A Pink Pixie Princess - Complete!

[Ariel484]

Way to take control and work on a solution. But, I knew you'd be back on top of this in no time. I suspect you'll be fully mended and back on the mean streets before you know it. I'm glad deferring gave you some relief from the mental stress though and now you have a guaranteed entry (and excellent excuse) for doing it next year instead. Small comfort, I know, but hopefully it helps some.

Thanks so much for such a supportive post, I really appreciate it! I'm already looking forward to next year (starting to think about which resort I want to book! Also trying to talk Mr. A into doing the 10K...not going well, haha) and that has definitely helped take away the disappointment of not going this year.

It's funny about PT exercises. I had some major shoulder issues last year (rotator cuff) and my doctor sent me for PT. The exercises all seemed sort of, how do I describe it? Lame. I mean, like walk you fingers up the wall kind of thing. And, I remember thinking, "How is this going to seriously make my shoulder better?" But, after sticking with it for several weeks (and they gradually gave me some more challenging exercises) it really did improve. Ultimately, time was the final thing that fixed me, but I had to grudgingly admit that the PT actually did help. All that said, the costs for going to see the therapist were nuts! So, when I hurt my OTHER shoulder in the same way a few months ago (yeah, I'm just that pathetic) I was able to do those same exercises on my own. So long story short (too late ) I think you made the right choice in just finding a way to do the exercises on your own. And perfect that you have your own little PT space right next door. Just tell that co-worker to back off your space!

I'm imaging you crawling your fingers up the wall...haha! Shoulder injuries are no joke, I'm glad you're recovered and that you knew what to do the second time!

I have no idea what it would have cost me to go to PT, but my guess is that it would have been a $35 co-pay for each visit? Ordering the book with the 1-day shipping came out to about $30 so it evened out and I got started quicker that way.

I was telling Mr. A about potentially losing "my PT space" to someone else and he said I should just move some stuff in there to make it look like someone is already using that cube...you know, for actual work. I'll fool everyone!

I also sit at a desk for the majority of my day and find that it's rough on my back too. Do you use any ergonomic stuff at your desk? I have a lumbar pillow for my office chair and also an angled footrest thingy. I'm not sure how much it helps, but I figure it can't hurt. Glad to see you back and posting!!

Yeah, sitting all day is not cool. One of my co-workers had a standing desk put in...not sure I'd want to go that route though. I actually don't use any ergonomic stuff at my desk, but when this initially happened I thought about bringing the pillow in with me or making an appointment to get my workspace evaluated - we have an "Office of Ergonomics" or something like that, which is a nice option to have. My desk chair is actually pretty nice/top-of-the-line when it comes to office chairs, I guess, so I need to dig out the instructions and figure out how to adjust it, but as it is right now I do have decent lumbar support.

Yeah, I was all "I need to stay away for awhile!" and that lasted like 2 days...I just like to blab on too much for that.

HEY!!!

HEY!

I’m just catching up on your posts now (returned home from WDW this morning) and first off I am very glad that you are back posting again!! All of the information you put up here from the highs to the just as important lows give the rest of us an insight into what we can expect training for these races. I love the amount of detail you give and the fact that you don’t just give the good bits because it’s serious business putting your body through the training necessary for these challenge weekends and injuries are a common thing. It is so easy to get distracted by the shiny bling and ignore the amount of dedication, effort and sometimes heartache that comes with this.

I'm sorry your WDW trip is over...you Dope! (yay!)

Love this post from you, thank you so much. And you're totally right about getting "distracted by the shiny bling"...that's truly the main thing that makes me sad about deferring GSC - missing those Little Mermaid medals!!

I’ve said it many times and I’ll say it again, your posts inspired me to rundisney, heck they inspired me to run period and as you know I'm just back from WDW marathon weekend having brought along both my Dad and Sister, neither would have gone unless I’d read your TR’s or training journals and we’re all back home with the Dopey challenge complete and over $4k raised for charity. So again thank you for continuing to post and sharing with us, I'm sure I'm one of many you've inspired!

AHHH thank you so much!! That is so nice of you to say! And OMG congratulations on raising that money for charity, and thank you for doing it! That is so amazing!

I’m so sorry to hear that you had to postpone but reading through your posts I was thinking in my head ‘I hope she’s not too late to postpone’ as soon as you talked about the numb foot and back pain… I’m delighted that it doesn’t sound super serious and I’m crossing my fingers and toes for a speedy recovery for you.

YES - such a relief that I was able to defer. I think I would have been sick losing the entire GSC registration fee (and having to go through registering for it again! ). runDisney really doesn't make it easy to know what is still open for deferrals...they used to post capacity percentages right on their website but have stopped doing that (which I am not impressed by). I was going through the deferral process and once I got to the last page I saw that the 10K deferrals were already full! So I'm glad I pulled the trigger and deferred when I did.

Of course, if they DID still post the percentages I would have waited longer and just would have kept going through the whole "can I run today? How many weeks of training would that give me? What's the shortest long run I'd be comfortable with before GSC?" So it's probably better this way since it forced me to make a decision earlier, if that makes sense.

Glad to see that you are noticing some improvements already and looking forward to your next update!

Me too! I am so relieved.

I'll second that I'm just catching up on posts after marathon weekend and I'm impressed with how you are set on recovering.

First of all, I haven't commented on it yet, but I read your 5K report - so glad you had fun! Congrats on completing your first runDisney race!

