For Every Setback There Is An Even Greater Comeback

What a grand comeback it will be!! I'm very excited and looking forward to a girls weekend in November at Disney World for the Runner's Night Out!! Some of you may think I'm crazy registering for a half marathon before even having my surgery, not knowing how things are going to turn out. It's best just to think positive! Besides, I need to set a goal for myself and have something to look forward to, I'm hoping it will make for a speedy recovery.

Today was the day I had been waiting for for a few months now. The runDisney Wine and Dine Half Marathon registration opened up today at noon! I have been planning on having this half marathon be my "comeback half" after my heart surgery for sometime now. This is my FAVORITE runDisney race for multiple reason, and why shouldn't it be?! Let's review below:

(The many reasons why this race is AWESOME! Source: runDisney)

I logged onto the runDisney website at noon and clicked register at 12:01 PM. At that point another tab opened up on my browser and it said I was in line with an estimated wait time. Oh god. This instantly made me nervous, especially the part that says "There are more than 100 users in front of you"

I messaged my friend Lily to see if she was in line as well. She said yes, and that her estimated wait time was 2 minutes. At the time I messaged her, my wait time was 12 minutes. I watched as the time slowly ticked down, and FINALLY I was transferred to the Active registration page.

I quickly filled out all the information, trying to be cautious not to mess anything up that would cause me to lose time. I filled in my credit card information, double checked it, then clicked submit payment. After a few seconds, I received my confirmation that I was successfully registered for the race!! Phew, I could breathe a sigh of relief (and celebrate)! Lily had since messaged me to let me know she was in, and to see if I got in yet. The entire process from when I clicked register on the runDisney web page to receiving my race confirmation took 20 minutes. A very nerve-racking 20 minutes.

(Yay!!)

Now that the stress from registering was over with, I was free to grab a bite to eat for lunch. I sat down with my coworkers, and while eating I was curious to see how quickly it would sell out. Right after I received my confirmation, the runDisney website said it was already 50% full. I knew that the Annual Pass Holder and Disney Vacation Club early registration sold out in roughly 10 minutes two weeks earlier (however, there were a limited number of race registrations for AP/DVC pre-sale). I kept hitting the refresh button on my phone. 70%, then 90%, and then when I checked by 12:40 PM, it was sold out. According to the runDisney Twitter, it was sold out by 12:35 PM.

I took a screenshot on my phone to send to my friend, Nita. I had been texting her with updates on my registration process and how quickly it was selling out. Then I sent her this and said "Gone."

The runDisney races have become wildly popular over the past few years. Nita and I were reminiscing just last week about when we were able to still register for the races during the second and third price increase tiers because race bibs were still available during those times a few years ago. Not anymore, if you don't get on the website at noon the day registration opens, you're not running unless you run through a charity and raise money. This makes me wonder if runDisney will ever switch to a lottery system like a lot of the larger races do to allow for an equal chance for anyone to run (as long as you've registered for the lottery).

Now for the fun, I need to figure out a costume for the race! I have a few ideas, though I'm sure I'll change my mind a thousand times before the race actually gets here. First I was thinking Doc McStuffins, then Mary Poppins in her white dress, but now I'm not so sure.

QOTD: Who else is registered for the runner's night out? Have a costume in mind yet?

Consultations and Realistic Expectations

It's been a month since my last post, and honestly, I've been battling myself for weeks debating whether or not I should actually publish this post. I've had a majority of it typed out for a few weeks now. Any way, New years day I posted a picture of all of my race bibs and bling from 2014 with the caption: "Another year measured in race bibs and bling. 2014 was a year I won't soon forget, but 2015 has big things on the horizon for this girl."

(Last year I ran 19 races, this year I'll be lucky if I run 5)

Big things indeed. This spring I'll be having open heart surgery. So how exactly did it get to this point? Let's rewind.

If you've been following along on my running adventures and race-cations, then you may recall back in May when I posted about my appointment with my Cardiologist regarding my hands. If you remember, my hands were swelling when I ran. My cardiologist didn't think the swelling was due to my heart, but rather a histamine response while running. He asked me to take Benadryl before my runs just to see if it would help. He also had me return a few weeks later for a Metabolic stress test, and that's really the last thing I posted from a cardiac stand point.

