Race Schedule and Results

Monday, July 30, 2012

Being tested

Someone out there is trying to figure out how strong I am.  Fitting, after my last post, I suppose.

Let me give you a glimpse of my last week or so.

Two weeks ago we brought our dog Buddy in for his annual exam.  Since moving down here, he's lost weight, we walk at least once, if not twice a day, etc.  He's like a puppy (albeit an almost 12 year old one).  We comment all the time about how he benefited most from moving here - he's got a new lease on life.  The new vet decided to do some blood work, simply because of his age and to get some baseline numbers. We got a call the next day that he's experiencing kidney failure.  As the words were trying to be processed, we were handed 5 new medicines, an order form for new food, scheduling dates for follow up blood draws and told that he only has a few months.  Our life kind of halted... we thought that he just gained a few years.  So we're being tested with that.
Then last Wednesday we found out that my grandfather has taken a turn in his health and hospice thought that it would be wise for the family to get in to see him.  He and my grandmother are living with dementia/Alzheimer's, but my grandfather is bleeding and will loose enough blood that at any time, he'll go to sleep and not wake up.  He's 92.  He's had an incredible life, loves my grandmother more than anything in the world, loves his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren more than any one person can love another in my opinion.  He's been such a rock for our family, an example of what true happiness is.  I needed to see him.  I flew out Thursday morning to Raleigh.

Or should I say Thursday afternoon.  You see, I got to the airport in ATL around 7:15 for my 8:40 flight.  Security was long, but the lines were moving.  I went through security and was "randomly" selected for another scan.  That always happens to me - it seems their random machines aren't so random.  The TSA guy swiped my right hand with some gauze thing and put it in a machine.  Alarms went off.  He looks at me and says "I didn't change my gloves so let me do it again with new gloves on". Okay.  They swiped my other hand and nothing happened. The TSA guy looked perplexed and asked his supervisor what he should do. They told me that I needed to be patted down in a back room.  I waited for two women (one to pat and one to witness) and we went to a private room, you know... because I look super dangerous in my running skirt and teeshirt.  They did a thorough pat down and the woman did another swipe thingy, this time of her glove after she patted me down.  The alarms went off again. The two women whispered and the "patter" left.  The other girl asked what kind of lotion I used and said that they had to call the bomb squad up to search my stuff.  Fan.Freaking.Tastic.  At this point, it's nearly 8:20.  And for some reason they couldn't figure out how to call the gate to tell them I'm here but just being held up.  So here I am, in the ATL airport which was busy as could be with the bomb squad searching my stuff (although, it should be noted that they never searched my purse... just my suitcase).  They didn't find anything (obviously) and sent me on my way with the advice of "you better run because you're probably going to miss your flight".  Awesome, thanks.  I ran to my gate and missed my flight by about 3 minutes.  That was 8:43 and the next flight left at 2:35.  Yippie... 5.5+ hours of free time in the airport.  No better way to spend my day!  I'm telling you... I'm being tested.

I finally did get to NC.  I had a great visit, albeit emotional, with my grandparents.  They were happy, and loving and that's the way I will remember them.  I was part of their sacrament of Anointing of the Sick, I got to take pictures and videos of them, I got to be with my family, etc.  It was good.  It was hard. 

After a long, emotional weekend, I arrived home yesterday at 7:45am.  Tom was waiting for me and I just crumbled.  I think exhaustion had gotten the best of me. By the time we got home, I had decided I wanted to hop on my bike (because really, I'm never too tired to ride).  We got out around 25 miles and both were kind of "eh" about the ride.  That happens a lot lately.  We decided to turn around and come home.  Around 35 miles into our trip, we turned a busy intersection and Tom hit what he's calling "road furniture" - a huge hard white half basketball size piece of plastic that the great people of Atlanta think is going to corral traffic.  I saw it coming and couldn't get the words out fast enough.  Up he went, flying through the air.  His bike smacked first, then his body, followed by a not-so graceful roll off the road.  He was bleeding, his fork was in three pieces and I was stunned.  We gathered the bits and pieces that went flying and an amazing stranger came to our rescue, loaded us and the bikes and drove us the 15 miles home. 
I'm a good student, but please, whoever is testing me, just give me an "A" and let me move on.

30 comments:

Simi said...

Holy crap woman.... my heart goes out to you with all the random stuff that you is adding up to make you feel so work out. Huge hugs. I saw the fork on fbook yesterday and was just a little eek'd and what the story behind it's break was :(

Hope it all swings back around soon. It had to have been such a tiring but peace finding weekend for you guys as a family. thinking of you as you get through these times back to some sunshine in your life.