I'm the type to let things slide without seeing the doctor because of denial...or "it'll fix itself"...or "I can deal with it."

Normally I am sort of like that too...it took me longer than it should have to see a doctor for the virus I had end of December/early January (I got scolded for that by a nurse...oops). I think having GSC hanging over my head made things a little more urgent, and also the fact that the numbness and crazy pain really freaked me out.

My husband had knee surgery over a year ago and is running now and says he is so glad that he fixed his issue.

Awesome! That's great that he is running again! Especially after knee issues, yikes!

I'm sad for you to miss out on something you were looking forward to...but at least now you have a new thing to look forward to...a hopefully pain free 2017 race weekend!

YES! That is my hope for sure! Having another Disney trip to plan always makes thing better.

Wow, crazy how things happen! Sad you had to defer but glad you are seeing improvements.

Thanks! I am so glad too, this week has been going well so far. I am relieved!

Sciatica nerve pain sucks, I have had some with my piriformis injury, but like 10 years ago I had what you have with the foot numbing and leg pain from it, I think I ended up taking off like 4 months from running, but I've never had that specific issue again. I didn't have any surgeries so hopefully you won't either and those stretches hopefully will help you recover quicker. Good Luck healing and keep on posting your posts are great!

Thank you for sharing this! I am so glad to hear that you haven't had any issues...that is very reassuring.

YES! I'm so glad there is good news in here. So so so so glad. You're being proactive and doing all the right things so I hope everything behaves as it should for you and you can just carry on with steady progress in getting better.

Yep, I'm trying my best! I can't just sit around and wait for stuff to happen (good or bad)...I am way too impatient for that.

Your back jokes hahahahah

You seem some much more positive about this which is great! Hopefully this is just a bump in the road and you'll be BACK to feeling better in no time (not as good as your's but I couldn't resist!) Plus, now you have an excuse to potentially sign up for a fall runDisney race

I definitely am - my mood has definitely shifted, especially over the past couple of days. It's been a rough month or so in my house with both of us being sick, and then this happening, so I'm glad things are getting BACK to normal!

Oh...a fall runDisney race, you say? That's a great idea!

Sending you good vibes for your MRI

Thank you! I'm nervous!

 

[flvy]

I don't know if I skimmed past this but are you going to do W&D for a C2C? 2017 can be the year of the pink c2c you've already half way there entry wise!

 

[Ariel484]

I don't know if I skimmed past this but are you going to do W&D for a C2C? 2017 can be the year of the pink c2c you've already half way there entry wise!

Definitely thinking about Wine & Dine for this year! I'm not 100% convinced I'll be ready for the Tink races yet, but a blue C2C would definitely be nice if I am.

 

[girliea]

So, so glad to hear that the exercises are working! Also noticed the huge difference in your "tone" so to speak-glad that you are feeling better about things and Back to yourself (I took a page from Emily and couldn't resist).

Seriously though, just happy to read your posts and know that you are doing better-not to sound too creepy but after reading your posts and TRs, I feel like you are a friend that has been a big part of the reason I run. Just remember how much you have meant to many of us here when you are having a rough day-and draw on those positive vibes!

 

[FFigawi]

I'm glad the exercises and constant movement during the day are working. That's great progress in just a short while. Don't give up on the yoga. I can't forward fold with straight legs in the base case, so I just bend my knees. It's okay for you to do so too.

 

[SarahDisney]

I love when people reference music from my childhood.

From what I remember, L5-S1 is the most common location for protruding disc issues. So if you saw a good doctor, I'm not surprised that it was an easy diagnosis. Hopefully the MRI will confirm what he said!

In terms of McKenzie - yeah, he's a bit annoying sometimes. But for patients who fit his paradigm (which, as you said, is not everyone), his exercise protocol really is the best. If you're having success with the exercises so far, definitely stick with it!
(I should probably mention that I do have some background in physical therapy, which is why I know about McKenzie and will encourage you to stick with the exercises - this isn't coming from any personal experience, just my education)

Yay for things getting a little easier and starting to feel better - hopefully this means you'll have an easy recovery and can be back to running soon. And I have to say, I love that your attitude is getting more positive! I know this injury was really hard on you, and I totally understood why you were so frustrated/angry/upset when you first got the diagnosis and decided to defer. But I think it's awesome that you're bouncing back and it's great to see that you're back to sharing your progress. I hope to keep reading that your condition is improving!

 

[Ariel484]

So, so glad to hear that the exercises are working! Also noticed the huge difference in your "tone" so to speak-glad that you are feeling better about things and Back to yourself (I took a page from Emily and couldn't resist).

Haha...yeah when I am not in a good mood, everyone knows it. I have always been that way (for better or for worse).

BACK jokes are always welcome!

Seriously though, just happy to read your posts and know that you are doing better-not to sound too creepy but after reading your posts and TRs, I feel like you are a friend that has been a big part of the reason I run. Just remember how much you have meant to many of us here when you are having a rough day-and draw on those positive vibes!

Aw, thank you! That is so nice. I know what you mean about feeling like you *know* someone on the boards - not creepy at all. I really appreciate your kind words.

I'm glad the exercises and constant movement during the day are working. That's great progress in just a short while. Don't give up on the yoga. I can't forward fold with straight legs in the base case, so I just bend my knees. It's okay for you to do so too.

Me too! I am so happy with how I am feeling now compared to last week.

