Leaving Running Behind

It's amazes me how quickly life can change. As many of you know I am an avid runner. I love everything about heading out for 10 mile run, pushing myself as hard as I can up a big hill or exploring a new area. It's my time to relax, to think. I've never listened to music, my mind is loud enough on its own it's about mile 4 that I get to the core of an issue and my 9 I've worked it out. Rounding the turn to come home is so welcoming and there's something satisfying about not being out of breath. So as I laid in the recovering room coming out my my groggy state I got the attention of one of the amazing nurses (nurses are so wonderful!) and asked what they found out. Not long after the doctor's nurse was explaining the severity of the state of my knee. She said alot, but what I remember is the "you're not going to be a runner anymore". That was it, in a moment something that I have depended on as a constant was snatched away, thank the Lord for the grogginess state and pain medicine it softened the fall. I laid in the hospital bed for a while, Stephen was flying in from Kodiak on the 11 o'clock flight and wouldn't be there for another couple hours. The time went by rather quickly, calling my sister helped alot. She's such a wonderful human being, and I love her dearly.

So when Stephen walked through the door it was like Superman rescuing Louis Lane, he is my hero and I love everything about him (even those toes). I've begun to realize more and more that running isn't anything compared to the wonderful life the Lord has given to us. When I think of my most favorite memories running isn't included and while it's something that has given me many great memories there are plenty of other things that will do that. I've always loved challenges and I look forward to writing a year from now how much fun swimming and biking has become. But in between then and now are so many new memories to be made. I get a lot of peace knowing that this didn't surprise my Heavenly Father, and that he has been patiently waiting for me to be ready for this day and all it includes. While I'm not thrilled about having to had surgery and all it included, I'm so thankful for what it did for me on the inside.

So before I go I have to elaborate just a bit on the amaziness of my husband! I don't handle medications very well and the one I was on made me a bit crazy for sure. Stephen did everything literally, I couldn't really think straight and he was there and while he'll tell you he did a terrible job, he saved my life. The Lord really knows what he's doing when He puts two people together.

So for the pictures, the first one is the view from our hotel room at the Hilton. Stephen had a counselors conference right after my surgery so we didn't have to pay for the hotel room or his plane tickets up to Anchorage. The date of my surgery was one of the only openings they had and it worked perfectly with Stephen's schedule. Praise the Lord!
The second picture is my the day after my surgery. It looks like I was ready to climb a mountain, believe me that was the furthest thing from my mind. But it was amazing that I haven't needed crutches at all! But things really went down hill after that picture for about 3 days.
The last one is a picture of my knee about day 3 after the surgery. It was a grade 3 meniscus surgery of course the worst possible besides taking the whole thing completely out. Three little holes was all that was need to do a lot of work! It did feel like that pulled things around quite a bit though.