Friday, June 26, 2009

And Now In Other News...

Lazy Teenagers buys some furniture.


Which may not sound like a big deal, but it really is. Her about to
be roommate has been trying to talk her into Rent-A-Center for
furniture. She told him, "I'm not going in debt!". I'm so proud.
They found an estate sale and Hubby is over there with the truck
helping out.


Surly Teenager goes to the doctor.


Her thyroid is STILL low. They upped her dosage again. We go back in
a month for another blood draw. At this rate she is going to be on
the same dosage as me, only 20 years sooner! We also got a referral
to an Ear, Nose, Throat guy to see about yanking her tonsils. She has
been on antibiotics 4 times this year, so far, and about 5 or 6 times
last year.


Me goes to the doctor.


I got a new bladder control medicine to try out. I don't know how
long it takes for one to get out of my system, and the other to get
in, but so far so good. I also had x-rays done of my knees. And the
official word is....I am clear to run. Yay! I do have arthritis in
both knees, with the left being worse, which is funny because it is
the right on that hurts more. I have little spurs on the back of both
knee caps, top and bottom on one, just the top on the other. The main
problem is that my knee caps are out of alignment. They sit to the
outside. Pateller Tracking Disorder, to be official. He said most
likely, that is what is causing my pain and not even the arthritis.
He recommended knee braces while running, ice, Icey Hot, and
strengthening exercises. Oh and to use my best judgment about not
progressing too quickly.


Hubby and I go to the next level.


On today's run plan, Hubby did the distances, I did the times. I go
slower than he does (see above about not progressing too quickly). We
were both a little concerned about being able to finish. But we both
did it. Yay us!


5 minute warm up walk.

Jog: 1/4 mile or 3 minutes.

Walk: 1/8 mile or 90 seconds.

Jog: 1/2 mile or 5 minutes.

Walk: 1/4 mile or 2 minutes, 30 seconds.

Jog: 1/4 mile or 3 minutes.

Walk: 1/8 mile or 90 seconds.

Jog: 1/2 mile or 5 minutes.

That totals up to: Me: 21 minutes and 30 seconds, with 16 minutes of
it jogging.
Hubby: 2 miles, with 1 1/2 miles of it jogging.

I am pretty damn impressed with us.

Thursday, June 25, 2009

That's a Stupid Prize

Because Hubby is SOOOO smart, I probably enjoy it a little too much when he has DUH! moments.

The other day he was talking to a lady and she was telling him about how Marlboro cigarettes was having some big contest on their web site.  She told him that not all of the prizes were great.  One day they were giving away 200,000 ashtrays.  Hubby agreed that was not a great prize.

It was about 5 minutes later that it occurred to him that she probably meant that they were giving away a TOTAL of 200,000 ashtrays, 1 per person, and not all 200,000 to ONE poor guy.


Tuesday, June 23, 2009

So Tell Me...

how do we avoid running in the heat when it is already 80 at 5:30 a.m.?

Don't Look

I finally changed my weight tracker to accurately reflect my current weight.


I couldn't face changing it back up to 229.2, which is what I topped
out at after the month and a half eating fest with no exercise that I
went on.


As of this morning I have lost 9.7 lbs of what I gained back. I was
at 209. If I did not have that gain and just started jogging, I would
now be below 200.


Big sigh.

Monday, June 22, 2009

This and That

Couch to 5K: week 452, day 73 (at least that is what it felt like
this morning)


5 minute warm up walk. 90 second jog, 90 second walk. 3 minute jog,
3 minute walk. 90 second jog, 90 second walk. 3 minute jog, 3 minute
walk.


Oh what fun it was (not). I managed to get through it though. And no
aneurysm. No real knee pain while I was doing it. But afterwords,
they weren't happy. I iced them for about 20 minutes after we got
home and that seemed to help. I walked a slow mile at lunch today, to
keep from stiffening up too bad. And my knees were not happy about
THAT either. I guess they thought they had had enough for one day.
Now they are just a little achey. Hopefully, it will all be better
tomorrow.


Oh yeah, did I not mention? We have decided to run every morning.
Not just 3 times a week. So we are going to do 4 days of each Plan,
instead of 3, and then move on to the next one. This will get us
through the whole thing a little quicker than the scheduled 9 weeks.
Weeeee!