Don't worry, I am not completely giving up yoga. When I was planning on going last week I just started thinking about all of the poses (chair, any of the warrior poses, down dog, etc.) and they all seemed impossible, so I was imagining myself just hanging out in child's pose for the entire class. I'm hoping to give it a shot on Friday, as long as I get back from my MRI in time to do it. And I want to make sure I get to the studio early to tell the yoga teacher what is going on.

I love when people reference music from my childhood.

90s/early 2000s music is just the best.

From what I remember, L5-S1 is the most common location for protruding disc issues. So if you saw a good doctor, I'm not surprised that it was an easy diagnosis. Hopefully the MRI will confirm what he said!

He SEEMED like a good doctor ...but yeah, I am curious to see what the MRI shows. Seems like I should have had one by now since I have had back issues over the years, but this will be my first one.

In terms of McKenzie - yeah, he's a bit annoying sometimes. But for patients who fit his paradigm (which, as you said, is not everyone), his exercise protocol really is the best. If you're having success with the exercises so far, definitely stick with it!
(I should probably mention that I do have some background in physical therapy, which is why I know about McKenzie and will encourage you to stick with the exercises - this isn't coming from any personal experience, just my education)

Ah! Thank you for giving me your opinion - I was googling around a bit (the worst thing to do when one is having a medical issue) and found a couple of articles that were saying it was all crap, so I'm glad to hear that you think highly of it (I mean...not that they were going to make me change what I'm doing since my doctor told me to do this, but still...). Any reassurance helps.

Yay for things getting a little easier and starting to feel better - hopefully this means you'll have an easy recovery and can be back to running soon. And I have to say, I love that your attitude is getting more positive! I know this injury was really hard on you, and I totally understood why you were so frustrated/angry/upset when you first got the diagnosis and decided to defer. But I think it's awesome that you're bouncing back and it's great to see that you're back to sharing your progress. I hope to keep reading that your condition is improving!

Haha...somehow I didn't realize that the tone of my initial post REALLY conveyed how down I was when this started, but apparently it did! In general I try to stay pretty positive (though as an Irish lass I do have a temper) but in re-reading that post I can see how it was way different from how I normally am here on the DIS. This problem developing, along with deferring GSC, was just sort of the cherry on top of a crap-tastic month or so, which I think is part of why I was so upset. But I am definitely in a much better place now!

I hope to keep reporting that my condition is improving! I'm hoping that having a more positive outlook will help (in addition to the other stuff I am doing). Thanks so much for checking in, I appreciate it!

 

[SarahDisney]

Ah! Thank you for giving me your opinion - I was googling around a bit (the worst thing to do when one is having a medical issue) and found a couple of articles that were saying it was all crap, so I'm glad to hear that you think highly of it (I mean...not that they were going to make me change what I'm doing since my doctor told me to do this, but still...). Any reassurance helps.

I think the reason why some people say its all crap is because doctors don't know how to prescribe it. Some doctors will tell anyone with back problems to do McKenzie exercises, and it's actually bad for certain conditions. Which is one of the issues I have with medicine in general - some doctors will prescribe their favorite things to everyone, and there's no such thing as a treatment that works for everyone. But that's a rant for a different day.
Of course, there are also people who say its crap for everyone, but I have a hard time believing that because it does work for certain patients.

 

[Ariel484]

I think the reason why some people say its all crap is because doctors don't know how to prescribe it. Some doctors will tell anyone with back problems to do McKenzie exercises, and it's actually bad for certain conditions. Which is one of the issues I have with medicine in general - some doctors will prescribe their favorite things to everyone, and there's no such thing as a treatment that works for everyone. But that's a rant for a different day.

That's a great point. That is part of what I read in the book - that the exercises described there are not for everyone. Example: I mentioned that my husband has had back issues, and most of the exercises that had helped him in the past were not extension (back bend) exercises like what I'm doing - they were the opposite. So the book wouldn't help him. And you are totally right with your rant.

Of course, there are also people who say its crap for everyone, but I have a hard time believing that because it does work for certain patients.

Yep. While I found the "these are crap!"-type posts online, I also found posts from people who said that the exercises "cured" them, and I myself am definitely seeing a benefit. So far I am happy with the PT routine.

 

[dancingtodisney]

HEY!

I'm sorry your WDW trip is over...you Dope! (yay!)

I know!! In one way I'm sad the trip is over and in another I'm delighted that the pressure of it is no longer hanging over me. I'm taking a bit of a running break now but don't plan on it lasting too long, it's so nice to have my weekends back and free of long runs! Now to decide what to do with all of my BLING!

Love this post from you, thank you so much. And you're totally right about getting "distracted by the shiny bling"...that's truly the main thing that makes me sad about deferring GSC - missing those Little Mermaid medals!!

Of course, it's truly deserved! Ye it's funny how motivating those shiny medals are and what we will do to get them, you know you made the right decision though and hey they don't even an Ursula medal!!

AHHH thank you so much!! That is so nice of you to say! And OMG congratulations on raising that money for charity, and thank you for doing it! That is so amazing!

Thanks! I was amazed by how supportive people have been (well most people, a few actually said we wouldn't finish!!) and how willing they were to donate so it's been great!
I also bought my first doonie and bourke on the trip (disneyana cross body - was tempted by the star wars one but didn't like it as much in person), even more influence from you right there!

