The Never-ending Weekend

I've been wondering this a bit myself lately.  See, I thought weekends included Saturday and Sunday.  On occasion, of course, they can include a Friday or a Monday - see Long Weekend.  But, never, ever should they include Tuesdays.  

But, here I am...sitting at home on a Tuesday - the fourth day of my weekend.  

Now, I'm sure a lot of you are sitting there thinking...what the hell are you complaining about, Porkchop?!  But, here's the thing.  I'm bored.  Yep, I said it.  I am bored.  I've already taken care of all of my schoolwork for the rest of the week.  Assuming that we have a "rest of the week," mind you.  With this happening...

WINTER STORM JANUS

...who knows when we'll be able to leave the house for bread and milk again.

And hey... when the hell did we start naming snow storms?  I mean, I understand naming things like Hurricanes and stuff.  But, snow storms?!  What the heck?  It's just a snow storm, people.  Yes, it fouls up traffic and closes schools, but it's not going to wipe out the eastern seaboard or turn New York city into this:

And, you know... if it does... I welcome all of the "I told you so" comments to this post that you can muster.

Until then... shovel your walks, salt your steps for the Postal carrier, build a snowman or a snow angel (depending on the packable quality of the snow), drink some wine, schnuggle with your honey, and hope that Wednesday becomes Monday and not Sunday #3.  

Cheers, folks!

Back in the Saddle... AGAIN!

I got back on my bike this week!

Yeah, you heard me!  I pedaled!  

WOO HOO!

Now, I didn't pedal much, or fast, or hard, or anything like that.  But, I pedaled.  And, the best part?  ZERO pain.  None.  Zilch.  Nada.  None while I was riding and none afterwards.  

I cannot thank everyone enough.  My friends, my family, my amazing husband, my doctors, my PT... the list goes on and on.  Without everyone's support, this would have been one hell of a few weeks.  Instead, it's been tough but well worth it.  

In short, surgery was the best thing I could have done.  I expect to be back out there with my team, riding and racing and enjoying life. 

Awwww, yeah!!

The Healing Continues

Hey there...

I haven't posted in a while.  That was mainly due to the fact that I was trying to heal.  And, the process was going pretty slowly.

In fact, last Wednesday, I was laying on the couch - hurting quite a bit - and Mr. Porkchop looked at me and said, "Are you ok?"  Fighting back tears, I just said, "No." and closed my eyes.  I knew not to expect the pain to disappear immediately, but after nearly 3 weeks, I was beginning to get a little depressed.

And then... it happened... I woke up exactly 3 weeks after surgery and I felt better.  I went to the gym and walked on the treadmill.  Only for one mile and not too fast, but I walked.  I then went to work and got my new office ready.

I was anticipating coming home and feeling the pain.  I thought for sure, "I've done too much today."  But then, I got home.  And, I felt ok.  When I got up the next morning, I still felt ok.

I went back to the gym and walked for 1.5 miles.  Still good.

The next day, I did 2 miles.

The next day, I did 2 miles FASTER.

There's still some pain, don't get me wrong.  We went to a movie last night and by the end, my leg was on fire.  But, a few seconds after standing up, the pain dissipated and was gone.  In short, I think that I've finally turned a corner towards full recovery.

A huge thank you again to the surgical staff at Atlas Spine and Virtua Mount Holly.  Amazing, amazing all around.

Thanks to everyone who checked in, came by to say hi, sent lovely messages and notes, and just generally sent warm thoughts.  It helped.  I swear!

Tomorrow, I go back to work.  I start officially as Department Head and am hoping for a great couple of years in that position.

Soon, I will be back on the bike.  I will take it easy, I will go slowly.  But, I will smile for every mile I get to pedal!

5 days later...

So, the surgery was last week.  It went well and I'm happy to say that I'm up and moving pretty decently and, as of today, I've taken a shower and decided that I no longer need the pain meds.  I'm still wearing my back brace and taking things as easy as I can, but I'm feeling good and definitely on the road to solid recovery.

