making the best of it

So, this illness, or whatever it is has been dragging its heels.  Just when I thought I was better, WHAM, GI started acting up again.  I'll spare you the gory details... but, thank you so much to those who have listened to them.  It's nice to not suffer alone.

Last week we had 2 Trek Women events planned.  I really didn't have the energy for either of them, but dragged my butt to both of them.  I guess it shouldn't be surprising how grumpy not being able to keep food in long enough for your body to get the goodness out of it makes you.  Getting out with the Ladies was awesome to make me forget how crappy I've been feeling.  They are all so excited to ride and watching them learn new skills and be excited about it was enough to erode my new-found grumpy disposition.

I had some great pictures of the rides, but they got lost.  Instead, here is a picture of tonight's dinner.  Not to show off my culinary skills, but to display my returning appetite.  I finished the whole dinner and half of the bowl of fruit AND my stomach did not rebel!  Trust me, that is pretty exciting.

Keep your eyes on the road

"OH SHIT, TAM!!!'

It's just after 4pm on Sunday and Jeremy and I are heading home from a great afternoon at Albion.  I had another fun day cheering on friends and yelling at my husband from the Feed Zone.

I am in the passenger seat gazing out the window.  I look around to see what has Jeremy so freaked out and see a white car flying through the air into the opposite ditch.  Thankfully, we are a few cars back from the accident and our involvement is only as bystanders.  Jeremy pulls the car over and calls 911, while I get out of the car to see if anyone needs help.

My first aid hasn't been recertified in years, but it all came back to me.  Assessing the scene, I walked by a couple of cars whose occupants are okay, but are trapped in their cars.  Unfortunately, a motorcyclist was involved and hit a car head on.  She flew off her bike into the ditch.  Her friend, who was unhurt was standing over her in shock when I arrived.  "I know some first aid", I told him.

I spent 45 minutes in the ditch with her until the paramedics were able to get a back board on her and carry her out to a helicopter.  In that time, she went from minimally breathing to needing CPR.

While stabilizing her at the side of the road, her friend tells me through tears that they were driving home from a charity ride when a car had swayed into oncoming traffic.  None of us knew why, perhaps the driver had a medical emergency of his own that caused the accident, but more than likely it was due to falling asleep, being on a cell phone, or playing with the radio.

We spend so much of our lives driving, that it is easy to forget that we not only hold our lives in our hands, but also of other people out there on the road.  This tragedy has reminded me how important it is to give the task at hand 100% focus.

I just learned that the motorcyclist did not make it.  My love goes out to her family and friends.

Saturday

It's Saturday morning and I'm trying to harness my inner chi when the Yoga Intructor walks into the class.  She is small, but powerful looking - almost in a cute way with short blonde hair and a friendly looking smile.  Or, cute is what I thought until she starts talking about a race she's entering that involves jumping through hoops of fire.  Today's class won't be easy.

I should be out at Hardwood preriding the Canada Cup course, but my GI system seems to have different plans for me this month.  I woke up on Saturday and decided this weekend needed to be about fun off the bike and trying to find some positives in my forced time off. I also needed to get away from the computer and stop googling all of my symptoms, because nothing good comes out of that except waking up in the night worrying about the worst.

The instructor clasps her hands together in glee, 'aren't Saturday's the best'?  I smile in agreement.  Who could disagree?  I woke up this morning early - I'm not very good at sleeping in, enjoyed coffee out of a real mug, hung out with my husband and now here I am about to enjoy some yoga on a stormy morning with a beautiful view of Kempenfelt Bay.

Sunday, I woke up feeling pretty good after an interesting session Saturday afternoon with a doctor of Chinese Medicine.  I also woke up starving - the first sign of any sort of appetite in about two weeks.  After a good breakfast, Jer and I headed out to the auto show at Burl's Creek.  Not usually my thing, but it was super fun and I definitely got pretty excited about seeing some of the old cars.  I tried to convince Jer that we needed to buy a '77 Corvette, but I think he has other plans.

From there we headed off to Hardwood as Super Spectators.  I had a blast cheering on the riders with Meaghan, Eden, Charlotte and Jeremy, got to catch up with Hannah who has defected to the Nation of Quebec and truly enjoy the afternoon without the usual prerace jitters.

While I had a blast this weekend - I am really looking forward to getting back out there on the bike.  I just haven't found anything I find more fun.  But, it really doesn't matter what you're getting up to, you've gotta just love Saturday :)