Huh

I started writing this blog so that I would have a way to keep in touch with all my great friends in Minnesota and let them know about my wacky adventures in Boston, but now that I’ve bee writing all this time I sort of forgot that anyone reads this.

With the exception of my mom I don’t talk to many people from home on a regular basis. My blog has continued to contain my madcap adventures (as Cristin pointed out the saying “then I saw a squirrel eat a snickers” could only come from me) but also a chronicle of my relationships with others around me.

So I sometimes find it odd when people say they have read something on my blog. Especially if it’s someone I don’t know.

Starting Again

I started running between my freshman and sophomore year for a number of reasons. I had gained almost 25 lbs. my freshman year (I know it’s a lot!) and I wasn’t being active and I didn’t like the way I looked. I started out only being able to run a few blocks but added a more distance everyday. By the time I went back to school I was running about one and half miles ever morning. I kept running while I was at school (barring early morning classes) and started to use the treadmill in the bottom of my dorm. My sophomore year was a very unhappy year so on top running everyday I stopped eating a lot and became very sick most of the time.

By the end of the year I was still sad, still not eating, and running. The sadness followed me home and I became obsessed with running. Not a “For the Love of Nancy” kind of way but because running was one thing I could do when my brain could turn off, I wouldn’t think about all the choices I had to make or what was going on in my life. I could just focus on my breathing and putting one foot in front of the other. I started running a few miles at night before I went to bed (something I never told my parents about) and then in the morning when I woke up.

By the time my junior year and nursing school rolled around I had lost almost 40 lbs. I started to have early classes and didn’t have time to run as much any more, but I didn’t have to. I was very happy and no longer needed as much time zoned out on the run to feel better. I stopped running as much.

When I moved to Boston I almost gave up running altogether. Work makes me too sore to do much when I get home and there is no way I would get up to run before work. The last few years I barely ran at all or for any distance when I did run. Then a few weeks ago the weather started to get nice out and I wanted to be a part of it. I laced up my running shoes and went for a run; it wasn’t a misery like when I started it was run to enjoy myself. It felt great, my legs stretching, being aware of my body, seeing my neighborhood in a new way.

I’ve gone for a nice run the last two days and I’m going to do it again. It’s nice to have running back again.

Blistered

A warm spell has hit New England, after almost a week of overcast rainy days this last weekend had glorious weather. So glorious that I decided to wear my new summer shoes that I got during the winter. The shoes are flats and black with an embroidered design on the toes and pink ribbon on the sides. Needless to say I was very excited to wear them to brunch yesterday. About half way up to Davis square my right foot started to hurt, the back part had started to wear down and there was already a little scab forming. I sat through brunch while my foot throbbed then begged Steve to carry me home (which he refused to do again).

Once I hobbled home and got my shoes off I found a large blister had formed on my toe. Between the blister on my toe and the scab on my heel I will be taking a vacation from my cute shoes for a bit and will be enjoying the weather in my trusty Old Navy flip-flops.

Run

Yesterday I had the opportunity to watch the Boston Marathon from the finish line.

The Winner receiving his trophy.

Steve was working there so in between him having to do stuff we got to walk around and drink all the free Gatorade that venders were giving out. We also accumulated multiple beer cozies, pads of paper, and sun screen. If you ever get a chance to watch a marathon I suggest you do it. There is so much excitement and electricity in the air from people being able to complete such a grueling task. I couldn’t tell if people were crying from happiness or pain but it was still a scene to behold.

Start Building an Ark

I’m sitting in my room tonight listening to the rain as it crashes against my window. Before I moved to Boston I never really heard angry rain. I had heard drizzles, showers, storms, down pours, and that steady rain that makes a day miserable. The rain here on a day (or night) of a nor’easter has a certain sound, a sounds that lets you know that it’s outside and it wants in. A sound of relentless rain that comes on in waves, a sound of wind that finds its way through all the cracks in the apartment, a sound of the pictures on the walls swaying just a little as the house shakes from the gusts of wind. Maybe it’s because I’ve never lived in the top story of a house, maybe it’s because I’m usually alone when big storms comes up. But now I’m here in a quiet house listening to the storm that is beginning to pick up speed and it’s not as cozy as it sounds.

Have A Heart

A patient of mine who I’ve been taking care of for the last year and half finally got a heart earlier this week! I took care of this patient when he was in severe heart failure, and then later when he was implanted with a ventricular assist device (VAD). He’s a great guy and he always makes me laugh. I’m so happy for him and his family. I saw him yesterday, just two days after he was transplanted, and he was already awake and smiling. It’s been a long road for him and I hope this will help him live a very long and happy life.

I want to encourage everyone to be an organ or tissue donor. There are so many people who live their life waiting for a phone call to hear that an organ is ready for them. It is a tremendous gift to give and it can benefit so many people. Please check the box on the back of your license to be a donor.

Under Pressure

A few years ago when I had just gotten into nursing school I received a list of clothing to buy for clinical, this list included scrub top and bottom (white), lab coat, white shoes, and one pair for compression knee high socks. Along with my new accepted nursing student friends I rushed out to buy everything on the list but most of us stopped at the compression socks. I remember my roommate Casey and me laughing at the idea of buying compression socks and called them “granny” socks.

Well times have changed. After working three twelve hour days in a row my legs are swollen and hurt. Compression stocking have become my friend. I love wearing them, on my days off I feel weird not wearing socks that come up to my knee. There was recently a representative from a company selling stockings at my work that boasted at hefty 25-30 mm of compression stockings. I bought six.

Next time you see notice how nice and not swollen my legs look.

Familypalooza

I haven’t posted in a while but I’ve been busy.

It’s all about sneaking picture taking in at the MFA.

My sister was in town the beginning of this week. We made our way though Boston trying to make the most of the cold and rainy weather. We ate out a lot and I found a few new, and very tasty, restaurants. She left on Thursday then later that day my cousin and his son came into town to see Paul and The Grownup Noise rock the Paradise. I spent today walking around Boston with them.

It was funny to see how excited a five year old can get about getting to ride the T. When told we would have to take two different trains because we had to transfer to get back home he shouted “It’s my lucky day!”

This week has been filled with family and it was about time I saw some familiar faces in Bean-town.