Some very enlightening comments on my last post. I meant to follow up on that post earlier, but I got blindsided this week. I was in a fantastic mood at the beginning of the week, because my assistant was finally returning (her replacement still cannot reliably transfer a phone call, page someone, or revise a Word document). I was peppering! all my emails! with exclamation points!!!
Then I got a call from my assistant.
Her OB put her on disability for another month at least.
For severe postpartum depression.
I feel like a gigantic asshole for not realizing this. She hadn’t told anyone, but the signs were there. It’s sobering to realize how blind I can be (and how much in denial). I’ll go visit her this weekend, and I sent her flowers. She’s getting treatment.
I’m panicking about how I’m going to make it through the next month, and terrified that she’ll never come back. I’m now trying to plow through the mountain of stuff that I had been putting off doing until she came back.
It will probably be a little while before I’m blogging much.
BUT: I’ve been seeing a lot of maggots on the running path now that the weather’s better, and that makes me happy. Keep it up, everyone, and don’t forget to keep it slow!
Anyone have any good running reports to share?
Friday, March 23, 2007
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Oh, and I thought of something else, too: did it occur to you that just as easily as seeing other folks as having a high barrier to intercourse, you could also see yourself as having a high barrier to kissing? In other words, it's not that other gals don't "follow through" so much as you don't kiss casually? -list-maker
1. Inclement weather running IS possible! I only missed one day on account of the recent ice storm up in this joint. If you are in the suburbs, just run on grass - it is rarely possible for whatever's coating the grass to be slippery enough to offset its normal traction-giving abilities.
2. Unable to run without SOMETHING sliding up your ass* (either underwear or - ack! - running tights)? Hanes makes these new underwears which are basically pantyhose material - each pair can be folded up to the size of an Andes mint, practically. They are DIVINE for running - no VPL, and no unfortunate gluteal creepage.
* Just realized that would be a good place for a "... or lascivious fellow runners!" joke.
Hmmmm... so you might need an assistant? Is this full time in the office, or is there, say, some home flexibility available? :)
I don't jog, I roller blade, which, living as I do in a snowy locale, causes some problems in the winter. Finally, finally, finally the snow is melting though, and I think I'll be able to blade again in about three weeks. Yay! Last summer I went just about everywhere in them with the baby in the Baby Bjorn and the three-year-old in the jogging stroller. It WAS safe, because the kid is heavier than a shit brick house and so I was never in ANY danger of losing my balance. Oh, I'm so excited. Do you know I can go everywhere like this? Honestly, last summer I hardly ever used my car!
Good luck getting through the next month! (Ugh, paperwork -- the worst!!)
Sorry, we always say "shit brick house" around here as a sort of inside joke but of course what I really mean is "brick shit house."
I can't believe I'm clarifying that.
I am writing this here so that I will be FORCED to run, or else endure lots of shame. I was on vacation last week in Mexico, and actually went running (albeit only once) for the first time since before Christmas. And I signed up for a 10k at the end of April to force myself to get back into the swing of things. This maggot is on board again!
Cecily, I would hire you in a nanosecond if you lived here ... and if it weren't full-time in the office ... and if they would let the support staff work from home ... and if I got to make the hiring decisions, which weirdly I don't. God I hope my assistant doesn't decide to stay home forever. But I don't think she can afford to -- and how awful is that, that this country's terrible maternity leave policies directly benefit me?
Just went running! Thanks, Doctor Mama!
First post partum run!
(Which, since I was a lousy pregnancy runner - meaning not at all, means my first run in almost a year.)
OK, so it took me almost half an hour to run 2 miles, but hey, I got out there, double bras and all.
You should ALSO get a month of disability for your assistant's PPD. It would be like when fathers get paternity leave even though they weren't the one who had to evacuate another human being from their body. Just because you didn't give birth to her baby doesn't mean her pregnancy has nothing to do with you! I would definitely see your doctor about that.
I ran a half marathon today. I did it slowly, but I finished. It was the longest distance I have ever run in my life.
Well, it wasn't a half marathon, but I did finish my first ever 5k race today. I started the maggot get-fit program on March 2, so that's couch-to-5k in three weeks and two days.
Thanks so much Doctormama. I totally owe you.