My Cardiologist reviewed the results of my echocardiogram and Metabolic Stress test at the pediatric cardiothoracic surgical conference, and as I mentioned in a blog post, that was another story for another day. I guess that day is today.

July 8th, 2014, 10:33 am: I missed a call from my Cardiologist regarding the recent pediatric cardiothoracic surgical conference where he presented my testing. He asked me to please call his office back at my earliest convenience.

July 8th, 2014, 11:30 am: I returned the called to the Children's Heart Center and spoke to my Cardiologist. He told me that after presenting my testing, the team agreed it would be best to go ahead with a cardiac catheterization with the idea that I would have a valve placed within a year. He said the cath could be done anywhere up to a year in advance of the procedure, but that it probably could not be done before the end of summer. I told him it wouldn't be done until nearly the end of the year as I had already planned for 3 more half marathons before the end of 2014. All was fine with that. He said he would have his office call me to schedule.

November 24th, 2014: I had my cardiac catheterization. I've had a handful of these in my lifetime, however, none that I actually remember, until this one. The last cath I had was when I was 16, and it was under general anesthesia because they were closing the hole in my heart with an Amplatzer device. Honestly, it's one of the strangest feelings. When they inject the contrast dye, you truly get an idea of how fast the blood is pumped through your body. I mean, being a cardiac sonographer, I know our bodies pump roughly between 5-7 L/min, but dang, you definitely feel the contrast rush through your body! It was pretty cool to lay there and look at my heart on the screens, though I was slightly out of it from the conscious sedation. I remember my cardiologist asking me if I was bored yet, and I just responded "Meh."

November 25, 2014-January 22, 2015: Honestly one big blur. I had exchanged a few emails with my Cardiologist regarding my cath results, and plans to go ahead with valve surgery as discussed. Mid January I still had not heard from pediatric cardiothoracic surgery, so I took it upon myself to call and get the ball rolling. The woman I spoke to said she'd pull my chart and give it to the Nurse Practitioner, and then get back to me. No call back, so I called again the next day. She told me that they couldn't schedule my surgery until I had my cardiac MRI. That was news to me, so I emailed my cardiologist again and asked about that. After a few days, I received word that the Cardiac MRI was not necessary, and that the surgical team should be calling me within a few days to schedule my surgery.

January 22, 2015, 11:07 am: Finally, after jumping through more hoops than I can count, they called. I was able to schedule my consult and surgery. Let's just say surgery is scheduled and leave it at that.

February 3, 2015, 11:00 am: I met with the surgeon who is going to be doing my procedure to discuss details and go over the list of questions I had. Honestly, I didn't have any idea what I was really in for. Things were a little more complicated than I had originally anticipated, and more needs to be done than just the valve. When he showed me my cath I felt all the color and expression leave my face. I won't go into detail, but I will say this, I'm honestly surprised I'm not having more symptoms than what I've been experiencing.

My surgeon said they're going to be very strict about my breathing exercises. He said the first day after surgery when I get off the vent, they're going to make me cough. Sounds horrible, thankfully they give you these special pillows to hold against your chest while you cough. He expects me to be in the hospital for about 5 days. My surgery will be on a Monday, and discharge on Saturday, but could be Friday for good behavior (and by that I mean if I'm diligent with my breathing exercises), and of course if there are no complications.

All that aside, I continued with my questions although most of it is a big blur because I couldn't even think straight. Thankfully, I had all my questions written down on paper. I asked basic questions like if I needed cardiac rehab, how long until I could drive again, start doing physical activity, etc. He didn't come right out and say it, but it didn't sound as though I had to stop running between now and my surgery. I finally asked him my most important question... if it would be unrealistic that I'm recovered in time to run a half marathon by mid November. He made it sound like it wasn't an unrealistic expectation - so for now, I'm planning on being recovered in time for the Wine and Dine half at Disney World mid November. If worse comes to worse, I can always walk it, or defer... again.