I have a doctors appointment scheduled for Wednesday afternoon to have
my knees xrayed. I want to make sure that I am not permanently
screwing something up, or setting myself up for knee surgery next
year. And yeah, I maybe should have done this BEFORE we started the
program, but I wanted to make sure I didn't hate it first. What would
be the point of getting a medical clearance to run and then finding
out I didn't want to run after all?


I am also going to see about changing one of my medicines. My bladder
control medicine has the unfortunate side effect of inhibiting
sweating. So I over heat like you wouldn't believe in no time at all.
I can't even mow the lawn in one go. I have to stop 2 or 3 times.
After running, my face is a very bright red, and it stays that way for
over an hour. So I did a little research and apparently they can
prescribe a different class of medicines for it. Instead of an
antispasmodic, which all have basically the same side effects, I could
try a tricyclic antidepressant. They apparently work about the by
calming nerve signals and decreasing spasms in the bladder muscles.


Since I still don't hate it, I thought it would be nice to not have to
worry about dying of heat stroke.


Hubby takes his physical agility test for the fire academy August 5th.
I think he is worried that he can't do it. I'm not worried. He is
actually in pretty good physical shape, even though over weight. We
are eating really well, and he is losing. I think as long as he can
get his endurance up for the running portion - 1.5 miles in 14 minutes
- he will do fine.


Surly Teenager and Lazy Teenager are campaigning for new names. Lazy
Teenager is no longer a teenager and is hardly ever lazy anymore.
Surly Teenager is not really surly anymore, either. Just the
occasional regular type of teenager surly and not the extreme surly
she was before medication. I have not been able to come up with
anything, so if you have any ideas please let me know.

Friday, June 19, 2009

It's Just Not Worth It

While I was jogging this morning (I still get tickeled by putting that.  Me! Jogging! Who'd a thunk it!), on my last set, I started thinking about something other than the usual "Oh God help me.  I think my lungs are going to burst and I am going to have an aneurysm and die.  Well, at least then I would be able to stop.  Isn't it time to stop YET."  I was thinking that it just isn't worth it.  All the pizza, and cookies, and doughnuts (I'm looking at YOU Krispy Kreme with your cream filled chocolate covered EVILNESS) and all the other tasty junk.  That few seconds or minutes of tasty goodness, is just not worth all the time, effort and hard work I have to put in to work them off my butt and thighs.


What was I thinking?!!?

P.S. I actually wrote this at work and emailed it in, but for some reason it never posted.  Now that I copied it and manually posted it, it will probably show up and this will be here twice.

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Energizer Bunny

Couch-to-5K: week 2, day 1: warm up walk, jog 90 seconds, walk 2 minutes


That 90 seconds of jogging was the longest 90 seconds I've been
through; it felt like an hour. And that 2 minutes of walking felt
like 5 seconds.


But I did it. Yay me!


My last interval of jogging was very slow. It was probably on the
level of my very first day of 60 seconds jogging. But I just kept
talking to myself. I kept saying "You can do this", "You're almost
done", "You're just like the Energizer Bunny. You can take a lickin'
and keep on tickin'."


It was a while before I realized I had that last one wrong.


And I still don't hate it.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Couch-to-5K: days 3 & 4

OOOPS. I hit enter, on that last one, instead of Tab.


Day 3 was supposed to be Sunday. Hubby was in Abilene, and was going
to do his running there, so I was on my own. When I first got up, I
wasn't going to go. I parked my butt in front of the computer
instead. But then when I was on Facebook, I saw the picture of my new
(expensive!) running shoes and felt guilty. So I went.


Plan: 5 minute warm up walk. Jogging 60 seconds, walk 90 seconds, for
a total of 20 minutes.


Report: It didn't go so well. I started out with that little bit of
left knee pain again. Not very bad, just enough to make me jog with a
limp. This time I could not shake it. No matter how short I cut the
jogging and lengthened the walking, it wouldn't go away. After about
3 or 4 sets of trying to get it to stop, I gave up and just walked for
another 4 laps.


Hubby didn't do his running at all. Bad Hubby.


Monday morning we decided to try going in the evenings because getting
up at 5:30 am bites. But of course Monday night came and went without
going. Things just got in the way and next thing you know it was 9pm.


So I decided no matter how bad 5:30 sucks, that is just how it is
going to have to be.


