Desi & I
Van #1 at the Starting line in Brian Head, Utah
Kelli
Desi
Me
Van #1 & #2
Medal!
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
My 1st Race
I ran my first race, Red Rock Relay, on Sept 9-10 in the St. George area. Total mileage was 185 miles. I personally ran about 13 miles broken up in 3 different legs.
Desi & I
Van #1 at the Starting line in Brian Head, Utah
Kelli
Desi
Me
Van #1 & #2
Medal!
Desi & I
Van #1 at the Starting line in Brian Head, Utah
Kelli
Desi
Me
Van #1 & #2
Medal!
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Results
We received a call from the Cardiologist a couple weeks ago with the results from Ben's stress test. He has very little heart damage and no blockage!!! We are thrilled! And relieved!
When Ben went in for his heart attack, he had 100% blockage in his LAD (left anterior descending artery) and 20% blockage in his right artery. They inserted the stent in his left artery and did nothing for the right (blockage % wasn't high enough to do anything about). Basically, the doctor attributes his results to Ben's diet, exercise and medications. We're hoping after this year, he can reduce his dosages - eventually weening himself off of the meds completely.
When Ben went in for his heart attack, he had 100% blockage in his LAD (left anterior descending artery) and 20% blockage in his right artery. They inserted the stent in his left artery and did nothing for the right (blockage % wasn't high enough to do anything about). Basically, the doctor attributes his results to Ben's diet, exercise and medications. We're hoping after this year, he can reduce his dosages - eventually weening himself off of the meds completely.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Back to the Grind
Today I returned to work after a 4-day weekend. My file is overflowing with papers to grade; papers I should have graded over my long weekend. But instead guess what I did?
I read 5 books.
MacKayla Lane’s life is good. She has great friends, a decent job, and a car that breaks down only every other week or so. In other words, she’s your perfectly ordinary twenty-first-century woman.
Or so she thinks... until something extraordinary happens.
When her sister is murdered, leaving a single clue to her death–a cryptic message on Mac’s cell phone–Mac journeys to Ireland in search of answers. The quest to find her sister’s killer draws her into a shadowy realm where nothing is as it seems, where good and evil wear the same treacherously seductive mask. She is soon faced with an even greater challenge: staying alive long enough to learn how to handle a power she had no idea she possessed–a gift that allows her to see beyond the world of man, into the dangerous realm of the Fae...
As Mac delves deeper into the mystery of her sister’s death, her every move is shadowed by the dark, mysterious Jericho, a man with no past and only mockery for a future. As she begins to close in on the truth, the ruthless V'lane–an alpha Fae who makes sex an addiction for human women–closes in on her. And as the boundary between worlds begins to crumble, Mac’s true mission becomes clear: find the elusive Sinsar Dubh before someone else claims the all-powerful Dark Book–because whoever gets to it first holds nothing less than complete control of the very fabric of both worlds in their hands...
I enjoyed this series a lot. It's not Young Adult. Warning: It has some language and adult content.
After reading non-stop from Friday to Saturday (3 books), I felt mom guilt. So I loaded the kids up in the car and took them to Boondocks.
And I took time out from reading on Monday to disinfect our house. We keep getting sick! Sore throats and coughs. Hopefully, I have rid whatever was settling in at my house!
And . . .
let's pray that I can grade all my papers and submit my grades by Friday.
(PS We started Term 4 today. Do you know what kind of joy this brings to my life?)
I read 5 books.
MacKayla Lane’s life is good. She has great friends, a decent job, and a car that breaks down only every other week or so. In other words, she’s your perfectly ordinary twenty-first-century woman.
Or so she thinks... until something extraordinary happens.
When her sister is murdered, leaving a single clue to her death–a cryptic message on Mac’s cell phone–Mac journeys to Ireland in search of answers. The quest to find her sister’s killer draws her into a shadowy realm where nothing is as it seems, where good and evil wear the same treacherously seductive mask. She is soon faced with an even greater challenge: staying alive long enough to learn how to handle a power she had no idea she possessed–a gift that allows her to see beyond the world of man, into the dangerous realm of the Fae...
