Only in Montana...

This sign is a repeat from this summer. It's funny, eh? Well Carol (THANKS CAROL!) in Darby, Montana took the picture below in the gym. Only in Montana would you find a sign that says...

New York Times story about Addison's Disease

If you're interested in reading an Addison's diagnosis story, click here. Many people with Addison's are diagnosed while in the hospital, near death.

Please note: In the story it says people with Addison's don't produce adrenaline, I don't believe this is true. The autoimmune process of Addison's disease attacks the outer portion of the adrenal glands, where cortisol and aldosterone are produced. The inner portion of the adrenal gland is a separate organ and it is where the adrenaline is produced.

Wrestling a Chihuahua

This is Nicodemus. He's 9 weeks old and weighs 1 pound 8 ounces. I had the privilege of making him a sweater AND doggy sitting for him. Isn't he adorable?! It was quite the workout to wrestle with the little guy without smooshing him.

Paul and I went skate skiing on Saturday. Unfortunately, I got no skate skiing pictures but, typical of me, I took pictures of the signage! We're fortunate to have groomed trails in our area. Thank you Teton Valley Trails and Pathways!! Skate skiing is good cross training for running, especially if you can stay upright. I didn't fall down once even though I stink at skate skiing.

2007 coming to an end

The gym membership is up and A & I enjoyed our last day by (mis)using every piece of equipment in the gym. I'm not renewing because the cost relatively high compared to the services. Very sad because I like to get out of the house and workout. My garage is very cold...more about that in a minute.

A & I on the last day. You can't tell from the picture but we're wearing the same shirt. We didn't dress alike on purpose!

We got all of the stability balls out and threw them at each other and kicked them around.
FUN!!

Really, really messing around. Weight belt attached to the rubber band attached to the chin up bar. Not comfortable.

In addition, we hit the treadmills and put them up to 15% grade and 8.3 miles an hour. A is much stronger than I and lasted longer. It's hard to run fast when you're laughing very hard.

The temperature a couple of mornings ago. Typical of Teton Valley, Idaho. The cold winter temperatures and long, dark days are the reason we set up the "gym" in the garage.

The treadmill is new. The weights, weight bench and rowing machine came from the See N Save!

This picture has nothing to do with the above pictures. It's a beautiful Teton Valley sunset.

Favorite things

Bob inspired me to think about my favorite things and this is what I came up with:

Bruce Springsteen T-shirt from 1985

Amnesty International concert T-shirt from 1986

Creepy Christmas thing.
Mom, email me and shed some light on where this came from and why the heck I would like it.

Please email me pictures of your favorite things and why they are your favorite things! Email to contact@addisonssupport.com

Picked last in gym class

Yep, I really was. All through elementary school (I'm in the white dress next to the teacher), middle school and high school. I'm not much better at sports now but I can say I am persistent.

Want to succeed? Want to accomplish your goals? Set a goal, create reasonable steps, read inspirational books about what you want to accomplish, tell people about your goal, find a partner and/or coach and do the steps.

Make a plan and commit to it, you will succeed even if you were picked last in gym class!

"Success means having the courage, the determination, and the will to become the person you believe you were meant to be." George Sheehan (physician, author and running enthusiast)

Festival of Trees

The Teton Valley Hospital Foundation had it's annual Festival of Trees fund raiser. I'm on the TVHF Board and an active participant in this fund raiser set up. We were raising money for a cardiac monitoring system for the Teton Valley Hospital. This weekend we raised about $40,000 toward it! It was well worth the hard work we all put in last week and for the months preceding it.

Enjoy the pictures! There are not many of the trees because the pictures did not come out well. Photographer error (me).

Entrance to Bill Boney's Wildwood Room in Victor, Idaho



Fishing wreath, my favorite. Created by Milissa & Debra


Fiesta wreath


Grand Targhee's tree with $8,500 worth of cat ski, lodging, lift tickets, etc...


Owl tree, created by the floral designer at the 4 Seasons hotel in Jackson, Wyoming


Created by Carol


The wreath making team at the See N Save Thrift Store


I'm not useful at making wreaths so I tried to amuse the wreath makers with some big, shiny panties and a plaid belt.



The Wildwood Room pre set up


The Wildwood Room all set up


My head to toe thrift store outfit. Everything I have on was a second hand item! The whole outfit cost less than $30. I probably look like it but don't say it in the comments!

Having a bad day? Try this!

Automatic Flatterer

Blogging

Addison's community and family: Should I continue this blog? If you want to continue to see pictures and hear my commentary about Addison's, migraines and endurance racing, let me know by emailing me contact at addisonssupport.com or by using the comment function at the end of this post (please comment anonymously if you would like). If you do want me to continue and there's something you'd like me to mention or take pictures of, let me know!