This morning was day 4. Technically, we were supposed to move on to
week 2, day 1. I felt that since I didn't make much progress on
Sunday and Hubby didn't do it all, we needed a day 4. Thursday
morning will be the new plan.


Plan: same as before; 60 second jog, 90 second walk.


Report: I was right about doing a day 4. Even though my breathing
recovery has gotten much better, I think an increase in the jogging
might have been too much and would have put me off going again. But I
definitly think I will be ready for it on Thursday.


And I think I have solved the knee pain. I have been reading a few
running sites and blogs, and one tiny little change can make huge
differences. Like a different pair of socks, or lacing your shoes
differently or changing your form a little.


So I bought new ultra thin running socks.


Okay, that's not what helped. I think it was my form. I paid close
attention to how I was holding my body. I made sure I was more
upright, I raised my knees a tad bit higher, and lengthened my stride
a hair. I would get a couple of pain jabs with the first couple of
steps, then I would "adjust" and voila, no more knee pain.


It was nice out this morning too. A nice bit of wind was blowing.
Well, it was nice on the one side of the track, when it was at my
back. On the other side, when I was trying to run into the wind, it
was a bitch. It slowed me down noticeably. I felt like Marcel
Marceau doing his Walking Against the Wind bit.


I still didn't hate it. Especially since I lost 5 lbs in one week.

Couch-to-5K: days 3 and 4

Friday, June 12, 2009

The Jiggles

Want to know how flabby and un-toned you are?


Jog.


Everything that is loose will flap and jiggle and sway.


I swear I can still feel the vibrations from my butt cheeks smacking together.

Couch-to-5K:wk1 day 2

Plan: Warm up with 5 minute brisk walk. Jog for 60 seconds, walk for
90 seconds. Alternate jogging and walking for 20 minutes.


Report: I survived day 2. I had a little bit of pain in my left knee
with the first set of jogging. I stopped as soon as I noticed that I
was sort of jogging with a limp. I walked the rest of the 60 seconds
and the regular 90 seconds. When I started the next jogging set, no
pain.


I think it went easier this time than the first time. I still got
lapped by every body there. But I still didn't hate it.


Tip of the day: Breathe with your mouth closed. It will cut down on
swallowing bugs. blech.

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

On The Run

Yes it's true. I have started running. I guess "running" isn't
exactly correct since what I am doing is much, much slower and no
where near as athletic. Not yet anyway.


Hubby needs to be able to do a timed run for the Fire Academy. So I
decided to train with him. The Couch to 5K comes highly recommended,
so that's the plan we are following.


You start out slow and alternate short bouts of running with longer
bouts of walking. They got the timing just right too. The end of the
running time was pretty much when I couldn't breathe anymore and
started thinking Oh my God, this is the longest 60 seconds I have ever
suffered, please let it be over now. And the end of the walking time
was pretty much when I could breathe again.


So even though I was so slow that I got lapped by a Mom and her 2
little kids, I kept going. And then I got lapped by a really old guy,
but I kept going. And even when I got lapped SEVERAL times by the
young stud with the iPod, I kept going.


And I didn't hate it. I always thought I would hate running. I
always declared that the only way I would be running is if someone was
chasing me with a knife. But not only did I not hate it, I can see
how it is enjoyable.


Once you can do it and still breathe, that is.

Saucy

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

They Must Hate Me Too

I got a call a little bit ago. From Medco. They informed me that due
to the cost of my daughter's medications they require payment before
they can ship.


I said that was just fine. I will go to my online account and make
the payment right now. They said that would be just fine.


I sign in to my account and go to the balances page. Hmmm. Balance due 0.00.


I dig out my prescription card for their phone number and I call the
number. It is one of those voice response systems. I hate those
things. They can never understand what I am saying. And I don't have
an accent. I work my way through a few options to be told that my
balance due is 0.00. I FINALLY get to an option that will allow me to
speak to a Real. Live. Person. Yay.


I explain that I went online to pay for the prescriptions and the
balance says 0.00 and the phone balance also said 0.00. She took some
of my information, put me on hold and comes back about 15 minutes
later. Then she tells me that due to the cost of the medications that
payment has to be made first before the medicine can be shipped out.


I begin beating my head against the nearest wall as I explain AGAIN
that I know that, and that I'M TRYING to pay but my online account
says 0.00 so IT WON'T LET ME PAY ANYTHING, I AM TRYING TO PAY IT, BUT
IT WON'T LET ME. I entered in my PayFlex card information, but IT
WON'T DO ANYTHING BECAUSE IT SAYS 0.00 DUE.