There's still a bit of pain in my rump and leg on occasion, but I was told that this was expected and to give the nerves some time to relax and stop firing.  Even then, the pain that I feel there is minimal and occasional, so I'm sure that it will subside over time.

As for the surgery itself... Virtua in Mount Holly was great!  They took such awesome care of me and I'm so pleased with how everything went.  There were only a few bumps along the way - like when they tried to put the IV into the back of my hand.  That was a major no-go.  OUCH.  The bruise I'm now sporting there is my favorite shade of purple and covers the entire back of my hand.  It's pretty rad.

And, then there was the long drive home that culminated in my gastro-pyrotechnical display out the window.  Let me tell you... sedation meds plus a lot of stop and go rush hour traffic = NOTHING GOOD!!

Other than that, things have been going pretty well.  The first two days were pretty painful.  It was hard to get up from or down to a laying position.  But, today, I can pretty easily get up and down as I wish.

Taking a shower was a glorious thing.  It feels so good to have washed hair!  :)  And, if that's my biggest joy of the day today, I'll take it!

Thanks for all of the awesome messages and such!  I can't wait to be back at work, on the bike, and just out and about with all of you!

Twas the Night Before Surgery

Twas the night before surgery
and all through the place
Not a kitteh was stirring
while I stuffed my face

The appointment was set for 2 pm the next day
In the hopes that the pain will soon all go away...

Later on I'll be nestled all snug in my bed
While visions of long bike rides dance in my head.

The phone calls and texts have made me feel great
Amazing to have so much love on my plate

I'm excited and nervous and ready to rock
Can't wait to wake up from the ol' chopping block

For now I'll get ready for meal number three
And hope that tomorrow I don't have to pee

But for now I'll exclaim as I hydrate all night,
Thank you to all, it will all be all right!

7 days...

168 hours
10,080 minutes
604,800 seconds

Give or take a few hours. 

Bring it on.

While I'm excited about the surgery and getting to healing up, I'm even more excited about the fact that my sister, brother-in-law, and niece are going to be visiting for a few days before Christmas!

I'm very lucky in that my sister married a guy from the same basic area as the dear Mr. Porkchop.  It's a totally strange coincidence and the two of them met while they were in grad school in Utah.  But, it's an AWESOME coincidence, because it means that they come out here to visit his family and then we get to visit, too. 

They'll be spending a few days with us and I'm THRILLED about it!  I was just hoping for one day so that we could visit with the little munchkin and have Christmas.  Now, we're going to get 3 days with them!  Yippee skippy! 

So, between the surgery and their arrival, I've got about 5 days to recover.  Recover and plan some awesome meals!!  After all, family visits are all about eating, drinking, and playing cards, right?!?

You Can Love Your Pets...

Just don't LOVE your pets!!

It's true.  I married the crazy cat man.  Anyone who goes back to look at this blog will notice that over the past 14 years, we've slowly (sometimes not so slowly) accumulated a house full of little four legged furry faces.  We love these little dudes - even when they fight with one another, or puke in a shoe, or otherwise cause mild amounts of chaos.  They are our family.  When people look at me like I'm nuts over the fact that I don't have kids (normal sized human being children), I realize that they don't see these little balls of fluff as we do.  They ARE our kids.

To understand why people can throw away their animals (literally, in some cases) is an effort in futility for us.  Which is why we've been volunteering with the local shelter for the past few years.  In many ways, this further enhances our kitten hoarding instinct, as we sometimes foster pets.  One of those fosters never left our home and is now our youngest and sweetest and most adorably annoying Harvey. She's my absolute doll and I can't imagine not having her as part of the brood.  Most of the time, though... we foster for a couple of days or weeks and then send the little one off to a new family.

We've gotten better at just helping at the shelter and not bringing any home with us, Mom... just so you know!!

For Thanksgiving, we went over to help walk the dogs, play with the kittens and cats, and take some photos for an upcoming art project fundraiser that is in the works.

