Niacin Flush

My mom's doctor put her on Niacin over 6 weeks ago. Yesterday morning she had a niacin flush for the first time. Before she got sick, she would have known what it was or if she didn't, my explanation would have calmed her. She was so upset and agitated and panicked it almost broke my heart. She just kept saying "My skin is on fire from the inside out." As the flush spread from her face on down her body, she just got more and more upset.

She still trusts me enough to allow me to calm her and tell her that it would pass and let me soothe her. By the time she needed to leave for bridge (can you believe she still plays?), the flush was over.

The double edge sword is that she will have no memory of having the flush - that is good because she will not worry about having it again and will continue to take the niacin. It is not good because if she has it again, she will have no memory that it will pass and she will be fine. She will relive the panic again.

I am leaving to go back to New York this morning. She did not flush after her evening niacin and we will see if she does this morning.

On the running front, I ran 3 miles yesterday. Bad Lynnie. I get my new
orthotics on Friday and my achilles feels good. I will not run again until I get them.

A Third First

I think that might be the name of a bank, but that is not what I mean.

Way earlier in this blog, I spoke about 'firsts'. My first first was being bitten by the dog, my second first was falling during my run. My third first happened yesterday.

I wanted to smack a doctor. If he'd been my doctor, his ass woulda been fired. He is my mom's GP, so I was the epitome of restraint.

I had asked that my mom's thyroid levels be checked last week. She has been sleeping for 10 hours each night and napping in her chair for at least 4 hours (total, over the day). She has been on a thyroid drug for some time, so I thought maybe she needed an adjustment. I was also concerned about her difficulty swallowing, raspiness in her voice that has not gone away and a sudden and permanent decrease in the volume of her speaking voice.

They drew her blood last week and yesterday we had the appointment with the doctor.

A few years back, my mom and dad had appointments with two different doctors in this practice at the same time. Mom went to hers and dad went to his and then met in the waiting room afterward. When dad asked mom about what the doctor said, it became apparent that mom did not 'tell the truth' and the issue was not discussed. At that point, dad had them note on her chart that she has 'dementia' and to not see her by herself. I knew this, so I knew mom's condition was noted.

So, this is a new doctor, in the same practice. I met him when I went with my dad last week. My parents now share a doctor. This is mom's second visit with him, my first with the two of them.

We handle that mom's thyroid count is good and that she should see a ENT specialist. I decline to have her have a sleep study. Mom is lively and funny and engaged - although not telling 'the truth'. She changed her story several times - she never naps during the day - her raspiness has been for 'a while' and then just started yesterday - at the same time, she appears to be engaged and 'getting' stuff the doctor is saying.

Then:

Him: I see a note that she has dementia. Where did this diagnosis come from?

Me: USF - She has been seen there for 5 years.

Him: Look, memory issues happen. There is forgetting where your car keys are and forgetting what your car keys are for.

Me: She has Alzheimer's.

Him: How do you know?

Me: She displays all of the classic symptoms and she has been diagnosed by two doctors at USF.

Him: I can't believe that - she is making eye contact, she is engaged and answering my questions and getting my references.

Me: I know

Him: What symptoms does she have?

Me: This afternoon, she will not remember being here.

Him: How could she forget me?

My friend Judy has this phrase the "White Hot Glare of Righteousness". That is what I gave that man. I wanted to smack him and at the same time, I did not want to further upset my mom.

I let the glare complete the conversation.

The appointment ended, we got an appointment with the ENT doctor.

At around 3:00PM, my mom asked me what the date was. I told her (for the 5th time that day). She waited a minute and said "the board says I had a doctor's appointment at 10:45 this morning. I don't remember going. Did I go?"

I told her she did and how the doctor loved her and wanted to come home with her and loved her cheekbones and so on - all the truth. I left out the part where I wanted to smack him.

Things To Work On

I have had a pretty rough weekend. Not rough in the scheme of life, but rough in terms of my cute little feelings. I would love to have no feelings. I would also love to have tighter skin, longer legs and unlimited funds. Whoopie for what I would like.

So my feelings got slammed this past weekend. I asked myself "What can I work on that could impact that?" Here are things I came up with:

1. Figure out how to remind my dad of conversations we have had previously before picking up in the conversation at the point I think we are now.

2. Leave notes for my mom so that she will see them if she forgets where I went and not when she will be insulted that I think she will forget.

