i have been absent

i have been a horrible blogger recently. really, who wants to hear about athletic events all the time? my friend shannon called me out on my lack of blogging....so this is for her. hopefully i'll do better now that the holidays are ending!

so, shannon and i met freshman year of college. unfortunately, that was before the digital camera age...and i don't have a scanner. many memories were made on the intramural football field and on the floor!

this is a famous picture from shannon's wedding....angie and i weren't really eating her wedding cake...but it looks like it! shannon married her high school sweetheart nathan. they moved to california and both got graduate degrees with the intention of becoming full time missionaries. they were both MKs (missionary kids) and met at Morrison Academy.

since going to CA, they have added a 3rd person to their family. Josiah is 2 now and i was able to meet him this April when i was in Michigan for merideth's wedding. they were in michigan while raising support to head to Hong Kong. when i want a little kid fix, i take a look at shannon's super cute blog about josiah! www.nsclifton.blogspot.com

the exciting thing is that they are at 100% of their financial support! yippee! i will soon have friends in asia (hint, hint shannon...you might have a visitor). more importantly, they will be equipping Christian pastors to reach their nation for Jesus. i'm so excited to see how God is going to use you all!

pictures!

here are a couple pictures from the weekend.

lots and lots of bikes were present!
my good friend april...i definitely needed her there for that tough race!
running, running, running....it felt like it would never end!

recovery...i don't know why i sat down. a little ice cream helped me feel better. look at those good looking legs though!

Ironman Austin 70.3

hi all....i have completed my triathlon season this year. i'll admit that i'm pretty glad to be done.

this past weekend was the austin 70.3 race. just a quick recap. this is a 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, and 13.1 mile swim. all in all, 70.3 miles. crazy! this was my 3rd race at this distance.

the weather was pretty great. there still was a high of 87 on sunday (welcome to Texas' fall!), but it was low humidity.

the swim

i knew that i wasn't super prepared for the swim. with the trip to israel, i hadn't been in the pool as much. my focus just had shifted from the swim to the run. the water felt great without a wetsuit and i kept a pretty steady place. no where close to my best swim, but it wasn't horrible. Time: 39:03

the bike

the first hour felt pretty good. i was keeping a great pace and getting up the hills well. very few women were passing me. about an hour in, i really started to get nauseated. i'm not sure why. at that point, my mind started going like crazy. in short, i was wondering if i was going to be able to finish the race. i've never battled with my head like that before. the last 25 miles were tough. i figure that i ate about 100 calories during the ride....not nearly enough. my goal was to bike in less than 3 hours. shockingly, i did. Time: 2:58.12 18.8 mph

the run

i was most excited about the run. my running has improved substantially this season. i'm consistently training at 8 minute mile pace or lower. now, it is always different after you've completed 57.2 miles.....the lack of calories and the heat started to catch me now. i was struggling. i was keeping a good pace and then would have to walk for a portion just because there wasn't energy...i guess that was my most disappointing leg, because i was expecting the most. Time: 2:10.38 9:58 min/mile

my total time was 5 hours 53 minutes and 1 second. it was an improvement on my first two, but i was pretty disappointed because of what i knew i could do as well as my difficulty getting any calories in during the race.

all in all, i got 20th in my age group out of 84. i got 135th of 533 women and 924 of 2134 overall participants. pretty good on the whole.

now i will rest for a week....and think nothing of competitions!

so, one of my patients is in the hospital. she is relatively newly diagnosed and has already grown through the first round of chemotherapy.

i went to check in with her and a phlebotomist came into the room. she raised the bed and turned on the light and said "sorry, i'm getting old". my patient responded offhandedly, "i would love to grow old".

so sad....

crazy start to a 28th year

so, i turned 28 a week and a half ago. it is so hard to believe that i am that many years old!

i was given a couple great gifts, but one really stood out.

on the way to work on Friday, i got a call from the physician i work with asking if i would be interested in going to Israel. of course, i said yes....and when? she said, "as early as tomorrow."

so all day friday was busy scurrying trying to get the details figured out. in short, one of the physicians was supposed to give a lecture in Israel but fell sick. i felt bad for him, but grateful for the opportunity.

i flew out sunday and came back on wednesday so it was a whirlwind trip. the lecture went extremely well. (it was on microRNA and cancer of unknown primary). i was also able to spend a day in Jerusalem touring a little bit.

it was just a crazy, incredible, unexpected gift from God for my birthday!

the city (although i didn't have time to take the variety of pictures i would have liked!)

you must eat a felafel

the quintessential Jerusalem picture.

goofy picture...but you needed to know i was at Dome of the Rock

triathlon #5 report

so, i had a triathlon this morning. it was an olympic distance which isn't my favorite. i actually haven't competed in one in 2 seasons, so i wasn't sure what to expect from myself.

on the whole, i'm extremely happy with how i did. i don't remember what my time was from the last olympic race, but it must have been in the range of 3 hours. it was much faster this time around!

let me break it down.