If you're looking for a new family member this holiday.  A little pup to keep your feet warm on chilly days, or a sweet chocolate-colored kitten to plop on your lap and purr to his little heart's content, here are a few kids looking for furever homes at the Almost Home Animal Shelter!

 This is Rex.  He is one of the sweetest boys you'll ever meet.  He's a strong boy, but he's an absolute lover.  He's got beautiful coloration, his brown coat is infused with gray brindling.  Very handsome.

These photos are of the puppy Clara!  She's a husky-shepherd mix who came into the shelter with her mom.  Her mom has already been adopted, but Clara is still waiting to go to her new home.  

Oh, Benji... This little Shiba Inu is a sweet guy.  And, he's inquisitive and fun-loving and a real foxy looker!

This is Noel.  She came in to the shelter with some pups.  Her puppies have all been adopted, and Noel is hoping that her holiday themed name will inspire someone to take her home with them this Christmas!

KITTENS!!  Who doesn't love kittens!  These little guys are part of a HUGE influx of kittens and cats at the shelter in the past few days due to hoarding situations and just the standard seasonal load of animals.  They are siamese breed mixes - as you can tell.   

This is one of two "office dogs" at the shelter.  Office dogs are typically those that need a little special attention while they're at the shelter.  In Allie's case, it's that she has alopecia!  This means, she has some trouble with hair loss and itching.  She's improved leaps and bounds since arriving at the shelter, and just needs a bit of extra care to keep her itching and hair loss under control.   

Mr. Booger...the other office dog came in to the shelter with a fractured leg and pelvis - very likely from being hit by a car.  He's an adorably scruffy little Shitzu mix with a very sweet disposition.  He loves to be scratched while sitting square between your feet.  With a little grooming and continued care, Booger will be up and running with the best of them!  

This is Crunch.  Crunchy is a very large lab/pit mix.  When I say large, I really do mean that he's a BIG guy.  But, if you have room in your heart, your house, and your yard for Crunchy, he's also got a big and wonderfully awesome personality!  He LOVES to jump - and boy, can he jump!  

This is Raven.  My best model for the day, Raven is a super sweet pit mix.  She's quite well trained and sits and stays (sorta!) on command.  She's a very smart and beautiful girl who would make a wonderful companion!  Plus, look at those EARS!!

These two sweet kittens are the most gorgeous chocolate colored kittens I've ever seen!!  The little girl up top is a beautiful chocolate tortoiseshell cat.  She's apparently got some siamese in her, she's very tall and thin with a pointed face.  Her coloration is stunning and she's a favorite around the shelter.  The boy in the bottom photo is entirely chocolate brown.  His fur feels like velvet and just to make sure that he's got a little extra something-something for all the folks looking for a beautiful and unique kitty, he's also polydactyl!  We tried to get a shot here of his extra toes, but it didn't work very well!  

So, this holiday, when your heart starts to whisper that it wants a little fuzzy companion to love and squeeze and dote on for the rest of that little pup or kitten's life, stop by Almost Home.  These animals need and want to be loved.  

This has been a public service announcement from The Porkchop household to yours!  

Happy Holidays!

Phew... a long weekend

So, the semester is nearing its conclusion.  I can tell.  My snark level is at an all time high.

Mind you, I'm not snarky with my classes or students.  At this time of the semester, I'm actually getting all misty eyed about our time together coming to an end.  I'm happy about the progress that I've seen in so many of them and getting excited by their own end of the year ennui.  Turns out, a lot of them actually think I'm not so awful!

But, with other things... I find myself stepping back from major snark attacks.  In fact, I just stepped back from my biggest snark attack of the day... a scathing blog post!  LOL!

Nope, not gonna do it.

Instead, I will listen to some Michael Jackson, moon walk across my office, and pack my stuff for a long weekend of food and fun!

Happy Thanksgiving, Folks!!

Change is Good?

