RUN AS ONE

I knew I wouldn’t be able to run agility again until April so I convinced Hazel to go with me to Terrell, TX for the Run as One NADAC agility trial early in December. I’ve always heard great things about this club and the opportunity presented itself at the right time. I took a huge chance and entered Marley in 3 runs. Marley hasn’t run agility in about 2 ½ years. I had recently started doing some low jump grids, low A-frames and just some basic conditioning with her. I didn’t know what to expect from her.

The club members were so friendly and welcoming to us. It was their Christmas trial and they had it all decorated for Christmas. I, of course had to take the opportunity for some pictures! 

     

It was a long day before the 2 events I had entered Marley came up. I entered her in Novice Weavers….something I will never do again. It was apparent that Marley still hates to weave. She appeared to be confused on the start line. She hadn’t been on a start line in so long, she appeared almost overwhelmed. The run went ok. She tried on her weaves and we finished the course, but way over time. Then we ran Open Tunnelers. She was so happy! Running and bounding in true Marley fashion. No Q due to time but that doesn’t matter. She ran!

 Just the opportunity to run with Marley again is a feeling I can’t describe. I never thought it would happen. I dreamt and prayed about it, but to have that dream come to fruition is a feeling I can’t explain. I had many dreams for Marley in agility…big titles and ribbons. But my big dreams didn’t happen. But what did happen is I found my Soul Dog. She is me. Marley and I are connected like none of my other dogs. I love all my dogs, but there is just something about Marley. If you have been blessed to have met Marley and she has let you into her life, you can’t but help to love her. The precious tilt of her head, the way she lays her head on your knee, the way she ‘praises the Lord’, makes her Marley. And you can’t help but smile when you see Marley.

The next morning the first event was Tunnelers and Marley was on fire! She ran a happy and fun Open Tunnelers run and she Q’d/2. Just to see her so happy was worth everything we have endured. And we have endured a lot. I’m not sure of what I will do with Marley agility wise. She has a few Q’s left in AKC that I would like to finish, but I’m taking a break from AKC for a while. I’m planning on more NADAC trials because their trials are so positive and everyone is happy for everyone regardless of how their run went.

Not to leave her out, Miss Kalea-Kate was a little rock star. She Q’d 6/11 runs. A dropped bar in Jumpers and Chances…my fault. Note to self, don’t yell “Kate” as she’s jumping. It causes the bar to come down. She did her own thing during Touch n Go and Chances. I totally forgot the Weavers course, so she weaved a lot…! KK loved the opportunity to do her distance work. I am looking forward to running her more in NADAC and USDAA in 2016.

 Once I get healthy and everyone gets conditioned and back into some training, we will be on the road in the RV. I’m so looking forward to traveling and bonding with my girls and spending time with Hazel. I just have to be patient and let my body heal. Then I can Run As One with my girls.

BEAUTIFULLY BROKEN

The last few months have been very challenging for me. I have had so many obstacles to overcome and hurdles to jump, that it has been very tolling on me emotionally. Hazel and I had to cancel our beach service and honeymoon in October due to her being diagnosed with an ovarian tumor. Due to the severity and size of the tumor, she was not able to work and went on FMLA. Thankfully we found a great GYN who did the surgery. Hazel stayed in the hospital for a week. I stayed too, only leaving to go get my huge daily fountain Diet Coke….very important to me. J We were fortunate to have great nurses. I think I taught almost all of Hazel’s nurses. It was nice to see former students doing so well and giving great care. It made me feel like I had impacted others lives by teaching them. Hazel had a long recovery and will return to work this Friday. So grateful that she was able to keep our insurance while she was off because then I injured myself.

I threw my work bag over my shoulder into the backseat of my car and felt immediate pain in my shoulder. After steroid injections, NSAIDs, rest, and heat, nothing relieved the relentless pain. I worked every day in pain because I loved my patients and they depended on me. Some caregivers look so forward to seeing their nurse or aide not just for companionship but for reassurance that they are doing what is best for their loved one. I have found my calling in hospice and couldn’t just drop my patients.

I was sent for a MRI. The results sealed my fate about my patients. As much as I hated to stop taking care of them and working every day, I had to take care of myself. I suffered a complete tear of my right rotator cuff with a tear in the bicep tendon. The only treatment was surgery. The surgery needed to be done as soon as possible because the doctor could not keep my pain under control in order for me to maintain my daily life. It was hard to step away from hospice, but if I’m not healthy, then I can’t work and give my patients the care they deserve.

I had surgery Dec. 22. My first OT session was Christmas Eve. I made it through the OT session ok, but after I got home my pain and nausea went haywire. Poor Hazel, who was still recovering herself, had to try to manage the pain and nausea. She had to do my OT exercises while I cried through them due to the excruciating pain. Christmas morning was better and we went to her parent’s for Christmas. I lost track of several days during that time. I was just trying to do my OT, and keep the pain and nausea at bay.

 Plus, the holidays are hell for me. I miss my mom every day and the holidays make that pain worse. Time does not heal the pain and lose, it only makes it a little more bearable. I hate November and December. But I try hard to be cheerful during the holidays. But if I could, I would fast forward through the holidays. No matter what life throws at you, you have to find a way to muddle through. I rely on Hazel heavily for her positivity and her making me get up and do stuff. Even if it’s going to get me a fountain Diet Coke….I got up and did something.

I sit here now, after going to multiple doctor appointments and therapy sessions, and think there is a reason I am going what I am going through. I may not know the reason yet, but when it is time, the reason will be known. Until then, I’m ‘Beautifully Broken’.