Vacation All I Ever Wanted…

(Anyone know the singer of that song?!??!)

I have realized recently as I’ve chatted on the phone with some people who haven’t seen me yet, that I haven’t given a clear update recently about my physical condition and abilities.  I’ve realized that various people have no idea about where I’m at in my recovery…some still assume that I have to stay in bed and can’t move around that easily.  Fortunately, I am pretty far beyond those limitations. I am up and moving around.  I go to PT twice a week for a half hour and do either the elliptical or recumbent bike for the first part of that time.  I then spend the remaining time doing reps on the circuit machines or balancing exercises.  I usually go for a walk everyday and the other day was able to do the 2 mile loop by my house.  I am able to drive and run errands at the mall, etc.  Probably the only difference between how I am now and how I was pre-accident, besides the large scars on my back and ankle, metal parts in my body and occasional back pain, would be my energy level.  I know that it will come back eventually, but as I’m still in the healing process, my stamina isn’t completely there yet.  I still wear the back brace that they molded for me in Israel but will stop wearing it in about three weeks or so.  I am looking forward to stop wearing it, but I know it will take a while to regain strength in my abs and back since the brace has supported me for so long.  So, that is my physical update.  I can tell you that all of the medical professionals who I’ve seen since being back have told me that I’m doing amazingly well, which is of course awesome news. 

And, I’m delighted I’m doing so well because my family (except for my brother, sniff) are going on vacation this weekend to Virginia Beach.  We’re actually going to visit family out there and attend my cousin’s First Communion.  I am pumped to be going someplace that is hopefully a little bit warmer than Minnesota and have a little change of pace. I am a little nervous about the flight, considering the last time I flew was my way home from Israel and I was in business class…I think the squished coach seats might not be as comfortable or accommodating. But, praise the Lord for those pain medications I still have

Changed plans

Funny thing.  Had things worked out my way, I would have been returning to the US today.  I would have finished teaching in Addis at the end of March, travelled throughout Egypt and Ethiopia for a couple of weeks, spent a few days in London and then landed in Minneapolis this evening.  Weird.  Well, I guess that just wasn’t in the cards.  It is strange to think what life would be like had I not gone through the past couple of months.  As much as I wish I could have stayed abroad for the past 2.5 months, I now know that I would not have appreciated them as much as I should have.  And, as much as I wish the accident would have never happened, I will say that it has given me a much greater appreciation for the opportunities that I am (and will be) given.  For example, I can’t tell you how excited I will be when I go for my first run.  Today was a nice sunny day here in Duluth and I ENVIED the dozens of runners I saw on the street.  I can’t wait to get out there that first time.  So, even though I know I loved (most of the time) being in Ethiopia, I definitely began to take my experience over there for granted.  I do pray that I can get back there in the near future and appreicate all of those people and things that I didn’t enjoy to the fullest.  

holy crap!

I met some friends while in Addis named Marc and Shuwen.  I met them at the Hash (the Hash House Harriers running club that I participated in over there).  They were in Addis for about a month in mid-January/February and we hung out a couple of times.  They were both talented runners, Marc especially.  I knew that he was a marathon runner and pretty good, but I had no idea HOW good. Turns out he just got 15th place in the Boston Marathon.  WHAT?!?!?!?  Pretty awesome. Here’s a little article about him that Shuwen passed along. Congrats Marc! 

http://www.newsobserver.com/sports/story/1046869.html 

the cell phone blues

Cell phone technology has come a long way over the past few decades.  I mean, do you remember the HUGE cordless “cell” phone that Zack Morris used to carry around with him on Saved by the Bell?!  And, working at the shelter last year and accepting old cell phones to be donated, I definitely saw quite a few archaic monstrosities.  So, I’m glad that current cell phones are much smaller and sleeker than their predecessors.  However, something that really gets me, in light of the fact that it was earth day yesterday, is that I feel phones are made to break down every two years (or less).  I have had my current phone since August of 2006 and then didn’t use it for SIX months earlier this past year and it keeps dying on me. What in the world?  I am hoping that the trend to greenify our society, which hey, I’m all about, will reach the cell phone industry.  The idea of throwing out old phones, not to mention the money it costs to buy a new phone, is getting pretty old to most of us, I’m guessing.  I wish I could still use the phone I had in Addis…one of those old simple Nokia phones that had no bells and whistles but stayed charged for days at a time and got the job done! 