I've been hearing an interesting response lately.  It's a response to the following acknowledgment and comes across as an odd mixture between a statement and a question.  The conversation generally goes something like this...

"So, I hear that you're going to be Department Chair in January."

"Yep."

"Congratulations...?"

There's always that little question mark at the end.  It's rather cute, and I totally understand where it's coming from.  But, yes, it's true.  I'm going to be Department Chair for the next two years.  I'm excited about it.  And nervous.  And excited.  But, mostly just anxious.  I want to do a good job.  I want to make the department proud.  I want to do right by my colleagues, by my institution, and by me.  It's important that I remain ME throughout this process.

I knew that this would come my way eventually.  After the completion of my degree and the current chair's embarkation upon his own PhD journey, I knew that it was time for him to step down.  I imagined that it was likely to be my turn to step up.

So, here we are.  At the start of the new year, I'll be moving to a new office, taking on a new set of responsibilities, and, hopefully, do the best job that I can do.

A Silent Film

No, not this type of silent film...

THIS type of A Silent Film.

On Friday evening, just prior to walking up to the show from a lovely dinner in Chinatown (to be further discussed at a later date, perhaps), I was informed that I was going to see a hipster band.  I was unsure how that was supposed to work.  Did that mean that I was a hipster and was unaware of the fact?  Did it mean I would be surrounded by hipsters at the show?  Did it mean that the members of the band were, in fact, hipsters themselves?  It was all very confusing.

Nonetheless, JeanneMarie and I went to the show and thoroughly enjoyed it!  The band was great.  They didn't play a very long set, and I left wishing that I had heard a few more of my favs, but all in all, it was a fine show for an up and coming band.

And, just to be clear, I did attempt to make judgments upon my fellow concert goers as to what social category they might best fit (hipster, Gen X'ers, punks, neo-punks, etc.) and I was again at a loss.  I wasn't able to count more tight pant wearing men than usual, there were the standard handful of post-middle-aged folks, and the two blondes who stood behind us screaming about new boots or something during the majority of the show.

So, I don't know... you tell me... am I an unconscious hipster?

And So It Goes...

T-minus 37 days and counting.

37 days.

That sounds like a long time. 

It's really not.

I know that it will be here before I know it.

What's in 37 days, you ask?  My surgery.

Yep, that's right.  Decision made.  I have tried everything possible to fix this issue in a way that gives me back my life - hell, I'd be willing to get back just a portion of it, if I thought a conservative method was going to work - but it's just not working.  I REFUSE to be on any kind of meds or painkillers, therapy isn't doing any real good, and the only thing that relieves the pain is if I sit around inactively for a few days.  Now, if my goal in life included never exercising another day in my life, I guess I'd be content to just let it go.

But, y'all know me way better than that. 

So, it's in the surgeon's hands.  I'm putting my faith in my future as an athlete and as a healthy woman in the capable hands of one of the regions best spinal surgeons.  I trust him.  Completely. 

I feel REALLY good about this decision.  Despite the few individuals who still feel the need to tell me horror stories about their experiences (or those of their wives, cousins, brothers, dogs, etc.), I KNOW that this is the right choice. 

So, for anyone tempted to inform me of the massive mistake I am making and scold me for being "so hasty" in considering this evil option.... just can it.  I'm not interested. 

If you want to talk to me about the situation and find out more about why I'm choosing this, let me know. 

A HUGE thank you to my amazing husband, family, and dear, dear friends who are standing by me in this.  I cannot say how important it is to know that there are so many people out there rooting for me and believing in this with me. 

37 days... 

...And counting.

Lateral Micro-Discectomy

That's what the surgery is called.

You're only eligible for this type of surgery if your disc is laterally herniated and your pain presents as leg/butt pain caused by a shooting nerve.  Enter... me.  Yep, I am a pretty awesome candidate for the surgery according to the spinal specialist.

