I've come so far!

I love our Tuesday night group training runs in Decatur. It's a nice break to the work week to go out there and see my running friends. I hate that sometimes (like tonight), it takes me almost 80 minutes to drive out there because of traffic, but it's always worth it to go and get my miles in with the group and just have a mid-week social outing.

It's also nice because we run the same route every week, and it's nice to feel the accomplishment I've made in finishing that route. It's a nice run through Decatur, and I feel so much better doing those 4-5 miles now than I did just 2 short months ago. I really like the 4-6 mile runs ... it's just long enough where I don't get super bored or exhausted, and it feels like a good accomplishment. I'm still kind of wondering how in the world I'm going to run 13.1 miles in Vegas!

I feel like I've also come so far health-wise! I saw my GI doctor yesterday and everything is going well! We've had some talks about possibly switching my medications, because I still have recurring abscesses and fistulas, but we're still waiting to see whether the Humira shots I give myself will start to make a difference in healing these fistulas. I've been on these shots for almost a year, with weekly injections for just about 2 months now.

I also think about how far I've come in terms of my recovery since my surgeries. I had my first surgery in July 2008, followed by my 2nd in September 2008, 3rd in December 2008, 4th in February 2009, and 5th in May 2009. I wish I had taken more pictures through the course of those surgeries, but they were all so whirlwind that I was just doing what I could to survive. I think I had no idea what my "new normal" would be when this picture was taken after my bowel resection last July ... or how 15 months later I would feel almost back to normal! It's amazing and I feel so greatful for my awesome doctors and my awesome medications!