Blank. Completely Blank.

That is exactly the way my mind feels this morning.  You know that feeling of being so tired your eyes hurt and the idea of doing much more then making coffee is exhausting!  I lost an entire day!  I've been thinking about football all morning.  Guess what...its Monday!

This is not a complaining post at all.  I just took a minute to try and figure out why I wasn't having time to post anything.  Well....if I'm not working, I'm doing core work, running or I'm dead tired.  So here is a picture overload post.  (my favorite!)  

Pretty much takes up a lot of time.

Running:

I am running again.  Not completely pain free but doing my core and leg strengthening exercises are directly related to my pain while running.  Laura gave me a big dose of Graston last time I was there.

Same leg.  Each side.  They lasted almost a week.  It's VERY common to bruise after a Graston technique torture session.  I use the word torture lightly.  It hurts like crazy but it works amazing!  

Laura wants me to keep moving.  So I try and get out every other day and I try to go an hour.  If it hurts I walk.  This way I don't have to hit a certain mileage but just get in an hour of moving. Despite my over abundance of pics I didn't even take one when I ran with my friend Deb!  

Here is my running recap.  Remember I'm doing a lot of walking so I'm slow but I'm moving forward and getting much much better.

9/30 - 3 miles in 34 minutes

10/6 - 5.46 miles in 1 hour

10/10 - 4.12 miles in 1 hour (I didn't do my PT the day before and I was feeling it)

10/12 - 5.23 miles in 1 hour

10/16 - 5 miles in 1 hour

I can't be the only one that wears an outfit twice before washing.  Or can I?

I wish I could have ran more, but life got in the way a few time.

What life?

Work:

I love my job.  Thank god!  It's almost wrong how much I enjoy working.  There has been a lot of overtime lately and I have taken advantage of that.  It's not always this abundant (we are down a couple of flight nurses) so why not? This morning I did some math in my head.  True.  It hurt.  I've been working 60 to 72 hours a week.  Add life, kids and time spent recovering and that's how that happens.  

Working in Rock Springs.  We had an aircraft switch out (maintenance) at the end of our shift so we took our stuff and flew home.  YAH! Buddy!

Yesterday we did some training.

One of my favorite pilots giving the run down to Wasatch Backcountry Rescue dogs and their handlers some FYI on the aircraft and getting in and out.

Dry run with a NEW newbie.  PUPPIES!

This puppy was really stressed out by the helicopter.

 I work with the best people ever!  They make my job just that awesome.

We work with Wasatch Backcountry Rescue to help them train the dogs (and the people) to be able to approach a running aircraft, get in and get out with their 2 handlers.  In a real life scenario we would be picking up a handler and their dog plus all their ski gear and taking them up a mountain where a search and rescue was occurring.  Northern Utah has some of the most amazing snow, skiing and back country.  Unfortunately with snow comes avalanches.  We are also taught by avalanche specialist so that we can have information we need to stay safe.

Yesterday I was in the helicopter as we picked up and transported over 20 dogs.  We landed 28 times.  14 of those were in a pretty dusty area that I got out and help the crews in and out of the running aircraft.  A helicopter crew member needs to be part of the process for safety. I was a out for half of them and my medic stayed out for the other half.  Amazeballs!  I can't lie.  Every dog got quite a bit of love from me.  

After we dropped off a patient at the UofU hospital. 

My job does not suck.

Walking down the hall in Ogden.  I've posted a pic like this before but this time it was dark.  Kinda freaky!

There is something about this picture that says my spirit twin was here.  

LIFE

10 months later I've ordered the prints and put them in frames.

I'm a go-getter!

Decided I was sick of carrying so much shit in my flight suit.  I'm bringing the "nurse purse" back!  Nothing says "I'm ready to party" at a scene flight then a fanny pack!

Seriously?  If I had money I would buy it just for the conversation.  

Wow, that's a big.......chicken??

Unblocked by former friend after a year.  Reblocked by me.

Childish?  yes.  But I love Facebook and I love keeping in touch with friends far away and friends I don't see often.  I don't need to see ANYTHING that is going on with that shitty situation.

New work socks.  They are so comfy I can't stand it!

New annual pass for Millcreek Canyon.  Best 40 bucks spent.  They do a great job keeping it in tip top shape.

Glad I found this gem of a coffee press in my cupboard.  YEAH HOARDING!

The fancy coffee maker behind it has some funky smell to it.  I've tried everything.  I'm going to toss it and get a cheap one.  I had a cheap one for 10 years and it was awesome.  Fancy one...less then 2 years.  LOSER.

Oh crap...I have a massage!  Tough life.

Blog on..........

You haven't carpooled..........