SWIM---

it was a 1500 meter swim. i was not happy with how this went. the sun was reflecting off the water at that perfect angle which didn't allow me to see the buoys. i literally had to stop and pull my goggles off to site...not the best. Time: 31:20

T1---

The first transition was super long. we had to run over 1/4 mile to get to our bikes. we all thought that should have been taken off the 6.2 mile run at the end. Time: 3:35

BIKE---

this was the first race with my new tri bike. i love the bike....not only is it gorgeous and red, it also rides really smoothly! ultimately, it is me that runs the machine, but it is nice to have something sleek, smooth, and efficient. 2 sections of the bike were really windy, but i felt great the entire ride and kept a consistent pace. Time: 1:15.21 20.5 mph

T2--

my goal for the transitions were to do them in less then a minute. i knew that wasn't going to happen with the first one having such a long run. i did have success in the 2nd transition! Time: 50 sec.

RUN--

this felt really good. my goal was to keep a steady pace. i consistently passed people (which also feels good). in the end, i could have kept running. granted, i was happy to stop! Time: 52:03 which equals 8:24/mile

Total time: 2 hours 43 min 10 seconds

in my best estimate, i dropped 17 minutes....with a horrible swim. next time! i got 2nd in my age group (out of 40) and got a belt buckle as a reward. i'll post a picture later!

baking

i have been doing a ton of baking since i moved in july. previously, i didn't have an oven in my apartment so it has been so much fun to have one accessible again!


most of the time, i'm just baking to bake and i end up bringing to spoils to clinic. this weekend, my baking had more of a purpose. i made oatmeal peanut butter cookie sandwhiches because i had a few girls over to introduce them to Settlers of Catan. the rest will be going to clinic.



the other fun thing has been making cupcakes and frosting from scratch for a birthday. the physician that i work closely with has a girl that is turning 9 on monday. i offered to make her birthday treat for school. i told her she could pick anything she wanted and i would make it. she chose marble cupcakes with chocolate frosting. hopefully they like them and they aren't too fancy tasting!

crazy dreams

so, in the last week or so i've had 2 dreams about marriage. you might actually call them nightmares....

april thinks that they mean something. i personally think it might be due to too much sugar before bed....

new challenges

i really enjoy new challenges. many of my recent challenges have been physical. the newest physical challenge that i'm signed up for is the Houston Marathon on January 30th, 2010.

i always said that i wouldn't do a marathon. i'm not a natural runner...i certainly don't have a runner's physique. it seems like the next most logical physical challenge at this time. i'm running better than i ever have (with still a lot of room to improve) and the Houston Marathon is close! the only cost will be the registration fee....well, perhaps my dignity too! the Houston course is flat and i should have some people cheering for me. it seems like the perfect time to challenge myself in this way.

i have an olympic tri in 2 weeks and the Austin Half Ironman in October and then I have to buckle down and hit the marathon training!

Colts Football

Football season is right around the corner. Crazy how fast time flies! Here is the Colts' schedule:

9/12
@ Houston Texans
1:00 PM
CBS

9/19
NEW YORK GIANTS
8:20 PM
NBC

9/26
@ Denver Broncos
4:15 PM
CBS

10/3
@ Jacksonville Jaguars
4:05 PM
CBS

10/10
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
1:00 PM
CBS

10/17
@ Washington Redskins
8:20 PM
NBC

10/24
BYE

11/1
HOUSTON TEXANS
8:30 PM
ESPN/MyINDY

11/7
@ Philadelphia Eagles
4:15 PM
CBS

11/14
CINCINNATI BENGALS
1:00 PM
CBS

11/21
@ New England Patriots
4:15 PM
CBS

11/28
SAN DIEGO CHARGERS
8:20 PM
NBC

12/5
DALLAS COWBOYS
4:15 PM
FOX

12/9
@ Tennessee Titans
8:20 PM
NFL Network

12/19
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
1:00 PM
CBS

12/26
@ Oakland Raiders
4:05 PM
CBS

1/2
TENNESSEE TITANS
1:00 PM
CBS

Top 10 Observations in Chile

10. i love subways


9. the Andes are not a good 1st time ski experience if you aren't willing to lose skin.


8. don't hike up a snowy mountain in sneakers---you will stink up every hotel room from that point on.


7. in chile, i am beautiful to a lot of men....at least they yell that to me!

6. moving vehicles = sleeping Christy and Heather

5. it is important to know which is "the urine tree"....hopefully no explaination is needed.

4. christy and i found the Gary, Indiana of Chile!

3. i am the dog whisperer of Chile.

2. if you didn't like hot dogs in the States, you won't like Doggies. (really, when is a hot dog with ketchup, cheese, tomato, and guacamole good?)

1. Christy speaks Spanish; I speak cardinal directions!

Isaiah 58

"'Why have we fasted,' they say,
'and you have not seen it?
Why have we humbled ourselves
and you have not noticed?'

Yet on the day of your fasting, you do
as you please
and exploit all your workers.
Your fasting ends in quarreling and
strife,
and in striking each other with
wicked fists.
You cannot fast as you do today
and expect your voice to be heard on
high.
Is this the kind of fast I have chosen,
only a day for a man to humble
himself?
Is it only for bowing one's head like a
reed
and for lying on sackcloth and ashes?
Is that what you call a fast,
a day acceptable to the Lord?

Is not this the kind of fasting I have
chosen;
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
Is it not to share your food with the
hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer
with shelter---
when you see the naked, to clothe him,
and not to turn away from your own
flesh and blood?
Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness will go
before you,
and the glory of the Lord will be your
rear guard.
Then you will call, and the Lord will
answer;
you will cry for help, and he will say:
Here am I.

