Rethinking Important

Hi guys!

Well my appointment this afternoon was good and bad. I’m going to call it bittersweet. I really wish I would have known about this doctor a year ago….or even two months ago for that matter! He was totally awesome and said that the reason I keep having pains is because I’ve just been trying to alleviate the pain; I haven’t been getting down to the bio-mechanics of the problem. Which is my left foot. He works with professional athletes and says he’s never seen a shin splint he hasn’t healed and wants to make me custom orthotics to correct the problem completely.

This is good and all except for two tiny details: I can’t run again until I get the orthotics (because I just keep making it worse) and I’m not sure if my insurance covers the othotics. Without insurance there’s no way I can get them because they are $480 out of pocket. No way Jose. They are checking on my insurance tomorrow morning and I made a tentative appointment for “casting” (where he specially makes the orthotics to fit my feet and shoes) next week, but until then I have STRICT orders to stay on the elliptical machine or the bike. The elliptical machine! I HATE the elliptical machine!! But doctor’s orders are to get on that thing and just crank away. Bah humbug. He still thinks the half marathon in October is fine but I guess I’m going to have to alert my TNT group that I won’t be practicing with them for awhile. Double humbug!

Despite it all though I found myself really not getting as upset as I could have. Honestly, with all that I’ve been through in the past month, this really just isn’t THAT big of a deal. In the past, I have totally blown out of proportion the “horror of having to take time off” when, in the grand scheme of things its just not a big deal. A big deal is my little brother getting shot. A big deal is a five year old having to go through chemotherapy for leukemia. A big deal is NOT shin splints. No. Its just not. Nor is it that five pounds you think you would just be so happy if you could just lose or beating yourself up because you didn’t make it to the gym in your busy day. Or that extra cookie after dinner. NEWS FLASH: its not a big deal!

So I will pound away at the elliptical and on the bike and force a smile while I try to mend myself. I will still raise thousands of dollars for kids with cancer and participate in my race in October, even if I have to walk it. And then if I still hurt after the race I’ll just focus my efforts into other things that I love, like sweaty yoga sessions and intense spinning classes.

Before I headed out to the doctor today I noshed on a juicy organic pear and a serving of raw milk cheese!

I was SO hungry after my appointment around 5:00 that I went to town on some organic spicy tortilla chips at my parent’s house!

This evening was such a joy because I found tons of pictures from when I was in Paris that I never knew existed! Don’t you love that?! Makes you remember a trip all over again

My goodness. This wasn’t even two years ago but just seems like a century ago. I never in a million years could have then predicted where I’d be now. Not that I’m in a bad place now, but this was pre-culinary school, pre-blog and I never EVER thought my brother would get killed one month before his high school graduation. Nope…never. Crazy. I guess it really is true that if you want to hear God laugh then tell him your plans! If this wasn’t even two years ago I wonder where I’ll be two years from today! Now that’s a thought.

I started my dinner around 6:15 ’cause I made Ryan a very happy boy by telling him he was having frozen pepperoni pizza for dinner. As for me, I tried something new and the result was fantastic! I bring you now Mediterranean Stuffed Bell Peppers!

Look good? Click here to find the recipe! It was quite fabulous if I do say so myself! I made a big mess on my plate and inhaled it all

Such a healthy, tasty and satisfying dinner. I will definitely make this again in the future; I love meals like these!

Of course I had a glass of vino while I ate—

And then when Ryan came home later he found me like this—-

Hard at work! (Actually I was nibbling on a very yummy dessert!)

Homemade blondie! Find VeggieGirl’s recipe here. I just modified it by omitting the pretzels and adding sliced almonds + coconut! I love ‘em frozen….delightful!

I’m off to do some work and then take a bubble bath to soak my achy yoga muscles! See you tomorrow for Raw Wednesday!