Venus Ablution

This blog is neither really about travel or excitement. It's about a procedure I had done. I suffer from Venous Reflux Disease. The veins in my legs are really messed up. Working in retail for the past 13 years has also taken it's toll. Now a lot of people say or think, "oh that's just varicose veins, I have those" or think that they are no big deal. Well usually older people have them, people a lot older than me, and they do develop over time, but not to the extent that surgery is required.  The surgery isn't really "required" it's still considered elective. However, if I do not wear compression hose every single day (and even then) I am in a lot of pain. Both legs have it equally bad, but the left leg causes an extreme amount of pain daily.

So I went to the doctor. When I first started developing this problem I was 25. The back of my legs were throbbing and getting hot. One little spot appeared and it was swollen and blue. I worried about blot clots because we have significant clotting disorders in my family. The doctor I went to was worried about that too, so I went in for leg ultra-sounds, got my blood checked for clotting disorders, factor five, c and s proteins, and as a precautionary measure she even had me checked for Lupus because of the strange bruising. Thankfully I had none of these issues and it was just bad valves in my veins.

So, seven years later I have decided I cannot deal with it any more. The back of my right leg looked ridiculous. Like cottage cheese. I always wear panty hose, without it I just feel really insecure and it's not even about that, it hurts. It's hot wearing the compression hose, and I have reached a where the compression hose just wasn't helping any more anyway. So I went see a specialist. She took one look at my legs and said I needed to do it. She showed me pictures of people that had the procedure done and pictures of people that hadn't. Their legs were covered in blotches. When the valves in the veins get blocked up the blood congeals and it turns the skin brown. It looks like bruises, it also is very very painful.

So I had the surgery. I had to have an ultrasound the day before and they drew black marks up and down my legs to make lines for the incisions. The Doctor only had to make 3 incisions.  One for each of the veins. She actually drew me a picture before the surgery so that I would know what she was doing. I arrived at the hospital two hours before the surgery, checked in and they gave me a room. I was really scared because I had never had surgery before and I didn't want to be knocked out. I guess I was fearful of going asleep and not waking up. They told me that the sleeping stuff wasn't that bad and I'd only be out for like half an hour.  I couldn't do it. I stayed awake the whole time.

The operating room table went up and down making my head go backwards and my legs go up. The blood pressure cuff went off every five minutes, which is how I kept track of how long I was in for, I think it went off 8 times. I heard them talking. They could only get the one vein because the one on the back of my calf was too short and the one near my ankle was too close to an artery. The Doctor said everyone is different and if they go in to do the other leg the vein might not be that close.

When they finished the surgery they wrapped my leg up in an ace wrap and told me not to take it off until I had the ultrasound on Monday.

Monday was an amazing day. When I took the ace wrap off the cottage cheese lumps were gone. Completely gone. It was amazing. I didn't expect that to happen so fast. It has been one month and as I saw the doctor she said I should and can still wear the compression house. Things will continue to get better for a couple of months. I already don't feel the awful tired pain in my legs that I felt before the surgery and I am going to have the other leg done after the holidays. I can't wait. The results have been fantastic and the surgery was quick.  I feel very fortunate to have had this done.

Boulder Ridge Animal Park

My sister loves animals. She has cats, dogs, guinea pigs, and various other creatures. Sometimes I think she uses "The kids would love one of those" as an excuse to get more animals. It wasn't a shock to me when she said, "you have the day off, lets go to the zoo". So we went to Boulder Ridge Animal Park in Alto, Michigan. I was thinking, "hmm, a zoo in the middle of nowhere in Michigan, what could they possibly have? A couple stray dogs and maybe some ducks."

That was not the case. 

Boulder Ridge Animal Park is full of exotic animals that would normally have no business being in Michigan. The place is amazing. It is located on 80 acres of land, so the animals have a lot of space to roam. Typically I would think it is cruel to take animals out of their natural habitat. This place really takes care of the animals well. They've bred a couple of rare species animals - Donkeys (an Asian breed with a population of less than 300), and rare breeds of wildebeest. These animals have been sold to zoos and other animal preserves. 