My surgeon seems great though, and I can tell he really loves what he does just by the way he talks and explains things in detail. He asked me if I had looked up what my condition was (Pulmonary Atresia with Intact Ventricular Septum), and I told him I am a cardiac sonographer, so I knew exactly what it was and what he was talking about. However, he took a lot of time to explain things to my parents and answer all of their questions as well, and I really appreciated that. After my appointment we went out to grab lunch, but I wasn't very talkative. I couldn't even enjoy lunch with my parents, let alone stomach anything, but I forced myself to eat a side salad.

By the time I got back to work that afternoon, I had tears streaming down my face. It was just a lot to take in, and I guess not exactly what I was expecting. My coworker followed me to one of our echo rooms and gave me a hug as I began to explain things to her. She looked at me and said, "Stace, honestly, you've done an amazing job at managing all of this in until now." She was right. Since finding out in July, I had run two half marathons, three 10K's, and a handful of 5K's. I had studied, sat and passed a board exam, and not once did all my stress break me like this did. It was finally sinking in.

It's been a few weeks since my consultation, and the dust has finally settled. In the meantime I've been spending a lot of time going through blogs and websites reading up on what I should do to prepare for surgery, what to expect after surgery and during recovery. Yes, I've had open heart surgery before, but considering I was only 1 day old and 3 days old at the time, I don't exactly remember any of it. There are even blog posts on what to pack for the hospital which I have found to be quite helpful. Some of these things I would not have thought of, but they make sense. Two of the Physician Assistants I work with have both told me to take items with me that will make my hospital room feel more like home (blanket, pillow, pictures, iPad, etc), that way I'll be more comfortable.

I went to my parents this past weekend, and that was the first time I had seen them since my appointment. We actually had time to talk about things since I basically went mute after my consultation. I'm also starting to realize how much paperwork I'm going to have to deal with - and I can already feel the headache coming on. All that aside, mom and dad gave me a few gifts this weekend. They bought me a new heated blanket for when I'm home recovering. Mom also handed me a little gift bag with tissue and said she thought my surgery was going to be sooner than we had it scheduled (we all did, but that was out of our control), but they wanted to give it to me now to let me know how much I mean to them. I removed the tissue and saw two Alex and Ani boxes.

(My new Alex and Ani bracelets from my parents)

One was the Little Brown Bear bangle, representing loving, happy, comfort. Mom said she thought the bear was fitting and knew I'd need the comfort during my recovery. The other was the bangle of the month, Key To My Heart, representing secret, love, soul. They wanted to give this one to me because of its heart shape. They have always given me heart shaped jewelry (necklaces, rings, bracelets, etc) because it's fitting for my condition. I'm sure I'll be happy to trade in my hospital ID bracelet for my new bangles, and honestly, I'll probably wear them while I'm in the hospital.

All this aside, since I was not told I had to stop, I will continue to run up until the day before my surgery. I'll enjoy being with my friends and my weekly running group. I will also still plan on running with Linda after work when we can (and when there's not a below zero windchill). I figure the healthier I go into this, the faster I'll come out of it.

QOTD: Can you think of anything exciting I should do before I have surgery? I need an adventure!

Throwback Thursday: It's A Wonderful Run Recap

I figured since it's Thursday, and I never posted this recap I would use it as a Throwback Thursday. I realize this post is over a month late, but it's been a bit crazy with the holidays and what not. Saturday, December 13th I ran the It's a Wonderful Run 5K for the third year in a row. This year was much different than last year weather wise, but just as fun!

The race is an evening race that starts around 4:45 pm in Seneca Falls, NY. Seneca Falls is rumored to be the town that inspired Bedford Falls in the movie "It's A Wonderful Life." For the past 3 years, Nita and I have run this race, and dressed up in our Christmas best. This year the weather was a little warmer, but rained the entire time.

Nita met me at my grandmothers house so we could all get ready and then ride into to Seneca Falls together. Earlier that day, my dad and I had run to the outlet mall, and as luck would have it I purchased a pair of running capris at Under Armour that were on sale. As I was getting all my running stuff around, I had realized that I left my running tights on my bed at home. So I threw the running capris on under my red and white tutu. Not really the best as it was still chilly out, but I survived.

My dad dropped us off a few blocks away from the start so we didn't have to worry about parking as the race had close to 4,000 runners. We waited by the Bridge street bridge for the race to start, and while we waited we ran into some of our running friends.

(Yay, friends!)