If I even say the words, "Spinal Surgeon" to people, they kind of freak.  My dear friend Melissa and I went out for drinks last night and after I explained to her what might happen in a month or so, she says, "Phew - I was prepared to walk in here tonight and demand that you NOT have surgery.  But, you've put me at ease and now I think you should do it."

I understand the freak out.  Trust me.  I do.  More than you know.  After all, it's MY spine they're talking about messing around with!

Here's the skinny on my options at this point.

Option #1 - deal with the pain for the rest of my life.  (Unlikely)

Option #2 - continue with PT in the hopes that it becomes (and STAYS) manageable for the rest of my life.  Great option, but a bit scary considering how long I've been doing PT so far without relief.

Option #3 - a surgical procedure.

Now, before you jump on the "surgery is evil" bandwagon, let me explain what they will be doing to me - IF I decide to go through with it.

A 1.5-2 cm incision will lead them toward my spine.  They will cut away a small piece of bone (laminectomy) in order to gain access to my disc and nerves.  They will pull the nerves aside and then cut away a portion of the disc - the smallest portion possible - that is pushing on the nerves and causing me so much pain.  Then, they close me up and we're done. 45 minutes to an hour and I'm in recovery.

The post-op recovery ranges depending on your health, but some folks are up and walking and feeling good in 3-5 days.  I'm expecting a couple of weeks of recovery before I push anything.  Then a couple more before starting PT again.  Then, according to the surgeon, if all goes well, I should be back to my old self within 8-10 weeks.  In other words, 8 weeks after surgery (fingers crossed), I will be back to working out as I always have, back on the bike, back feeling good.

The success rate with this surgery is 85-90%.  10% of patients experience some re-herniation of the disc throughout the rest of their life.  6-7% experience little relief from the pain after surgery.

The surgery involves no fusing and no removal of discs in their entirety.

So, here's what's up.  I have been going to the gym and trying to stay active (Doctor's orders).  I'm continuing to do PT (of various kinds) to see if I can get relief through a conservative method.  If the semester ends and I'm still in the amount of pain I was in today, for example, I'm going to have one of the best surgeons in the region perform a lateral micro-discectomy on my back.

I'm happy with this.  Well, as happy as one can be with a scalpel aimed at your spine.

I feel as though I've done everything right so far.  I've followed all of the steps toward conservative therapy.  I've done everything I'm supposed to do.  At this point, I just want my life back.  I want to go through a day without constant pain.  I want to be able to sit, stand, ride my bike, swim, and hell, maybe even run again one day.  So, if I'm still feeling like this as of December 12th, you can send flowers and boxes of chocolates to the house, c/o Dr. Porkchop.

Light At the End of the Tunnel

So, for anyone who actually reads this blog (Hi, Mom!), you know that I've been dealing with my back issue for going on nearly a year now.  Technically, at least.

I first started feeling pain during cyclocross season last year.  It appeared as a burning sensation down the back of my right hamstring.  Like any good athlete with goals in mind, I completely ignored it.

After the season ended, it slowly dissipated and again, I forgot about it.

As I bega to gear up for the Spring race season, it reappeared - with a vengeance.  Apparently, it did not appreciate being ignored and decided that it would make itself readily known.  So, the pain came back and spread - to my butt and to the lower part of my leg.  And then the fun really started.

By May, I could barely walk.  I developed an intense lateral pelvic shift, had an MRI done to discover the herniated disc, and began a very painful series of Physical Therapy visits.  Once the shift was corrected (which took about 6 weeks), the pain lessened, but didn't go away.

The cortisone shot was supposed to help with that.  It didn't.  The pain "shifted," but didn't disappear.  I could no longer sit without searing pain down my leg and standing, while better at first, still leads into pain within an hour or two.

Back to another type of PT, which seemed to help a bit at first.  However, I've plateaued.  We can't get the pain to go away and it's beginning (haha) to get on my nerves (hahaha).

Back to the Ortho again resulting in the appointment with a spinal surgeon.