3. Figure out how to ask for help and be clear I am not asking for coaching on fixing me.

4. Figure out how to talk loudly enough for my dad to hear and not so loudly that my mom yells at me for yelling.

New Structures

One of the things I wanted to do while I am visiting my folks was to see if I could support my dad in getting back out on the golf course. As with so many caregivers, he has stopped doing the things he did before my mom got sick. Caring for her, takes so much out of him.

At first, he was taking mom out and let her ride with him and watch for where is ball went. She was not good at it. He got frustrated with her, she felt wronged and it all just went to hell. So, he didn't want to leave her home alone, so he stopped going.

I got him a cell phone a short time ago and mom still knows he has one. So, we went out to golf and told her dad had his cell phone. She asked where the number was and we showed her on the fridge door. We went, he played great, we came home.

The funnest part for me is that I can tell her over and over that dad did great at golf and it is the first time I am telling her. That means I get to share it many times, making it more and more real in my memory and in dad's. He did play great that day.

Then, we decide to go the next day. We tell her we are going. No mention of the call phone and even worse, we don't bring mine or his.

We come home and I am the first to walk into the house. Dad is backing the golf cart into it's spot. Mom is sitting in her chair and she is really, really mad.

"Where have you been?"

"Golfing."

"I came out of the bathroom, no one is here, no note, no nothing."

"I'm sorry Mom, that must have been frightening."

"I wasn't frightened, I just didn't know where you were - why didn't you tell me?"

"I'm sorry Mom, next time, we will leave a note."

"Why didn't you this time?"

Oh boy, I do not know what to do now. So, I pick a tactic.

"Mom, we did tell you, your disease had you forget. We will leave a note from now on so if you forget, the note will tell you."

"No one told me."

"I'm so sorry Mom."

The good thing is, she forgot this happened as well but when I left a note yesterday, she got annoyed that I told her we were going - what does she need a note for? So, I added dad's cell phone number to the note so she will have it right there just in case she needs us. That seemed to make it okay.

Added item - leave a note that includes the cell phone number.

Training

Update on my training:

1. The podiatrist called and my new orthotics are in. I will be home on Wednesday, so I will get an appointment as soon as I can to get them.

2. The Step Stretcher is doing a much better job at stretching my achilles than I could ever do without it. I am still doing the stretches 3 times a day and there is none of that 'goodness this is tight' feeling at any point of the stretching.

3. I am walking with my dad each day - old man pace but nothing that the podiatrist asked me to avoid.

4. My hope is to start running again next week, after getting the new orthotics.

5. I am doing my stretching regimen and that purse will be mine!

6. I will be making another trip down here on July 13 and staying for 10 days. It is god awful hot and I am seeing my runs happening well before the sun comes up. That will prepare me for the September trip when I will be doing the 14 mile runs here and be done before 7:30AM. At least there will be no dogs to worry about.

My Priorities

I have been feeling angst, stress and guilt. I haven't pooped in days and my stomach has been in a turmoil. I have been barely hanging on.

I have had enough "work done" (as Alex likes to say) to know that I have not been clear about what is important to me. I have been letting other things mess with me.

So, it's time for me to get clear and take actions from what is important to me.

What is important to me is my parents health, well being and safety.

I have promises I have made to others that I am going to break. I will do what I need to do to have those people taken care of. My priority is my dad getting his well being back and supporting him in being able to love and care for my mom.

My dad and I are on the right track for that. We have appointments with the audiologist, the ophthalmologist and the social worker. We will address the memory issues and what might be causing them once all of his medical reports are seen. Who know vitamin B 12 was so important?

My dad likes the social worker, he seems to trust her and has been totally willing to do what she recommends.

Onward!

The Run2Remember Team

We have over 70 people on the team! This is wonderful. There are more than 10 people who got their bib in other ways and have joined us to have their marathon make a difference. I am moved to be on a team with such determined people.

We have fundraising coaching available and running coaching and 'taking care of your body' coaching!

I also heard someone say they were also from northern Dutchess, so I will see if I can find her and maybe do some long runs with her.

Woo Hoo!!!!!

Official Kick Off!

The Official Kick Off for the 2010 Run2Remember Team is happening tonight! It will be held in NYC. I am currently in Florida. If I was in New York state, I would be travelling down to meet everyone who could be at the meeting. I will be able to participate by phone.