YES - such a relief that I was able to defer. I think I would have been sick losing the entire GSC registration fee (and having to go through registering for it again! ). runDisney really doesn't make it easy to know what is still open for deferrals...they used to post capacity percentages right on their website but have stopped doing that (which I am not impressed by). I was going through the deferral process and once I got to the last page I saw that the 10K deferrals were already full! So I'm glad I pulled the trigger and deferred when I did.

Of course, if they DID still post the percentages I would have waited longer and just would have kept going through the whole "can I run today? How many weeks of training would that give me? What's the shortest long run I'd be comfortable with before GSC?" So it's probably better this way since it forced me to make a decision earlier, if that makes sense.

Oh ye I remember seeing those percentages before, I wonder why they removed them... BUT like you've said it's stopped you driving yourself crazy. I did a lot of that coming up to Dopey, I got injured and then had a horrible cold and ever morning I was recalculating what I could do and it's a LOT of stress...

You're clearly putting the work into doing everything you can to get back on track and I'm always impressed and how much you get done in a week! I had all these great plans for strength training for Dopey that just didn't materialise, I don't know how you fit it all in!

 

[BigEeyore]

It's great that you are being so proactive in healing yourself without drugs or surgery, and that you have such a positive attitude about it! Wishing you a speedy, healthy recovery! When I have gone difficult times in my life, I have told myself that when God closes a door, he opens a window. Hopefully during this time off from running you will discover something new to love - new hobbies, new workouts, who knows?

 

[Ariel484]

I know!! In one way I'm sad the trip is over and in another I'm delighted that the pressure of it is no longer hanging over me. I'm taking a bit of a running break now but don't plan on it lasting too long, it's so nice to have my weekends back and free of long runs! Now to decide what to do with all of my BLING!

Running break is a good call...I was definitely in a funk after Dopey. I probably should have just taken a few weeks off altogether!

I have a (Disney-related) medal rack that I use to display my bling...I'll have to post a picture!

Of course, it's truly deserved! Ye it's funny how motivating those shiny medals are and what we will do to get them, you know you made the right decision though and hey they don't even an Ursula medal!!

OMG...if there had been an Ursula medal, I would have made it happen somehow. Good thing there isn't one!!

Thanks! I was amazed by how supportive people have been (well most people, a few actually said we wouldn't finish!!) and how willing they were to donate so it's been great!
I also bought my first doonie and bourke on the trip (disneyana cross body - was tempted by the star wars one but didn't like it as much in person), even more influence from you right there!

Yay! Do you love it? I have a Disneyana wallet...it's the Disenyland print. It's so cute!

I may have another Dooney update here soon...

Oh ye I remember seeing those percentages before, I wonder why they removed them... BUT like you've said it's stopped you driving yourself crazy. I did a lot of that coming up to Dopey, I got injured and then had a horrible cold and ever morning I was recalculating what I could do and it's a LOT of stress...

I don't know either! I think it's going to make people upset to not know how full the races/deferrals are. Maybe it was too had for them to update with some of the races filling so quickly?

Okay, so you know what I'm talking about then - that kind of injury freakout with a race or races coming up is NOT fun!

You're clearly putting the work into doing everything you can to get back on track and I'm always impressed and how much you get done in a week! I had all these great plans for strength training for Dopey that just didn't materialise, I don't know how you fit it all in!

Thanks! Yeah, I'm trying my best! I don't think I'd be able to get anything done if I didn't get a chunk of it out of the way in the mornings before work...making the switch from evening to morning workouts was huge for me!

It's great that you are being so proactive in healing yourself without drugs or surgery, and that you have such a positive attitude about it! Wishing you a speedy, healthy recovery!

I'm definitely anti-surgery but I have to admit, if I thought that the pain meds would have been okay for me to take, I would have taken them in a second! The whole possibility of not being good at my job though sort of soured me on that.

When I have gone difficult times in my life, I have told myself that when God closes a door, he opens a window. Hopefully during this time off from running you will discover something new to love - new hobbies, new workouts, who knows?

I said something along those lines to Mr. A the other day - I need a new hobby! I'm having trouble coming up with anything...maybe I need to research some good books to read, or something like that.

 

[Ariel484]

Goodbye Money! INKnBURN: Roses & Unicorns

Let's get away from all of that nasty injury talk, shall we? Over the last couple of weeks I have acquired some more INK...yay!

INKnBURN has released 2 kits so far in 2016: the Miko kit and the Roses kit (they've also released a men's shirt called Sandstone and put up the first Club INKnBURN item for preorder - !!! - so I'll post that when I get it) . I actually got to see Miko in person when I visited INKnBURN headquarters in December and shockingly enough, I didn't order any of the pieces when they were released on New Year's Day. I am oddly proud of myself for showing restraint, (hey, I take whatever victories I can get ) - Miko just isn't my style. I do LOVE the arm sleeves (hoping to see that fabric as a skirt at some point with the tights design on the shorts), but I don't normally wear sleeves, and it seems like a long-sleeved tech shirt would be way more comfortable. I did get to try the arm sleeves on when I was at HQ, so at least I know what size I'd be if I decide to ever try them.

So no Miko for me, but I love Roses! A tech shirt...a COLORFUL tech shirt! I feel like all clothing stores think it's a rule that just because it's January, all fabric must be boring and drab. Ugh! So yay for bright, happy colors.

And the capris. Denim-look on the outside, and the fold-down waistband has the roses pattern (I never fold the waistband down...maybe if I ever have a 6-pack I will. So...I never will).

