They closed my trail!

I was really upset when they closed the trail behind my house for FOUR YEARS to build the new light rail (which will then go straight to school, which I will be done with at that time, haha, oh well). Anyway, so I drove to the lake I used to run at a lot when training for the marathon and ran in the neighborhood because I didn't feel like running around a flat lake in a circle, and it was the best run I've had in AGES! I ran 4 miles on Wednesday and 5 yesterday, they were really hill and hard and wonderful. I thought I was way out of shape but I guess not as bad as I thought. I got a big blister yesterday though that I'm hoping subsides soon so I can do 6 miles tomorrow. I think I'll just run from home up to the neighborhood I love, even though the 1.5 miles from here to there isn't so great, I'd rather not have to drive to run everyday. The neighborhood was so quiet and beautiful. Lots of cool old houses and trees, I felt like I could run forever! I think I'm going to run up there always now. I was thinking yesterday that one thing I like about it is if there's kind of a creepy person you can just turn and go down a few blocks, but on the trail you're stuck where you are, so that might be part of why it was so much more relaxing being in the neighborhood.

My campus has an inter professional orchestra I'm going to play in too, and Matthew's thinking about joining so that will be a lot of fun! I went Wednesday but the director wasn't expecting saxophones this year so he didn't have any music for saxophone yet, but next week hopefully I'll get some good playing in :)

MRI is Monday, it'll be nice to get that over with. I'm really happy that Mandi is on a new schedule and will hopefully be able to relax and enjoy life a little more :) Hopefully the new schedule won't control her life so much. Can't wait to come home for the holiday's and see everybody!

Oh yeah, one more exciting thing. I was looking at the City Rec Centers around here that I think I'm going to join, because the gym I've been going to is too snobby for me, and I found the one close to school and in the picture I think I see a treadclimber! I LOVE those things! We had one at Eastern and it was great for cross-training. It'll be nice to finally get back into shape. I've been a little lax the last few weeks, but then I decided to stop letting my headaches control my life and just do it, and I feel much better :)

ouch

This semester isn't as insane as last semester, but it is picking up. I started work-study and that is going well, my "boss" is really awesome, plus he teaches one of my more interesting classes so it's a good contact to have. I woke up with a throbbing headache again today and have been feeling sick all day. I finally broke down and took some Excedrin it was so bad, but it hasn't really helped. I haven't taken it in weeks because I didn't want my body to get hooked on it, but I guess it doesn't matter since it's not helping. It will be nice to get my MRI and see the neurologist so he can find something to relieve the pain. I'm getting an MRI with the dye, which I did a little reading on and I'm kind of curious about it. Some things I read say it's really dangerous and has horrible side effects, other things say that side effects are rare and usually mild. Any info from the medical staff in the family? Michelle? Mandi? I'm sure it will be okay, I don't really have any allergies so I doubt I'll react. My Dr. took some blood for a few things and said he was going to test kidney function also to make sure I can handle the dye, so it sounds like he is covering the bases pretty well, he has definitely earned my confidence so far. He really listened to everything I was saying at the appointment versus just blowing me off and telling me it was some common cause (which it probably is, but it's nice to be certain). He said he wants to check and make sure nothing else is going on before throwing drugs at me, not knowing what the cause is exactly, so I really appreciated that.

Hopefully I will get my clinical placement soon, I am so excited for the first one! Nervous too...I hope I don't screw up! I am so excited for my new niece or nephew! (random thought day, I apologize for the seemingly random changes in subject) I haven't gotten a hold of Hershal or Michelle since I heard the news though so I don't know any of the exciting details like when they are due! My maternal urge has been poking at me lately, I've REALLY been wanting a baby! But the time will come some day, and now is definitely not the right time!

Well, family, I hope you are all well and enjoying life. Let me know if you have any more educated details about MRI dye :) MISS YOU!