(Trying to stay warm before the start)

After saying hi and chatting for a bit, our friends made their way a little closer to the starting line. Nita, mom and I hung back. Knowing there were close to 4,000 runners with a mass start, I was in no way expecting a fast time or PR. This race was all about having fun!

Speaking of fun... Race selfie time!

(Had to show off the holiday Minnie Ears!)

We finally put our phones away, and it was minutes from the race starting. Once we started it seemed like forever until we actually crossed the timing mat. Nita and I decided to run a 1-to-1 interval. It took awhile to get settled into a rhythm due to the fact that people who were slower started in front of us, so we were constantly weaving through a sea of people. I'd say we were weaving in and out of people for a good mile and a half.

The course lead us through areas of downtown, then out to the high school and back into town where we ran down main street and finished at the community center just shy of where we started on the bridge.

(Course Map: source)

This race is always such a blast because it's during Seneca Falls' It's a Wonderful Life Festival, and the houses that are along the course are always decked out in Christmas decorations. The residents come out and cheer on the runners, and many of them have music playing, fires going in their front yards, and even offer drinks and snacks.

Nita and I finished the race just shy of 40:00, but considering all the people and the weaving we did, I can deal with that. I still, however, decided to get up early the next morning for a redemption run...

(Missed my goal by 1 minute, oh well)

I like to do this race every year for the fact that it's just a lot of fun. It's a huge race, so if you go with the goal of setting a PR, then it's not the race for you. I'm not saying it's not possible, but you had better be at the front when the race starts. It's just nice to see everyone decked out in holiday garb, and the costume ideas they come up with. The race swag also includes a nice long sleeve tech shirt.

(The bib was pretty fun this year too!)

QOTD: Are there certain races you have to run each year? Is it because of the course, the swag or the fun?

runDisney Depression

As I'm writing this, it's 8:45 pm on a brutally cold Friday evening in Western NY. I'm sitting in bed watching Disney movies with miss Coco, and honestly, the only thing I can think about is how I should be in Florida right now preparing for the Walt Disney World 1/2 Marathon in the morning.

Currently, I would be getting my running gear and/or costume around for tomorrows runDisney WDW 1/2 Marathon. Then crawling into bed by 9 (to attempt) to get some sleep before the 2:30 am wake-up call to get to my corral on time. Unfortunately, due to circumstances out of my control I had to defer my registration until the 2016 WDW 1/2 marathon.

I'm really excited for all the runners that get to attend the race weekend events, play in the parks, and of course run their race (maybe #runalltheraces), and collect their bling. Runners will be collecting anywhere between 1 and 6 medals this runDisney race weekend. I can't help but feel a little depressed that I will not be one of them.

I can honestly say though that I am excited to live vicariously through some of my running friends who are participating in this weekends events! Chris is running the Dopey Challenge for his second year, and has already collected 2 of his 6 medals. And Lily is running her first marathon!! I'm also a bit obsessed with following other runDisney enthusiasts on Instagram, and seeing what pops up under the #rundisney hashtag.

QOTD: Have you ever had to defer one of your race registrations? Did you feel depressed when race weekend rolled around and you weren't there?

NOLA Trip Recap

I've been terrible about keeping up with my blogging lately. Hopefully I can get myself back on track. First, a little bit of news. I found out that I passed my Pediatric Echocardiography boards! It was honestly the longest 65 days of my life waiting for those results, but now I can sit back and breathe a sigh of relief. Now, on to my New Orleans recap.

If you read my Jazz Half recap, then you know Mom and I had been preparing for the Jazz half for months. Unfortunately for me, my training had suffered due to my obsession with studying for my board exam. We flew down on Thursday, October 30th after work, and didn't get to NOLA until after 11 pm. We decided we would sleep in on Friday as we didn't have any real plan of attack for the day. Once we got up and got going it was after noon so we decided to venture out and find some lunch. Some friends of my parents had suggested we try the Central Grocery and get a Muffaletta sandwich. So we walked down to the Central Grocery, bought our sandwich, then walked back to Jackson square to eat. The Muffaletta sandwich consists of olive salad, mortadella, salami, mozzarella, ham, and provolone. I wasn't a huge fan of the sandwich as I don't like olives or ham, but at least I can say I tried it.