I do not know what to expect. I usually like to know what to expect and for some reason, I am not on edge about being in the unknown. I am thinking this whole process is a whole lot of unknowns for me. Woo Hoo!!!

I Love The Lady Doctor

She is so wonderful and my dad really listens to her and doesn't argue and maybe even will shift his thinking and behavior out of what she says.

I asked her to speak to his belief "Mom isn't trying hard enough to remember." She was awesome and told him that even if she tried, she couldn't. She spoke about how she is during the 'test' she gives mom. One of the parts of the test is for mom to be given three words to remember, then they do something else and then she is asked to repeat those three words. She said mom really tries - even makes up words that might be right, she really wants to get it right, but the truth is, she has no memory of even being given words. It is literally gone - the memory, that is.

Then I told her that dad's memory is going. I gave her some examples and while I was talking, I really got that we have a big problem. He is not remembering things that are important to my mom's care. I cried, which I really hate, and I couldn't seem to stop crying. In fact, I am crying while I type this.

She talked to us both and told dad that they should evaluate him and see where he stands. The best thing would be that his memory problems are not Alzheimer's or dementia but something that can be treated.

They were able to get him in for his first evaluation while I am still here.

I am not being bold, I am afraid.

Wish Me Luck

One of the issues we kids are dealing with is my Dad's memory - or more accurately said, lack of memory. Each time a doctor has brought up my Dad's health, well being or concern as a care-giver, he poo-poos it, saying "I'm tough." or "I'll be all right." He may be tough and he is not going to be all right.

His memory is slipping. He doesn't seem to want to do anything about it.

We are seeing the lady doctor today. I am going to be jumping into the deep end and asking her, in front of him, what we might do for my dad.

Wish me luck!

Happy Father's Day

It's Father's Day and I am with my dad. That has not happened in more years than I can remember. If anyone had seen my 'growing up' years, they would say that I got along much better with my dad than with my mom. What I know for sure is that they each taught me different things. The things I got from my dad:

1. Laughing at Yourself is Way More Fun than Defending Yourself.

I can recount so many stories about me doing or saying something stoopid and I will tell you one that my dad still uses to get a giggle out of me.

I was a sophomore in high school. I wanted to be a cheerleader more than I wanted a boyfriend. I watched cheerleaders whenever I could, I practiced cheers in the living room, I asked Ellen Keller to coach me (she lived next door and was a cheerleader). I knew that in order to have any chance of making the squad, I had to be able to do a split and get up quickly. I stretched, I worked and worked and I finally was able to get both legs straight. I was working on getting out of the split and being able to get on with the next cheer.

One day my dad and I were watching some sort of thing on TV that had a female doing a split. I don't recall what it was, all I know was that I watched and saw her go all the way down to the floor - I mean all the way down.

I got so excited and was so impressed, I jumped up and exclaimed "Daddy, her crouch hit the floor." He looked at me, with that glint in his eye and said "What?" I said "Didn't you see, she did a split and her crouch hit the floor?"

My dad's eyes were not only glinting, he could not suppress his giggle.

At that point, I heard what I said and started laughing my self. I laughed and laughed and laughed.

We said nothing else. until.....

I was practicing my splits that evening and my dad asked "Can you get your crouch to hit the floor?"

2. Slow and Steady Wins the Race

My dad worked his way up in the Telephone Company from a lineman's helper to a 2nd level manager. Pretty much, he was the only breadwinner in our family. My parents had 4 kids to raise on his salary. Given all that, he was able to retire when he turned 55 and they have not wanted for much during their 25 (and counting) years of retirement.

How'd he do it?

Slow and Steady Wins the Race, that is how.

Each raise he got, he arranged it so that only half of it got into his paycheck. The other half went directly into his retirement fund.

Out of his salary, he bought a $50 savings bond every month. I remember a picture of him on the front page of The Pioneer Magazine, holding his savings bonds fanned out like cards.

There was a very long Phone Company strike when I was in high school. My dad was management by then and worked ungodly over time. I don't know how it worked but management got paid overtime during the strike. He set up a plan where my mom got something and he got something (probably golf clubs, but I don't recall) and the rest - retirement fund.

I was able to translate the lessons about money into so many other projects that seemed impossible and taken little bits at a time, can be achieved.

3. Logic Triumphs over Emotion

I was 18 years old, working on getting my Ophthalmic Dispensing license through 'on the job training'. I was making $120 a week. I bought a brand new 1973 Capri. I had a car loan of $93.87 a month. Funny how I can remember that number.

