIA most days. And let's not even talk about the incessant wind.

Despite the poor conditions, I have been getting all my runs done outside. Thank goodness for good gear! While spring is slowly arriving, I am seeing color on my runs. Green grass, leaves budding on the trees, mushrooms popping up, and flowers blooming. Now if it could warm up...

The Ice Was Singing

Last Sunday, the ice was singing, and once again, trail running proves to be the most interesting way to spend time on your feet! The weather was all over the place this week, but luckily for me, all my runs were done under dry conditions. I was glad to get to do all of them outside this week. By the end of the week, the ice was just about melted on all but the biggest lakes around here.

As I wrap up this week's post, I am sitting on the sofa with my feet up, feeling completely exhausted and looking forward to being out of the office for the next 2 weeks. I'm heading into the city Monday through Thursday to attend my annual pediatric nurse practitioner conference. I'm looking forward to just sitting and learning. I'll be taking the train every day instead of fighting traffic and walking from the train station to the conference hotel on the Riverwalk. The weather looks great for the upcoming week.

Next Friday, I'll be traveling to California to spend a week with my sister and her husband. I can't wait to get my feet back on those desert trails! A change of scenery is just what this girl needs. 

This is the Way

This was the week that winter almost broke me. The theme of bitter cold and wind continued. This is the kind of cold that penetrates, even through clothing. A few weeks ago, I layered up but was apparently underdressed, for my run on the Ice Age Trail in the bitter, windy, cold and it almost made me cry, it hurt so much. We had that kind of cold again this week and I had to dig deep to get myself back outside. I knew I could have defaulted to the treadmill, but decided to take my chances because I really needed some fresh air and nature. 

I say winter almost broke me because it didn't. There were a lot of positives despite the cold. It was sunny every day and that helped to lift my spirits. Making sure to dress appropriately, I got outside for all my runs and was pleasantly surprised by how much stronger I felt when I ran. The auxiliary strength workouts at the gym seem to be paying off! That's why mixing things up or, as they say at the gym, periodizing your training is important. Keeping the body guessing: this is the way!

Even better: we're starting to warm up! 

Mind Over Matter

'Tis the season when the motivation is low. The air is cold, the landscape is ugly- at least in the Midwest- and it's hard to get excited about running outside. I've also been feeling super achy this week. It's been a few months since RA has messed with me, but here we are. I'm just trying to keep moving because movement keeps things loose and makes me feel good. I had to dig deep to push myself out the door and even to leave my toasty warm bed, but I didn't regret any of my workouts.

It was all mind over matter. I've been described as strong willed, stubborn, and driven and those traits served me well this week!

Trail Magic

Trail magic usually refers to the kindness shown to trail hikers and runners, such as leaving treats at a trailhead. But I experienced a different kind of trail magic this week--finding peace and contentment on my runs on beautiful trails. Fall is magical and I hit the trails this week when the colors were at their peak!  The weather has been absolutely spectacular and I look forward to wrapping up the Mammoth Trail Challenge this weekend on my most favorite segment!

Getting Lost

I wanted to title this post 'Getting Lost in the Midst of Chaos', but that seemed kind of dramatic. Life has been overwhelming lately and things have escalated since last week's post. Regarding my parents, it feels as if my sister opened Pandora's box, although I suppose it had to happen. My parents are resistant to the Care Manager my sister brought in and we are struggling with that. Clearly, they need constant help, but they don't see it. I don't even know if the care manager will be enough. In addition, we've been sorting out our roles in light of having the care manager and trying to determine if she's the right person for our family. It's involved a lot of back-and-forth via emails and texts. It's been a lot.

The other issue is my husband's health. We saw the spine surgeon on Thursday and surgery is scheduled for December 4. It will be an outpatient procedure at Rush Medical Center in Chicago. He will have a 'clean-out' of 3 lumbar vertebrae to release pressure on the spinal cord. It amazes me that this can be done outpatient! But before then, he has to see a knee specialist to determine if that needs to be fixed first. 

With all that is going on, I leaned on running to help keep me sane. It's been my go-to for years. The heavy strength training we're doing at CrossFit was also a great outlet for me.

Savoring the Good

I will never complain about the gorgeous fall weather we've been having this year. Yes, we need rain. But I know what's coming--plenty of precipitation as we move into late fall toward winter. I'll take this. Especially when you consider what's happening in other parts of the country.

My heart goes out to everyone affected by both hurricanes Helena and Milton. If you've followed me on this blog over the years, you know that my family has spent a lot of time on the Gulf Coast of Florida, especially on Anna Maria Island. It just breaks my heart to see the level of destruction. I can't imagine facing the rebuilding process. 

Life and a Race

My anxiety level was high this week and it wasn't just due to my impending half marathon. 

There was last week's sad news that my young patient had passed. This week, my parents asked me to fix their computer again. Like many of us, they are struggling with many passwords, however, their solution is to keep creating new user names and passwords, which eventually gets them locked out of their accounts. I arrived with new solutions and was greeted by my mom, sporting a black eye. My sister had warned me that on the day before, my mom was on her treadmill when the phone rang. She forgot to stop the treadmill and fell on her face. It looked pretty bad, but she seemed ok when I got to their house. 

It was also her birthday and when I set her up for a Zoom call with her high school friends, she asked me what happened to her face. I calmly told her, and my dad and I exchanged worried looks. The next day, I called him to check on her--he thought she was fine, but I urged him to take her to be checked out. I was worried about a brain bleed, and she had a head CT which was clear. Whew. 

My sisters and I have been worried about my mom for a while now. She always took care of everyone, including my dad. Trying to get him to step up after all these years has been challenging. I'm the only one who is local, which is also another challenge. We'd like to see them downsize and move somewhere that would provide more support, but my dad isn't ready to give up his garage and his old cars. I get that.