After we had lunch, we walked around Jackson Square. There are a lot of artists that set up artwork around the square to sell each day. It can also be different stuff on any given day.

After walking around the square we decided to go on one of the carriage tours through the French Quarter, and out to one of the St. Louis Cemeteries. This was a fitting activity to do considering it was Halloween!

(This was a great way to see different parts of the French Quarter!)

(It was definitely fun touring the cemetery on Halloween)

After the tour, mom and I ventured back to the hotel and stopped at a few of the shops on the way. Friday was a pretty low key day considering we had the half marathon in the morning.

We relaxed at the hotel for a while before getting ready to go out for dinner. We weren't really sure where to go for dinner since we didn't know the area too well, so we stopped down at the front desk to ask about a good Italian restaurant to fuel up before the race. They made a few recommendations that were within a few blocks of where we were staying. Before we went to dinner we decided to walk up to Lafayette Square where the race was set to start and finish, so we had an idea of what time we needed to leave the hotel in the morning to walk there. I don't think it took us more than 15 minutes to get there, so we would be in good shape.

As we were walking back toward the hotel and in the direction of the restaurant, we passed a few people dressed up for Halloween. One guy stopped me and said, "What do you think of my costume? I'm a formal apology!" He was wearing a tux that had "I'm sorry" written all over it. Haha

Mom and I had dinner at a small restaurant that wasn't too busy in the warehouse district. We both ordered ravioli, and they were pretty good (even if I had to force feed myself). After dinner we went back to the hotel and got our stuff around for the half in the morning. I won't go into details from the half as you can read about that here.

After the cold and windy half, I melted into a hot bath for about an hour to thaw my frozen muscles. Once I thawed, I swear I must have napped for about 2 hours. Once mom and I got up, we took our time getting around for dinner. We decided to go to the other restaurant that the hotel recommended the previous night.

(Dark, but enjoying a well deserved glass of wine)

After dinner we went back to the hotel to relax and get to bed early. Sunday morning we decided to get up and head to Cafe Du Monde for Coffee and Beignets! The line was SO long, but surprisingly, it moved quickly! To make the wait seem shorter there was even a jazz band playing on the corner by the cafe!

Mom and I enjoyed 2 orders of beignets, and they were absolutely worth every calorie! After breakfast we ventured around the French Quarter a little more. We scheduled a tour of the Old New Orleans Rum Distillery at 2 pm, and the shuttle service was picking us up around 1:20. The tour was a lot of fun, and honestly not at all was I was expecting (in a good way). We got to sample each type of rum they make there, and they gave us a complimentary tea. The Gingeroo was definitely my favorite!

After the tour we were dropped back off at our shuttle stop and mom and I walked back toward the hotel along the Mississippi River and looked into maybe having dinner on one of the river boats. We decided against that though.

That night, mom and I went to dinner at Origami, a sushi bar in New Orleans not too far from where we were staying. We still look a taxi even though we would have been able to take the street car. The sushi was outstanding, and I honesty don't even remember what I ordered. After dinner we headed back to the hotel and went to bed. 

Monday we got up and had realized that we had soaked up a lot of what we wanted to see, but headed back down to the French Quarter for the afternoon. We decided to walk Bourbon Street...

(Being a goof ball)

Then we went to Pat O'Briens for a Hurricane...

(Probably more than I needed, but delicious!)

After Pat O'Briens mom and I ventured back to the hotel to get ready for dinner. We had made reservations at NOLA's, one of Emeril Lagasse's three restaurants in New Orleans. Mom and I enjoyed a great meal and a glass of wine. After dinner we went back up to the river walk to take a few pictures. Then we made our way back to the hotel to pack to head home in the morning. 

I had a great time exploring New Orleans with mom. I would go back again during a festival or Mardi Gras so I could enjoy a different experience.

QOTD: If you've been to New Orleans, what was your favorite thing to do?

Jazz Half Marathon Recap

I've been so terrible at posting on my blog lately. Saturday, November 1st, mom and I ran the Jazz Half in New Orleans. As you recall, I sat for my boards on October 4th (and I still haven't received my results), and my training had fallen to the wayside since studying became my number one priority.