If you do away with the yoke of
oppression,
with the pointing figer and
malicious talk,
and if you spend yourselves in behalf of
the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the
oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the
noonday.
The Lord will guide you always;
he will satisfy your needs in a
sun-scorched land
and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like a spring whose waters never fail."

Isaiah 58:3-11

the growing pacifist in me.

i saw Inception with a couple friends last night. it was an extremely interesting plot line and it was definitely an action movie. there was a lot of shooting and blowing up etc. that gets really old to me (even when it is well done like it was in Inception).

with my older age, i think i'm becoming more and more of a pacifist. i remember seeing Gladiator senior year of high school and enjoying it. now, it is difficult for me to get through any movie with a lot of killing (seeming real or otherwise). maybe it is my age and the realization that every person is unique and has value. the thought of me having to shoot someone nearly makes me sick. i am so glad that girls cannot be drafted.

Another Book Recommendation

i can tell that i'm in a reading mood. now, most people would pick up a quick fiction book for a summer sunday afternoon. i decided to read a biography on a man who was a refugee from the Burundi genocide. i definitely recommend this book. the author is Tracy Kidder, who also wrote Mountains beyond Mountains. he weaves a story incredibly well and you definitely feel part of the emotions that Deo felt (obviously much more muted). it again is another book that should cause you to think about social justice issues. i also mentions that the world paid more attention to the rwandan crisis, but less about the concurrent burundian crisis.

by the way, if you haven't read Mountains Beyond Mountains, you should read that too.

pictures

the taylor girls at the wedding! (minus shannon...boo!)

i couldn't get in the way of the photographer...but here are angie and kerwyn on their wedding day.

summer book

The Hole in the Gospel is a must read as far as I am concerned. It is by Richard Stearns and he is the President of World Vision. it is a great book about missions and basic social justice issues. it is written extremely well....combining his personal story about ending up at World Vision and interworking that with how each Christian is called to respond to a hurting world. i highly recommend it. i bought the book, so let me know if you want to borrow it!!!

changes

these past few weeks have been insane. i haven't had a chance to get pictures off my phone. sorry! my life is in the midst of a lot of transitions.

2 weeks ago i headed to indy and had a bridal shower and paintball bachelorette party for angie. we had a good time together and it was great to see Taylor friends and get to know some more of her Indy friends. Kerwyn, Angie and I went up to Taylor as well to say a quick hello. it was good to get to know him better as well.

i headed back to houston and last friday got keys to my new apartment. i've lived in a small apartment in the backyard of the alfords for just shy of 3 years now. it was only supposed to be 3 months! they have been amazing and they have been through so much in the past 3 years. i moved this past weekend. i really should have planned things better....i should have moved in november...not in july...the heat, humidity...and an apartment on the 3rd floor. love it!

the moving went pretty well. we are definitely still getting settled.

today i head back to indy...to see angie get married. it is absolutely crazy that this is actually happening! it should be a great celebration and it will be so good to see her in close succession like this. i promise someday there will be pictures added to this blog...

Vancouver cont.

Here are more observations (from the complimentary wifi at the airport!):

-smoking and swearing seems to be much more common
-i saw what looked to be a 13 year old boy smoking a cigar...odd
-it is a casual city. lots of people were walking about in athletic clothes...that is my kind of city!
-an international conference brings a lot of styles. i.e. some people find "booty pants" appropriate for a conference. don't forget the solid coral suit.
-there was another conference in another area and i saw a real Tibetan monk. i wanted to go to that conference!
-it is a very walkable city....as you might know, i LOVE that!
-the mountains and the ocean meet. beautiful!
-everyone seems to be drinking coffee all the time.
-HIGH cost of living
-quite a few homeless

i have 2 stories about the homeless. i really wanted to take a picture of one homeless person. have you heard of the show on TLC called Hoarders? I haven't ever seen it, but if there was a homeless version of that show, this man would qualify. 2 massively loaded down carts followed him everywhere....very interesting.

the second story is about the homeless person that i saw everywhere! the first interaction, i was right outside a Tim Horton's so i offered to buy him something to eat instead of giving him money. (that is my preferred route of helping people). he hesitated (not a good sign) and then agreed. the Tim Horton's people obviously knew him and he obviously has been a big problem. long story short, i decide to cancel my order because i feel like i'm causing more problems (and he is now getting donations from everyone in line). i saw him a couple times that day. yesterday i was eating outside in another part of town and there he is...came up to me again. this morning...who do i see? it was pretty odd!

by the way, Niger was actually brought up in the conference. they were talking about the rate of cancer diagnosis in developing countries sky-rocketing over the next few years. the speaker said, "and i'm not even taking into account Niger and other countries that have no form of health care system and severe poverty".

crazy. sobering.

Vancouver

i'm in vancouver for a supportive care conference. pictures will be coming...

some thoughts about the city:

1. i thought houston was multicultural, but so far vancouver has it beat!

2. have a great hotel...let me know if you are going there anytime soon and i'll pass along the name.

3. i have an inexplicable craving for sushi. i think i'll satisfy it while i'm here...yum, shrimp tempura.

4. i attacked the grouse grind today. i'll write more on this later, but it was a lot of fun if you love to sweat and LOVE an amped up stairmaster workout. it was a great into to the city though.

