Boot Camp Casualty

Many of you know I signed up for "Get In Shape" Boot Camp. I think I told everybody I know simply so I would have some accountability. The more people who knew, the more likely I would be too embarrassed to quit!

Since I am going through a divorce, and the winter has been really rough, I desperately needed to jump start my body and get in shape. Also, I wanted to regain my focus mentally by doing something that would be a challenge. I knew boot camp would require discipline just for me to get out of bed every morning at 4:30! I don't do mornings. ;)

I made it through the first week fine. It was hard, but I made it! Yay! Then came the second week. Well, on Monday, I was running with weights, and I felt something pop in my knee. It seemed to be fine. On Tuesday, we had to do something our trainers called "house of pain." We had to do a lot of sideways and backward stuff. My legs were really hurting after training, and this is the first day I felt like I was crawling back in the house when I got home. Ouch. LOL. I made it through Wednesday fine. Then, Thursday, we ran the whole training session. We had to do suicides, and my knees would hurt so badly when I would try to lean over to touch the line that I couldn't do it! So, of course, I got yelled at, but I told Dell that I couldn't physically get there. By Thursday night, I was dying!!! Oh, my gosh!!!

Well, it helps having a sports medicine specialist in the family! Joy's son, Daniel, is a licensed sports trainer (correct me, Dan, if I didn't get this right!) To say the least, he knows a lot about sports injuries. And, I think he is dead on with the diagnosis of patellar tendonitis. The cause of patellar tendonitis is doing too much work too soon. My knees totally rebelled. My dominant right knee definitely hurts the worst, but my left knee hurts, too.

I may be misquoting Dan here, but he told me something to the effect of "I might have been too old for all of this running, etc. and basically, "what was I thinking?" LOL And, Dan, I totally agree with you and am now wondering the same thing! ; )

So, here I sit on the sofa in excruciating pain. I have been miserable today! The pain has gotten gradually worse since Thursday night. I am icing and taking ibuprofen, but I am wondering how long it will take for me to be able to walk around the house without reeling in pain! I have a new understanding for people who have bad knees!

I made it through nine days of boot camp, and I actually arrived early all nine days! That is a miracle in itself! But, my body wouldn't let me do any more. That really stinks, and I am disappointed that I am sidelined and can't finish right now. Now, it is just one day at a time with the rest and recovery. : (

About boot camp:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhv5G1hUzlc


The trainer in the video was my trainer, Dell. He was a drill sergeant in the army for 26 years. One thing I thought was funny about boot camp was that they made us run from our cars all the way to the spot where we would warm up. And, after boot camp, we had to run all the way back to our cars even though we were dead tired! And, they held our car keys during the training session. So, we couldn't escape without them knowing! LOL

On a more positive note, I had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend in Blairsville! Family time is always the best time! :)

Haley's Bridal Shower at the Lake

Haley had a bridal shower on Sunday. Yes, I am aware that she is already married, but we are doing things a little bit backwards! Things are working out well, and Haley is still getting to do all of the things she missed out on before the wedding. Her wonderful friend, Michelle, whom I call Magnificent Michelle, hosted a shower for Haley and invited all of their college friends. So, it was basically a Macon State shower!

Michelle's family owns a big farm, and they have a lake house that they use just for entertaining. (How nice!) Well, the road to the lake house washed out, so we all had to drive through the cow pasture to get there! It was so fun! Hadrian loves cows, so she was thrilled with the whole situation. And, I was busy dodging gigantic cow patties while driving through the pasture! : )

We came to the end of the pasture, and there was a sign telling us where to park. And, then, we had a golf cart to take us down through the woods and to the lake house. What an adventure! It was actually really cool, and it is a beautiful place!!

Driving through the cow pasture!

There were obviously cows everywhere!

This was the end of the pasture where we left our cars.

A load of guests coming in to the shower!

Haley and Hadrian

The other sister couldn't make it because she had other plans - in Argentina!