I know I will wear the crap outta these capris when the weather gets nicer! Getting these has motivated me to put some other capris up for sale, and so far they have had ZERO interest. Boo!

I also recently got 3 "unicorns" (the INKnBURN fan Facebook page's term for "holy grail items") that I have wanted for awhile...so that's exciting!

First, Leaf Tech. Which actually could go toward a somewhat legit-looking Tink-inspired outfit assuming I make it to any of those races...

Second, the Pink Ink Camisole! I LOVE this pattern!...

...in fact, I love it so much, I now have it in TWO different items, since I got the Pink Ink tech shirt too!

All 3 unicorns are in practically brand new condition, and all are retired, hard-to-find designs. The Pink Ink tech shirt especially is one I've been hoping for, for awhile now. I've been in the INKnBURN Facebook group for a year now and have NEVER seen either Pink Ink top posted in my size, and then suddenly I get both shirts in the same week. YAY!! I still have unicorns on my list but I'm happy to have crossed a few off!

Continued in Next Post

 

[Ariel484]

Goodbye Money! Harvey's for Disney Couture and Disney Dooney & Bourke (More Balloons, WDW 40th Anniversary and DCL Sketch)

That's right, more Dooneys...even though I said I was done. In my defense, I have been good about sticking to the in-and-out rule (as in, I can only buy a new or new-to-me bag if I sell enough to cover the cost)...so these bags were part of some switcheroos.

Yes, I know...I have issues.

Anyway...first item is not a bag, it's a wallet. A few weeks before our trip, Mr. A and I met up with his parents for lunch. They had just traveled to WDW over Thanksgiving weekend (sidenote: they are retired. Had I known they were planning to travel over that weekend - no one told me until they were very close to leaving - I would have STRONGLY encouraged them to pick a different time to go, but I digress). Anyway...my sweet MIL had picked out a Dooney for me! A sketch wristlet. And I am the worst gift receiver ever, because I knew right away I was going to return it (I didn't tell her that, though). I have mentioned before, and will mention multiple times in this post, that I don't trust the quality of the newer Dooneys. And I almost never use wristlets...so as bad as I felt, I was planning on returning.

She had included the receipt for me, which said I had 30 days to return - and the day we were due to check in at Disneyland was 30 days exactly. So after arriving and checking in at PPH, we headed to The Vault at Downtown Disney to return the wristlet. I received a merchandise credit and turned right around to use it on this...a Harveys Disneyland 60th Anniversary Poster Wallet!

Harveys doesn't seem to put out a ton of stuff that really grabs me (which is fine...because if there's one thing you can take away from this journal, it's that I DO NOT NEED MORE PURSES!!!), but this wallet is perfect for the parks. It's durable, since it's made of seatbelts, and with the detachable wrist strap it's really easy to carry around. I was able to fit my phone and a chapstick inside, in addition to cash and cards and stuff, and didn't end up bringing any kind of bag into the parks that week. Super convenient - and I just love the poster design. It's so classic!

Now...on to the Dooneys!

FIRST...let me mention the Dooneys I DID NOT buy - the Princess Half Marathon weekend Dooneys! When I was telling a friend that I had deferred GSC, she pointed out to me that had I done the Dooney pre-order, I wouldn't have been able to cancel said pre-order...so I would have lost at least $200 since I wouldn't be at the expo to pick up the bag. This is something I hadn't thought about and I am SO GLAD I didn't pre-order! I most likely wouldn't have anyway since the print wasn't released before I decided to defer (and there was no way I was going to drop that kind of cash without seeing what I was paying for first) and I really don't trust the quality of the newer Dooneys (this could be like a drinking game...take a drink every time I mention I don't like the newer Dooneys! )...but still. Bullet dodged.

Anyway...the bags I DID get are older, retired styles. Now that I think of it, I'm to the point where of the bags I do have, only one of them is "new," as in, produced sometime in the last 6-12 months (the Haunted Mansion satchel - because that print is perfection).

Bag #1 is the Black Balloons Drawstring (produced in 2010-2013):

It's sort of an odd shape (and one that, along with my other 2 new bags, Dooney doesn't seem to produce in Disney prints anymore...lately they have been sticking to the same 3-4 styles for Disney), but it's another perfect Dooney print, and it holds a lot of stuff. I was lucky to find this one in like-new condition, and it wasn't crazily-priced at all. Really not that much more than retail. Win!

Bag #2 is one that got away from me a few years back, and I'm VERY happy to have it now - the Walt Disney World 40th Anniversary Bucket (produced in 2011...obviously as that was the 40th anniversary of WDW):

Back when these bags were originally available, I wanted the bucket...but I went back and forth over it for too long and by the time I decided I wanted to actually buy it, that particular silhouette was sold out. Sadness! I loved the print so much that I decided to try a different bag in this print - the Kristin tote.

I actually ended up selling this one on eBay because it was so awkward to carry (the handles are smaller than they look in this picture, so the bag was right up in my armpit - always where you want a nice purse to reside, am I right? ). It's funny because people on the Dooney Facebook groups FREAK OUT over this particular silhouette (the Kristin), and I just sort of hated it. Different strokes for different folks.