When we started our tour of the animal park we walked through a few cages with various birds. I wasn't immediately impressed. We got to see some exotic patagonian foxes, then we got to see kangaroos and crocodiles. Not in the same pen obviously.  The Crocodiles and Alligators were interesting. They always lay so still it's hard to tell if they are alive or not.  The fence on them isn't very high, so my sister wanted to climb over it, which is probably not a good idea. 

They have a reptile house with a variety of turtles, snakes, and lizards. There was also a giant Tortoise in there. The people at the animal park weren't sure how old it was, but they guessed it to be about 80. 

Moving on from the reptile house they had a petting zoo set up with lots of goats and cows. The goats were adorable. In the very first pen they had a baby zebra that they had named Zeus. He was so sweet and we fed him a little and watched them feed him out of a bucket.

After we saw Zeus and the goats we went on a tour with a really souped up golf cart. We saw Peahens, Antelope, Bison, some Emus, wildebeest, Ostriches, Donkeys, Rare horse breeds, some Asian deer with stripes on the bottom of their feet, and at the end we saw a Cassowary. The Cassowary is what we really wanted to see. It's a very dangerous bird. It can kill people. It has razor sharp talons. It was very aggressive as well, it came right up to the cage. Jenn wanted to get out, she kept saying, "this was the only animal Steve Irwin was afraid of... " They don't let you out of the cart and there is a fence separating you from the animal. It is a bit scary looking at it. This bird is extremely dangerous looking. It's hard to put into words, but it was like an evil Disney character.

Anyway, we finished our day feeding hundreds of parakeets in the parakeet room. It's a giant screened in area with a ton of parakeets. When you walk in you put the seed stick out and they land of you. It's pretty cool.

I will post the website of this place and my youtube video at the bottom! Hope you enjoy it in the spring when it re-opens.  They are raising money for giraffes, which would be really cool because giraffes are amazing when you feed them.



http://www.boulderridgewap.com/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkFwBD11dM0

The Color Run: Grand Rapids MI 2012

I have never been a runner. I hated running actually. I love yoga and swimming. Running? No. That was for sure not me. However, today I ran my first 5k.

It all started months ago when I began this blog. Realizing how out of shape I was when I did aerial fitness, I let my friend Tish talk me into going to the gym. It was for a kick class.  I joined, then came back for other classes. It was when we had to run the track and I couldn't make it two laps without feeling like I was going to die, that I realized, I should get healthier. Somehow the definition of healthy to me became, "I need to be able to run a 5k.

I began running almost every day. The track at the gym is set up for every 10 laps equals one mile. I started small. I would run a lap, walk a lap, run a lap, walk a lap. I read about couch to 5k, it was simple and I made my own modifications because of my work schedule. Making it work while going to work was the hardest part. I was working third shift and after a twelve hours of work it was difficult to motivate myself to run for an hour. As I kept going it got easier. I remember the day I ran a whole mile without stopping. I called everyone I could just to tell them what I had done. I hadn't been able to do that since high school gym class. I kept going, everyday I possibly could.

That brings us to the day of the race. I am so intensely proud of myself. The color run was more about fun than about times or completing it quickly. Runners line up in white shirts and have powdered colors poured on them. This race was not timed and a lot of people walked. There were four sections of color, purple, pink, yellow, and orange! As you run through the colors people with giant ketchup bottles full of powered color throw the color on the runners.   We finished in about half an hour, (we walked when we got a drink and I think I had to tie my shoe).

I was a person barely able to run 2/10 of a mile and I made it through 3.1. It just goes to show if you work hard and put your mind to it, you can really accomplish goals.  Maybe next time I'll do one that's timed....

I-55 at a glance

My husband decided to surprise me with a trip to the Arch in St. Louis. I have wanted to see it for some time. It fascinated me how something that large and in such an odd shape could even exist. I have been in and around the St. Louis area at least five times and never been close to the Arch. The only time I had seen it was from Monk's Mound in Cahokia during a trip during my field school for Anthropology while in college, it seemed necessary to actually see it up close and in person.


The voyage to St. Louis from Michigan was just as interesting as the arch. We had to take 1-55 all the way down to St. Louis. It was one long highway that stretched the length of the state of Illinois.   On the way down it was dark so I didn't see all the things we saw on the way up. It's not America's most interesting highway by any means, there is a lot of corn fields, construction, and places where there is nothing. However, there are giant windmill farms, a peppering of antique markets, tons of museums about Lincoln, and many little oddities along the way.

