Loss of My Co-Pilot

     I really wanted to talk about my physical therapy appointment from today, but maybe later, I wanted to talk about the loss of my Co-Pilot.  So this past week or so has been pretty tough for me.  Those of you that read my blog regularly know that I was kind of depressed with the speed bump my recovery took.  I was just starting to get over that when the "hard choice" had to be made last Wednesday.  My cat, Harley, aka kitty, had been having eye and ear issues, so Mandy called and set an appointment at the vet for him.  He was almost 16 years old and really starting to show his age, but I never thought the day was going to go the way it did. 

     So before I go on, here is a little back story.  In 2000 I was living in Dayton, Ohio going to school for commercial photography and really wanted a pet.  My roommate at the time had two cats that I got along with pretty well, but I thought it would be hard to bring a dog into that situation.  I was planning on moving out when my lease was up and getting a place of my own and I didn't want to pay the extra fees they tack on to your rent if you have a pet and I thought I couldn't hide a dog very easily from the landlord, but maybe I could a cat.  While I was out one day I stopped into the pet store I would go to when I had my freshwater aquarium to look around, when I came across a bunch of kittens.  There was one in the bunch that responded to me being there, so I asked to hold him and he immediately curled up in my arms and started purring.  I never really was a cat guy and I never owned one, but living with the two my roommate had I grew fond of them and I thought getting my own cat would be fine to have while I was still living with my roommate.  I also thought, several of my friends in school had cats of their own and they were able to hide theirs from their landlords so I said what the hell and purchased him.

     He was your typical American domestic short haired cat with jet black fur and yellow eyes except for his left eye that had a small dark spot in it.  I took him to the vet the next day and despite his size at the time, the vet took one look at his paws and said he was going to be a big cat when he grows up, and boy did he ever.  Mandy and I use to joke because he weighed almost as much as our two chihuahuas combined.  He was the perfect companion for me, being just enough of an independent soul that he could cope with my long hours of my school schedule.

One funny story from those days was when he was a model for Elder Beerman Department Store.  Yeah you read that right, you see while I was going to school I did an internship in their photo department, where all the catalog and Sunday ads were produced.  The local humane society was to bring animals by for a photo shoot with some kids, but they never showed up.  I volunteered Harley for the job and a couple weeks later he was a famous model in the Sunday ads.

     The other story that I love to tell about him is about the night in my apartment when he sat and watched TV.  I was laying on the couch and he was laying on my side as I flipped through the stations.  Nothing was on that I cared to watch and I ended up just leaving it on some nature show on wolves.  After a few minutes Harley jumped down and sat a couple feet from the TV watching so intently, occasionally getting up on his hind legs and pawing at the TV screen and doing that thing when animals turn their heads to the side as if they are saying "huh, what is that".  When the commercials came on he would lose interest and roam around the room, but as soon as the show came back on he was right back sitting in front, watching.  This went on till the program was over and when I look back now on his almost 17 years with me, that was the only time I can remember him ever doing something like that.

     So back to last week.  I knew something was wrong the moment they weighed him; he had dropped a good 10 pounds since the last time I weighed him, and for some reason I still didn't think it was going to end the way it did.  The vet came in and did her exam and before you knew it, cancer came out of her mouth.  She pointed out that his thyroids were huge for a cat and was making it difficult for him to swallow.  I guess I never noticed, its not like they were protruding out so far, you had to know what you were feeling for to know there was an issue.  After she gave me all the options, she allowed me to decide the course of action while she spent 10 minutes with another patient.  I called Mandy and spoke with her about it.  Basically my choices came down to 1: spend a ton of money to absolutely confirm cancer and have him put down, 2: take him home and wait till he can no longer eat or drink or 3: put him down now.  I ran through my options and at the end of it, both one and two seemed pointless.  Either way she said with a large as his thyroids were there was little she could do and I thought it would be selfish for me to take him home and let him suffer just so I can have a few more days or weeks with him.  After a lot of cuddling and crying I made the decision to give him peace.

Our last minutes together

     I'll miss the cuddle time on the couch, the instant purring when I would walk in the room and a friend who was always there for me when I needed him.

Love you Harley

I had him cremated so I will have him wherever life takes me

Need a Place to Stay? GCM Host Hotels

     With the Mercy Health Glass City Marathon rapidly approaching, I thought I would share a little info for those of you coming in from out of town.  Toledo may not be the biggest city in Ohio, but with its rich history and wonderful attractions, it sure does offer some great things for tourists to do.  for driving directions to get to the starting line on race day: CLICK HERE

 

     Probably the most important thing is where you are going to stay while you are in town.  Well the GCM are pleased to welcome Ramada Hotel and Conference Center as the Glass City Marathon's host hotel. The Ramada Hotel is located on Secor Road minutes from the University of Toledo Campus. 

