Yup, I'm still here!!!

So.  Hmm.  Where to begin.  I've been super occupied with school for the past several months, but this semester seems to be a little less hard.  Well if you can consider nursing school any less hard than it already is.  Not really.  But I am studying two of my most favorite subject this semester, pediatrics and obstetrics.  I know a thing or two about those subjects, so I can take a little time off from school and give you an update of me over the past 4 months.  It hasn't been the best, but oh well.

Medical:

So on September 21st I ran in a race and broke my finger (I think I wrote about this...)

Well I had surgery on September 30th and had to have my joint relocated and external pins placed to help my finger heal.  Well things didn't go as planned.

I ended up getting an infection at one of the pin sites.  I had to have my cast removed and replaced with another one.  One round of antibiotics and I was on my way to recovery.

I got my cast off, then had to wear a cool (not really) splint until I got my pins out.  I did some therapy at this time too.

With my super cool pins...

Pins out!!!!

After my November check up, the doctor was highly disappointed in the lack of mobility I have in my pinky finger.  Since it is my right hand, and I use my hands to make a living, he suggested highly intensive therapy 3 times a week for 2 hours each day for one month.  I suffered through all of my therapy only to not see much improvement and now I'm scheduled to have another surgery over my spring break to remove all of the scar tissue that has accumulated in my joints.  I am not a happy camper to say the least.  So basically the first day of my break I will be going under the knife again and have a rather large incision on my hand.  I will begin therapy that week to improve my mobility, and he is highly hopeful I will regain all of my motion pre injury.  That's nice I suppose!

After my surgery in September, the government shut down, and well, lets just say that the hubby got to spend some time with me while I was recovering from surgery.  I'm kinda glad he was there, but highly stressed he wasn't working.  It was not a good time.  At all.

He went back to work after a short break though and things got better!

School:

School was highly stressful last semester.  I managed to pull all B's, so it wasn't all bad, but there were many late nights studying and early morning clinical.  I was so ready for a break.  I saw lots of cool stuff, and I was happy to be there most days.  I felt like I lived on coffee for an entire semester.  And I'm NOT a coffee drinker.  This semester is turning out to be a high coffee intake one as well.  Maybe I could see about getting an IV to just hook myself up.

This was on the cardiac floor I worked on!!  LOVE it!!!!

Super hero twinkie nurses!!!!!

My clinical group (with our instructor)!  These people are my rocks!

The night before my advanced med surg final, I played poker...don't judge me.

Running:

There hasn't been much running lately due to my plantar fasciitis.  I'm not a happy camper.  I've been taking time off and switched to minimalist shoes only and things have gotten much better.  My running partner and I are still running, and I enjoy that the most!  She had surgery in December, and took four weeks off, so we are slowly getting back into it.  I think the time off helped my feet heal, and I'm in a lot less pain.  When someone says they have plantar fasciitis please know they are in a constant PAIN!!!  I could not believe just how painful it is!!

I ran a race in December with Stephanie.  It was mostly trail, but I didn't know that until we were already on the trail!!  As soon as we hit the trail I almost froze.  I told Stephanie to go ahead, but she refused.  She said that she would stick with me, regardless!  She's super awesome like that.  (She also stated that she wasn't going to leave me in case I fell again!!  haha)  We did it super fast though finishing in 25:20!  What?!?! That's like an 8:10 minute pace...ON A TRAIL!!!!

Before 

After, she is blocking the sun, not saluting our camera guy

The running buddy and I have occasionally been running trails, so my fear of trails is slowly going away.  Kinda.

Since I've cut most running out, I have been biking like crazy 5 days a week, putting it around 60 miles a week.

Health:

Well like most people, I've made the resolution to eat better.  But this year I've taken it more seriously than I ever had.  There is a possible awesome trip with some super awesome peeps after graduation, and well, lets just say, she has an awesome body, and I don't need my body to be crap on a beach next to her.... (Motivation!!!)

I've been meat free since January 1st!!  I feel much better!

I'm also sooooo proud of the hubby!  He's saying no to meat for most of the week!!!

We bought a juicer also.  Now we aren't crazy juicers, but I do replace 1-2 meals each day with juice though.

Our fist attempt at this!!!

From this...

To this!

I have done lots of research online and with real people who juice.  I didn't buy one for the fear I'd be hungry or wouldn't feel good.  But honestly, I feel amazing.  I sleep better, I feel better, and I can almost say I look better.

The hubby and I did a three day sugar detox starting on the first.  Umm.  That was difficult for me.  Lots of feeling like crap and lots of headaches.  I did manage to pull through and I've eliminated all processed sugar from my diet, AND I'm feeling pretty dang awesome.

So that's me in a nutshell for the past four months.  It hasn't been all awesome, but hey, it's my life and I'm living it the best way I know how.  And I'm sure I've missed some stuff, so maybe I'll do a follow up...

So what have y'all been up to?!?!