5. tim hortons makes me think of saline...

triathlon #3

triathlon #3



some things i learned:


1. dairy the night before is not a good thing!


2. nails are brutal on the swim...i ended up with blood running down my leg after exiting the swim.


3. you should fuel well the night before....a pizza lean pocket won't do it.


4. i really, really want to run sub-8 minute miles by the end of the season....we'll see!

All in all, i still did well. my bike was over 20 mph and the run was around 8:25 min/miles. It was a longer race so I should be happy with that. I got 2nd in my age group...and I think 12th overall in the women.

Triathlon #2 recap

okay, this is way overdue, but i thought i should give a quick update on my 2nd triathlon of the season. (#3 is this Sunday!)

things are officially HOT in Houston and that was definitely evident 2 weekends ago. regularly, it is 80+ degrees at 5 AM when i head to the gym. triathlons here start at 7:00 and i wish they would start even earlier!

anyhow, i did the Combat triathlon two saturdays ago. the winner of the entire race gets a battle helmet. fun! this was a sprint race and it has been good to ease myself into the world of triathlon again.

swim!

the swim was a pool swim. i tend to avoid these because there is mass-chaos (not unlike the openwater swim), but people have to submit a swim time. there are always a good number of people that think they are faster than they are...and then i have to pass them! anyhow, the water was horribly warm (maybe 86 degrees), but the swim went well.

Time: 4:37.3 for a 300 meter swim

transition 1

this is something you might not know....the time from the swim to the bike counts toward your overall time....so, you want to be fast if you are competing. they put out some carpet which was appreciated and i was off in 1:04.7. there is room for improvement, but not bad.

bike!

i'm not a great biker...i'm not bad, but i'm not good. when i first started triathlon, i would do pretty well in the swim and then get decimated on the bike. now, my goal is usually to not get passed by any girls on the bike. i succeeded in this race! it was incredibly NOT scenic, but the ride felt pretty good. this leg makes the biggest difference in the race...i need to keep improving!

Time: 44:51.8 for a 15 mile bike (avg 20.1 mph)

transition 2

again, the transition from bike to run is counted in your time. i think this is the first race where i have not used any socks. i think i like it. putting on socks on wet feet isn't the easiest. it is also the first race that i've gotten a blister....there might be a correlation! Time: 1:00.9 this needs to improve!

run!!

honestly, the run felt bad. i didn't enjoy much of it...i felt like i was moving like molasses. i was sweating profusely and i have difficulty drinking while running. i usually just start pouring water over my head to cool myself down. all in all, i was very happy with my run. not as fast as triathlon #1.....my goal is to get sub 8 min miles. i just barely missed this with triathlon #1, but i want it to get this goal consistently!

Time: 24:47.4 for 3.1 miles (8:16 min/mile pace)

overall, i was able to hold on to 3rd place in my age group. 17th among the women.

i have to get that picture moving down the screen....this is how i'm going to do it....by just filling up space.

i am sorry i have not been a diligent writer. i'll will try to post something this weekend.

the unavoidable wink

so, i woke up this morning and my eye was swollen...as you can see. that is not me winking. i'm not sure what the cause was...likely either a bite or something got in my eye swimming in the lake the night before. it has improved...the eye isn't back to normal now, but it is much better than this picture!

FINISHED!!

On Friday May 14th, 2010, i officially paid off my last student loans! I have never been so happy to write a very large check! my 3 year graduation anniversary is coming up on June 6th...i was hoping to have my loans paid off by then, but i didn't really know if it was feasible.

i'm so thankful for the Alfords and that little bungalow that i've had a chance to live in these past 3 years. it has certainly been a cozy home, but it has saved me a lot of money. in celebration of paying off my loans, i went and got a pedicure yesterday. of course, i picked a crazy color but i really like it. i've only gotten one other pedicure in my life so it was a good treat!

happy mother's day!!

i did a post last year for my dad (http://triforpancan.blogspot.com/2009/06/happy-fathers-day.html ), so this year it is mom's turn.

My mom has been a mom now for 27 years...crazy how fast time goes by! My mom is a strong woman with a great Greek heritage. she was raised by two godly parents and that is evident in her character and how she and dad raised us.

certainly, raising christy and i "alone" for a couple of months along the past 27 years (when Dad was in a new job) must have been difficult....actually i know it was so since i caused a little extra grief!

she is a woman of integrity that loves people. she is direct, but loving. she has a goofy side...but sometimes it does have to be fostered by her daughters! she wants to know everything about you. she loves the Lord and looks at her job as a mission field.

someday soon it will work for you to come on a business trip with me mom!! and the 60th birthday skydive that you promised is coming up sooner than you might want!! (although you promised christy and i a trampoline and we have yet to see that promise fulfilled either!)

happy mother's day! i love you!

Niger update

Here are some Niger updates by the BBC. There is a big concern for a famine this year. I can tell you that the weather was "wacky" when I was there. It was way too hot for that time of year and if it isn't raining now, that is a bad sign.



http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8637487.stm



http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8648215.stm

hot fudge sundae

for dinner last night i went to McDonalds and got a hot fudge sundae in memory of yiayia. it was delicious, but so much less satisfying than what she is experiencing now.

Triathlon Schedule

This is my triathlon schedule for the year...my high ambitions are that I place in all of them except for the 70.3. I know even dreaming of placing in that one isn't realistic. Still, placing in all of the others is a huge stretch too. We'll see!