Ramada Toledo Hotel and Conference Center

3536 Secor Road Toledo, OH, 43606

Phone:(419) 535-7070

1.7 miles from 2801 West Bancroft Street, Toledo, Ohio, 43606

     If there is no room at the inn, or you wish to venture out and lay out head at another establishment, then check out the list below for some other hotels that are reasonably close to the race.

 
Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham Holland/Toledo Area

6101 Trust Dr Holland, OH, 43528

Phone:(419) 867-9555

5.0 miles from 2801 West Bancroft Street, Toledo, Ohio, 43606

 

 Wingate by Wyndham - Sylvania/Toledo

5480 South Main Street Sylvania, OH, 43560

Phone:(419) 517-2000

5.9 miles from 2801 West Bancroft Street, Toledo, Ohio, 43606

 Quality Inn Toledo

3560 Secor Rd Toledo, OH, 43606

Phone:(419) 531-2666

1.8 miles from 2801 West Bancroft Street, Toledo, Ohio, 43606

 
  
Radisson Hotel at The University of Toledo

3100 Glendale Avenue Toledo, OH, 43614

Phone:(419) 381-6800

3.4 miles from 2801 West Bancroft Street, Toledo, Ohio, 43606

 
  
Park Inn by Radisson Hotel Toledo, OH

101 N Summit St Toledo, OH, 43604

Phone:(419) 241-3000

4.0 miles from 2801 West Bancroft Street, Toledo, Ohio, 43606

Post Surgery Update #6

     Today was a gut check day for me.  I don't want to go so far as to say I am discouraged, but one might feel that way after having to pump the breaks on therapy.  Today was my 2nd post surgery follow up with the surgeon and since it is so close to my PT's office I scheduled my therapy session so I could go to that right before hand.  

     Since my last therapy visit I have struggled with my workout, mostly because my muscles just were not up to the challenge.  I did to much to fast and my muscles paid the price, which forced me to take a day off from my workouts.  The shitty thing is I was on such a high thinking that once today came we would be on to jumping and then, you guessed it, running! 

     I got to Alisha's office this morning and told her how my week went, in a little more detail.  I could tell she was a little concerned, which was confirmed when she said "maybe we will wait a week or two before jumping."  She had me attempt one jump and immediately I felt pain, but not from my hip joint, from my muscle.  I have this one area of muscle, the upper inner thigh, that constantly feels weak no matter what exercises I have done.  To give you an idea, think if you were to lay on your back with your legs stretched out flat and then keeping your leg straight as you raise it, that will trigger this muscle area.  Well when I attempted the jump, it triggers this muscle and as soon as I took flight I was in pain.  It was that that confirmed to her that we need to postpone jumping.

     On the other side of the coin, she was very happy with how my double and single leg squats looked just a week later, however she could see that I was still favoring my left side just a little bit.  We talked about my routine and where we would go from here.  I told her that the exercises that I am doing were working well for everything but that one weak area.  She added two new exercises with an exercise ball which will really work that area.  I could totally feel it in just the few reps she had me attempt for practice.  The down side to all this is the fact that we are going to give my home workout routine two weeks before my next in office appointment.  The next step is jumping and if I can't jump yet there is no point for me to come to the office.

     As soon as we were done I jumped in the car and headed to my Dr.'s appointment.  The medical campus was packed and it took awhile to get a parking spot.  When I got inside I had to wait in a long line before I was told the Dr required another x-ray prior to my visit.  I headed downstairs to get that done, which thankfully didn't take to terribly long.  Once I was called to the exam room and the nurse took all my vitals and info, I had about a 10 minute wait before the doc came in with two other guys.  One was a med student just taking notes and the other was a white coat that seemed to be just tagging along for learning purposes.  The doc said my x-rays looked good and my range of motion is coming along.  He asked how I was feeling and if I had any pain and I told him everything that I spoke to earlier in this post.  He told me that I would have good days and weeks and bad days and weeks with aches and pains and it will just take time.  Time, always with the freaking time.  Sometimes I really hate time.

     

Want To Help? Charities of the Glass City Marathon 2016

Some wonderful charities have partnered with The Glass City Marathon this year to provide awareness to their cause and to raise funds to support those who they help. Since 2009, Toledo Roadrunners Club has raised over $300,000 for area non-profits.
Through a careful selection process, partner status is awarded to programs or organizations who are aligned with the TRRC’s constitutional purpose which is “to educate Club members and the community about physical fitness and health through the sponsorship and promotion of running, physical fitness and other health related events.”