Anyway, I finally got my bucket...almost 5 years later. I actually "know" the person I bought it from (I recognized her from another message board I used to frequent) and I know she takes good care of her stuff and is a genuinely good/nice person, so that made the buying process easier for me. The bag itself is almost perfect - just a small mark on the leather clasp. And like the balloon bag, I didn't pay much over retail for it. Really I don't think I could find it for much less than what I DID pay, so I'm pleased.

I bought these first 2 bags 1-2 months ago, and like I said, the Harveys wallet was from returning the wristlet I got as a gift. They have been hanging out in my closet with their siblings, and I thought I was ACTUALLY done...but then...the splurge.

In the interest of full disclosure, this particular purchase was partially fueled by feelings of, "I got a promotion with a significant raise, #treatyoself!" and "I hurt my back and had to defer GSC and I'm feeling sorry for myself! Wahhh!!" --> I realize the second point isn't great, but back in 2009 - the last time I significantly injured my back (falling down stairs at home...fun times!) - I ate my feelings, so to speak, and put on 20-30 pounds over the course of a couple of months. So while retail therapy may not be the best way to "cope" with being sad and all of the other bad feelings that come with an injury/deferring/not being able to run, I'll take that over emotional eating. What can I say, I'm keeping it real.

This is a pattern I've been wanting for awhile, but as it's another retired print (produced in 2012) made even more rare because it's a cruise print, these bags can get insanely expensive. I just saw a weekender (which is sort of like an overnight bag) in this print sell on eBay for $1,000! Yowza.

I did not get the $1K weekender...I got this tote:

And if I'm being totally honest here...it did make me a little less sad, receiving this in the mail.

This bag is HUGE. The person who was selling it posted lots of pictures (including one of her wearing it), but somehow I didn't realize how gigantic the bag really was until it arrived at my house.

It's in really excellent condition - there is one area on the side where the white part is yellowing (very common, unfortunately) and one area on the back where there was a red mark, likely from the strap. I knew about both of these things before buying, so I was ready when the bag arrived. There's nothing that can be done about the yellowing - it's just something that happens with this type of fabric as a bag ages - but I'd read a tip on one of the Facebook groups that marks on bags can sometimes come off using an eraser, so I had a pack ready to go.

Here's the mark when I received the bag...you can see it (the red line) near Pluto and Goofy:

And here's the bag after I went to work with the eraser!

It took more elbow grease than I expected, but it was totally worth it. The bag looks practically brand new! And that red streak likely knocked the purchase price down, and it only cost me about $3 to fix it. Woohoo!

I'd like to say I'm totally done buying now - I THINK I am - but we all saw how well that worked out the last 2 times...

Continued in Next Post

 

[ZellyB]

Woohoo!! Love these posts.

I wondered about the roses shirt but said no, but now that you've raved about the capris I'm back to thinking I might need those. Of course, "need" is a relative term. Love the unicorns you got. All of them, and you are right that the leaf one could work great for a Tinkerbell inspired look. I'm dying to see what you get for your first Club InB item although it will probably have me kicking myself for not signing up for it when I could have.

The Dooneys are fab! I love all of them, but I think the cruise line one is my favorite. And way to go on getting that red mark off there.

 

[emilyindisney]

LOVE your new bags! I'm such a fan of the sketch patterns. I can never quite bring myself to order a Dooney because I'd be afraid I wouldn't use it much for the price, and, as you said, a lot of people make comments about decreasing quality in the newer ones. Regardless, they sure are pretty to look at!

 

[Ariel484]

Woohoo!! Love these posts.

I knew I liked you.

I wondered about the roses shirt but said no, but now that you've raved about the capris I'm back to thinking I might need those. Of course, "need" is a relative term. Love the unicorns you got. All of them, and you are right that the leaf one could work great for a Tinkerbell inspired look. I'm dying to see what you get for your first Club InB item although it will probably have me kicking myself for not signing up for it when I could have.

Roses is really pretty. I think my picture makes it look a little more yellow than it actually is. I LOVE the capris! They are so versatile! And obviously I'm super excited for my unicorns.

The Club item is interesting. A lot of us (in the Facebook group) loved it right away, by not everyone. And those that didn't love it offered to order for people that didn't sign up before they stopped taking members, so that has been nice. I sent Mr. A a picture of the item and he declared it "ugly" with zero hesitation. Ha!

This month it's a pullover - I LOVE their pullovers, and bonus: they included a discount code for club members to use this month. That was a nice surprise.

The Dooneys are fab! I love all of them, but I think the cruise line one is my favorite. And way to go on getting that red mark off there.

I love that one too. I was just so surprised by the size! I can't pick a favorite, I love them all!

LOVE your new bags! I'm such a fan of the sketch patterns. I can never quite bring myself to order a Dooney because I'd be afraid I wouldn't use it much for the price, and, as you said, a lot of people make comments about decreasing quality in the newer ones. Regardless, they sure are pretty to look at!

YAY THANKS! yeah I was lucky for awhile with the newer bags but then I got one where I could see the flaws - it was a Disneyana print bag, a larger shoulder one. I started carrying it and within two weeks the pattern was chipping off of the corners and the handles looked completely wrinkled and terrible. That made me afraid to use other ones I had that were notorious for having similar issues, and that's when I started selling most of what I already had and looking for these older bags, which (from what I hear) seem to hold up better. It's a shame that they just don't seem to be made as well anymore, but good for my bank account since they are putting out SO MANY new ones lately.

 

[Ariel484]

BACK 2 Good - Week 2 Update

Injury rehab update! Apologies for so many words with no pics...