My mom pissed me off - not an unusual occurrence for me at that time in my life. I declared "I'm moving out." I said it at the tail end of some argument I was having with my mom. I then started to make movements to do just that.

I went looking at apartments, I found a roommate, I started asking if my bed was mine and if my dresser was mine. I even bought some used furniture at a yard sale.

Come to find out, my mom went to my dad and asked him to talk to me. His job was to have me see that moving out was a bad move.

He sat me down with a pencil and paper. He asked me about my income and what my bills would be when I moved out. It was logical and emotionless. At the end of the 15 minute conversation, when I saw the bottom of each column, I said "Okay, when my car is paid off, I am outta here."

I was, with money leftover to save.

4. It's Okay to Not Poop Every Day

Not only is that okay, it is also okay and sometimes fun to admire the poop that you finally do do.

One time, my dad yelled for all of us kids to come to the bathroom. We all went and he told us to look - he was staring into the toilet bowl. I was the only one who did not run away. I looked and high-fived him. It was amazing.

5. Sometimes Apologies Are Found Between the Lines

Us kids get talking about growing up and each of us have our tales about things my dad did. Mine is "cooked carrots". They make me gag. He forced us to eat what was served for dinner. One time I started gagging and he said "You throw up and you will eat that too." I believed he would have made me do that.

Today, he says "If I had things to do over, some of them I would do differently."

I believe he would and he is sorry for those things he did.

What My Mom Used To Provide

Alzheimer's has affected our family in more than a few ways. I do not think that all families get affected the same way, so I will just share what I see.

My mom is having a hard time figuring out what to wear each day. That usually means that she wears the same outfit for 5 days in a row. My dad has no clue what she wore yesterday, so he has not noticed. Michelle and I notice.

We thought it might be helpful to go through my mom's closet and get rid of clothes she no longer wears and start to make some sense of the chaos that is their closet. I took that on as one of my projects while I am here.

Oh Boy!

Mom was easy - she was willing to get rid of so many things I thought she would resist. Dad on the other had - not so much. Before she got sick, my mom would just get rid of his old stained clothes without even asking him. He never wore stained clothing when we were young. He just didn't have any - she threw them away.

My dad has lost weight since my mom got sick. He was an XXL and is now an XL. He knows this. I went through his dresser and closet. I made sense of everything. His mock neck golf shirts in one place, his polo golf shirts another place. His fun t-shirts in his drawer. I separated the XXLs from the XLs. I thought he would let me donate the XXLs to our next yard sale. I even had a plan on how to get them home without it costing anything (bless you Southwest). Nope - the 37 - no kidding - 37 XXL t-shirts that he no longer wears are folded up and put in drawers in his dresser.

Mom never, ever would have let that happen. Mom today just rolled her eyes and shrugged.

She Is Not Trying Hard Enough To Remember

That is what my dad told me he thinks when my mom can't remember stuff. He is not a cruel man. He is not uncaring or unfeeling. I am sure he is just in denial.

I am grateful that we are seeing 'the lady doctor' on Monday. I will ask her to address that one. He seems to respect her and listen to what she says.

Sleeping/Not Sleeping

I had made the title of this post "Insomnia". Then I thought, maybe I don't have insomnia, maybe I just didn't sleep last night.

I am happy my dad seems to be sleeping. He is not up yet, so I am hiding in the computer/guest room so as not to wake him up.

I didn't get comfortable here last night. I felt like an outsider. I was trying too hard. I will find my center this morning. My walk with my dad will do us good.

US Open starts today! Phil tees off early. I will not be able to see the first 9 holes of his round.

My mom and I may be having lunch with her sisters. Funny how I call her sister Lana, Aunt Lana and can not get myself to call her sister Linda, Aunt Linda. She is more like my older sister's older sister.

All Packed and Ready to Go!

I am heading to Sun City Center. My mom has her appointment with the person we lovingly refer to as "the lady doctor" on Monday. She is mom's Alzheimer's doctor. What I really love about her is how much our appointment with her affects my dad. He just always feels better after seeing her than before.

The way it works is she calls mom in to her office, spends time with her - does the test that gives us 'the number' that categorizes mom's disease in terms of early/mid/last stage. Mom has been in the 23-25 range. The questions are simple - What month is this? What season? I think she has to draw a clock. I know she is asked to remember three words and then a few questions later, tell what those words were.