Until you've carpooled with Jay. 

Its no secret that my life has been a lot more work then running or socializing. Luckily I LOVE my job and get to work with some amazing people.  Saturday I was able to do my first shift at St. Marks on my own.  I was able to work with a nurse that I know and really enjoyed my day.  Took care of some sweet patients and even admitted a really sick one.  

The next day I found myself at the U doing a rotor shift.  

Beautiful, if not hot, day to fly.  That is a little air conditioner that pumps cool air into the helicopter to keep it and everything in it from melting.  (well, not really melting)

We actually had a flight....and we rocked that flight!  I worked with one of the medics I've worked with a lot and we get along really well.  He's super smart and so good looking in his flight suit that I'm pretty sure that my hotness score increases just standing by him.

Going through the helicopter.  We double checked everything. 

Proof that when I wear my helmet I look like I should star in "Spaceballs".  I'm actually getting a smaller one.

Because I was working at the University I was able to go visit my Jen Q. 

My medic and I also had the chance to do some IV starts and meet some cool people.  We visited a couple of the pediatric patients in the hospital and they just warmed my heart.  One of the kids just glowed when we walked in.  He smiled so big!  His dad said he hadn't smiled since arriving.  I don't take myself too seriously and I know that the flight suits and just the idea that we fly in a helicopter is fascinating to kids.  But I walked away from that experience getting more from it then that cute little guy ever could.  So thankful that I can do things like that.  

Yesterday I went to Rock Springs.  I try and car pool with the medic on that day.  It's much more fun to hang out and we save in gas and can keep each other awake.  So that's how I ended up carpooling with Jay.  

He's like hanging out with a your fun little brother. 

The ride up was fine and although we didn't fly we both had so much work to do and so many projects/meetings for work that we didn't hardly see each other.  But on the way home, since we got a great nights sleep, we decided to stop and see the windmills.  

Then Jay decided that laying down to take a picture would be the only way to get a me and a picture of the windmill that we choose to get close to.

weirdo.

Hahaha

My favorite picture.  I'm so artsy.

I have the next few days off and I'm pretty excited about it!  Planning on recapping my 4th of July weekend shenanigans and the Wasatch Back Ragnar 2013!   I'm also hoping to run in the morning.  Yes!

How do you get along with your co-workers?

Blog on..................

Picturepalooza

What a week!  After the Boston tragedy I spent a lot of time glued to the TV watching every update.  I'm sure most of the country did.  It's been great to see how much support and love there is in the running community. 

It's been a big week and the best way to recap is through pictures!  (That last bit just raise your voice up like it's Oprah giving out prizes)

Saturday I had lots of friends running the Salt Lake Half and Full Marathon.  Mile 8 water station was within walking distance of my house so I decided to go at least feel the spirit of the race and support my friends.

I had lots of layers on PLUS a water proof jacket.  It just rained more and became colder as time went on.  

The first runners behind the motorcycle police.

Water station

One of the first runners to go by running the full marathon (the half marathoners turned at the light, marathoners went straight)  and he was wearing a Boston shirt.  It was awesome! 

That is all the pictures I took.  After that I put my phone away because the rain was so bad.  I also gave out "I run for Boston" bracelets my friend Jason had made.

I am still wearing mine.  I can't do a memorial run but wearing the bracelet makes me feel better.  

Salt Lake did an amazing job with security.  Bomb sniffing dogs, helicopters, policeman everywhere!!  I am always amazed at how much of a sacrifice our public servants make.  Not many of us have jobs where your odds of getting hurt/shot/run over/threatened are so high.  I even saw a couple of fireman go by in a ranger.  

Cheering on the runners really fueled my excitement and I LOVED seeing my friends run by.  I even saw my brother!  He wasn't going to run it but joined his friends last minute.  Just an all around great experience.  I missed a couple of people, which makes me sad, but I was surprised how hard it is to see every ones face as they run by, especially with hats!  I stood there until the race was 2:15 into it and then I had to go home.  I was freezing!  I gave up my gloves to my friend Nicole for her sister and was chilled to the bone!  It took a heated throw, a huge blanket and a couple of hours for me to warm up.

Bloggers I saw at the race.

JOSH 

I have never met him but yelled his name and high-fived!

RACHELLE

Met her very briefly last year at Wasatch Back.  Accidently yelled Rachel...oops.  She was running super fast!

SUSETTE

Met at the Scott Jurek meet and greet and she actually yelled my name so I saw her!

So awesome.  I love the friends I've made online!  

FOOD

Naturally I took pics of my more memorable meals.

Back into the Paleo mode I made a delicious breakfast with bacon, eggs, avocado and tons of veggies!