Now, for all you folks that are anti-surgery - trust me, I understand and I appreciate your dedication to PT and conservative forms of therapy.  I'm going to continue to try those until I've exhausted my options.  But, I've also got to know that there's a solution down the road.  If the PT works, GREAT!  I'll be happy and pain free and back on my bike.

But, if it doesn't - the surgery is the way to go.  I don't WANT surgery, mind you.  Anyone who would want someone slicing them open and cutting out a piece of them (just for the hell of it) has got to be a little bit loopy.  But, equally loopy would be the person who says, "Well, I know that there's something that can be done surgically with an 85-95% success rate.  But, I'd rather wallow in pain and misery for the rest of my life."

I am not loopy.  Well, not about this at least.

Consult

The word consult on it's own is just fine.

The word consult attached to "with the Spinal Surgery Specialist" is a bit more freaky.

Mon the Biff

Three of the most important words of the evening last night.  Mon. The. Biff.

I can't really explain that, except to say that if you're a fan of Biffy Clyro, you should already know what I'm talking about.

I was first introduced to Biffy a few years ago by my dear friend, Simon.  I became hooked pretty quickly and was particularly bummed when I missed a few shows at local spots like the North Star and a free show in Northern Liberties.  But all of that was forgotten after last night's front row viewing of the band at the Trocadero!  Best $11.00 I ever spent.

They were pretty awesome.  These guys play hard - and I do mean HARD!  They are a true rock band and the show was 100% proof of that.

They played quite a few of my favorite songs - a nice mixture of the new album and the older stuff.  And, I had a pretty good view of the show - from the front row!  It's been a VERY long time since I've been front row for something.  We were pretty close to the stage at the Killers a couple of months ago (maybe 4 people back or so), but the last time I was actually FRONT row was the Depeche Mode Devotional tour in 1993!

So, I came away from last night with some great photos, a nice video of Machines, and Simon's set list! Pretty cool night.

This will get stored away in a safe place with my Killers Konfetti from the Atlantic City show!  

The opening act was Morning Parade, an English band from Essex.  They were pretty great, too... I'll be picking up some of their stuff soon enough.

BACK for an update...

So, here's what's new in the world of my herniated disk... sigh...

The one cortisone shot that I received did something.  The number one thing that it did was shift my pain.  I'm not sure how that happened, but before the shot I could sit all day, but had trouble standing for longer than 20-30 minutes without agonizing pain.  Post shot, I can stand (after over an hour it gets a little sore), but can't sit for very long at all.  Shooting firey pain is an all too familiar feeling right now.

Before the shot, riding my bike was easy.  Now, it hurts.  Not. Good.

Before the shot, my leg felt ok in terms of weakness... a little weak, but not so bad.  After the shot, my leg feels like it's going to give out underneath me at least once a day.  It's very weak.

I went back to follow up with the pain doctor.  I was feeling ok when I went in to see him, so he told me just to come back if/when needed.  I see my Ortho in a couple of weeks, so I will see what happens there.

I started working with a new PT.  He does more mechanical manual manipulation intended to open up, stretch, and otherwise clear the path for the nerve to run without causing pain.  It certainly has helped some, but not as much as I'd hoped.

I've started swimming again - thank goodness our gym switched to salt water, so no allergic reaction to the chlorine! - and I continue to do the core work and stretches that the PT suggested.

Unfortunately, things are not good.  I'm still in a lot of pain... I'm still only sometimes able to stretch the way I need to for the PT's exercises to work.  I'm still pretty annoying to Mr. Porkchop who has to hear me wince and say ouch numerous times each day.  I'm still hopeful that something will work to make me feel better.  Unfortunately, I'm not as hopeful that this something is going to be non-invasive and "conservative."

I don't know what lies ahead for me in terms of this issue.  But, whatever is before me, I know that I have Mr. Porkchop by my side to make sure that I'm ok!  :)

The Post That's NOT About the Government Shut Down

Yeah, I'm no political blogger.  I have a few friends who can chat your ear off all day about politics and its evils.  I prefer to let them have it and move on to more important issues... like cookies and fluffy unicorns and piglets at the zoo...