I've got a lot to say and will say it if anyone wants to hear it. Things I'd like to comment on if anyone's interested:

• Gluten/Addison's connection
• My recent reprieve from migraines!
• 2008 events and training
• Probiotics

Pill trays

If you've got to take a lot of meds or meds throughout the day, it can be a pain in the butt to get the pill bottles out throughout the day and take your meds. Because I am lazy, I fill up these suckers (purchased at the local pharmacy) once a month to avoid getting the pill bottles out all of the time. It also insures that I get all of my meds throughout the day. If I know I have something coming up where my med needs are different for that day, I write the date on the pill box in erasable marker and fill the boxes accordingly. I also like doing filling these trays because it gives me a head's up for refilling my scripts. If I empty a pill bottle when filling my tray, I have some wiggle room for getting the pills refilled. I try to be careful filling the trays so I know that all of the little white pills are the little white pills I am supposed to be taking!!

Crossing the finish line.

I promise, this is the last of the NYC marathon pictures.

Crossing the finish line. Top picture taken by me, bottom picture taken by the marathon people. If you look closely at the bottom picture, you can see me holding up the camera.

A few NYC Marathon Pics

Allison and I on the big screen.



Running through the streets of NY.

New York City Marathon, check!

Allison and I laying on the cot in the medical tent.

NYC Marathon Race Report - 23,705th place

What a great, fun race. I think the biggest race I had done before was one with a few hundred people. This one had 38,009 people! My finish time was: 4:38:17. Click the link and put in Hardman or F9700 to see all the stats. I was plenty happy with that time. Sorry there are no pictures from the race yet, I used a regular camera, not my digital. I will scan pictures when I get them. In the meantime, there are race pictures here.

Here's the story...

We arrived at Fort Wadsworth, Staten Island 2 hours before race time along with 40,000+ other people. What a sight! It was wall to wall people. The weather was perfect, cool and sunny. The people were pigs and left wall to wall trash. Sad.

We started the race running by running up the Verazanno Narrows Bridge. We ran across 4 other bridges and through 5 boroughs of Manhattan. The race ended in Central Park. All along the way people stood on the side of the road and helicopters flew overhead. Sometimes the people were 3 and 4 rows deep! Allison made us name tags and people cheered for us by name for the entire 4 hours and 38 minutes. I have never felt more like a superstar in my life!!! Here's a link to a video in case you're interested. The volunteers were incredible from start to finish. They were encouraging and friendly. Amazing!

It was awesome to see people who had many hurdles in life to get over running in this marathon. People were running for cancer, MS and other diseases. I saw a man with 2 prosthetic legs and another with one prosthetic leg. There was a guy in a wheelchair shuffling backwards up a gentle incline. These people were so inspirational!

Appreciate what you've got. Do more with yourself. Live healthy. Exercise. Help others.

If a guy with 2 prosthetic legs can run a marathon, you can do many things you dream of doing too. Baby steps will get you where you dream of going.

I ended the race happy and tired. I was fortunate to run with Allison for the entire race. It was great going on the journey from just working out at the gym 3 years ago to running a half marathon to running the NYC marathon with Allison! She's a wonderful friend and an inspiration to me.

I followed my hydration, food and medication plan through out the race. I ate enough and drank as much as possible (it was not enough). I did not plan to take enough steroids. Wanda, you were right. We crossed the finish line and I nearly passed out. I laid on the disgusting ground and was promptly picked up by 2 medical people and dragged to the medical tent. I took 10 mg of HC and ate some salt, within 20 minutes I was back on my feet. We took the subway and train back to NJ were Donna and her mom Nancy threw us a nice little party (picture below).

It was a wonderful day that I will never forget! Thanks to everyone for the support through emails, phone calls, notes, Hope Oasis, etc!!!

New Jersey Trip

Oh my gosh. What an amazingly great experience!!!!!!! Below are the pictures from the travels, pre and post race pictures. I will make a separate post of the race report. I don't expect anyone to want to read what's below, or anything that I write for that matter!!! I do hope you enjoy the pictures though!

The entire trip was very, very good. All of the travel went smoothly.

Allison and I started our trip out with a little bit of wine! What better way to start a vacation?

Donna picked us up at Newark

We stayed with Donna in New Jersey and visited with her mom, Nancy.

At the Radburn train station with Nancy C and Allison. We took the train to Expo to pick up our race numbers and try to get free stuff. Both Nancy and Allison are grandmothers, can you believe that?!?!?! They both look amazing!!!