Gateway to the Bay Triathlon---Done!

Combat Triathlon---Sprint---May29th

Sylvan Beach Triathlon---Olympic---June 13th

July is Angie's wedding month....no room for Tri!

Bridgeland Triathlon---Sprint---August 8

TowneLake Triathlon---Olympic---September 26 (just in time to taper!!)

Austin 70.3---Half Ironman---October 17th

only one half this year because of all the festivities and going to Niger. It was completely worth it....i have thoughts for next year though. they might involve some additional running events....we'll see!

thoughts

i'm very reflective today....i guess that is the byproduct of being very tired, but somehow unable to sleep!

last weekend i was in Grand Rapids, MI to participate in the wedding of my roommate from PA school. besides the travel mis-adventures, it was a really good weekend and i got to see a number of people that i don't get to see enough of. (sorry, no pictures because my camera isn't with me now!)

i was able to see shannon (and her son josiah) from undergrad. she and her husband will, hopefully sometime soon, be headed over to Hong Kong as missionaries. if you are interested in helping get her there, let me know! she is one of those people i just fall into a rhythm with right away even though i've only seen her twice since graduation. we share very similar philosophies on missions and now she has this cute little boy in her care too!

my mom scootched over from the east side of the state to say a little hello. although the time seemed way too short, it was so good to see her. she has spent the whole school year with my dad in Nebraska and she's been very self-sufficient....although she did have someone help with the snow shoveling! i'm so thankful for my parents' devotion to each other through many moves.
this was probably my last trip to michigan for awhile...that is crazy!

colleen, sarah, and kathi were at that wedding too. they were a some of my partners in crime in PA school. it was fun to bring up old memories and talk about our new life events. even though i have no interest in dermatology, 4 day work weeks and free electrolysis sound nice! they are all really thriving at work and home life sounds like it is going well. it was a fun couple years!

of course the woman of the moment was merideth. the wedding was very her (and Pete, actually). it went really well. it was my first (and hopefully last) wedding to sing in and it went okay....i would have liked it to go better, but you can't put me at the end of a ceremony. nerves and emotion combined are not a good thing! she looked gorgeous and i enjoyed seeing Pete and her interact. they are a really good couple. i will admit that i was a little sad as i thought about angie getting married this summer too.....don't you think you two could have planned it a little better?!?!? at least spread them out between 2 years? just kidding! the festivities for angie's wedding will be beginning before we know it!

a compliment?

so, i was working out on Thursday and a trainer came up to me and said "you sweat more than any other girl i've seen".....i'll take that as a compliment!

Race Report

So, as I warned you, my first triathlon of the season was on Saturday. i wasn't expecting too much because of the 3+ week break in Niger...it actually went great though and it was so fun. i was also excited that i finally got a cap that wasn't PINK!

april and i left the house around 5 AM and headed over to Kemah. oddly, i haven't ever been on the boardwalk itself were everything took place. the race started at 7:00. the water was SUPER choppy. i was so thankful that i knew i was a strong swimmer....it would have scared me if it was my first triathlon swim. times were definitely slower there, but they were for everyone! the goal was not to drown in the waves!

the bike went okay considering the wind as well. for me, the goal is to stay consistent throughout the ride. we had to go up 2 big hills out of the gate and i powered past some men which is always encouraging! my goal is always to pass more people than pass me. i used to lose that ratio, but on the shorter distance, i passed a lot of people. it was fun! along the way, i always try to tell all the volunteers "thank you".

the run was nice and solid. things felt good...considering your legs really feel like pieces of lead getting off the bike. i had worked on this transition a lot though and i could tell. my miles were sub 8 minute. i was very happy!

all in all, i got 2nd in my age group.....i actually got 6th out of all the woman...i'm not exactly sure how many there were and i don't really want to count. approximately 300-350? i'm pretty pumped for my sprint focus this year!

Mining Accidents

There have been a number of mining accidents recently. Think China and West Virginia. When the China accident happened, I was still living in a little hole from my trip. I have watched the news though this past week about West Virginia. One thing has really struck me....they don't seem shocked by what happened and I haven't seen a family that has been upset with the company yet.


Maybe that is just the stations I'm watching, but people are talking about their family members....how they liked to hunt and fish....how mining was their life.

it had become so much their life that they didn't see the danger. they knew the potential for danger existed, but they weren't upset or angry at the source of the danger---the mine that was not up to code.

this leads me to think about how many times we are lulled into a false sense of security. sometimes it is by good things that we tend to get caught up in...family, career, reaching a goal. other times it is that gradual decline. we enter into something that we know might be dangerous to us morally, physically, spiritually, or emotionally and gradually we lose the acute sense of danger...so much that when things start falling apart, we don't even think to "blame" the root of the problem.

something to think about...

triathlon

okay, i haven't posted on a triathlon in a long time....because i haven't done one in a long time!

this saturday is the first of season. it is in Kemah, Texas. the weather should be nice, although actually a little chilly in the morning. i do think that it is funny that we pay money to get up SUPER early on a saturday to then swim, bike, and run a specified distance. it is great fun!

on my trip, i definitely was reminded that triathlon is just a hobby....it isn't necessary for life and can easily become a distraction or even an idol (just like anything can). this year, i'm going to stick to shorter races so that all my time isn't spent in the pool or on a bike. if i do a 70.3, it will be at the end of the season.

i don't have high hopes for this saturday. i'm feeling pretty good, despite the 3+ weeks away. i'm sure i'll be wishing that i had been in the pool and on the bike more recently though!

simple things.

there is something so neat about a little letter getting across the country with a sticky thing saying 42 cents.