Then, mom comes out and the rest of us go in and the lady doctor asks us how mom is doing and finds out if what mom said is actually real. We have a sigh of relief each time mom knows how many children she has, where they live and what they do for a living. I hold my breath about the test score, even though intellectually, I know the score is going down.

About 2 years ago, Michelle came with us to the appointment and we all(including dad and the lady doctor) ended up in tears . One of the things the test includes is asking mom to write a sentence, any sentence. The lady doctor showed us the question mom wrote:

"When will I get better?"

Things I Am Confronting

To steal a line from Oprah, there are "things I know for sure". One of those things is that when I take on something "really big", I will smack into areas where I can grow. Many times, in order for me to grow, I have to confront where I have played small, been a wimp or whiny or just plain don't want to.

I was talking to Yvette yesterday. I speak to her every week. I think I am open and vulnerable with her. However, I have never told her that my mom has Alzheimer's. I have not asked her to contribute to "the marathon fund". I had her feeling left out.

I am confronting what stops me from being bold when asking people if they would like to contribute to the cause my family has taken on. I see that I tell people I am running in the marathon. I tell people I am running and promise to raise $10,000 for Alzheimer's research. I hope they will offer to contribute. I was not asking straight out. I am afraid and paralyzed by the fear of rejection.

Another thing I know for sure - when I speak something in a present tense, it reinforces whatever I just said - I said "I am afraid and paralyzed by the fear of rejection." Make that "I was afraid and paralyzed by the fear of rejection."

Yvette also told me that people want to be on a winning team. I get that. Who I am is an invitation to join our winning team.

Being Bold

So, I was talking to Alex yesterday. This whole thing about 'being bold' is interesting. He had characterized me as a "pushy New Yorker" for quite a few years. He is from 'da Burgh' (translate that to Pittsburgh) and they just don't do things like New Yorkers do.

Over the past few months, he and I have been working on this thing called 'being bold'. I know that the conversation we have been having has a whole lot to do with the name of my blog and how I am looking at my marathon/fundraising effort.

I have been able to distinguish what I mean when I say "I am being Bold". His partnership in this conversation has moved me along the way. Here is what I have so far:

Being bold is distinct from being aggressive. Aggressiveness includes imposing my point of view or actions on others - like they have to do what I say or I must force them to. Boldness can not be affected by the people around me - it's about me overcoming my fears and taking action - not stopping.

Being bold doesn't even consider being rejected. My invitations to others are made "without consequence,". When my invitation is declined, I can boldly accept it and leave the other person feeling powerful with their choice. I can leave them being bold as well.

There is power in taking on something new (like a marathon or fundraising). There is also a great chance of falling short or failing in keeping a schedule or hearing "No" over and over again. Being bold would entail embracing the failure, learning from it and making a new plan. Maybe failure is not the opposite of success, maybe it is a necessary part of success.

How's this? The opposite of success is doing nothing.

My Fundraising Page is Up!

I have not figured out how to add this gadget to my blog. I have changed the layout of this blog, I have moved stuff all over the place and still can't figure out how to have one of the gadgets be the link to my fundraising page.

So.... until I do, all I can give you is a link to the page here in an entry:


http://2010teamr2r.kintera.org/lynn

If it is possible for you to donate money, that would be great. If you are not in the position to do that (any amount will make a difference), I would love to hear your encouragement, comments, support or whatever you have to say, here.

My Podiatrist

gave me some coaching yesterday. I did not want to listen to the coaching and I did not want to follow the coaching.

I am following it, even though I don't want to.

He said I would be best served by ordering a Step-Stretch Device and using it three times a day for 2-3 weeks and stop running until my Achilles tendonitis is gone. He said I would be best served by ordering new orthotics with a heel lift, starting my training again in 2 to 3 weeks with the new orthotics and continuing my stretches and it is possible that my tendonitis will not return.

I am surrendering to the coaching.

I will use my elliptical for the next 2 to 3 weeks to keep up my cardio fitness. I will cure my achilles and then start my training again.

It is better now than later.

My Runners Mace

seems to give me courage.

My mileage is increasing, so I am starting my run on Stissing Road and finishing it there as well. Stissing is where the second German Shepherd lives. The first one's daddy has kept his promise and he has never been out since he bit me. The second one was not out during the beginning of my run yesterday but as I came around the corner for the last mile, I heard the barking.