Overall, things have been continuing to improve since my last update. Such a relief!

I have been diligently doing my PT exercises - my private PT cubicle at work remains uninhabited, which has been helpful in getting my PT done. On Friday I switched one of the exercises - instead of lying on my back and pulling my knees to my chest, I now sit in a chair with my legs apart and bend forward, trying to touch the floor and inch my arms under the chair as much as possible. I only do this one 5-6 times - the first couple are always tough but it gets easier as I keep doing it. More often than not I'm able to do these exercises 8 times a day, so at least I can say that I’m definitely making an effort to get better.

Beyond PT...

Monday, Wednesday and Friday were lifting days, and each day went a little better than the previous day. The leg exercises definitely do not bother the leg pain like they did last week. I'm still keeping the weights low for those, but I have bumped the weights up a bit from when I first started back up. The one exercise that is still going pretty badly for me is deadlifts - I'm trying them even without holding any weights at all, but bending forward with straight legs is still incredibly painful. The one place I am having the most pain lately is in my left calf, and on Friday I found that the pain actually went down to my foot, which is new. I'm not sure what to make of this - new pain is not fun, but maybe the nerves in my foot are starting to wake up again after being "asleep" for a little over a week...so it might actually be a good thing? I almost never have any pain in my upper leg, which is good, but sometimes the calf/foot pain is pretty awful.

Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday were treadmill walking days (with a little bit of running)...
Tuesday: 10 minutes total with 1 minute of running @ 12:00/mile pace. Total distance: 0.56 miles. This went okay...it was a little painful, but not terrible. Biggest annoyance was that I could definitely feel that I was limping.

Thursday: No treadmill for me today...I slept in. Wednesday was the day that my calf started to feel pretty sore (I can't really tell what kind of soreness it is - nerve or muscle? Hmm), which was a disappointment after the progress I'd been seeing, so I decided it was best to skip my little treadmill walk. I'm not sure why this calf pain is happening - when I was doing my back exercises on Wednesday I would also try to bend forward with my left leg straight to stretch it out, so maybe that was too much? Or maybe it was from my not walking normally due to the limping? At any rate, the calf was pretty sore when I woke up Thursday morning and getting into/out of the car was tough...but by the time I made the walk from my car to my desk (7-10 minutes) the pain was almost completely gone...so the treadmill walk probably would have helped.

I think I need to keep in mind that this recovery is not going to be super fast and will probably have its ups and downs...just because I'm having a down day, it doesn't mean I'm experiencing a complete setback. And I'm still light years better than I was just a week ago. Two steps forward, one step back and all that.

Saturday: Another treadmill walk - 16:30 total with three 1-minute running bursts at 12:00/mile pace. The first 1-minute burst felt good - almost 100% pain-free - but the other two didn't feel as good. I think I was limping less, though. Originally I was going to walk for 15 minutes but once 15 minutes came and went I decided to keep going until I got to 1 mile.

I'm not sure what to do with the treadmill walks this week...I think maybe keep adding time but keep it 100% walking, and then try some running bursts again next week.

No yoga yet. With the calf/foot pain, I still don't feel like I'm ready. I'll make it there eventually, but at this point I feel like it would hurt more than it would help. I actually got an automated email from the studio that said something along the lines of, "hey, haven't seen you here in awhile!" Get off my back, yoga studio!!

The other back-related thing I did this week was go in for a scheduled MRI on Friday morning. It was...not the most fun I've ever had, but it wasn't terrible. The two ladies running it told me that it would be pretty loud, so they gave me headphones to wear and told me to pick a Pandora station (I was at a loss, so I ended up saying "90s pop" - Eagly Eye Cherry, Hootie and the Blowfish, Collective Soul, Goo Goo Dolls...classics). The machine ended up being so loud that I could barely hear the station, but it was nice that they were trying their best to make me comfortable.

The whole thing took 25 minutes, and the loud noises would start for 3-4 minutes and then stop for 30 seconds or so, and it wasn't the same noise the entire time...so the breaks and the different noises sort of helped, I guess. But this was the first time in my life I've ever felt claustrophobic anywhere - there was a brief moment when they first put me in the machine where I thought I was going to panic, but I just closed my eyes and tried to think of anything else (mostly what to get at the grocery store). By the end my hands and feet were asleep from staying as still as possible, but overall, it wasn’t a totally awful experience. And I'm glad I got it done so I can get a more thorough report at my next follow-up.

So in summary...

Nerve Pain in my leg: It's still there, but it seems to have changed - instead of being a burning sensation down my entire leg, it's more like soreness that is concentrated to my calf, and that sometimes goes into my foot. Not really sure what to make of that. For the most part it's not that bad, but there are times where it's pretty painful.

Numbness: Big development for me this week...on Wednesday I was in the locker room after I'd finished lifting, and as I was putting my socks on I started poking at my numb foot. When this issue first crept up I'd been experiencing numbness my upper ankle - and that seems to be GONE!! It's still there in my foot, but now it seems to start in my heel (rather than higher up in my ankle), run along the outside, and stop in my little toe. As I mentioned before, my doctor said the numbness has been known to last for up to a year in people, but he didn't think it would be that long for me. So I'd been preparing myself for this to go on for awhile, and I'm ecstatic to see some improvement already!

Itchiness in my foot: Completely gone!

Back Pain: Still almost none. Yay!