Haley received a lot of wonderful gifts for her new married life!

And, the food was scrumptious!!

And, after it was over, we all golf-carted back up the hill!

Michelle is driving Haley back to her car.

The shower was a huge success! Magnificent Michelle did her normal "magnificent" job! And, it was a whole lot of fun. I am glad Hadrian and I got to be there. Earlier on Sunday, we met Haley at church for graduate recognition. It was a very special day for Haley, and it was great to share the day with her!

Hannah to Argentina!

Thursday night I dropped Hannah off at the airport to fly to Argentina! Our world traveler is at it again! She is the only one in the family with a passport, and she uses it often! This is her longest trip yet with her being gone for a month.

She was really tired after two tough finals on the same day, and then she had to start packing and getting everything done before she left. She was running around like a maniac for two days, but she was finally ready to go! We zoomed straight to the airport with no traffic (yay!) and I dropped her off with her luggage. She was worried her suitcase was too heavy (over 50 pounds), but she called me as soon as she weighed in, and it was 49 pounds! (yay, again!) She had no trouble getting through security, and made it to the gate an hour before takeoff. Perfect. Hannah was flying with a buddy pass, so you never even know if you will get on the plane. She and I could tell you horrid stories about sleeping in airports, but that is a whole different blog. But, she called when she boarded the plane and told me she got a first class seat! (Another yay!) She slept a lot through the night, and the next morning, she woke up in Argentina! : )

I have talked to her more than I talk to her when she is home! We have learned the beauty of skype! Hannah is studying abroad so she will be taking a class studying about Argentina's government for three weeks. She will be staying in a dorm/hotel with other students while she is officially taking her class. But, Hannah loves to submerge herself in other cultures, so she wanted to stay with a family and get a genuine feel for what it is like to live in Argentina. So, she thought of a soccer friend who is going to college here, but he is from Argentina. So, she contacted Marcos, and he hooked Hannah up with his family, and they invited her to stay with them for as long as she wants! Cool!!

This nice family met Hannah at the airport holding up their little sign with Hannah's name on it! (I've always wanted to do that)! So, she found them, and they took her home with them! They live right in the city in a victorian apartment, and when I talk to Hannah on Skype, I can even hear the horns honking and the sound of traffic. She said it kept her awake the first night because it was so loud all night!

It is fall season (winter next month) in Argentina, so she had to pack warm clothing. She has gone sightseeing, and the first night, she ate dinner at the pool hall connected to the apartment building. She said it looked like a typical American bar with pool tables. But, the twist is they all speak Spanish. Hannah said they were speaking spanish but they were playing American music! And, no, they do not understand the words! Apparently, they like the "Black Eyed Peas" in Argentina the same as Americans do!

Last night, Marcos' sister invited Hannah to a bachelorette party. Hannah said they got together and ate, and about 3 a.m. they all decided to go dancing. They stayed at the club until 5 a.m. and they were continuing the party, but Hannah told them she needed to go to bed. So, she went to bed, and she said the rest of the girls stayed together and continued the party all day today as well! They probably think American girls are real party poopers! ; )

Marcos is going home to Argentina for his summer college break, and they will be picking him up at the airport early in the morning. There might be a slight problem when he gets home since Hannah is sleeping in his bed! lol

She will be staying with Marcos' family for another whole week before moving on to the school for her class.

And, I have to add that Hannah made her usual straight A's at Georgia State University spring semester. She finishes her junior year with a perfect 4.0 average. And, since she is studying in Argentina, she will complete the requirement to get her international business certificate along with her sports marketing degree. I am amazed at how much she has accomplished in her 21 years! If only I had half of her drive and determination . . . . speaking of drive and determination, I hope I make it through my first day of boot camp in the morning! I have to get up at 4 a.m. so adios!