See the tail lights in the distance? We saw an impressive parade of police cars. I wasn't able to pull the camera out fast enough to take a better picture.


Me picking up my race packet at the Expo at the Jake Javitz Convention center.



I discuss Addison's with the "Medical Captain" at the Expo. Allison reminds me to ask all of the questions I need to ask. She's much smarter than I am!

This is the finish line of the NYC Marathon the day before the race.

Post race celebrations with Allison, Donna, Nancy (Donna's mom) and me. See our finishers medals!!!!

Whaambulance

My running season is over! I just can't muster up the enthusiasm to get outside and run. I hope that the last 10 months of training will carry me over the NYC marathon on Sunday! If nothing else, it will be cool to see the sights of the 5 boroughs.

I'm a little tired of attempting to adjust medications the way normal people's endocrine systems regulate theirs. Here's a month's worth of medication and supplements:


I need: a month of rest, some new goals, lots of various cross training.

Pictures

I don't think I'm going to do anymore road running or road riding after the NYC Marathon. I hate the road running. It's dangerous (if you're talking on a cell phone, DON'T take your "free" hand off the wheel to wave at me!!) and yucky.

I've been on Aspen Trail 3 times in the last 3 weeks. I LOVE trail running, it's beautiful and peaceful. I'd rather be scared or hurt by a bear or moose than run over by an SUV.

From here on out, trail running and riding only!

My handsome husband on Aspen Trail Saturday. Bob, I took this one for you. I though you would like the snow!

Me on Aspen Trail Saturday. See the view behind me? What's not to love about trail running???

This picture is from earlier in the week. A made a cook out on the Teton River. Delicious food and great company in an amazing place.

The sunset was even more beautiful than this picture. The view is to the West of the Big Hole Mountains.

Our dog, Dolly, all dressed up for a cookout.

A week from today is the NYC marathon!

You heard it right, a week from today is the NYC Marathon. Allison and I will be having a fun, fun time 164 hours from now. We leave on Thursday at 7 am from the Jackson Airport.

If you're interested in getting email alerts about my progress during the race, email me (contact@addisonssupport.com) before 10/30 and I'll add you to my email notification list.

10 days until the NYC Marathon! The Plan...

Thursday, November 1 & Friday November 2: 30 mg hydrocortisone divided 10-10-5-5, 12.5 mg DHEA & .05 mcg Florinef. Good hydration!

Saturday, November 3: 35 mg hydrocortisone divided 10-10-10-5, 18 mg DHEA & .05 mcg Florinef. Good hydration!

November 4, NYC Marathon day:

• 10 mg HC & .1 mg Florinef upon awakening (5:00 am)
• Drink 1Q Gatorade early
• Eat usual breakfast and drink coffee
• 5 mg HC at 6:30 am (race at 9:45 am)
• 2.5 mg Prednisone HC at 9:00 am
• 2.5 mg HC 11, 12, 1
• 10 mg HC at 2 pm
• Gatorade and/or water every 10 minutes
• TOTAL (approximate) HC=42.5 mg HC or equivalent. I will probably end up taking more but this is the bare bones of the plan.

Post Marathon:

• Drink water
• Drink champagne
• Drink margaritas
• Drink Gatorade

1st day post marathon:

• 30 mg HC & .05 mcg Florinef

From here on out:

• Decrease Florinef back to .025
• Decrease HC slowly back to 20 mg HC

Off topic - political

Some of you may not agree with this but for those of you who do, please do something! I don't usually put political stuff in my posts but I saw this video and felt that others might enjoy it.

If you don't agree with me, that's ok. Do things to better our world in your own way.

Can't keep up

I can't keep up with life these days. I will email you eventually, so behind...

Add a little bit of work (for money, wahooo!) into the mix and the Teton Valley Hospital Foundation's annual Festival of Trees (I'm a volunteer) and I'm useless for anything else that needs to get done...

Milissa being buried alive in the See N Save Christmas shed. This is where the magic for the Festival of Trees begins.

I've continued to run, although not today. I'm as ready as I'm going to be to do the New York City Marathon. I have absolutely no hopes of qualifying for the Boston Marathon (sorry Linda!). My body is tired. The triathlon and the 50 sucked the life out of me.

I am so looking forward to NOT RUNNING for a little while!!! I won't run from November 5th to around December 31, 2007 unless I really, really want to.

The NYC Marathon is on November 4th. Allison and I are leaving on November 1 to stay with Donna in NJ. I'm so lucky to have Allison joining me in this adventure! I will stay on in NJ a little bit longer and visit my 96 year old grandma in central NJ.

Grandma and me, November 2006



Zane and Donna, November 2006