These things, after all, are far more important, right?  Speaking of the important things in life... allow me to mention just a few that I think are significant before turning to someone far funnier than I to do the same...

1.  Don't forget to veg out... by this I don't mean literally wallowing in a slothful existence, but taking time for yourself once in a while.  And, yes...sometimes that means sitting in front of the television watching reruns of Three's Company.  Or, spending an hour swimming or riding a bike or knitting or reading or whatever.  We are too caught up in our work.  We've forgotten how good it can feel to veg out.
2.  Appreciate your own hypocrisy.  Yep... we are all hypocrites.  Some far worse than others, but we're all guilty.  I can speed down the freeway but will yell at the guy who speeds faster.  I've often heard the phrase "Universe of One" uttered by those who live in a "universe of one."  Acknowledge it and you're more likely to overcome it.

3.  Breathe Deeply... so that you can yell more loudly.  Sometimes you just have to yell, complain, bitch, moan, scream, sigh, plead, etc.  Take a deep breath before you do so... it will help you clear your mind so that your ensuing rant is more coherent and logical!

And now, for this guy...enjoy

Back to School, Back to School

I actually like the first few weeks of classes. 

The first few weeks provides a new opportunity every semester to establish the tenor of the classroom.  It allows me the chance to reinvent myself as a professor.  It allows me to introduce myself to a new crop of students and hope to win them over to a semester of hard work and major rewards.  And, most important...

It allows the students a clean slate. 

So many of us bring our baggage with us everywhere we go.  In some cases, it's quite literal, like the student one semester who brought a full-sized suitcase to class every day.  In others, it's all the stuff that has bogged us down in the past.  The failed exams, the shame spiral of absences, the attempt at going to such-and-such university, the loss of a job in the workplace.  Whatever we bring with us normally can be set aside in the first few weeks of a new class. 

I often tell my students that what they did before doesn't matter.  I don't care if you flunked Humanities before.  It wasn't THIS class.  And, even if it was, it wasn't THIS semester.  THIS class in THIS semester is our chance to discard all of that baggage.  Those excuses about why it didn't go well last time or what it was that held us back from the desired A+.  THIS class in THIS semester is our chance to start fresh.

What they often don't realize is that we professors, too, have our baggage.  Just before the semester began, I got my evaluations from last semester.  In general, they're good.  But, there's always the few students who circle "Strongly Disagree."  I take those rare bubbles VERY seriously.  I think back on the past semester and about what I may have done to one (or to several) students that would lead them to believe that I wasn't attentive to their grades, or that I wasn't available after class, or that I didn't provide proper feedback. 

And, every semester I change something.  Every semester, I try to make sure that those evaluations do not go unaddressed.  Every semester, I try to make sure that I am a better professor. 

I actually like the first few weeks of classes.

Bears, Needles, and Classrooms... OH MY!

Yeah, I've been pretty much a slacker lately.  At least, a slacker in terms of posting here.  But, not really a slacker, as I've been busy.

Last weekend was my last weekend of freedom before classes began on Tuesday.  So, I headed down to Virginia to ride bikes with a few teammates and friends.  We got rained on both days, but it was great.  I absolutely love riding in the mountains and the valleys of the Shenandoah.  It's gorgeous, the roads are long, winding, and generally empty of cars.  It allows me to really remember why I ride a bike.  I do it because it makes me feel happy and free.  It makes me feel like there's not much I can't do.  It reminds me that I am alive and that there is more to life than the daily grind.  And, it keeps me in contact with amazing people who share a love for the road. 

I finally saw my first wild bear!  It was standing on the side of the highway just out of the edge of the woods, contemplating how to get to the other side.  So, while I didn't get to really watch it or observe it as we drove past, my heart leapt!  FINALLY!  WAHOO!