Haley's College Graduation

My oldest baby girl, Haley, graduated from college Friday morning! She now has a dual degree in early childhood and special education. I am SO very proud of her!

I hope I don't embarrass Haley by saying this, but school has not always been easy for her. She has always struggled with math, and we have jokingly said that she is genetically challenged and her brain rejects anything mathematical. And, her first grade teacher called me one day and told me that she thought Haley suffered from "test anxiety." Her teacher said she would go over material with Haley and was sure Haley knew the material, but when it was presented to her as a test, Haley would get nervous and go completely blank. So, to make a long story short, Haley then started going to another room for her tests where she got to eat snacks while she was thinking, walk around the room, or do whatever she needed to do to relax herself. This made me laugh that she was allowed to do this, but it seemed to work. I was thinking she would never get over her test anxiety if she was getting this kind of treatment! (lol) And, even though testing did get better for Haley, taking tests were always a concern for her.

I fully believe that my children were created by God and were made just the way God wanted them to be! But, when Haley was growing up, I know that she felt "less than smart" sometimes. She struggled with school more than her sisters, and I know she noticed that. And, sometimes, I would wonder why she was wired this way, and what could we do to make things easier for her? But, Haley always worked very hard and did her very best. She was a smart girl but just had to work hard to get good grades. And, I knew that even in a class that was difficult for her, she was giving her best effort. That was all any parent could ever ask for!

I think Haley was a sophomore in college when she decided she wanted to become a teacher. She has worked really hard in a very difficult education program at Macon State. She received glowing reviews by her professors when she was evaluated in the classroom. One of her evaluators told her she was "born to be a teacher!" Wow. How cool is it to find out what you were truly born to do!? When Haley told me this, I thought back to her classroom struggles.

I now see that when Haley has her own student who doesn't "get" math, she will truly know that it is not lack of effort but lack of understanding. Or when a child struggles with "test anxiety," Haley will see this and be able to say "I was just like you when I was your age." Sometimes kids just need someone to make a connection and accept them just the way they are. And, Haley does this with kids! With her living in Warner Robins, she will be teaching a lot of military kids. Military kids come with challenges because they move a lot. Or, these kids have emotional issues and sadness when daddy or mommy get deployed. Haley will be a very patient, kind, and kindred soul for these kids. And, I see God's calling on her life to be used in this way.

When I watched Haley walk across the stage and receive her diploma, I felt very proud of her accomplishment. But, I also felt amazed by what she has to offer the world. God has a plan and a purpose. And, Haley was created for His plan and purpose. During the times when Haley was struggling in school, God was preparing her to teach kids who will be struggling in school. But Haley has always given her best effort, and I think she will expect her students to give their best efforts as well. She will be a magnificent teacher! And, even better, she is an amazingly sweet and wonderful person!

I am thankful that Haley's sisters and I were able to share in her special day!

Hannah, Me (Mom), Hadrian, Haley, and her husband, Austin

My Girls - Hannah, Hadrian, and Haley

Me and Haley! : )

Part 2 - Chronic Exertional Compartment Syndrome

Well, Hadrian has been resting her legs for about three weeks now. She doesn't feel that resting is doing her one bit of good. So, we were hoping to get a second opinion from a doctor who might be a little bit more aggressive with treatment.

Friday, we saw Dr. Cullen with Georgia Sports Medicine. He told us that for Hadrian to rest for six weeks waiting to see if there is any improvement is a total waste of time (which we were feeling!) He said after six weeks of rest, there would be an absolute zero chance of seeing improvement. He said after resting her legs for six months, there might be a twenty percent chance of seeing improvement. But, Hadrian is in a time crunch. Next year is her senior year. Waiting around doesn't do her a bit of good since she wants to try to rehabilitate back to play club and high school soccer again.

