Where did I leave off? Oh yes, I ran a 21k race 5 months postpartum, in 2015. Then the following summer I ran a steeplechase which was super fun, and a good challenge for me!
And then life started changing. December 30, 2016 we found out we were pregnant! And, at the end of this past August we welcomed a very handsome and happy baby boy! Our threesome became four.
Life has been very different in the wake of his birth. I like to find silver linings wherever I can, to determine the 'purpose' of a particular event. This helps me to cope. And I needed all hands on deck to cope with all that ensued. I think I will save the full story for another post, but long story short: completely uncomplicated and amazing pregnancy and I was able to run comfortably through 29.5 weeks which was significantly longer than with my daughter. I went into spontaneous labor at 39.3 weeks (woohoo, for full term!) and a very healthy and happy baby resulted. Super thankful for all of this. However, I was wheeled in for an emergency c-section (the complete opposite experience I hoped for and expected), and two hours post-op I suffered a severe hemorrhage and underwent a second procedure to find the source(s) and stop the bleeding. Next thing I know, I wake up in the shock trauma ICU, intubated, laying totally flat, and unable to speak. I would not have believed you if you told me that four days later I would get to discharge home. It was a scary 48 hours and I, thankfully, was unconscious for most of it, but my sweet husband 'got to' experience the full force of it all.
No one involved in any of my care and recovery expected me to make it out so quickly and to rebound the way that I have, but to me it felt like an eternity. The physical and emotional battle that ensued was unprecedented, and looking back I can't believe all that we have gone through. From being completely unable to care for myself to being back to running better than before in just 11 weeks I feel incredibly thankful for my husband, my family, my health, and my body's ability to mend itself. Getting cleared to pick-up my 25 pound toddler was a really big day in our house. Dropping the 40 pounds of fluid weight that I put on in the hospital, being able to see the tendons in my feet again, going for a one mile walk/run, driving, starting PT to get my ab strength back, sitting up from a fully supine position...all enormous milestones.
I have a completely new perspective on life, and recovery following a trauma. Perspective I have (thankfully) never had before, but that has enhanced my ability to empathize with others. There's a silver lining.
Eight days old
Big sister is loving her baby brother and dotes on him. Brother is a sweet, charming little guy who loves to "chat" and smile and being insanely adorable...but he also really likes to not sleep at night just yet :)
Anywho, I started back running on October 29 and each run has been better than the last. I even did some intervals last week while pushing the jogging stroller! I am seeing a women's health specialist for some physical therapy to restore core strength, pelvic alignment, and overall strength in order to return to running in the smartest way possible. We are quite done making humans now :) so I am excited to eventually get myself back on the long distance trail. But, for now, I am content to just be able to run again!
Paige, out.