The race was set to start at 7 am, so mom and I got up around 5:30 to get ready and walk to the start. I had set all my stuff out the night before so I could be sure I wasn't forgetting anything.

Before we left for the race I decided to throw a long sleeve shirt on just until the sun came up. I'm so glad I did, mom and I took one step outside and it was FREEZING! I checked my phone as we made our way to Lafayette Square, and the temperature was 39 degrees and it was windy! Great.

We hung out around Lafayette Square for a good 20 minutes before the start of the race trying to do whatever we could do the keep warm. Honestly, this is our bad for not checking the weather report, but who would have thought it would be that cold in New Orleans in early November. Not to mention ,the day before the race was gorgeous! Unfortunately for us, a cold front came in that night.

Finally the race started, and I was hopeful that my muscles would warm up and the cold and wind would not bother me so much. Yeah, that didn't exactly happen. Mom and I tried our best to stay positive the entire race. The first 3 miles of the race we ran with the 5K runners, then when they were coming up on the final 2/10th of their race the half marathon course turned right and headed across the city to Audubon Park. We looped around the park and ran back to the finish the same way we came (out and back course).

  

(Source)

Mom and I made it to mile 9 and we were completely miserable, our muscles never warmed up, and our legs were starting to stiffen up. At that point we decided to just power walk the rest of the half. I promised mom we would finish, and that was all that mattered at that point. About a mile from the finish we caught up to another walker and we casually chatted. Turns out she is going back to school to become a CRNA (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist), so it was interesting to talk to her about school, and she was interested in my job as a cardiac sonographer as she has been part of transesophageal echoes in the past.

Talking with her made the last mile fly by, and finally, we turned a corner and we could see the finish. I said to mom that we should at least jog that last little bit. We started to jog, and oh my, did it hurt. My muscles were so stiff I could barely bend my knees. Once I crossed the finish line, I received my medal from the volunteer and kept walking in an attempt not to stiffen up anymore.

Mom wanted something to eat, so we walked over to the finisher party in the square. I wasn't hungry, so I just hung out in the sun. It was still windy out and it never really warmed up. I was over being outside, and just wanted to crawl back to the hotel and melt into a hot bubble bath. Before mom and I left the park to hobble back to the hotel, we did get a finisher photo together. I'm so proud of my mom for running this race with me! It was on her bucket list to complete a half, and she did it! Unfortunately, the conditions were less than desirable, so she gets extra brownie points for dealing with that.

(Glad to be done, but in so much pain)

Once we started our walk back to the hotel my right groin completely tightened up, and I was unable to bend much of my right leg. The walk (hobble) back to the hotel was pretty miserable. I was so relieved when we got back to the lobby, and just to be inside where it was warm.

In all honesty, I would consider doing this race again if I had the proper attire. The course is completely flat. There were a lot of bands along the course to entertain the runners. Seeing all the big homes decorated for Halloween was also interesting - some people have unique taste. The post race party also offered a nice variety of refreshments for the runners.

Over all, the race is worth the money you spend on the registration - but there is a way you can waive the registration fee. Runners have the option when they register for this race to set up a fundraising page to raise money for pediatric cancer. Runners looking to run the half for free need to raise a minimum of $250.00. Runners that would like to run the 5K for free need to raise a minimum of $100.00. So that is a great option if the registration fee is more than you're looking to spend, and it's for a great cause.

QOTD: Have you ever run a race when the weather conditions were not what you were expecting?

No Use Crying Over A Cancelled Disney Trip

It's been nearly a month since my last post, and I feel terrible about that. Let's just say things have been a bit hectic for this girl. It amazes me how much things can change in the matter of one month, and honestly, I can't complain. But my oh my, where do I start?

The last time I posted about regaining my freedom after my board exam. I still haven't found out whether I've passed or not, but I will know in less than a month (hopefully it will be an early Christmas present)! I also mentioned that I had slipped in my half training plan from the studying, and that it was going to hurt me during the Jazz Half. Mom and I did go to New Orleans and we finished the half, but the Jazz Half deserves its own recap, which I PROMISE I will get to (I have a few recaps I need to catch up on, yikes)! I will also eventually post about my trip to New Orleans.

