Tragedy and Loss

Everything can change in a blink of the eye.  Sunday night, we got that call that one of my husband's first cousins had had a freak motorcycle wreck and had died.  He was an organ donor, so they were in the process of harvesting what organs they could.  I still don't know all of the details, but I am heartsick for my in law family.  I had just met cousin Jon at the last family reunion last year.  I just remember him being so happy to see my hubby and sitting and listening to him talk out about life.  He seemed like such a nice guy and I could tell him and my hubby had been good friends until my hubby moved to KS. My hubby isn't the most communicative, much like most men, but I can tell this is really hitting him hard.  Today is the graveside service and my hubby and brother in law headed out around 7 pm last night to drive all night to get there in time.    My running this week may take a back seat.  That is how life works and I am good with that. I know I have put in the time and effort for this race, so one week of low miles isn't going to hurt me.  Heck the race is on sunday, so I am tapering anyway.  Even if I can get a few stroller miles in, that will work.

On top of this tragedy, my mom had to put her 15 year old dog to sleep monday morning.  If you have ever owned a dog, you know the pain of having to do this, and how it the toughest decision you will make as a dog owner.  It is so hard to know what the right thing to do is for a living breathing animal.  Mischief was 16 and her body was failing her. While she wasn't in any pain that we could tell, her body keep betraying her more and more and it was time.  I am so proud of my mom for taking her and going through the process and for giving her an awesome life all of these years.  I am also very glad that the vet she got to see was very thoughtful and very understanding of the struggle to make such a hard  decision that mom had been facing.  Some people are just born to be vets/doctors and work with people and animals and this one sounds like she was.  Mischief and Miller are pretty close to the same age so I am going to be doing lots of hugging and loving on him tonight for sure.

Whatever you do, pray, think good thoughts, or mediate, could you do that for the Coleman family tonight, and for my mom as well?  I can't even imagine what my aunt mary is going through right now.  To loose a son that you have brought up and loved so much just shakes me to the core.  As a new mom, I can't even imagine what I would do if I lost my little red.  I know my mom is also hurting at the loss of her companion, and my heart goes out to everyone grieving.

One last note.  I am going in again tomorrow for another round of extreme pain massage on my leg.  The pain only bothers me during the day in my normal goings about.  It doesn't bother me when I run and it feels like a bad bruise.  I am hoping one more round of work will help.  I try to keep ice on it when I sit at work and or keep my compression socks on as much as I can and I run in them now all the time.   I am going to stay on top of this and may even take a rest week next week instead of plugging along on my normal schedule for the next half.