Health Care

with all this health care talk going on in the US, i thought i'd just point out some differences between health care in the US and Niger.

- health care is self-pay only in Niger. in Galmi, where i was, the most expensive surgery was around $140.

- HIPPA definitely doesn't exist. there are easily 2-3 patients being seen at a time in one room. they freely comment on each other's ailments.

-conversely, the physicians would ask other patient's family members if the patient in question has been going to the bathroom regularly. they did any of their business in front of each other anyhow...

- in the states, no one would come at 8 or 9 o'clock for an appointment that wouldn't happen until 3:00.

- very few patients ask for explainations about their ailments. i didn't have one patient come in with a list of questions that needed to be answered that visit.

- there definitely isn't any malpractice insurance. this is good and bad. do we end up valuing life less without a legal threat of retribution for malpractice? what if we truely don't have any medicine to offer?

- there is no palliative care treatment here...and yet there is a huge need because palliative care is regularly the only thing that can be offered. that was frustrating for me.

- you pay upfront....no back billing or coding issues. there is a flat fee for all visits which also includes 2 medicines. it is approximately $5. it is a lot less hastle for the providers!

- cleanliness standards aren't the same...we'll leave it at that!

Hopes and Dreams

there were many thoughts that went through my head while in Niger. one of the recurring themes was hopes and dreams. i headed to Niger for many reasons, but one of them was to learn more about my dreams and my future. after a day or two there, i started to think about the Nigerien kids....do they have hopes and dreams?

i volunteer at a free clinic in Houston. when i see kids, i always ask them what they want to be when they grow up. if they don't have an answer, i'll leave the room for a minute or two and then ask the question again. i won't let them leave until they have an answer. i just think that children need to use their imaginations and hope. it doesn't matter if they don't become a policeman or a jedi, but they need to "want to be something".

what happens to children that don't have people in society to look up to? what happens when you are malnourished? can you even hope for the future? is their hope to go to school? to have a lot of children? to become a good cook so that the family can survive? or is it to venture to the capital and break the cycle of poverty?

i wish i had answers for these things. i have noticed that malnourished children don't smile. education is a dream for most children. the cost of public education is 6 cFa (about $13 a year). if i were somewhere longer, i would probably interview a lot of children to get a better idea about how children think. i know that they are creative in their play, but do they dread getting older? do they know anything different? do all little girls desire to have large families?

Nigerien vs. American Churches

Here are the top 5 reasons that American churches would have smaller congregations if they followed the Nigerien practices:

1. All visitors are introduced during the service....whether you speak Hausa or not.

2. Multiple offerings are taken. I would count....the average was 6-7.

3. They would sing for 2 hours and then the sermon would last another 45 minutes or so.

4. You might have to touch the person next to you....you squeeze in tight...in 110+ degree heat.

5. Preachers at home get distracted with talking and sleeping in the congregation....try preaching while the women are openly breast feeding!

*Just a quick disclaimer....I'm not saying that either is right or wrong.

here is a picture of the pews...i don't have a lot of good pictures from church. i tried to upload a video and it isn't working with me!

Trip Updates

So sorry if you were looking at this blog for trip updates. I didn't have much access to e-mail and I didn't want to spend a lot of time on the computer either. I'll be updating with some stories intermittantly! All in all, it was a great trip!

Trip!

The time has come.....the trip to Niger, West Africa!

Just a quick overview here: All of you know that I love to travel and have come from a family where missions is emphasized. As far as I'm concerned, love for traveling + love for God = missions. It might not be that simple, but both of those ingredients are pretty essential.

I've been a practicing PA for 2.5 years now, and I have put in enough time and effort that the hospital is willing to give me 3 weeks off. I've been keeping my eyes peeled for a need, preferably in Africa. Unfortunately, many mission organizations haven't grasped the amazing utility of PAs in underserved countries!

I'm leaving for Niger, West Africa on Thursday the 26th. I'll be working in a hospital and outpatient clinic in a village just north of the Nigeria border. It is a hospital run by SIM. I'll be flying over by myself and then working with long-term missionaries.

There have been a couple bumps in the road. Last week there was a coup in the capital of Niamey and then president is currently in custody. There hasn't been any violence since that time (at least in the news) and I'm keeping a close eye on things. At this point, I'm planning on going unless things flare up. Also, there is a threat for a strike of air traffic controllers in Paris. That could cause some delays too.

I'll appreciate prayer in the following 3 areas:
* Safety - Traveling to and within the country. That the coup will remain nonviolent and I'll be able to get out of the country as well.
* Focus - I won't be treating much cancer there. I've read up on a lot of the illnesses, but it is still a lot of new information. Pray that I would learn quickly and apply what I have learned well.
* Clarity - I've been interested in living overseas for awhile. Pray that I would be refreshed and that I would learn a lot about missionary life. I am hoping to have a clearer vision---whether I'm supposed to continue to give more money in the future, take trips like this yearly, or end up overseas full time at some point in the future.

