Scout adventures

So on Wednesday May 30th I took Scout in to get his teeth cleaned.  This is a big deal, as I have in the past gotten out my instruments and cleaned his teeth myself.  However I've been slack on that lately, and I noticed that his gums were not so happy.  That and he has a tissue tag that comes and goes on his gum that I can't take off.  So we decided to have the whole teeth cleaning adventure and while we doing that we thought we should go ahead and take off the warts and tissue tags he has on his skin as well.

I dropped him off at the vet at 7:30 am, and they told me they would call Jason to come pick him up after he was ready.  I opted for the blood work for the older dogs (because he is).  I was nervous about him going under, but happy that his teeth and gums would be doing better afterwards.  They use ultrasonic scalers when they work on the teeth at the vet's office, just like I do on some of my patients.

At 8:45 I got a call from the vet, telling me that Scout's liver levels/counts were off the charts.  That they didn't feel he should go under for the dental treatment, and that they would be taking an x-ray to rule out any masses.  WHAT!!  SHOCK!!  Completely devastated that my sweet doggy might be sick.  I ended up calling my dental office and telling them I wouldn't be in for work, I was a WRECK.  In the end there was no visible mass, so we are on a regimen of antibiotics and Denamarin (for liver disease) to see if it changes the levels.  If it does not then we will need to do an ultrasound to see if there are nodules, and then go from there.

On top of all the liver stuff, Scout has developed a limp.  So we are working on treating that with meds that are not processed through the liver.  The first round of meds didn't work, and now we are working on round 2.

We go back on the 18th, to check the liver levels, and if all is well then we will get his teeth cleaned and move on from there.  If it is not okay then.....well then we'll see what's next.

Crunch Time...

[Preface- I started this post on Wednesday May 30th ]

It's getting down to CRUNCH TIME!!  I'm about to leave on another adventure!  I've raised $4,515.00 for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society this season.  I've enjoyed my training, and learned a ton about how to cycle in a group. I believe I've become a better group cyclist, and am excited about being out on more group rides.  Now if I could just teach everyone else how to ride better??  Another day for a another story.  Reflecting back on this year of intense, and maybe a little insane training and fundraising has made me really think about why I do this.  Of course I love endurance sports, I also love sitting on the couch watching TV and eating crappy foods.  I digress.  I love endurance events, well I love being outside, working out, and hanging out with my friends....who love endurance events. *smiles* I'm impressed with The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's mission, and am happy to know that 80 + % of the money I raise goes to patient services and research to find cures.  If you look at other non-profits this isn't always the case.  LLS does a good job of putting the money where it is needed, so even if my world wasn't rocked by blood cancers, I believe I would be supporting LLS.  Ahhh, but there's the rub.  My world, and if you've read this blog you know, has been rocked by blood cancer.  Not me personally, although sometimes it has felt like it, but my family and my friends.  Knowing the battles that others have been through, and continue to go through, makes the hills and the miles feel like nothing (<-- not true, they still are long and hard, but it gets put into perspective).

So my bags are mostly packed, by bike is on it's way to Lake Tahoe, in just a few days I'll be on an airplane flying out to do my 7th TNT event, and my first century cycle.  My coaches and teammates have been wonderful this season.  I'm happy to have everyone coming along for the ride (and missing the couple of teammates that will be doing Fletcher Flyer instead of Tahoe).  I've been prepared in the best way I can be.  I know this ride will not be easy, I don't pick the easy ones.  I know it will be beautiful.  I mean it's in the name for crying out loud.

Seriously....I'm still around, sort of.

So, once again...I haven't been writing my blog.  It's okay, it's my blog.  *smiles*  I don't really have time line or dead lines....I just feel bad when I come back and check in, and notice...oh yeah, I haven't written.  It's all good.

I'm coming to the end of training, and getting ready for my big event....TAHOE here I come (soon).  I'm finishing up fundraising for this event, and thinking of good ideas for the next thing.  There is ALWAYS a next thing.  Work is work.  There is good and bad.  It's funny how sometimes you let little frustrations turn into big deals.  Take a breath, let it go.  Home is good.  Family is still crazy.  Gotta love it!

Downton Abbey took over my life for a bit.  TV!!   AGGGGHHHH!!  But it's true.

It's almost Summer!!  YAY!!

Off to work I go!!

Views from a Dog Walk...

Writing can be healing...

So I recently wrote a very long post ranting about....EVERYTHING.  Nope you didn't miss, I decided not to post it. WHAT??  Yeah, it wasn't very nice, in fact it was downright mean.  HA!  Taking the time to think about if this effecting other people (what I write on MY blog) isn't always my strong point, but my hope to stay positive on here helped drive me to keep that particular post as a draft.

It was prompted by a friend who wrote in his blog about how he hadn't written in awhile because he was feeling so happy!  That his life was going to well and that it made it difficult to write.  I thought about how many peoples blogs are focused on the negative, or the need to get the BLAH out.  It feels good to unleash your fury on the world (in a "safe" environment).

So instead of that really snarky post, slamming all the people who have really pissed me off lately, you get this.  Life is tough sometimes, and learning to deal with it in a positive way is hard (sometimes).  I feel myself heading to the dark side, but try to keep myself in the light.  Remember that other people have feelings too (not just you), and even if you can't understand them, doesn't mean you should slam them.  Ohh yeah, and the reason I haven't posted as much lately....is the opposite of my friends problem.  It's not that I'm not happy, I've just been dealing with a few struggles.  Ahhh, such is life.

So I hope you enjoyed this little bit of nothing blog post!  *smiles*  Time to walk the sweet puppy boy now.  Try to enjoy your day!

April...where did you go??