This maggot is still plugging along training for that 1/2 marathon on 4/29...some days I feel as if I could run forever and some it hurts to run a 1/4 mile but I am doing it, all the while a little voice in my head is yelling "come on maggot, slow is better than not at all!".
After taking the month of February off (I hate the month of February), I am back at it again. Just finished a 6 mile run on Sunday.
I'm still running three times a week thanks to you. Still slow and planning for my first 5K around 2010.
Uh, well, in addition to making my hip pain worse, running now makes my knees hurt. For the first time, ever. I've never, ever had knee pain. Also my family practice doctor thinks I'm too fat to run and it's putting too much of a strain on my joints. But he's kind of fat-phobic (he recommended gastric bypass surgery for me when I need to lose 40 lbs, not 100.) So I don't know if I trust him on this. Can you link to that "when it's ok to run injured" NYT article again? I need inspiration/reassurance that it's ok to continue.
I love running... I was medically obese -- well lets face it, I was obesse -- when I started last year... I did the barely run for a minute and then walk a minute for 15 minutes three times a week... I got a grip on some bad lifestyle choices -- overeating for example --
Fast forward -- I dropped 51 pounds in a year and now run 4-5 times a week for 30-50 minutes on all kinds of terrain. I plan on running a half marathon...
And it was quite a year - pregnancy (bedrest), miscarriage (more bedrest) and then adoption of an infant and then my first move in 15 years to a new City (and a bad injury - torn rotator cuff)... All I am saying, I had every reason to NOT run... but I just got off my ass and did it and I feel great. I am exploring my new city by running and loving it..
Maggot report complete
OK, I'm running again. Reeeeally didn't feel like running--or doing anything--but I forced myself twice this week and it's been a huge mood lifter. Actually looking forward to tonight's run.
And regarding the last post--a few days ago I ran into a guy from college who recognized me first. If not for your post, I would have just had a pleasant conversation with him. But because I was just thinking of all the men I'd kissed in my life, I suddenly realized, "Hey--I snogged him!" And I was hugely embarrassed. Thanks, Doctor Mama.
Dr. Mama,
Thanks for all your running info and encouragement. I've been running regularly (pretty much... sometimes I get bogged down with school and work) for a year now. I've gone from only being able to run for 5 min. at a time to 4 miles! I love it! Although, it's heating up where I live (texas) and I'm dreading the summer running. Do you have hot whether running tips? Also, I hope you can get back to blogging soon because I was looking forward to hearing about your drug dealing college boyfriend and why you should never release butterflies at a wedding. :o)
No running reports. I'm doing elliptical trainer and working up to that.
I was injured in an auto accident. When I get better, I SWEAR I will start running. I really want to.
P.S. I absolutely love the picture of you and HB in the sidebar. It's almost like a painting somehow. Perfect.
Somehow I'd lost your blog in my google reader, and have been away for quite some time. (Not mentioning the non-running guilt). But Jul/Pixie's mom Priscilla reminded me recently that I needed to stop back by and catch up. I recently bought an elliptical trainer. I know, it's not the same as actually running , but it's something I can do without leaving the house. I am 5'-6" and 228 lbs, and it's about damn time I started doing something about it. Anyway my first day on it was last Tuesday, and I was only able to manage about 8 minutes on the thing before I collapsed in a heap. Had to find a better pace. Since then, I've slowed the pace, and increased the time, slowly. Yesterday I "ran" for 15 minutes and made 1/2 mile. I'm shooting for an increase of 1 minute per day. Once I get up to 20-25 minutes per "run", then I'll work on increasing my pace. I'm hoping to participate in a 5k corporate run (as a walker) by the end of this month. It helps to have a goal in mind. Thanks for the running encouragement. Us poor maggots need all the help we can get.
Your assistant is very lucky to have a boss (you) whose reaction to her diagnosis is to be sympathetic and visit her and send her flowers. Seriously! Imagine the reactions some bosses would have had...."Oh, just get over it," and suchlike.
This maggot continues her thirty-minutes-three-times-a-week running at a snail's pace. Have been doing it for years, will do it forever. Though marathons are a thing of the past for me, running and yoga are still the best cures for depression I know. Well, running, yoga, and lots of lovely Lexapro.
I'm late to this but can't help from reporting anyway. 10 weeks postpartum. Have gotten my mileage back up to 20 in 4 runs a week. First 5k this Sunday. Feels good and will feel better when I drop the rest of the baby weight.
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