Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Heather's big climb redoux

I don't know how this happens, this passage of time between blog posts.  I've thought of about a hundred things to write about, but I haven't taken the time to write any of them.  The main reason is that my primary blogging time occurs after the kids are in bed, but lately I've been stealing that time for exercising.  I think it's a worthy substitute under any circumstance, but particularly since I'm training for something.

I'm pretty sure that this is the first physical goal that I've ever had in my entire life, and it's a good one if I do say so myself.  At the end of June, the spouse and I are taking a trip WITHOUT THE KIDS (they'll be at grandpa and grandma's, so don't feel too badly for them) for the first time ever to go and do this:  Hike the enchanted valley in Olympic National Park!

http://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/enchanted-valley



I am so freaking excited!  I've been craving a mountainous adventure ever since my brother's friend made me this last summer:


So I'm doing it!  I'm going on a big ol' hike in the Olympic Mountains!!

I asked my brother how to train for such a thing, and his response was one word:  Stairs.  I said how many, he said just do a lot.  I said how often, he said whenever you can.  So, I've been walking around this flat town a couple times a week, wearing a backpack filled with old textbooks, and incorporating at least a few minutes of stairs down into the floodplain that is a city park.  It'll do, it'll do.

I've been up to other adventures, too, but I think that they are worthy of their own posts eventually.  Some have been quite poignant and moving for me. I'll find the time to write them up, I swear.  One quick point I can make is that it is clear that my hemoglobin is at long last in the normal range for a healthy human being.  PSA:  Please don't take for granted how fabulous you feel.  Thank your hemoglobin.  It was not until I started feeling so fabulous that I realized how tired I had been for so long.  Every day I feel more and more fabulous.  Fabulous.        

In other news, I'm pretty sure that I forgot to post the news that my PET scan last month was TOTALLY CLEAR again.  That's two clear ones in a row, huzzah!!!!  Not sure yet if I get a longer leash in terms of extending the time between PET scans.  Dr. Oncologist would prefer to have a longer leash and therefore fewer PET scans, but I need to consult with Dr. Medical Oncologist (Her2 expert) and get her opinion.  I'll have that appointment in July or so.  

In the meantime, happy hiking, everyone!