As Mac delves deeper into the mystery of her sister’s death, her every move is shadowed by the dark, mysterious Jericho, a man with no past and only mockery for a future. As she begins to close in on the truth, the ruthless V'lane–an alpha Fae who makes sex an addiction for human women–closes in on her. And as the boundary between worlds begins to crumble, Mac’s true mission becomes clear: find the elusive Sinsar Dubh before someone else claims the all-powerful Dark Book–because whoever gets to it first holds nothing less than complete control of the very fabric of both worlds in their hands...
I enjoyed this series a lot. It's not Young Adult. Warning: It has some language and adult content.
After reading non-stop from Friday to Saturday (3 books), I felt mom guilt. So I loaded the kids up in the car and took them to Boondocks.
And I took time out from reading on Monday to disinfect our house. We keep getting sick! Sore throats and coughs. Hopefully, I have rid whatever was settling in at my house!
And . . .
let's pray that I can grade all my papers and submit my grades by Friday.
(PS We started Term 4 today. Do you know what kind of joy this brings to my life?)
Thursday, March 10, 2011
The Heart Attack
Some of you may already know about Ben's heart attack on Thanksgiving Eve, but others have asked about it.
Yes, my 33 year old husband with no heart disease in his family history, generally healthy and fit man, did in fact suffer a massive heart attack. He had 100% blockage in his left anterior descending (LAD) artery, the main artery, sometimes referred to as the "widow maker."
It was a Wednesday night when Ben left to play ball at the church with his brothers. This isn't unusual behavior for him. He played regularly except for the last couple months while he recovered from a recent leg surgery. First night back on the court, and Ben's chest began to hurt. He said it felt like someone had cinched a belt across his chest, cutting off his ability to breathe. Half-way his ball game, he decided to sit out. A man he did not know who was also playing ball at the church stopped to ask Ben what was wrong. He told him his chest hurt. The man told him to go immediately to the hospital and take some aspirin.
Who keeps aspirin around? I know I don't. In fact, before Ben's heart attack, I don't think I have ever bought a bottle of aspirin before. Miraculously, Ben's brother-in-law had some on hand in his First Aid kit. Ben took a couple, and decided to go home rather than to the hospital. He thought that if he could just go to bed then he'd feel better in the morning.
Ben's brother, Mark, rode with him to the church, so they both left for home. When they almost reached the Wal-mart by our house, Ben pulled over so Mark could drive. He told Mark to take him to the hospital now. The pains progressively got worse. His chest felt like it was going to cave in, the pain also went up his neck and down his arms causing a numbing sensation. Mark called 911 and ran about five red lights on the way to American Fork hospital. The medical workers were waiting for them.
They rushed Ben in to get an EKG. The EKG Technician felt frustrated because it was taking so long for Ben to relax long enough for a good read. After two tries, the EKG was successful. The EKG Tech rushed out to consult with the Emergency Room doctor who then came back in to tell Ben he was being transferred to Utah Valley.
Transported by ambulance, Ben made it to UVRMC where they immediately took him to the CATH lab. They ran an angiogram and then placed a stent in his artery.
I was notified after Ben made it to AF hospital. Then, my sister-in-law, Ari, met me at Wal-mart so I could drive Mark's truck to the hospital and so she could take my kids. Mark called about 11:30 p.m. to tell me Ben was being transported to Provo. By the time I made it to Provo, it was just after midnight and the Cardiologist was nearly finished with the procedure.
Ben stayed in the Cardiac ICU for two days. We came home and have been making changes in our diet to accommodate Ben's heart.
Everyday is a challenge, but I think we're finally getting into a routine.
Ben has lost 25 pounds since November. He has cut back on his fat intake (no butter period, skim milk, low-fat sour cream or non-fat plain greek yogurt), eliminated red meat, lowered his salt consumption, and increased his fiber. He amazes me how much self-control he has. I mean, I've tried to follow his diet, but it's hard to be so strict all of the time!!!
He goes in for his stress test on March 21st. Hopefully we will receive answers related to how much damage Ben's heart incurred.