As I came up to the gate to their property, the dog came running toward the road and didn't stop. He was barking and running. I stopped running, turned and faced him, took my mace off safety (but did not point it) and yelled loudly and boldly "Go Away! Go Away! Go Away......" I must have said those two words a dozen times. The dog actually stopped running and just looked at me. I never shut up. (I know, what a surprise).

As I am continuing to yell my new favorite phrase, this dog's daddy came outside. He yelled to the dog, used it's name, I think (hard to hear over my yelling of "Go Away"), he asked to dog to come to him and son of a gun! the dog did. The daddy told the dog what a good dog he was and I finished my run. I had to go by that house one last time and there was no dog outside.

Whew!

I am Fiddy Fie Today

Fiddy Fie! Otherwise known as Fifty-five.

Happy Birthday to Me!

That is all.

New Running Route

As my training schedule proceeds, I add miles to the schedule. The 30 minutes or 3 miles was easy, as Mountain Road is exactly that. When I added distance, it became a new game. I experimented with various options and then discovered something that I should have known already.

The first mile of any run is the 'get comfortable' part of my runs. My upper body relaxes during that time, my breathing becomes even and any struggle I have seems to settle down and I become more at ease and the run becomes pleasurable (yes, I said that).

Said another way "The first mile is a bitch". I don't like to say it that way and the truth is, that is how I was thinking about it.

One day last week, I tried starting my run on Stissing Road. That is the road that has the second German Shepherd. After getting my mace, I am not longer really frightened to run there. Anyway, I ran .4 miles up Stissing Road, to Animal Farm, turned around and ran back to the starting spot and the hit Mountain Road.

Here is the great part. That part of Stissing Road is flat. As I finished the first .8 miles, I noticed that it was not a bitch. I was in the rhythm of a great run and then hit the uphill grade of Mountain Road with gusto. My achilles was not screaming and I loved that run.

The next day, I tried it again - it wasn't a fluke. The next day, same thing. I am now beginning and ending my run with that portion of Stissing Lane.

$1513.13

That is the total Amy and I collected during our weekend yard sale. It is so beyond my expectations, I can not find the words. No one item sold for more than $40.00 and most items were under $2.00. Absolutely amazing.

We could not have done it without the support of friends and relatives who donated goods to us. We even had a friend of Amy's come with her young daughter. They set up at the far end of the yard sale and Tilly went up to almost every buyer/looker and asked if they wanted some lemonade. When they said yes, she brought them a dixie cup of lemonade and asked them for a donation to The Alzheimer's Association. She got so excited every time she brought me her dollar bills and coins. I now wish I had kept track of how much of our total was from Tilly's enrolling ways.

People are so generous and loving. If I take a second to let that in, I just cry from being moved.

Amy

When I declared I was going to run the 2010 NYC Marathon and raise money for The Alzheimer's Association, My bestest girlfriend, Amy, jumped in and declared she would share this journey with me. We started planning our training, each applied for a spot with R2R and started our fundraising plans.

As happens sometimes, life throws things in as we make plans.

Last month, Amy was diagnosed with breast cancer. She is now on a different journey. Her prognosis is great. It was found early and she has many options for treatment.

I looked back at my goals for this journey and here is the one that includes Amy:

My goal is to have a deeper and closer friendship with Amy and
learn how to encourage and support her and she me.

I still have that goal. The way we will achieve that will just be different than planned back then. I will encourage and support her in her quest to be cancer free. She will encourage and support me in the quest to finish the marathon and raise $10,000.

Very Successful Fundraising Day

The first official fundraising day was awesome! We made $1022.96. Neither of us know how the six cents came to be, as we did have things for a nickel, but nothing for a penny.

My mom, dad and Uncle Elmer came for about half the day. I loved that they could be here to see people support the cause closest to our hearts.

My favorite story of the day:

A married couple were compiling the stuff they wants to buy. The items ranged from a 75 cent Tupperware container to a $5.00 Galilean Thermometer. It was a rather large pile of various items. I totaled it up for them and told them it was $27.50. The wife asked "Can you do better?" I said "It is all for charity. All of the money will go to The Alzheimer's Association." She didn't miss a beat and said "We will give you $30.00."

How awesome is that?

Second day of the yard sale will be shortened due to the sever weather we will be getting this afternoon. We will clean up, store everything and then spend the next month or so getting more donations from friends and have a second one in July or early August.