Dr. Cullen totally agreed with Dr. Traub on the diagnosis of the "dreaded" compartment syndrome. He was so sure that he didn't feel the need to put Hadrian through the testing which is very painful in itself. So, yay for that! He said that all of her muscle compartments are involved which means more extensive surgery and a bigger incision. And, he thinks she needs to have surgery right away. Ok! This is what Hadrian wanted to hear!

So, the surgery date is April 29! She will have surgery on a Thursday, and must stay home for ten days. After ten days, she should be able to walk on crutches and get back to school. Dr. Cullen told Hadrian that this will not be a pleasant experience, and there is a risk of cutting nerves during surgery which could cause problems later. But, the chances for a full recovery are 80 percent. Eighty percent, hhmmmm. Not perfect, but Hadrian wants to take the chance. Really, what choice does she have?

They will cut both her legs like the picture shows. They cut into some muscle, so therefore, it can be very painful after the surgery. Hadrian is just really glad she will be asleep! : ) I am wondering if we can keep her asleep for the ten days following surgery! ; )






So, we will be preparing for surgery! I will move Hadrian's stuff to our guest bedroom downstairs, and she will be busy getting things in order at school so she won't fall too far behind. There is never a good time to fit in a surgery, but we will just have to make it work. I think we are ready to just dive in and get it over with! We will keep you posted!

Chronic Exertional Compartment Syndrome

Ever since high school soccer season started this spring, Hadrian has been having excruciating pain in her lower legs. I kept listening to her compaints, and kept thinking hhhmmmm. Ok, Hadrian. I took her seriously, but at the same time, I am thinking these are some really weird symptoms you are having! I was hoping her legs might just heal on their own. You know, one of those miracle cures where it just suddenly all feels better! The sports trainer at school has been working with her. She has been getting stretched, and pulled, and massaged, and taped and iced all through the day at school. All by our young, amazingly cute, sports trainer. It has been making me wonder if she wasn't somehow enjoying this pain!? : )

But, watching her play soccer has just about been too much for me. Grayson was playing Parkview (biggest game of our season!) and Hadrian played so hard - all the while dying!! I could tell every single minute of the game was pure torture because her legs were hurting so very badly, but she played right through the pain. And, she played amazingly well. What a girl! I love her for being such a trooper!!

Well, we had an appointment scheduled yesterday with the sports doctor. The PA first came in and checked her out, and he said he had seen this problem only once before in a girl who had sickle cell anemia. And, since Hadrian doesn't have sickle cell anemia, he wasn't sure if he was correct with his diagnosis, so he went to get the real doctor.

Well, Dr. Traub agreed with the PA, but he wanted to test Hadrian. She had to run until the pain started (which took all of 2 minutes), and then he checked her again. He said her legs were so swollen on the inside after two minutes of running that there was no doubt in his mind that she has the dreaded compartment syndrome. Usually, making this diagnosis is very difficult. It usually takes test after test after test, and they usually stick needles with measuring instruments in your legs to check the pressure in the compartments. But, Hadrian didn't need any of the tests! The reason this is so hard to diagnose is because the legs look perfectly normal on the outside but they swell on the inside. But, it is good we got a definitive diagnosis immediately so we know what we are dealing with here.

Since this is such an uncommon condition, let me explain. Muscles are enclosed within a tight tissue called a fascia. Normally, the fascia has enough extra room to allow the muscle to function without a problem. With Hadrian, her fascia is too tight, and it constricts the muscle during activity. This stops the blood flow to the muscle. The lack of blood flow causes ischemia which is the same phenomenon as a heart attack. So, just as a heart attack causes chest pain, this lack of blood flow in the legs causes severe leg pain.

So, Hadrian has to completely rest her legs for six weeks while taking anti-inflammatories. We will see if this helps. If not, we move on to surgery which is called a fasciotomy. Dr. Traub thinks he has performed two of these in his entire 14 year career. Seriously?!

Well, there is never a dull moment around our house. Always something happening, or in this case, not happening. No soccer for six weeks?! What will we do?!