I'm excited to learn about a new culture....wait until you see my great pictures with me in a long skirt and a head covering!

Facts about the country: 95% Muslim, French is the primary language, Niger ranks last in the Human Development Index, 61% of people make less than or equal to $1 a day.

"let's hear it for new york..."

maybe i didn't meet alicia keys and jay z....but i did go to new york!

angie had talked about going to new york to get her wedding dress prior to even dating her fiance. we didn't think it was going to work, but it did! kerwyn, mrs. qualey, angie, and i were able to meet up in the big apple. shannon, one of her other bridesmaids, was in town for business too.

we had a good time at Carnegie Hall, in Times Square, and Kleinfelds. she is going to look very classy for her wedding.

for me, it was just great to spend additional time getting to know kerwyn too. he is growing on me and i think they are going to be a great couple!

the specific area of medicine i work in isn't always the most gratifying....i'm not a surgeon...i'm not even a doctor...and i rarely get to fix anyone. i won't make one of those USA Today Top 100 healthcare provider lists based on my cure rate. some days i wish i had more wins....but most days i know that i'm exactly in the right place, even if it isn't recognized with banners and trumpets!

teachers are told not to have favorite students; i think most teachers do have favorites. the same thing happens for me. i honestly treat everyone medically the same, but you have patients and families that you connect with on a deeper level. the more you invest, the more you get hurt. that is true in all aspects of life.

all this to say that i lost a father of 4 a couple weeks ago. his wife said that i looked like his old girlfriend, which is why she thought he liked me so much! (they have been married 20 years). she and i got along wonderfully, which made it okay! they had a whole community of support behind them and after his passing, they gave me a t-shirt that the local high school football team had made as a fundraiser. now, i do cry or get watery-eyed pretty often in my job....and this was no exception. it is hands down one of the two best gifts that i have gotten from a patient....not the item itself, but the t-shirt was an expression of thankfulness for what his family and the medical team had tried to do. we tried to give him as much time as possible. it resulted in sadness, but also a mutual respect and admiration. the interactions with my patients are priceless and the stress, tears, and nights with a heavy heart are worth it...my role might not allow me to cure as often as i would like, but it opens the door for emotional depth that few other careers offer.

okay, not the best pic ever, but it shows the shirt.

a new idea

i thought of a way that i can compete in the olympics!

mom was born in greece, so she can file for greece citizenship. then, i'll be eligible for citizenship. during this process, i'll take up cross country skiing or curling...then i compete in the greek winter team. they didn't have a team at all this year, so i just might qualify as a pity vote!

otherwise, i don't think i'll ever qualify....i just want to be able to walk in the parade of nations and meet all the people from all over the world!

remember when....

...the nancy kerrigan/tonya harding saga was top billing on the news? Cool Runnings was the hottest new movie? Bode Miller was in the news for winning medals instead of weekend partying? Johnson won the gold in speed skating after losing 4 years previously after family tragedy?

the olympics start again on Friday and i'm pretty excited! christy and i used to love figure skating. i just don't hear about it anymore....in fact, i can't name one figure skater that is representing the USA. that is so sad!

i'm anxious to get caught up in the spirit of things and to learn about the athletes. the bios on the athletes are highlights for me and i love getting caught up in the medal ceremony. i think that is the most patriotic i ever feel!

maybe i'll take up luge....more likely, i'll be wanting to visit vancouver sometime soon!

GAME DAY!!

if you didn't know....it is the superbowl today. the contestants are the indianapolis colts vs. the new orleans saints. if you weren't aware, it is time that you own a television or turn on the radio!

of course, i'm cheering for the colts. i'm going to a party with some people from my sunday school class. it will be good to meet more people, but i definitely want to see the game....the whole game. if you want it by yourself or with football fanatics, than you know there won't be a lot of talking during the plays....no guarantee in this situation!

i'll be slightly disappointed if the colts don't win tonight, but the saints are a deserving team as well. the great thing is...it is only football! GO COLTS!

****side note....i initially wrote superbowel....only someone working in GI would do that!****

february

it's hard for me to believe that it is february...crazy. i'm not just about 3 weeks from my trip to Niger. i'm thinking more about it....but not about packing. i'm not a procrastinator in many areas of my life, but packing for a trip has become one of the areas! i just think it is because i am so good at it now that it doesn't take long!

before that trip, i'm heading out to new york city to go wedding dress shopping with Angie, her mom, and possibly one or two of her bridesmaids. it should be fun...but i'm packing a lot in a couple weeks. i really better focus on getting things done this weekend (i said that last weekend...and did get a little accomplished!)

if anyone has any drug samples from doc's that they work with or know, i would appreciate anything. they asked me to bring some drugs, but due to the new regulations on pharmacutical companies and the fact the MD Anderson doesn't allow samples it has made it difficult to come across any to bring with me. also, all of my PA friends either work in crazy specific sub-specialties or they shipped any extra drugs they had to haiti. give me a call or e-mail if you have any connections...i'll pay for the shipping!

i've been feeling "off" the past couple of days. i'm still going to work and doing the daily events, but having consistent low grade nausea and the blahs...i'm not the best sick person and it makes me all the more empathetic to my patients. although chemo dosing and side effect management has come a LONG way, it still stinks to have symptoms from the cancer...and side effects from treating the cancer. yuck!