I also tried making Cauliflower "fried rice".  I had been looking at the recipe for a while but just had not made it.  It was very good, but it doesn't taste like fried rice.  I would make it again, it's a great addition to pot roast and avocado.

Hehehe.  No, I didn't eat one of these.  They were in the EMS lounge in Denver when I went on a flight.  Last thing I need to do is eat something like that and then get on an airplane.  Toot!  Toot! 

WORK

Had a chance to see a Hyperbaric chamber and learn a little bit about CO poisoning. Crazy how much I learn at work every transport!

US Customs and their black SUV's with tinted windows.  

Who knew?

Our airplane next to another medical airplane.  

I'd like to say it's a little showy, red and shiny.  If you see it, wave!

Best thing about fixed wing flights?  Taking a nap on the way home after dropping off the patient.  This time it was a sunshine nap and it was spectacular! 

I take pictures with my iPhone, I don't really have another camera thanks to gravity.  I was trying to be artsy.  I think I love it!  I  may have this printed up and framed and hang it in my office. 

Sometimes our plane looks pinkish. It's my main office. My job is really awesome.

Today

Drove home from work and noticed all the windmills in Wyoming were barely moving.  Very rare for that great state of wind.

That's about it.  I'm completely out of the boot and I'm starting to plan my running schedule.  Slow and steady....

How was your week?

Blog on...........

Trust Fall

Last night after I wrote this post, I still couldn't sleep.  I was at work in Rock Springs and since I couldn't sleep I naturally gave myself a mani-pedi at 2am. Just as I was settling back into bed and starting to get sleepy we got a call.  Unfortunately for my team, I was wide awake and wired.  My body is so crazy. Well it turned out to be the longest transport/return of my career. 

This is what the plane looked like by my side in my frustrated hustle for some patient care. I may or may not have tossed a few things to the side.  

Pointing out that although my job sounds glamorous and looks bad ass, there are some moments where everything seems to be going wrong that a few (hundred) cuss words may pass my lips.  

After we delivered the patient safely to a tertiary facility (big word = big hospital) we took a cab back to the hanger and we were told that the plane was covered in ice and we would have to let it thaw in the hangar for an hour and it might be 2 hours before we took off.  I was at about the 24 hour mark of wearing the same clothes and only had a 2 hour nap in those 24 hours.  I grabbed a blanket and tried to get some sleep on our sweet pleather couch.  

A couple of hours later and the ice on the runway was still bad and before we knew it they closed the ENTIRE airport because of ice conditions.  That put my pilot in time out and we were stuck.  Pilots are only allowed so many hours on duty and then need a set number of hours of rest before they can be on duty again.  The FAA is very strict and our pilots follow those rules and the rules of Air Methods to a tee.  Safety First!

In the end, we hung out with the Salt Lake crew at the Hangar until the airport opened back up and our SLC based plane took us (including our pilot) back to Rock Springs and picked up our other Rock Springs pilot to go get the plane. They were on their way to a transport so although it isn't like dropping off a friend, they did get us back around 3ish.  TWELVE HOURS! 

Before we left I was walking out of the SLC hangar when I saw three of the big snow removal machines go by.  They are pretty darn awesome.

The main International airport is just behind our planes. Crazy foggy/yucky.

 Looks like there is snow on the ground, huh?  NO no no.  Ice.  

Never trust an airplane hangar to catch you in a trust fall.  It was more like a violent slam to the ground.  Phone, helmet bag and work laptop (in a well padded bag) all went flying.  Luckily only the 3 pilots, 2 medics and multiple mechanics saw me.  One of the mechanics checked on me and the other guys just yelled from the plane.  It was so icy and SLIPPERY that they couldn't hurry to me without falling. Either that or they were too busy laughing.   

I brushed off and made it to the plane.  

I can't decide if I'm feeling crappy because of my "hard landing" or the fact I've been up around 40 hours.  I feel really lucky that I didn't hurt myself.  I am sure I would have had I not spent the last year working on a strong core.  TRX/Pilates ROCK!  I do know that my body wouldn't tolerate much of that.  

We had to take off over at one of the big runways.  The SLC team was on the way to pick up a patient so we were one of the first to take off.  Medical transport can get priority.  Bye bye horrible weather and ice.

Of course then I had to drive home. 

Guess I should get some sleep!  I have more painting to do and a post showing all my progress!

Watching the news it was clear that many many people fell today.  Utah doesn't do ice storms and we were running amok.  It was like a snowstorm in Georgia...what do we do?  what do we do?

Have you ever turfed it hard in front of a crowd??

PS. Not much about running right now. This long, hard to heal injury is just killing me!  

Blog on.................