Official Charities of the Mercy Health Glass City Marathon

Mercy Children’s Hospital — A regional resource for advanced pediatric care located in Toledo, Ohio. Since 1999, Mercy Children’s Hospital has brought together a broad spectrum of physicians, researchers, educators, nurses and allied professionals specializing in the unique needs of children. Mercy Children’s Hospital has become the leading healthcare resource in northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan. Money donated to Mercy Children’s Hospital goes to support the Mercy Autism Program, Mercy Hippotherapy program, Mercy Family Care Team, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and Inpatient Child Life program, along with equipment and other needs within the hospital…

Great Lakes Collaborative for Autism — The Great Lakes Collaborative for Autism works within the community to promote awareness of Autism as well as collaborates with community partners to provide programming, services, and support for those affected by autism…

 

Maumee Valley Habitat for Humanity — Maumee Valley Habitat for Humanity works with low income families in Lucas County, Ohio to provide new or rehabbed housing, critical home repairs, clean-up and exterior maintenance. Please visit www.mvhabitat.org for more information…

Kids Unlimited — Kids Unlimited is an after-school tutoring/mentoring program operating in five central city Toledo locations. It focuses on providing a comprehensive approach to educating and mentoring children in three critical areas…

 Catholic Charities Diocese of Toledo — Catholic Charities Diocese of Toledo serves more than 41,000 people of all faiths and backgrounds in 19 counties of Northwest Ohio by providing food and shelter, adoption services, pregnancy support, guardianship for the elderly, jail and prison…

 Toledo Community Service Center, dba Family House — We provide services and programs to over 267 homeless families every year, at an average cost of $1700 per family served. With $10,000 we will be able to shelter, empower and re-house 6 families who find themselves in a homeless crisis…

 Girls on the Run — Girls on the Run is an after school program meeting twice a week in small teams of 8-15 girls. The program teaches life skills through dynamic, conversation-based lessons and running games. Running to inspire and motivate girls, encourage lifelong…

 Goodwill of NW Ohio — Goodwill Industries, a household name that evokes images of thrift stores, donated goods and workers with disabilities. We improve the lives of people with disabilities or other disadvantages through employment training and job placement…

 Racing for Recovery — Our mission at Racing for Recovery is to prevent all forms of substance abuse by promoting a lifestyle of fitness and health for all those affected by addiction. Racing for Recovery works to save lives and improve the quality of life for addicts and…

 Hannah’s Socks — Hannah’s Socks – restoring dignity one pair of socks at a time. It’s a simple premise really. Giving a person a brand new pair of socks. What many take for granted by opening their drawer in the morning to get ready for the day, is not possible for…

 Josina Lott Residential & Community Services — Enriching the lives of persons with developmental disabilities by providing quality services, safe environments and opportunities for self-determination and community integration… 

 Adopt America Network — Dedicated to helping place children with special circumstances, whether they are physical, emotional or something else (for instance, older children and/or siblings)…

 

Partners for Clean Streams — Striving for abundant open space and a high quality natural environment; adequate floodwater storage capacities and flourishing wildlife; stakeholders who take local ownership in their resources; and rivers, streams and lakes that are clean, clear and safe…

   

Serenity Farm — Our Mission: A professional team providing growth and learning opportunities through the use of equine-assisted therapy to improve the quality of lives. Our Vision: A nationally-recognized organization giving persons with physical and behavioral disabilities a journey of therapy that enriches their lives through the bond of affection with the respect of horses…

Post Surgery Update #5 / Vacation

     Hey everyone, sorry this post is a little late due to a very busy schedule and my business/vacation trip to Arizona last week.  So to get right to it, two weeks ago I got to my PT's office and she was excited to get me on two feet with no outside support.  I was a little nervous, mostly because it had been five weeks since the surgery and I haven't taken an unassisted step since then.  When I took my first steps, I was so afraid that my leg would just give out on me, but it didn't.  Subconsciously I think I was babying it a little and wasn't putting my full weight on it.  Alisha quickly corrected me and got me up on the treadmill for a nice slow stroll.  She was monitoring my every step, correcting me when needed so I wasn't limping or favoring it in anyway.  When we were finished we discussed the up coming week that housed my business/vacation trip.