My birthday was in August, as I'm sure you may know from my Disneyland Half Health & Fitness Expo Recap, and my parents were still asking me what I wanted for my birthday. They came up one weekend to help me around the house, and I had mentioned I wanted to look into getting a new front door because my is pretty drafty, and in these cold Upstate NY winters you can definitely feel it! (You also know you're growing up when you ask for that for your birthday!) However, when all was said and done, a new front door was going to cost more than I wanted to spend at this point. So my parents sent me money for my birthday, and I actually bought a new bike. Unfortunately, I can't use it until spring, because sure enough, it's snowing here now.

(Birthday goodies!)

While I was in New Orleans, my friend had text me to tell they had been offered a job promotion, but unfortunately it interfered with our travel plans for the Avengers Half Marathon at Disneyland that was about 2 weeks away, and they were now unable to go. I was a little bummed at first, but after I thought about it, I had REALLY hated running the Disneyland Half in August, so I brushed it off. I called and cancelled our hotel reservation and my flights. I lost money on the trip, but no big deal, in the long run I'd actually be saving money on food, and other stuff that I probably didn't need. I got that squared away, no use crying over a cancelled Disneyland Trip.

So, what does one do when their mini vacation gets cancelled? They plan a trip to their happy place! That's right, I kept the time I had off and decided to drive down to State College to see my friends and take in a Penn State game. I knew I wouldn't have any other opportunities to do that this fall as I have a lot coming up over the next few weeks. So I got a hold of my friend, Danielle, and just like that, I had a new "mini vacation" planned. I spent from Friday afternoon until yesterday in State College with my friends catching up.

Friday night Danielle and I took it easy. We ordered our favorite D.P. Dough, we each had a bottle of wine (I nearly finished mine, oops), and we watched Friday Bride Day on TLC. Kora, Josh's pit bull puppy made herself comfortable on my lap most of the night. She is the laziest puppy I've ever met, but so adorable!

We got up early Saturday and headed to a special tailgate at the Pegulla Ice Arena for Veterans. There was a huge assortment of food and desserts. We hung out there for a few hours and stayed warm before heading over to Beaver Stadium for the game.

(We felt like VIPs!)

(This was actually my first time in the arena, hard to believe, eh?)

We headed over to the game with Danielle's sister and her friend. Danielle had the goal of making it to one game this season before kick off because she had yet to do that. Just as we were walking into the stadium in our section Coach Franklin was walking down the tunnel with the team. It felt good to back in Beaver Stadium with 107,000 of my best friends.

(Right on the 50. Not one bad seat in the Beav)

(Let's Go State! Trying to stay warm)

We decided to leave after the 3rd quarter. It was freezing, Penn State was winning, and they just continued to fight on to a victory. We are also bowl eligible! We went back to Dani's house to rest up and thaw before getting ready to head out for the evening. We decided to go to Inferno for drinks, and my friend Jordan met up with us! He saw through the Facebook grapevine that I was in town.

(A little dark, but still good!)

Sunday was a veg day. I met up with Dani and her family to see Big Hero 6 (GREAT movie by the way, highly recommend it), and after, Dani and I went to Barnes and Noble to have coffee with her mom and gram. Sunday night I started feeling like I was getting a cold and even made the comment that I thought I was getting sick.

Monday I woke up feeling okay, and I met up with my friend Kristen for Breakfast at the Waffle Shop to catch up with her. After breakfast I went downtown to do a little Christmas shopping before heading back to NY. I also splurged on a few items for myself...

(Love.)

I started feeling worse as the day went on, and sure enough, I woke up at 4:30 this morning, and I couldn't breathe and I felt like I had a marble in my throat.

Once I got home from New Orleans I went a little crazy spending time with my friends and family. I had plans with my friends every single night up until last night, and I've been up until close to midnight nearly every night for the past 3 weeks. I should have known better than to do that. Now I need my own Baymax to make me feel better (Big Hero 6 reference). I'll definitely be veggin' most of this week to recoup. I'm also on call this weekend, so I'll have plenty of time to relax. I'll need some movie ideas for the weekend.

QOTD: Who ran the Inaugural Avengers Half? What's your favorite movie to watch when you're not feeling well?