One stop we made was through a place named Odell. We stopped to see how loud the wind farms are and see if they were really as awful as a documentary we had just watched.  We didn't get close enough to the giant windmills to hear them, or see the shadows they make on the ground, but they did seem really invasive. There were hundreds of them, they were on both sides of the highway as we drove, as we got closer, they got bigger and even as we were still a mile away they seemed so large. We didn't get close enough because they are some distance from the road, but we could see where houses had been near them were either abandoned, or bought out. There was one windmill all by itself right next to the highway and it was huge, I can't imagine how those are assembled.

We also stopped at an antique mall called "The Pink Elephant". They also sell ice cream, have a giant bicycle, and a UFO. The store itself is very large, there are three stories of antiques.  We perused through the aisle for about an hour, there seemed to be no end. After stopping there we noticed many more of them on our way back to Michigan, but none of them were so elaborate.




The Arch was beautiful. It was centered in the middle of a park on the bank of the river. It was a national security check point so we had to go through a metal detector and my purse had to go through the x-ray. It was amazing inside. It was deceiving how the edge of the arch hid the entrance, then how large it was under the ground. We did not go up to the top of the arch. This was because we had to get back to Chicago that evening to meet family and the wait time was far too long. We didn't realize there was a number to call to make a reservation so there would be no wait in line.  Randy promised me we could come back some time so I could go up to the top.

Attractions inside the arch were the Westward Expansion museum, the Lewis and Clark adventure and the 3D movie about the arch. It was a pretty cool place inside. The fact that the museums, theaters, and gift shops were all tucked nicely underneath the arch was really surprising. There was even a taxidermic bear in the center of the lobby.

All in all it was a fun adventure with lots to see.

The Trapeze- Safety Net Please

On the Santa Monica Pier there are many activities. There are many things to buy, food to eat, an aquarium, and even an amusement park. Basically any time of the year the weather is great and the view is amazing.  The Trapeze School on the boardwalk caught my eye. As soon as I saw it I knew I had to try it. Since childhood I have been fascinated with acrobats. A lot of children are when they first go to the circus, it's amazing to see people twist and contort their bodies in the air.  Flying around on really tall swing sets and accomplishing death defying stunts.

I went over immediately, the people in my group followed behind, probably curious as to what I was thinking or wondering if I would really go through with it. I had already paid and filled out the paper work before a couple of them noticed. "You're really going to do that?" and "That's really high".  Derek, one of my friends in the group, offered to take the video with my camera.

First, I was suited up with what felt like a corset, but it was more like a big belt. It surrounded my middle and had hooks on it. I put it on eagerly. I was given chalk for my hands, like a gymnast and then I was instructed. They explained to me the words they used were Romanian words to describe the way I stand, when I jump off, and when I let go.  The ladder was really high, it didn't seem like it at first, but as I climbed the ladder I realized it was like being on top of a house or small building. It must have been at least 20-30 ft in the air. The ladder was rickety and it was secured to the side of the platform. Once on the platform I looked out and I could see the beach and the ocean. It was beautiful. I also looked down and could see the safety net below me, which scared me a little, but made me feel safer at the same time.

The instructor hooked up my corset to the safety lines. Then after given my instructions again, she pulled the bar to me and I grabbed it.  I hopped off the platform and dangled in the air from the bar. As I swung back and forth on the bar I realized it wasn't that scary, but gravity was a tough lady. I could not bring my legs up. I felt extremely heavy and I had to use every muscle in my body to even try to lift my legs.  It was hard. The harder part was letting go, even though the safety net was below me, it was frightening. I knew it was time and I let go of the bar and fell into the net. I didn't do it the way she told me too, I couldn't just fall into it, I felt out of control and fell into in forwards instead of backwards.

I did the trapeze twice, I would have done it a third time (cause I paid for three) but the group was in a hurry to leave and I was getting sore. It was amazing how many muscles in my stomach I didn't know that I had and how awful it felt for several days. I probably should have only gone once. If I ever find another one or I go back to Santa Monica, I will go again.