Busy Week for the Plott's

This is everybody who was at the wedding!

Including pastor, sound man, and a dear sweet family (the Jackson's) who helped Haley with the entire wedding! Haley's best friend from high school was there (Amanda), and her best friend from college (Magnificent Michelle). Bryan and me and Austin's family!

The Newly Weds!!

Haley is ready to walk down the isle!!

Marriage License

The wedding was absolutely beautiful! Haley and I, and a few others, went to the church about 1 p.m. on Friday. We decorated and set everything up. Then, it was time to get ready! We all got dressed in the Bridal Room, and we were ready for pictures at 6 p.m. Well, Haley's dad, Bryan, was running late getting there, so the photographer did as many pictures as she could before hand, but we held off on family pictures until after the wedding. The wedding was scheduled to start at 7 p.m. Bryan called and told us he had been stuck in horrible traffic near the Atlanta Motor Speedway. It was race weekend, and he had not allowed extra time for that! So, late he was!! He didn't get to the wedding until after 7:30, and he still had to change clothes. The wedding started about 7:45 - finally! whew!

Haley had been so calm until her dad was late, and then she started stressing a bit. But, we calmed her down and assured her everybody would stay as long as it took to see this wedding take place. Austin didn't see Haley on Friday until she walked down the isle in her beautiful dress. And, she had something old (old handkerchief from a family friend), something new (her dress), something borrowed (earrings from her friend, Michelle) and something blue (garter). It was the perfect wedding for Haley and Austin! And, they left Saturday night for Las Vegas. I am still in Warner Robins house sitting, but I will be leaving this afternoon. The newlyweds are having a great time and will be home on Wednesday.

I don't think I followed up with Hadrian's DECA competition. She finished 8th in the state. She was very disappointed that she didn't make it to nationals, but I think it is amazing to finish in the top ten in the state!! There are so many kids that get weeded out in county and regional competitions that it is amazing to even make it to the state competition. And, she is only a junior, so she can compete again next year if she chooses. Hadrian said the DECA competition is by far the most intense and amazing thing she has ever done! She was pumped just to make it through it! There were written tests, memorization, two presentations, and of course, being drilled by different panels of judges about her marketing plan. She said the judges seemed really impressed, so that is why she was hopeful about going to nationals. But, I am thrilled for her because this is such an amazing accomplishment! Hannah said that after her DECA competitions, public speaking became SO much easier. Presentations in college are a breeze after going through that!

Hannah is finally on her way to Haiti! If you are on facebook, you have been following the updates. But, I have some dear friends who read my blog that are not on facebook. So, sorry if this is a repeat! Hannah's group arrived at the airport early (5 a.m.) on Saturday morning. Their direct flight into Haiti was delayed due to mechanical problems with the plane. And, after waiting for about two hours, the announcement was made that the mechanics considered the plane "unsafe" to fly, so the flight was cancelled. Well, thank you Lord that they did not take off in a plane that had major issues!! But, there was not another flight scheduled for Haiti until Wednesday! So, they were scrambling for an alternate plan.

The group came home from the airport on Saturday, spent the night at home, and left extremely early for the airport again on Sunday morning! This time they got on a plane, flew into Miami, and had plans to catch a connecting flight to the Dominican Republic from Miami. Well, they get to Miami, and the airlines (American Airlines) cancelled the flight to the Dominican for no apparent reason. So, they spent the entire day and night in Miami.

Around 10 a.m. this morning, Hannah called and said they were finally boarding a plane to fly into the Dominican Republic. When they landed in the Dominican, they will be taking a bus ride to a smaller airport in the Dominican. And, then they will be taking a little plane, called the turtle, over to Haiti. They should finally be in Haiti around 5 p.m. today. I just hope the traveling goes smoothly today!!! They are already two days late getting there! But, we are trusting that God is in control and He knows best about the details of this trip!

So, these are our family updates for now. More to follow soon! : )