this is not about sports! (or at least not entirely)

i was in indianapolis this weekend. this trip had been planned for about 5 weeks, but the recent engagement of my best friend definitely made the trip important. i was able to meet angie's fiance, kerwyn. it is a little whirlwind romance and they are getting married in july. it is crazy how fast things can change.

the position of heather's favorite travel partner is open for the highest bidder!

i was able to see some of the girls from Taylor. it was great to reconnect and they are the ones that told me i need to write about something different than triathlons. i'll work on it. i have a couple of ideas brewing! it isn't that i don't want to write about things....there are a lot of stories at work but patient privacy acts prevent me from doing that.

angie and i hit the bingo circuit on saturday night with some of her friends. this was their first time too. it was a smoke pit, but it was a lot of fun. people throw down a ton of money during one evening....that was not us. it was definitely a cultural experience.

on sunday we got to see the colts tromp the jets and head off to the superbowl. we can't wait!!! it was a great weekend all around and it is wonderful to be with old friends and new friends.

"Disturb us, Lord, when
We are too well pleased with ourselves,
When our dreams have come true
Because we have dreamed too little,
When we arrived safely
Because we sailed too close to the shore."

by Sir Fracis Drake

Marathon Peeps

this morning was the houston half marathon and marathon. in conjuction, they also have a 5K. 30,000 people participated in one of the events. i didn't sign up in time for the half marathon, so i just forgot about it. i'm a member of a small triathlon group and they wanted to sign up for a team competition. they needed someone to run the 5K so i jumped in. i love the short races....got up early....ran....showered...still made it to sunday school and church.

anyhow, there are great people interactions at these events....my breakdown of the different categories of people:

-THE NEWBIES--you can see their glazed looks...the masses of people pass by them and they continue to remain rooted in one spot. they also struggle to put on their timing chip, but pretend that they know what they are doing (i have been there).

-THE OVER CONFIDENT--either they have super skin tight spandex (and they shouldn't) or they keep pushing through to get towards the front of the starting line. i'm guessing that they aren't setting the course records...instead i might be tripping over them at the start.

-THE UNATHLETIC--now, that might be harsh and i didn't know exactly how else to phrase it. i think anyone that is there for any distance is great...but i want them to do it safely! there were a number of people that were trying to stretch...trying is the key word...and then one young girl basically had her leg wrapped around her head. maybe she should try gymnastics!

-THE ELITE--i just look at them in shock and awe...2 ethiopians won the marathon this year, both setting course records. they are amazing...yet, at the same time, i wouldn't want all that pressure on me!

Triathlon

So, what is my triathlon schedule looking like in 2010? Well, I have to say that I’ve thought about it quite a bit but have only signed up for one race. The big question mark was if the trip to niger was going to happen and I have a plane ticket!

Now, they say that I should be able to run in the hospital compound. The route is maybe ½ mile…that is a lot of laps! So, I don’t think I’ll be ready for a ½ Ironman a month after I get back.

Here are some ideas:

April 10th---Kemah, TX---open water sprint triathlon
April 29th—Galveston, TX---open water Olympic distance tri (I wish I could do the ½!)
May 31st—Austin, TX ---Olympic distance (depends on a conference schedule)
June 27th—Pearland, TX ---sprint distance
August 8th—cypress, tx---sprint tri
August 28th---Clearlake, TX—olympic
Sept 26th---Houston Triathlon—olympic
Oct 17th—Sugarland TX—sprint
Oct 31st—Austin, TX---half ironman

i'm not sure if i'll do all of these, but probably the majority. i was hoping to get another half in, but i'm going to have to look at some other options. if another half is in the picture, than i'm going to have to cut out some of these races. i was hoping to have a new bike for this season, but the trip is taking that allocated money...definitely worth it!

Mouse Update

well, you know you wanted it....a mouse update!

currently, i know the mouse must be dead....he/she ate about half of the poison. that is a lot of poison! the box said that they should die within 4 days of ingesting it. last night i thought i noticed a little odor....this was confirmed today when i got back from the gym.

i called for back up....Olvin helped me look and we literally turned my house upside down....we can't find the mouse! he claims that he can't smell it either so maybe it is in my head...he seems to think that it somehow found a way out...oh, and he helped me figure out how to appropriately work a mouse trap. that would have been so much easier......

2010

so 2010 has had a little rocky start. here are 3 things that have been bad:

1. i have a mouse in my house. my door doesn't lock well and i was told that it swung open while i was gone for Christmas and i guess a mouse found a home. i had trouble working the traps so i have been gradually feeding poison. i have to look for the body tomorrow...gross!

2. i have either eczema or ringworm. it isn't clear which. what is clear is that it looks like a hickey on my neck. very classy!

3. i got an inappropriate e-mail at work. that has been a blast too!

Good things:

1. I am going to indianapolis to visit angie in 2 weeks...yippee!

2. Christy unexpectedly got a bump in Houston on her way to Quito. we got to spend about 18 unexpected hours together and it was a lot of fun.

the last two good things easily negate the first 3 things....bring it on 2010!

i stumbled upon this quote today:

"There is a sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness, but of power. They speak more eloquently than ten thousand tongues. They are messengers of overwhelming grief...and unspeakable love." -Washington Irving-