Pictures!

This is completely unrelated to anything I typically write about (maybe that's a good thing, been a lot of complaining lately haha!) but get this: Getty Images now allows millions (yep you read that right) of their images to be shared (online only, for non-commercial purposes) for FREE! Meaning, I'm able to give you this beauty:

 ...without having to worry about copyright or spending big bucks first. Pretty awesome huh?

Happy Monday!

Therapy

I met with the physical therapist yesterday who agreed that it is a strained muscle in my back that's causing so much pain. She lectured me about my posture at work, and showed me a few stretches to strengthen the muscles that are out of whack. Bad news: she said our meeting yesterday starts week one and that it'll be 6-7 weeks before I'm pain free. That means I'm stuck on the stationary bike for awhile instead of the treadmill, but I'm at the point where I'd do almost anything to get rid of the pain. I'm meeting with her again next week and I'm hoping I'm able to say that I've noticed a change!

On and Up!

Not much to report. I finally had an appointment with a general practitioner last week who told me the pain in my back is caused by a strained rhomboid muscle. I was super excited that we finally had a reason for the pain, AND she offered me ways to fix it! It's typically a 6-8 week injury (lucky me, this is week 9!) but my doctor thinks it'll last a little longer (of course). She gave me a few different remedies, one being physical therapy, so I'm crossing my fingers something starts to work, and fast!

Whoops

Didn't mean for so much time to pass between updates! I feel like I'm finally back on track after spending last weekend in Chicago with some very dear friends (missing the early train Saturday night + daylight savings + early wake-up call Sunday = delirious for days); it felt like a very quick trip but it was fantastic to spend the weekend with such wonderful people!

Once we unpacked and finally got our mountains of laundry taken care of, I was a busy girl this week helping my sister with her invoices (don't worry - no math was involved), having dinner with my gal pals, attending my second Patient Advisory Committee meeting, and celebrating Jason's Uncle's birthday and St. Patrick's Day. Ooof.

The Patient Advisory Committee meeting was an interesting one - they'd sent out a copy of a brochure that we'd be reviewing. The first time I looked it over I was furious - it was addressed to those dealing with breast cancer, and the topic was unnecessary tests (which according to the brochure, included PET, CT, and bone scans). As a survivor, I've been unsuccessfully lobbying my doctors for those tests since the day of my mastectomy - you can never be sure that every cell was removed, and cancer can spread like wild fire. Of course I'd want a scan, if not for preventative steps (if there is a cell somewhere, let's find it now and get rid of it), then simply for my mental health! Peace of mind works a million times better than any drug, and so what if the tests are expensive - that's what I have health insurance for!

I went to the meeting on fire and ready for a hefty debate and was pleasantly surprised that I wasn't alone with my feelings. We had a fantastic discussion and I'm sure the content will be addressed before it goes out to anyone. I left knowing that I'd contributed, helped someone just a little bit, and it felt great!

Looking Back

Today marks the 1-year anniversary of my step-sister Margie's death. My motto is that looking forward is best, while on the same coin, it's important to remember what has happened in the past (and not dwell on it). The past makes us who we are today and without certain events, we wouldn't have gotten to where we are now. So today I'm trying hard not to recall the events that happened that day last year, but rather trying to take a moment to remember how beautiful she was, or the sound of her contagious laugh. I'm thinking about what kind of mother she would've been, and how wonderful it would've been to have another niece to love.

It's crazy how things that happened a year ago can seem as fresh as yesterday, while at the same time feeling like they occurred a lifetime ago!

Run Run Run

Well I'm officially cancer-free... again, says Dr. Howe. I completely believe him, but that doesn't solve my pain problem! I'm listening to the advice from many people I love and taking a week off from running. Just one week. It's going to drive me nuts, and I might sneak in to do some time on a stationary bike, but no one has to know. I have another quick massage tomorrow after work; hopefully Maggie will tell me things feel looser/less inflamed (they don't to me).

I just signed up for our annual Race for the Cure team. I've participated (as a walker/runner) for the past 4-5 years, always just to support the cause and raise money for a disease I wanted gone. This year, I'm running (no walking) and I'm running for me. I'm going to run this year to show cancer that it can take away my boobs (and in the process, replacing them with much perkier ones) but it can't keep me down. Race for the Cure is my third official 5k I've committed to this spring, and I fully intend to run (and maybe even enjoy running) all of them. I have some running to do, and this back pain better get outta town so I can do it. Pronto!

Weekend Update

Ahhh March, you've arrived to mixed emotions. I'm thrilled that we're getting closer and closer to spring, yet this ruthless winter is proving it still has tricks up it's sleeves. The latest: parking restrictions in St. Paul and Minneapolis. Before we bought our house, we lived in a tiny little shoebox of an apartment in Uptown and I remember dealing with parking restrictions then, but it's been four years and we've grown pretty accustomed to parking right outside our house. Not anymore, at least, not until the ban is lifted (I've heard April 1?).

In back injury news, I had an MRI earlier this afternoon and expect the radiologist's summary to arrive to Dr. Howe by EOD Monday. Hopefully it'll be earlier than that and hopefully he'll call me right away when it arrives. I keep getting asked if I'm feeling better and I don't know what to say. Yes? The fact that I have to question it though, makes me feel like the answer should be a no. I'll have stints, where I'll get super involved in work or an episode of Breaking Bad, and forget about the pain, and then the moment I stand up and start moving around again, it hurts. I've run three times since Monday, and although it's excruciating, I can't help but wonder if it's maybe, just maybe, helping a little bit? Then I wonder if it's all in my head? All I know is that I've been having this pain for five weeks now, and I'm more than ready for it to be better!

I mentioned it a few weeks ago, but I hit my goal of having my design website online by the end of February! You can be among the first to check it out at www.schobercreative.com, and feel free to pass it on to your friends/family! The portfolio tab is kind of a jumbled mess right now but I'll eventually get around to organizing it a little better. Baby steps :)

Anyway, enjoy!