The First Fundraiser!

Today is it!

Amy and I are having the first yard sale. She lives in a town where it makes sense to have one. In Stanfordville, no one would even be bale to find my house!

Many generous people have donated 'stuff' for us to sell. We have priced and tagged it all and in a bit we will venture out to set up the tables and be ready for the early birds. Some 'ultra early birds' (read that as girlfriends who already saw some stuff) have already made purchases, so we have already raised $80.00!

We cobbled together some logos from R2R and The Alzheimer's Association to make signs and a donation jar. We are letting everyone know that every penny raised will be used to help find a cure for this horrible disease.

Oh - I did my run this morning already - now I just need to fit in my stretching regimen to be one day closer to the coveted purse!

Surprise Visit Yesterday

My folks are staying with my Uncle Elmer up in Colonie. They came in for Kyle's wedding and will be returning to Florida next week. My dad called to ask if they could come visit yesterday. I jumped at the chance to spend the day with them.

My mom remembered that I am running in the marathon. She remembered that I am raising money for Alzheimer's education and research. She is even asked me about it. Those of you who have a loved one suffering from this disease, you know that tomorrow could be totally different and today, she knew. I loved that she generated a conversation about it. I loved that she showed some interest outside of her own concerns. She was my old mom for a few hours. I will hold onto that memory.

Achilles Healer

I ordered this strap a few weeks back and it arrived the other day and I got to run wearing it yesterday morning. I am very optimistic about it. When I finished my run, I hardly knew I had an Achilles tendon. That is amazing.

I have been doing my Achilles stretches three times a day. I have the appointment with my podiatrist next week. I am feeling stronger and stronger each day in my thought that my achilles will not let me down!

Just as an update, I will be buying the coveted purse - yes, I will!

I am bummed (no more!) see update

I am disappointed.

I am disillusioned.

My feelings are hurt.

My runners mace was not returned.

I do not like it when people do not live up to my expectations.

I have a second one, so I am still safe running this morning.

They didn't know I have a second one.

Update!

7:08 - She dropped off the mace!

I am doing a happy dance!

People do have integrity!

I didn't trust poorly!

I will not have to have a discussion I didn't want to have!

Life is good.

Sharing My Mace

I went out for my run yesterday morning and 'wore' my mace for the first time. I was concerned about having it in my hand. I was concerned that it would be distracting or that I would find myself holding the canister too tightly. It really seemed like it was designed for me. It fits right in my palm, stays right in position for instant usage (without having to even touch the canister)and the velcro does not scratch or itch.

As I was crossing Rte 82, I heard dog commotion. Never a good thing these days. As I got to my stretching post, the commotion had stopped. I did know that the noises had come from Stissing Lane. I was heading up Stissing Lane first.

After stretching, I take off. As I turn onto Stissing, I see two people and two dogs. I assume they are a married couple and I give them and their dogs a wide berth. I noticed that neither the man or the woman tightened their leashes, so I figured I was going to be fine. I was.

I passed them three more times before my run was done. The last time, the woman said something to me about being impressed or something and I just smiled and said thank you.

As I was fixing to walk home, they were just finishing their walk and coming toward me. I figured they would be good people to get 'dog advice' from. It was cute, the woman spoke to me and said "Are you going again?" I told her I was done with my run and that I would like dog advice from them.

I told them about my bite and about the second German Shepherd. I asked if they lived around here (it was Memorial Day morning, so I thought they may be visiting). They own Animal Farm, which is pretty much across the street from the second Shepherd.

Here is what I found out:

- That Shepherd had been reported to the town. The owners were told to keep it inside the fence with the gate shut.

- That Shepherd came after them this morning and that was the commotion I had heard.

- She yelled at the Shepherd, in a mean and stern voice and it stopped. She also called it a very bad name when she yelled at it.

- She knows me and I know her - we were on the Rail to Trail committee together 10 years ago.

- We have an Animal Control guy in town - who knew?

I showed them my Joggers Mace and they were intrigued. The man asked where I got it and said they were going to get some. This was the first day they took their dogs that direction on Stissing Lane, as they knew the Shepherd had been reported. The woman said she was concerned about walking home now, as what would they do if the Shepherd attacked their dogs?

I offered her my mace to use for their walk home. The husband declined and I could see she wanted to say yes. I took it off my hand and told her to take it and bring it back before Wednesday morning. I apologized for it being sweaty.