See the video and learn more about the Santa Monica pier:

http://www.santamonicapier.org/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5U7IxTUX7k

Ollantaytambo - Peruvian Ruins

When I visited Peru last year I was lucky enough to see a variety of Incan ruins and ancient structures. They were all amazing. One that I found particularly interesting was Ollantaytambo. This particular ruin was very close to the sacred valley of the Inca. This glorious spot is located near the Urubamba river, flowing through Peru, . This river was used by the Incas a great deal and was considered sacred because of the water which sustained the lives of the people.

The Incas had a masterful way of moving water around the mountains and keeping it from destroying what they built. They had channels that ran all through out the mountains, creating vast irrigation systems. This way even though the river was a way off they could still use the rain water for the crops. The guide on our tour explained to us the use of astronomical bodies in the harvesting of the plants. The seasons are so similar, there is the wet season and the dry season essentially. There was a fountain at the base of the structure that the sun shines directly upon for the summer equinox, this marks the beginning of the rainy season in the summer, because it's below the equator it begins December 22. I was there towards the end of the Dry season in the end of October, but the land still looked green and bright. 

 In Ollantaytambo there were great storage houses on the mountains. It was interesting how it was strategically located in between two mountains. The Incas built into the mountains instead of around them. Their way of working with nature instead of against was how they sustained themselves and built these great structures that have survived today, long after earthquakes, weather, and time have eroded many "modern" buildings. The terraces that they carved into the mountains were magnificent. They were so tall, at least six feet and this was a great way for them to grow the potatoes, corn, and Quinoa, staples of the Incas. These terraces were built by people that were a little over 5 feet in height on the average, the fact that the terraces are so tall was quite an accomplishment. The storage houses were a great deal up in the mountains and they were easily seen by the people working on the terraces or living the villages below. This keep the supply safe from possible invaders. 

This was a place I would return to in a heart beat. Everything about it was amazing. The entire structure when seen at a distance is shaped like a female llama and a baby. The Incas were famous for revering three animals, the snakes, representing the underworld and knowledge, the puma, representing the earth and the way we live in the present, and the condor, representing the heavens and the next life. So, why a llama? My theory is, the llama helped them build this structure and they owed a great deal to these creatures. After all, they didn't have the wheel or an alphabet, so who else would help them, aliens?

www.trip-peru.com 

Peter Island- Prepare to be Pampered

On a ferry, in the Caribbean sea, I traveled to an island with my husband. This island was a beautiful place, but it was very special to my husband because he worked there at one time and had not returned in about 15 years.

The name of the resort is Peter Island. It has 32 ocean front rooms, 20 Junior suites and 3 giant villas. I don't believe there was more than a hundred people staying there when we were on the island. It was truly a chance to be pampered and relax.  Much of the staff was the same as when Randy had worked there and they were all really friendly, it was nice for him to be able to talk to all those people.

Peter Island is an amazing place. They have a dive shop and you can take a resort course and SCUBA dive for a day. They will take you 30 ft underwater and you get to see a lot of marine life. I did not do this, I chickened out. The people that run the dive shop were fantastic and had great stories about the sea and things that they have seen. We did go on a snorkeling tour with the dive shop and it was a lot of fun.

Peter Island also has sailing trips where you can take a boat out for the day and sail with an experienced sailor and if you wish they do offer overnight trips. We got to visit with Judy, the woman that runs the sailboat, and her daughter while we were there. They were extremely interesting people and I was fascinated with how they live life on the sea.

They also have a variety of things to do on the beach, like wind surfing, paddle boards, and little paddle boats to take out. Our room was right next to the beach so it was nice to be able to walk right over, try these things, get a couple drinks, and lay out in the sun. It was paradise on earth. We also had a really great hammock right outside our room. We got to take a tour of one of the villas, which was a spectacular place. The pool looked like it was part of the sea, even though we were really high up on one of the island's small mountains.


The beach, the food, the people, it's silly but my favorite part were the cookies. I became addicted immediately. There is this wonderful person that works there named Jean and she kept giving me more and more. She was truly a gem. The entire island was amazing and I am so grateful that Randy was able to book such an amazing trip.

http://www.peterisland.com/index.php