A lightbulb finally illuminated over at Medco and they looked up the
card info and said they are going to forward it to AR, and the pills
will ship out on the 11th.


I should have had them verify the address one more time, but I
couldn't think clearly due to the headache from the wall beating.

I really hate Medco.

Pet Peeve #412

Husbands who don't answer their phones.


You would have thought the lesson would have been learned after the
night the girls and I were broke down in the Jeep. I called and
called and called and left message after message after message.


And it was cold out.

Monday, June 8, 2009

More Ranting

I don't know if it's that I have gotten THAT crabby in my old age, or
things have really gotten that much more inefficient and screwy, but
it seems like lately I'm not happy unless I've got something to
complain about. And there is PLENTY for me to complain about.


Today's Rant: the mail in pharmacy my company uses. Medco. Oh, how
I love to hate Medco. (Almost as much as I love to hate AT&T - but
that's a story for another day.)


My company has used Medco as the mail in pharmacy since pretty much
forever. It is supposed to be more convinient. It is supposed to
save you money. It is supposed to make your life easier. HA!


I used them back in 1996 or so. Lazy Teenager was taking some
medicine, and Medco actually called me, extolling their virtues, so I
thought ok, I will give it a try.


It wasnt' too bad. At first. I think once or twice there was some
delay with getting the prescription from the doctor and it delayed the
medicine getting there before I ran out of what I had at home.
Nothing too major. And it was a bit cheaper than the retail pharmacy.


And then one month, out of the blue....NOTHING. I had sent in a refil
and I got nothing. I called, it's on it's way. Nothing. I called
again, it's been delivered. Uh, no it hasn't. Yes it has, our system
SAYS so. Well, I am standing here looking in my mailbox and there is
NOTHING. Well I can't help you, our information shows it was
delivered; try calling the post office. CLICK.


They hung up on me.


I called back and had to go through the whole story to a new person.
It finally occurred to them to verify the address. They read of some
address on Jamestown, in Irving. Some where that I not only currently
didn't live at, but had NEVER lived at. It was actually an old
address of my ex-husbands. Now how in the hell did they manage to
come up with that address. I have no idea. They had no idea. They
couldn't tell me when or why the address had been changed. All they
could tell me is that's where the pills were.


And their solution to the problem? Well they seemed to think that I
should drive over there and get the pills. HA! I had a different
view of things. After much arguing and being put on hold for long
periods of time, it was finally determined that if I was willing to
pay another copay, they would mark the order as lost in transit and
immediatly ship a new order. I was very happy to do that, as long as
they were willing to refund the first copay of the pills I did not
get. They agreed. And all was well.


Not really. It took 2 months of phone calls to get that first copay
refunded. They jsut wanted to credit my account; which would have
been fine except that after I finally received those pills, I had
immediately canceled the rest of the prescriptions. I was willing to
lose them making my life easier. I started going to the retail
pharmacy. They had to actually send me a check. It was only $20, and
it would have been less agrivating to let it got, but to me it was the
principal of the thing. I eventually got my money.


So. Now it is 2000 something and I am helping my mom with her
finances and her medical stuff. Her company also uses Medco. But I
kept all her prescriptions at the local pharmacy; I wasn't looking to
deal with those bozos again anytime soon. Then her insurance started
REQUIRING her to use Medco for certain of her pills. Ok fine. We use
them. Surprisingly, no problems.


So. Now it is now. Surly Teenager has 5 new medicines. And if you
are not familiar with any of the Crazy Meds, they tend to be
expensive. Especially the new ones that don't have generics for them
yet. So I said ok. Medco. It is significantly cheaper to use them.
No major problems for the last few years using them for my mom. Ok.
I will give it a try. The doctor sent in the prescriptions last
Tuesday.


I get a call this morning from Medco. They want to welcome me back.
They want to thank me for chosing them, for letting them make my life
easier. They want to verify my address.


Are you sitting down? Yes. That is correct - they asked me if the
address at something Jamestown in Irving was still valid or did I want
to use the *my current address* which is the one on my insurance
records.


I formally apologize to the poor Mr. Medco Guy who thought he was
making a simple address verification call, and got stuck having to
listen to the crazy lady rant.


He promised me he was deleting that address.