TriMOEngr said...

OMG! What a run of crazy bad luck. Is Tom OK? I think I would have been completely freaked out! Take a day or two to just catch your breath. Many prayers for your family as you deal with the impending loss of loved ones. Not easy to say goodbye even those who've lived a long and happy life. ((HUGS))

Heather-O said...

Hugs! Thinking of you and praying things get better! Hope Tom is doing ok.

Michelle said...

Oh, Colleen. I'm so sorry. Thinking of you and sending peaceful vibes and prayers.

Matty O said...

And here I thought crap only happened to me? Ugh, so sorry :(

The TSA debaucle... really? I would have tried so hard to be pleasant but seriously.... come on now haha.

Deep breathes and everything will work out, it always does!

Hope Tom is alright and not banged up too much, amazing those carbon forks can shatter like they do :(

Wes said...

tested but not bested. Glad to hear the hubs is in one piece!

ONEHOURIRONMAN said...

Raliegh?
Me too.... Wednesday through Saturday to visit Dad who is in rehab center after pneumonia..
I hope everything turns out well for you and Tom..

Karen said...

Oh dang... You had quite the weekend. Hope Tom is OK! Praying the test is over soon :)

PJ said...

Wow. I'm not even sure what to say other than hang in there. When it rains it pours. :(

Hoping for some better times for you ahead!

Rebecca said...

wow, i say you passed with an A+ and then some.
I think that is amazing that your grandparents left such a legacy in your family. That is what we all strive for , wouldn't you think?

Glad to hear Tom is ok. He sounds like a pro with his fall. I probably would have broken some bones.

Meaghan said...

Yikes, yikes, yikes!! Take a breath, and know that there's an end to the bad luck streak. And in the meantime, wrap yourself in LOTS of bubble wrap :)
xoxo

Michelle said...

Wow I'm just so sorry you've been dealing with so much!

It's good you got to spend sometime with your grandparents. I said goodbye to grandfather not too long ago - so hard.

Hope Tom's ok after that fall!

Heidi @BananaBuzzbomb said...

Oof. Sending hugs and positive energy to you. Keep your chin up! xo

Anne-Marie said...

That's a ton of heavy stuff to get hit with all at once! So sorry to read about everything :(

Hope Tom is on the mend!

Hang in there... Sending prayers & calming thoughts your way!

Pahla said...

Oh, Colleen, I don't even have anything to say, I just wanted you to know that I'm thinking of you. Tough times, for sure, but I know you can get through them.

Unknown said...

Thinking about you guys! We really need to all get together soon.

Pharmie said...

Giant virtual hugs are being sent your way!!! I'm so sorry. What a crappy week. I'm thinking you definitely deserve and A for the week.

Unknown said...

oh sweet girl... I'm so sad you are going through all of this at once. Just be YOU and you'll get through this :)

Carole Sharpless said...

Man alive, girl....

Thinking of you!
xoxox

MissFancyPants said...

My thoughts and prayers with you. That is a lot! Hope Tom is okay :)

Jason said...

Shit comes in 3s and I hope you got it all out of your system in one fell swoop.

Sending positive vibes to you, Tom and the family!

Alili said...

Giant hugs Colleen! I hope the challenges ease up for you very soon.

Meredith said...

You and me both sister. The good news is, everything happens in threes. Which means, things should be looking up for you in no time.

Matthew Smith said...

Oh, Colleen! Life isn't giving you any breaks right now! Seems like even the strongest person around you, Tom, is even getting part of the "testing" as you call it. Hang in there, buddy! I'm glad Tom's ok, and I know those bumper things that he hit. Keep the furniture out of the road!!

Alisa said...

Thinking of you!

XOXO

Kacie Darden said...

Hugs and love girl. I will give you a real hug soon!


Btw--george calls them "traffic turtles."

MR DETERMINED said...

Wow what a tough couple of weeks. I think you need some good karma for a few weeks to balance things out. Like an angel to make sure things go good for two weeks. I hope you get some rest and things get back to normal soon. *hugs*

Ironman By Thirty said...

Ok, it is official, you are Wonder Woman. (Mandy will just have to share the title for now). I think any one of those things would have knocked me on my butt and you seem to be handling it amazingly well.

Keeping you guys in our thoughts!

Molly said...

I'm so sorry for all the bad luck right now Colleen!!

Kristin Bradfield said...

OMG Colleen, this is all so awful. I see so much of my year in this. We've dealt with a home robbery, death of a parent, a forced move, a job gone bad and a sick cat. Hang in there, I too believe I'm being tested and good things are bound to come. You're strong and have such an amazing attitude!