Lounge Doctor

The Boston Marathon and me

Status
Not open for further replies.
backbay38

backbay38

graduate
Joined
Jan 4, 2009
Messages
509
Age
86
Location
United States
Gender
Female
When I had my RTKR in January my goal was to be recovered enough to go to Boston with my husband Frank when he ran the Boston Marathon. I will make it; the Marathon is Monday (Patriot's Day in MA) I worte a little piece on my blog about it and a previous piece on my TKR in general if any of you have the time and inclination to look.
https://global-perspectives.blogspot.com/
This is very, very important to me and I get really emotional everytime I think about it and being able to be there. And all of you have helped so much to get me to this place!!! I just can't thank you enough.
Stephani
 
That's wonderful, Steph! Your dream has come true - oh, I'm all teary! Hope the weather is good and you have a wonderful time. We shall want pictures, you know!
 
Stephani --Congratulations! That is a wonderful story. On a much smaller note, my wife is running in a 5k this Sunday in Virginia. Even though I'm not a runner, I considered entering the 5k as walker, but I am only 2+ weeks post op from BTHR. However, I've decided that I'm going to enter anyway, take 2 canes and stop when I start to feel tired. Honestly, if I make it 1 mile, and I'm pretty sure I can do that, I will consider it a major success, and I will be able to cheer on my wife. It's not the Boston Marathon, but just to be able to be there will be important to me also. And, for you, to go to the Boston Marathon, the top distance race in the country, to cheer your husband on, will be fantastic. Congrats!
Tom
 
Hey Stephani I enjoyed your Blog. You have a pretty nice record yourself. Best of luck to your hubby and congratulations to you for being there.
Cheers, Ross
 
Wow, Steph! You go girl! You and Frank should BOTH be thrilled with your accomplishments!!!! Now those challenges make any marathon pale in comparison!!! Keep on Keeping on!!!! :)
 
Stephani, what a sterling milestone this will be for you. My heart will be with both you and your husband this weekend and Monday as you make your Boston memories come alive.

I really enjoyed your blog. You have a comfortable writing style that is easy to read and interesting!! Your very kind comments about the forum and Jo and me are much appreciated. I do hope that you continue to post both here and on your blog in the months to come. Your contributions are so helpful to those in need of support.
 
Jamie -- thank you for that last post!! And everyone -- thank you for your support. It's nice to feel like a member of a real community which this is.
Tom -- I think it's great for you to enter that 5K and just walk what you can. You might surprise yourself but don't push. You will feel like you have really accomplished something and it will be something you and your wife do together again -- which is the most important thing. I think at 2 weeks out I could do maybe a mile and a half. But as soon as the staples came out it got a whole lot easier. But I just can't imagine having both knees replaced! You and the others with BTKR are amazing!
I will try to take a few shots with my iPhone and post them if I can figure out how to do that....OK I see -- it's above on the frame. Shouldn't be too difficult.
 
Just a word of warning. Two months after my TKR, I was the handler for my daughters 2nd marathon: The Flying Pig. I wore a pedometer and did almost 20000 steps running from car to start, back to car, car to mile 5, back to car, car to mile 15.... It was the most exercise I had post-op to that time. Post marathon my daughter took her ice bath and I elevated my leg and iced. Still I think I had so much inflamation I was pretty laid up with swelling in the leg and flu like symptoms for the next day. So you might overdo it but you'll like every minute of it.
 
EDK.....some things are just WORTH a little pain afterwards, aren't they!
 
Edk --thanks for the warning. I probably WILL overdo it. I tend in that direction anyhow. But "I'll cry tomorrow" :) And your daughter probably thought her Dad was way cool!!! And you were!
 