Limping: Still happening, but I think it's better than it was. Mr. A says it's not noticeable, but I can still feel that I'm not quite walking normally yet. I'm definitely closer to walking at my normal speed though (I'm a pretty fast walker), so that's good.

My Mental State: Continues to improve, but I'm a little frustrated with the calf pain. It feels like I made big improvements really quickly, and now I've almost plateaued in a way. I'm trying to focus on the big picture, but it’s hard not to overanalyze every little ache I've been having. Also, I'm nervous for my follow-up appointment on Tuesday. Nervous to see what the MRI and x-rays say. Obviously I'm feeling a lot better, which one would think means I'm healing/getting healthier, but you just never know!

Continued in Next Post

 

[Ariel484]

Status on upcoming races (1/23)...

Hard not to think about this lately!

Local 10-mile race: Fairly certain that this one will not happen. I'd hate to lose the registration fee, but I mostly do this race to get proof-of-time for runDisney events...and with the shape I'm in now (or lack thereof), I really doubt I'd have time to get in adequate training to get a good time from this run. It's a little disappointing because the time I used for corral placement for GSC and Tink this year was pretty decent, and it's about to be too old to use for any runDisney races. I have a time I CAN use though, it's just not a great one. But still...this race is definitely not worth stressing over.

Tink weekend: I'm currently undecided as to whether or not I want to defer the Pixie Dust Challenge to next year. I'm guessing the deferral link won't go up until late March/mid April, so I have time to think about it (unlike GSC where I had to decide to defer almost immediately after getting injured).

Having said that...I'm thinking I WILL end up deferring since I'd really like 12 full weeks to train, which would have me starting a training plan a little over a month from now. And who knows if I'll even be ready to do that? Maybe I'll change my mind in a few weeks...

The trip itself is still happening though - both my mom and I booked non-refundable, non-transferrable airfare, and my mom is excited for the 5K. Somehow I don't think it'll bother me as much to be at DL when the races are happening compared to WDW, and I'm way more at peace with possibly deferring this challenge than I was with GSC. Reasons: I don’t think I'll be super jealous seeing people with Tink medals (because Tinker Bell is...not my favorite Disney character ), especially that ugly-as-sin Pixie Dust Challenge medal. I WOULD be jealous seeing people with Little Mermaid medals, though. And since I've already deferred GSC, the pink C2C in 2016 is off the table for me already, so I don't have that to pressure me into doing PDC if I don't think I'm ready. Along similar lines...I still REALLY want the pink C2C, so since I deferred GSC to next year, there's a good chance I'll be at Tink weekend next year too, to get that pink C2C. So if I'm pretty sure I'll already be there next year anyway, that means I'll get to do those races at some point...so there's really not a rush to do them this year if I don't think I'll be ready for them.

I AM hoping to at least be able to do the 5K this year. I can't defer that one to 2017 and I'd like to possibly do that race with my mom. It doesn't seem crazy to think that I could potentially be ready to complete that race by May (at a very relaxed pace), so that's sort of what I'm leaning toward right now - deferring PDC but still doing the 5K. We'll see.

Local half marathon: Like the 10-miler, I'm fairly certain that this one will not happen. This would be a bigger registration fee to lose, but if I can't do it, I can't do it. I think whatever I decide for Tink weekend will heavily influence what I decide here - if I'm trained for the Tink half anyway, and I'm feeling okay, may as well do my local half the next weekend and not waste the registration fee. But if I won't be ready, I'll just let it goooo, let it goooooooooooo.

Local 10K race? In thinking about possibly not doing the 10-miler, I'm starting to look for local 10K races in the fall, purely for runDisney proof-of-time purposes (see small discussion of that above). I'd only do this if I thought I could get in some good speedwork to drop my time though...and around here it's pretty hard to find races that aren’t 5Ks or half marathons. So this one is very much up in the air.

Jingle Jungle 5K/Wine & Dine Half Marathon: The sign of a true addict - panic at the thought of a calendar year going by without a runDisney race (though I guess this would only happen if I couldn't do at least the Never Land 5K...but shhhh). It occurred to me that while being ready for a spring half marathon may be a little much to hope for, being ready for a fall half marathon wouldn't be outside the realm of possibility (I'd hope, anyway) - especially the way I do runDisney races (that is to say, purely to finish and get all of the character pictures ).

Since I am a planner, I was sort of thinking that my next few runDisney races would be...

Princess 5K + GSC in 2016
Never Land 5K + PDC in 2016
Jingle Jungle 5K + Wine & Dine Half Marathon in 2017
Dopey in 2018

Then this back stuff happened, and now 2017 will (likely) be pink C2C year...so why not try for Wine & Dine this year? I've done this race twice - once with a foot injury, and again in 2014, and in case you didn't know, it rained a lot that year - so I am hoping the 3rd time will be a charm with this one. Mr. A is on board with the plan, so assuming registration and my follow-up appointment go okay, this trip is likely a "go!" I even made a hotel reservation - and am on the waiting list to rent points at a DVC studio (fingers crossed that comes through) - just to be safe.

Continued in Next Post

 

[flvy]

Ugh your ink burn stuff looks so good. I avoided it because I was telling myself it wouldn't look good off the site. It looks amazing. There goes more of my money.

I see you putting W&D down on your races, I hope you end up doing it. I'm still pretty undecided which is bad because the time to know yes or no is right around the corner.

I love you back and positive about things. I can't wait till you're in racing shape!