I had another run in with a bear while we were down there... and I have the bruise to show for it.  See, we stayed at "Bear Lodge."  Of course, a house named like that would be covered with bear related decorations, right?  Well, as I was stepping into the bathroom and about to close the door, I stepped back into the bear shaped toilet paper holder.  WHAM - right into my hip.  Ouch.  That left a bruise.  Literally.  A bruise that the nurse asked me about this week when I went in for my procedure (to be described below).  The conversation went something like this:

"Um, you have a large bruise on your left hip."
Giggle, giggle, "Yeah, I ran into a bear shaped toilet paper holder."
"I'm not even going to ask."
Giggle, giggle - injection of sedation meds - zzzzzz....

Yesterday was my cortisone injection.  I was nervous about it.  I've never had an IV, never been sedated (not counting sedation for dental work), and the thought of someone shoving giant needles into my back was exciting (would I REALLY be out of pain?!?!) and a bit scary (that's my SPINE that you're messing with!).

The staff at the surgical center were great.  They made me laugh and kept me warm and calm.  The IV pinched a bit, but once it was in, I rather forgot that it was there.  They wheeled me into the operating room, made a few jokes about how they had to call me Dr. and then I was laying face down on the table.  Within 20-30 seconds of the injection of sedation meds, I was out cold. 

I woke up in recovery with Mr. Porkchop next to me.  He asked how I was feeling, I said that I was fine.  They told me a few things, some of which I actually remembered later.  Mostly, I just wanted to go to sleep.  And eat.  But, sleep was more pressing. 

I fell asleep in the car on the way home, managed to get up to bed, and woke up about 3 hours later.  My first thought was, wow, the pain is not totally gone, but it is a lot better! 

I am cautiously optimistic.  I have to call the doctor on Monday to let him know how I'm feeling.  We may do another procedure soon if the pain isn't reduced by 80%.  But, my initial thought is that we won't do another shot for a while.  We'll see how the weekend goes!  Fingers crossed!

Bonkage

I rode a lot this week.  More than I've ridden since April.  And, I rode pretty hard.

For me, at least.

I keep having to remind myself that I was couch-bound for over 2 months.  I feel a little bit of frustration that I'm just not strong like I'd like to be.  But, I have to smack myself in the head and remind myself that just a few weeks ago, I could barely walk.

This week included one major bonk and one less major bonk during rides.  Bonking sucks.  It's not just your legs feeling tired and not able to push a decent pace.  It's like your lights just go out entirely.  You stop thinking of anything other than the fact that you feel like crud.  Then, you stop thinking about that and just become a bit of a zombie on two wheels.  The major bonk lasted for the rest of the evening, just never quite coming back around to feeling normal.  The minor one was over as soon as I was able to slow down on the bike and just find my internal rhythm again.  And, of course, by being distracted from the pain and cruddy feeling by those around me.

One ride this week was a blessing in that I was riding with a Med Student whose speciality is sport/spinal work.  She already works as a PT and is going back for her DO.  She listened to my litany of presentations and symptoms and gave me some great advice on what I might try going forward.  Because of this conversation, I'm less nervous about the fact that I'll be getting an epidural shot next week and I'm trying out a new Physical Therapist the following week.  Because of this conversation, I'm feeling better about my recovery and about my prognosis going forward.  So, a HUGE thank you goes out to my Wednesday riding buddy!!  THANK YOU!

So, I'm tired tonight.  Very tired.  But, I'm also satisfied.  I know that I have amazing people around me who want to see me make a full recovery and who are willing to put up with the Grumpy-Chop on occasion as I struggle to get there.  I now have a better idea of what really might be going on inside this bod of mine and I'm anxious to get some new eyes and new ideas in the recovery mix.  I am now ready to focus on the next set of things in life...

A new contract at work - FINALLY!!
In-service week with my awesome colleagues.
The start of classes with a new fleet of (hopefully wicked cool) students.
A team weekend in the mountains.
The lovely season of long weekend rides watching the leaves change color.

But first...
A trip to the zoo and the beach with Mr. Porkchop!  :)