Just want you al to know that my husband Frank finished the Boston Marathon on Monday in 4 hours 22 minutes which was a little slower than he had hoped. But he said it was a difficult marathon. The rain held off and it was a truly great event. I accomplished my goal as well -- I was walking all over for 3 days-- up and down subways stairs and standing for hours at the Expo and then Monday as a spectator. You couldn't get close to the actual finish line but I got text alerts on my cell as he passed major checkpoints. You can do that because you wear a chip in your shoe which registers when you run over an electronic mat on the course. so I did see him at mile 17 but he was by too fast for me to snap a photo. I'd like to post his photo from the next morning in his finisher's shirt and medal -- but I can't figure out how to do it. . anyhow I am very very proud of him!!!! He ran it for both of us but he had to actually do the 26.2 miles and put in all the training and it is the pinacle of both our running experiences!!![
 
Here are instructions to post a photo to the BoneSmart forum using TinyPic.com

1. Go to www.tinypic.com and on the first screen browse your files to find the photo you want to copy to BoneSmart. Either click on the photo or copy the address on your PC into the top block on the TinyPic page.

2. Be sure that the radio button in the File Type (next section) is clicked for IMAGE.

3. In the RESIZE section, click on the drop-down menu and select Message Board. Then click on UPLOAD NOW.

4. It will process and you know it worked when you see a new screen in TinyPic and the message THANKS, WE GOT YOUR IMAGE.

5. Pull your cursor over the IMG Code for Forums & Message Boards to highlight the entire address. Then right click your mouse button to bring up the menu box for editing and select COPY. The correct URL is then copied to your clipboard. Close the TinyPic window.

6. In the BoneSmart window, place your cursor in the Quick Reply box on the thread where you want the photo. Right click your mouse button and select PASTE. You should see a URL from TinyPic with IMG on either side of a web address (https: + the address). That's it and when you post your reply, the photo will be there. You can also type copy before or after the pasted URL in your post.
 
Steph!!! I've been thinking about you since the marathon! You and Frank really are a great team! So happy he finishd, and so happy you are well on your way to doing what YOU want to do! :)
 
You truely are an inspiration . What you accomplished is terrific. I am happy for you and hope I can have the same drive you do ....Congrats..........Kim
 
Steph,
You must be so proud of Hubby!! Running for both of you thye way he did. And the Boston Marathon is not easy!! My Niece's hubby does something called the Iron Man
Marathon's he walks, run, bikes, and swims and I don't know what else all in one. I could not make the first leg of something like that!!!! I would just lay down and play dead LOL. So all I can say is your Hubby is really Special!!!
^i^
RTKR on Jan 14 2009
LTKR on March 6 2009
 
Jamie, why don't you save yourself all that typing and just give them the link to the post in Lifestyles .... How to post a picture
[Bonesmart.org] The Boston Marathon and me

 
Well, I could, but I actually didn't type it....I pulled it from my toolbox and it takes about the same amount of time. And I find tinypic.com is easier to use than PhotoBucket. Guess it's all what you get used to.
 
[Bonesmart.org] The Boston Marathon and me

OK guys -- here's Frank's photo the morning after the marathon (I hope). Thanks Jamie it seems straightforward enough. And easier I think than Jo's site.
I have conveyed all your congrats to him; after all -- he still had to run it.
Calling -- the Iron Man is way out of our league!!! The original one is in Hawaii -- I think it's a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike race and then a marathon (26.2 miles). I have no idea how anyone can do it!!!! People finish in 8 hours or longer. Yikes!!!
I am just so happy I was able to "racewalk" around Boston and do the T (subway) stairs and fight the crowds with absolutely no thought of my knee. Just like the old days. In
fact I truly feel about 20 years younger! I just have all that extra energy now that used to be spent in hauling myself and my mal-formed knee around.
I remember all the posts here about this operation being a life changing event. That is so very very true and there is no way to understand that until you have it done. I am not a religious person but every night I give thanks to whomever or whatever connects us all for this wonderful new chance at living!!!
Stephani
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Active Antibacterial

BoneSmart #1 Best Blog

The Best Total Knee Replacement Blogs of 2020

Members online

Total: 253 (members: 4, guests: 249)

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom