No more wogging.

I have to get tested to make sure I don't have a blood clot in my leg first. Sadness. How can they tell that with a blood test? I need to do some WedMD reading. I will probably go to the lab tomorrow before I go to Lafayette. Although seeing as how it is 4:36 am right now and I am not in bed, it will depend on if I go back to bed and end up sleeping ungodly late or staying up.

My visit with Dr. Andry was only so-so today. He seemed a little distracted, which is not usual. He literally cursed the state for the regulations they place on prescribing some medications. I am too poor to go in for as many visits as they require for me to take some of the meds he wants me to take on a regular basis... When he said, "I want you to take XXX again." I said that I couldn't because even though my insurance covers the med as a maintenance med, it won't cover the visits to HIM. That pissed him off - and I know it's not because he wants my money that badly, it's because he wants me to take the medicine. He wrote the prescription for longer than he is supposed to and said, "just take this to the pharmacy and see what they say." They filled the first month and didn't say anything of course, but I wonder what will happen in thirty days.

Michael is at Science Olympiad Nationals. I took today and tomorrow off work because my original plan was to go for the entire competition as a chaperon. Turned out they didn't need me so if I went I would have to pay my own hotel, which I couldn't afford. So today was go to the dr. day and clean house day, and nap day, which is probably why I am awake now!

I have a beautiful man in my bed and I couldn't sleep at all! Usually it's Garet who can't sleep. Around 3:00 he will get up and apologize and have to head home. Tonight I just lay there.... my tummy was rumbling and gurgling and it seemed like no matter what position I tried I was congested... I kept thinking that if I had my whole bed to myself as usual and I could spread out and if I could turn on a movie or TV land I'd be able to sleep! So I decided I might as well get up and play computer for a little while.

Tomorrow I plan to go get my blood draw (probably), then head up to Lafayette. Depending on the situation I will either help clean house for a couple of hours, or maybe try to get Mom and Dad to go out to Friendship house and look around and get an application. After that I am going to continue up to Emily and Scott's. Emily said Scott has to work for a while in the evening so we can have "gurl night." I have an obscure foreign film from Netflix, maybe she will want to watch it with me. Emily and I will have a little more time Saturday, then I will head on down to Champaign-Urbana. The awards dinner starts at 4:30. I will watch Michael win some national Science awards and then head home.

I think Michael is going to head home with me. His big bike trip to Kentucky is supposed to be this weekend! He didn't get his cargo rack completed, though, so I don't know what he is going to do. Maybe if he puts his seat post rack on the long bike that is enough to strap the tent and the sleeping bag to, then he will have to carry his rain gear and food in his backpack. It's a damn shame that he didn't get that rack completed in time for this trip.

Here's a good story. It's been raining continuously here for about two weeks. Garet was assigned to go out and find a good rainy day picture for a front page. He was driving on the highway and saw a group of bicyclists riding in the pouring rain in their rain gear and such. He sped ahead and pulled off so he was facing them as they rode up and he took their picture. When he started talking to them to get their names for the caption and stuff they said they were preparing to ride to Red River Gorge Kentucky and back this week - it was some members of Michael's group! The leader is Greg, the guy who is mentoring Michael in this independent study class. Funny huh? Sometimes it really does seem like such a small world!

When I can start wogging again I am going to train to run. jog or walk a 5K. My goal is to be ready for one in the fall. There is a Utah race finder online that has many listed. I found one on October 9 and proposed that one to Kimsy. The next day when I went to work, however, I was reminded that is the week we are switching our classifieds COMPLETELY and it is all hands on deck. I vaguely remembered Leah telling me I probably couldn't take off for my birthday this year and that is why. I think fall for several reasons: I need a lot of training time - to get some weight off to reduce the strain on my joints and get the muscles strong enough to support them, also to be extra ready because the altitude will kill me. Also I will need to save up for airplane money. I won't have to have hotel money because I will appeal to friends and relatives to provide a bed for me, and probably food too!

I want my nieces and relatives as possible to walk, jog or run with me as able! I am sure Hannah, Jessica and Barbara would be in for it. I'm not sure about Amber because of her arthritis? Amber, want to train with me? I may end up walking if my joints can't take the jogging and I know you can do that! Kim is looking for another race, but you guys let me know if you know of a good one. If you need to bring the babies look for one that allows strollers or baby toting! Kim is in SLC, so good central location would be good. She works in the welfare/ court system so a weekend is probably best.

I don't know if Garet will want to come or not. I haven't talked to him about it yet. I know he will be happy that I set the goal for myself. I know he would be nervous about meeting so many new people at one time. My sister in law would probably have a freakout about me being a fornicator and I am not willing to pretend, so if he comes we might have to stay somewhere non-offensive, but still free which might mean Kim's couch or floor. In a way it would be wonderful to have him there, but in a way it would be super fun to have just me with the family and friends too. Kim was talking (writing/typing) about trying to get Kathy or some other Wild Women to come along for the ride/walk/jog. If that were to happen I think I wouldn't want Garet and he would have to meet the fam another time. We've got lots of plans and thinking and discussing to do! First task at hand is to find our what evil thing is making my leg swell and make sure it doesn't kill me, then get all the plans and training underway!

Edited to Add:

Answer to my question -

Diagnosis of DVT

Your GP will ask about your symptoms and examine you. If he or she thinks that you might have a DVT, you may be referred to a specialist. You may have the following tests in hospital.

• A blood test called a D-Dimer. This measures a substance which develops when a blood clot breaks down. If this is negative it's unlikely that you have a DVT.
• A Doppler ultrasound. This is a test that uses sound waves to look at your blood as it flows through your blood vessels. It's the best test to detect blood clots above your knee.
• A venogram. In this test, a special dye is injected into your vein, which shows up the vein on X-ray. This is the best way of showing clots below your knee.

and that is exactly what Dr. Andry said, the blood test first, and then maybe the picture.