Seriously big lack of posting lately.  Sorry.

Lot's going on.  Lot's of emotions....happy, sad, angry, mad, and more happy.  I'm trying...as the name of my blog suggests to live the life I've been given...and I'm trying to live it happy!  *smiles*

Training for my 100 mile bike ride around Lake Tahoe is going well.  It was a rough day today (but we all have those), but the team seems to be doing well, and we are all riding together well.  Nice to ride in a pack to help ease the long miles.  Nothing like getting to draft off of each other!  *smiles*

Fundraising for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society is going well too!  Everyone has been kind and generous with their donations....especially since this is the 3rd event in a row that I'm fundraising for!  THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!  The latest event I did was a painting party with a pre-tasting event at Wine 101.  Thanks to Joe and Wine and Design Wake Forest for helping me put on this event.  There were 18 people who came and painted Poppies last weekend, and I made $180 towards my fundraising!  AWESOME!!  Today was the Belk Charity sale, and many people bought tickets for the sale from me, I hope you all found great deals!!

There have been two big loses in my life this month, in fact this past week.  Two of my friends furry family members have gone to the rainbow bridge.  Seven, who was one of Scout's good friends (who we watched when his family went out of town....and who I posted about before) is no longer in pain from his bone cancer.  Monday was the last day I got to see him, and I was lucky enough to go spend some time with him before he left this world.  My heart is aching, and I know his families hearts are broken, but they are working on mending them. They had Seven for almost 10 years in their lives and the kids have always know their lives with Seven.  And little Sandy dog who has been battling bladder cancer for years sadly lost her battle this week as well.  She was 19 years , and an amazing companion to Wendy and later to Stuart.  I know the grieving process is hard, but Sweet Sandy will be waiting for them at the Rainbow Bridge.

My frustration with people is summed up by the above quote.  Enough said.

Ever wonder??

So....I know some or maybe even most of you think I'm crazy for all the stuff I do.  Or maybe you just think it's annoying...all the emails you get from me.  Some of you have tuned me out (it's okay I can handle it).  Some of you have told me that you appreciate my emails and my dedication to this mission.  Do you really know why I do this?  What reason do I have to continue to do endurance events and raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society?

Yes I have a connection, in fact, I have many connections to blood cancer.  Does it suck?  It sure does.  Would I like to see the end of blood cancer, and indeed all cancers....I sure would.  Am I happy to be apart of the change....probably more than you know.  I don't think I know one person that hasn't in some way been effected by cancer.  Is there anyone out there that doesn't have a friend, a loved one, even an arch rival, that has had to go through the cancer hell?  It isn't anything you wish on your worst enemy.  

From a very young age I knew, I just knew I want to be a pediatric oncologist.  I knew the words for it, I knew this is what I wanted to do.  Why?  What made a 3rd grader who at the time had no connection to cancer (that she knew of), want to be a kid doctor specializing in cancer?  I honestly don't know.  If asked when I was younger I would gladly tell anyone that I wanted to be a pediatric oncologist, or a hair stylist (you know cause kids are never really sure).  Was it an omen, or a prediction on my life that I would know so many people effected by cancer?  Ehhhh....did you all have the same aspirations??  So growing up, I KNEW this is what I was meant to do, except....uggghhh school was not my most favorite thing in the world.  By the time I finished high school (which was a specialized high school, in which I did health occupations, and had to have a major and everything), I was really sick of school.  So I did not become a pediatric oncologist, I became a dental hygienist.  Hmmmm, very very different things.  I think that TNT and I were brought together for a reason!

I started training for my first TNT event (a sprint distance triathlon) in the winter of 2005.  I completed my 2nd (my first was while training for the 2nd) Sprint distance Triathlon in the Spring of 2006 with Team in Training...and it was AMAZING!  I still have friends from my first team, and that is just amazing to me.  In the beginning of 2007 my Mom was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma, and I was hit full on with knowing someone with a blood cancer.  And it wasn't just someone, it was my MOM!!  In September of 2009 my second cousin was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia, hit again.  In December 2009 one of my scrapbooking friends found out that her son David has Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, another hit.  Not to mention all the connections I've made through friends and teammates with their personal stories or stories of their loved ones.  

So this 100 mile bike ride that I'm doing around Lake Tahoe, is my 7th TNT event.  It's my first cycle event with the Team.  Do I think what I'm doing by, putting myself through the training for "crazy" endurance events and raising money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society is really making a difference?  YES, yes I do!  Check out this video about mission day to understand part of why I do what I do (it's long, but worth it).

So that's the deal with me, and part of the why.  Hmmmm.  So now...what can you do?  Go ahead and click on the link to my fundraising page, and make a 100% tax deductible donation.  Or if you'd like a little something for your donation, see me for a coaster set, or a cool bracelet.    Or you want to do something fun?  Sign up for the Wake Forest Wine and Design  Red Poppy class on April 14th, and come have some wine at Wine 101 before painting, then hang out with me and let Wine and Design help you paint something you can be proud of.  No joke you don't know how to paint, they make it easy! 

Ohh and something new: I have tickets for the Belk's charity sale.  On April 21st from 6am-10am Belk's will open it's doors for this AMAZING shopping extravaganza.  For your $5 ticket, you get in, you get 20-70% off rarely discounted items, you get $5 back on your purchase (so basically it's free).  Let me know if you'd like a ticket!  This can be used at any BELK'S on April 21st!!

 

Together we CAN find a cure!

Chrissy Harlow, RDH (registered dental hygienist)

The group shot before going out to ride today!

This is part of the group at the half way point, we all did about 45 miles at a 17 mph pace.  ROCKSTARS!!