New Shoes

It's a small world. Today I ran into someone that I have coached  beside for the past six years. She didn't recognize me, which was not surprising because we often have a lot of layers on at those races, especially on our heads. I told her that the other reason why she did not recognize me was because the last time I saw her I wasn't using a wheelchair.

Where I ran into this fellow coach was at a running shop in Owen Sound, and it was the shop owner who knew who I was. She remembered hearing my story back a year ago and remembered specific details, like how I had written a letter to the paper asking drivers to be more careful around cyclists. I hope there are more people out there who still remember and are changing how they drive. I have had lots of friends tell me that they (and their children) have changed how they drive, I hope that my story has had that effect on strangers too.

Theo and I were in Owen Sound for the day where I had my first botox injections. The hospital staff were lovely and very accommodating. They even let me watch which the biology teacher in me loved. After discussing it with the doctor, we decided that I would have the procedure done without the use of an anesthetic. Due to my lack of sensation we felt that the increased recovery time caused by the anesthetic might be a waste of energy. I was glad that I was awake, it made me feel better about what was going on (I can't help but feel better knowing that I can "supervise" what happens) although I was nervous.

Nervous, even though I knew that I couldn't feel the catheters that I use sometimes ten times a day, so why would I feel this one? Because it was huge! I use what is called a 12 or 14 French catheter, this one was a 17 French! The doctor assured me that the female urethra is very stretchy. So reassuring. What was reassuring was how kind the anesthesiologist (spelled correctly on the first try!!!) was. He introduced himself and said to me "I understand you have had a tough year". Even though that statement made me cry, I appreciated that he knew what I had been through and why I had ended up there. He gave me a heated flannel over my chest and shoulders and we chatted as I watched the urologist make more than 20 injections in the wall of my bladder on the big screen. Dr said I would hopefully know that the botox was working by the weekend.

Did I mention that the botox cost $795.00? Even the doctors and nurses were shocked at that! Here's hoping that Sun Life is going to cover it. What Sun Life won't cover are my new shoes. I have been wearing those black runners with pink laces for a whole year now, and if you know me you are saying "what! only one pair of running shoes??" I just happened into this Runner's Den (Theo was going to the music store) and I just happened to find a lightweight pair of runners that were on sale. So I bought them. Just because.