Yes, my 33 year old husband with no heart disease in his family history, generally healthy and fit man, did in fact suffer a massive heart attack. He had 100% blockage in his left anterior descending (LAD) artery, the main artery, sometimes referred to as the "widow maker."
It was a Wednesday night when Ben left to play ball at the church with his brothers. This isn't unusual behavior for him. He played regularly except for the last couple months while he recovered from a recent leg surgery. First night back on the court, and Ben's chest began to hurt. He said it felt like someone had cinched a belt across his chest, cutting off his ability to breathe. Half-way his ball game, he decided to sit out. A man he did not know who was also playing ball at the church stopped to ask Ben what was wrong. He told him his chest hurt. The man told him to go immediately to the hospital and take some aspirin.
Who keeps aspirin around? I know I don't. In fact, before Ben's heart attack, I don't think I have ever bought a bottle of aspirin before. Miraculously, Ben's brother-in-law had some on hand in his First Aid kit. Ben took a couple, and decided to go home rather than to the hospital. He thought that if he could just go to bed then he'd feel better in the morning.
Ben's brother, Mark, rode with him to the church, so they both left for home. When they almost reached the Wal-mart by our house, Ben pulled over so Mark could drive. He told Mark to take him to the hospital now. The pains progressively got worse. His chest felt like it was going to cave in, the pain also went up his neck and down his arms causing a numbing sensation. Mark called 911 and ran about five red lights on the way to American Fork hospital. The medical workers were waiting for them.
They rushed Ben in to get an EKG. The EKG Technician felt frustrated because it was taking so long for Ben to relax long enough for a good read. After two tries, the EKG was successful. The EKG Tech rushed out to consult with the Emergency Room doctor who then came back in to tell Ben he was being transferred to Utah Valley.
Transported by ambulance, Ben made it to UVRMC where they immediately took him to the CATH lab. They ran an angiogram and then placed a stent in his artery.
I was notified after Ben made it to AF hospital. Then, my sister-in-law, Ari, met me at Wal-mart so I could drive Mark's truck to the hospital and so she could take my kids. Mark called about 11:30 p.m. to tell me Ben was being transported to Provo. By the time I made it to Provo, it was just after midnight and the Cardiologist was nearly finished with the procedure.
Ben stayed in the Cardiac ICU for two days. We came home and have been making changes in our diet to accommodate Ben's heart.
Everyday is a challenge, but I think we're finally getting into a routine.
Ben has lost 25 pounds since November. He has cut back on his fat intake (no butter period, skim milk, low-fat sour cream or non-fat plain greek yogurt), eliminated red meat, lowered his salt consumption, and increased his fiber. He amazes me how much self-control he has. I mean, I've tried to follow his diet, but it's hard to be so strict all of the time!!!
He goes in for his stress test on March 21st. Hopefully we will receive answers related to how much damage Ben's heart incurred.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Monday, January 24, 2011
Geez, has it really been that long?!
It's not as though I don't check my blog, but I just haven't had anything great to say. And, our life has been rather hectic . . . all starting with the beginning of a new school year. I went back to work. Elise started 3rd grade. Andrew started 1st grade, and Matthew started his 2nd year of pre-school. And, then Ben's heart attack in November was sort of the icing on the cake. We spent the holidays adjusting to new foods, doctor visits and prescriptions (try $200/month for the drugs).
Now that the new year has begun, I have learned to say NO to people. First off, I asked for a break in teaching at SLCC. Ben went back to work so I just couldn't handle doing what seems like everything. I still have cheer on my plate. That is nearly over. Feb 11, baby. Not that I don't enjoy cheer, but it consumes a large portion of my time. I really don't know what I'll do with myself come the middle of Feb. I'll have a ton of time to prep for my classes that I haven't had, and more time to kiss my babies.
Now that the new year has begun, I have learned to say NO to people. First off, I asked for a break in teaching at SLCC. Ben went back to work so I just couldn't handle doing what seems like everything. I still have cheer on my plate. That is nearly over. Feb 11, baby. Not that I don't enjoy cheer, but it consumes a large portion of my time. I really don't know what I'll do with myself come the middle of Feb. I'll have a ton of time to prep for my classes that I haven't had, and more time to kiss my babies.
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