     With me being out of town last week I would not be able to have my therapy session till this week so Alisha gave me two weeks worth of homework to do for each week that would get me to our next appointment.  I have been continuing a lot of leg lifts and stretches, but this week we added standard planks, short squats (meaning I only go down about a 1/4 of the way) and some high knee marching to keep things moving.  Of course I was also informed "NO RUNNING AT ALL" before I left.  She knows me to well and how I like to push myself!

     The first three days of my trip would be at a work convention that would have me doing quite a bit of walking, plus I would be doing a lot of sightseeing with my wife and I was concerned that all that might be to much to quick.  Alisha suggested I take my cane with me because she was concerned that if my hip and leg muscles get tired it could affect my gait and cause more issues that would lengthen my recovery time.  When my convention was over Mandy and I headed out to see her old stomping grounds and do a little sightseeing.  Here are a few pics from our time.

     Anyway sorry for a short uneventful post, but we will see how my next appointment goes this week and I believe next week is my follow up appointment with the surgeon so next week could be a big day for me.  I hope he gives me some good news on my progress.  

Training For A Race

      

     Today marks 16 weeks till the Mercy Health Glass City Marathon.  If you haven't started your marathon training yet, you probably should look to start NOW.  Looking for that right plan to follow, well I can say with 100 percent certainty that there is no one plan that works for everyone.  Whether you are a first time marathoner or this is your 100th time toeing the line, everyone requires a different way of doing it.  Having said that, at the end of the day it is all about getting enough miles in that your body will be prepared for the stress a marathon can put on you.  Since I won't be able to run the Mercy Health Glass City Marathon this year, I'll be working my way back so I can run the Medical Mutual Glass City 5K.  Throughout the training cycle for you marathoners, I'll share my thoughts on where I was when training for my first marathon, while I share my rehab journey so I can accomplish the 5K race.

     

     First, as I said before, if you are taking on the Mercy Health Glass City Marathon you should be starting now.  If you don't have a plan to follow, here is a few of the more popular ones out there.

Hal Higdon - arguably the most popular plan out there.  He offers plans for the complete novice to the most advanced runners out there.  I used a slightly modified version of his intermediate plan when I trained for my first marathon. 

Jeff Galloway Training - To be honest I am not familiar with his plan and never used it myself, but I have heard his name mentioned quite a lot when it came to training plans for beginners so I thought I would list it. 

CoolRunnings.com - Just another free online program to look at.

Hansons Marathon Method - This is a strategy that I would only recommend to someone who has at least one if not two marathons under their belt and has been running for some time.  I purchased their book and read it cover to cover and was fascinated by their approach.  They buck the trend of conventional wisdom when it comes to the long run we have heard so much about.  To be honest, I have yet to try this method, but I want to attempt it at some point.  The link is to their free basic plan, but I want to caution you, if you want to do their plan, read the book!

For those of you taking on the Owens Corning GCM Half Marathon or the Medical Mutual 5K, your training will start soon, so get out there now and get a few miles under your belt in preparation for your training.

Post Surgery Update #4

     It has been just over 4 weeks since my surgery, and to be honest I didn't think I would be where I am right now.  Things are moving along quite well and I am so happy for that.  At my last PT appointment, Alisha was quite happy with my progress in just one week.  She told me she was going to consult with my surgeon on my progress and my case to decide on a continued course of action.

     I worked hard on my exercises each day, getting in at minimum 2 sets each day.  Prior to my next appointment I got an email from Alisha stating she had spoken to the surgeon and had some good new for me.  Fast forward to Wednesday, I had to change my appointment time to 7:30 am due to my work schedule changing.  The good news was, do to the type of procedure I had and that my muscles have reacted so well to my rehab, I was ready to transition to a single crutch.  First we worked on the proper way to use a single crutch, which I was surprised that you use it on the opposite side from your bad leg.  I figured you would use it to give support to your bad leg, which you due, but to keep a normal walking stride you use it on the opposite side and put weight on it when you take a step with your bad leg.  After I got the hang of that, I climbed on the table so she could do a lot of stretching and manipulation of my leg.  We discussed my at home routine and how it was going to change for this week and next, yeah I don't have to come in next week.  If all things go well for the next two weeks, then we will discuss the transition to no crutches!!!

     Most of my home exercise routine has stayed the same, we just increased the number of reps per set, the number of sets or the time to hold a certain move.  I have been feeling really good lately with little amount of pain or the need of any pain meds.  I am still taking the prescription strength aleve type meds, but I have cut it down to two a day instead of three.  I truly think all the strength training I did with Alisha has been the huge key to what seems to be a faster than normal recover.