I say all of this because in lieu of spending over $80 on a new phone today (the cheapest one there) I decided to spend $40 on a new battery for my current phone (since everything else about it is still fine).  And, the guy was able to give my phone a free software update which means I now have speaker phone…good deal!  As fun as it can be to learn a new phone, I’d rather just stay with my old Chocolate phone, which the guy at the store pretty much called a “relic” since it is such an old model.  Antiques are cool in my book. 

There will be celebrating in Ethiopia

An Ethiopian woman won the Boston Marathon today.  Her name is Dire Tune.  I hadn’t heard of her before, but I can guarantee you that the people in Addis will be celebrating her tomorrow.  I was in Addis when Haile Gebrselassie won the Berlin marathon and it was so fun to see how my students and others I met had pride in their athletes.  I just heard from a friend still in Ethiopia that things have been a little scary recently with the weather.  They are experiencing drought, with cattle dying and crops being destroyed.  Please pray for rain!  So, in the midst of that hardship (among many others), Tune’s victory might provide a little bit of pride and excitement for the Habeshas.   

http://www.boston.com/sports/marathon/

Fun times

It was so fun being able to attend my friend Karen’s wedding this past Saturday.  It was fun because a) I’m super excited for her and her new husband, Charlie b) I’ve known her for 8.5 years so it is great just to see her enter this new phase of life c) I got to visit with a bunch of college friends (and my dear friend Kari who hosted me and planned an amazing Dairy Queen birthday surprise for me)  who I hadn’t seen in a while and d) she and Charlie drove off in a car that used to be mine.  Yeah, we donated one of our cars (a royal blue Mercury Sable) to a pastor a few years ago, Gary, who is a friend of the couple.  He ended up giving the car to Charlie a few years later and it is the car he still drives today.  Pretty funny knowing that Karen and Charlie not only had their big DTR in my old car, they ended up driving off from their wedding in it, too.  Perhaps my family got rid of it a bit early….

    

Amazingness

Can I just say that I love Chipotle.  Duluth doesn’t have one (even though people have been trying to get one to come for YEARS!), soof course my friend Kari and I had to head to Chipotle when I arrived in the Twin Cities tonight.   I am happy to report that my veggie burrito bowl was fantastic! 

Also, my drive down here from Duluth (about 2.5 hours) went pretty well.  I must say that I’m not a huge fan of merging, reversing or parallel parking at this stage of my recovery (twisting is still a bit hard) but overall, driving isn’t too tough.  It is so nice to have that bit of freedom! 

My last day as a 26 year old

You know, it is not as if I am thrilled about turning a year older tomorrow, but I will say that I think I am kind of ready to move on from 26.  This has been a pretty full year: running a marathon and half marathon (so glad I did that when I had the chance…it will be a few months before I can run again), quitting my job and moving overseas, working with the organization in Ethiopia I’ve wanted to, losing my grandpa, living alone in Africa, breaking my back and being med-evaced to another country…yeah, I’m ready to move on.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m definitely hoping 27 is still eventful, but maybe just a bit more peaceful would be nice. ;) 

  

Oh gosh

Over the past couple of months, people have been contacting me after finding my name or blog on various sites.  That’s cool.  Out of curiosity, I decided to google my name and see what turned up. Hmm….let’s just say one of the sites that popped up was pretty surprising.  The article that was written about me in the Duluth paper begins with “sitting erect in her parents living room, Lauren knows she is a lucky woman.”  Well, unfortunately that word erect can have kind of a sexual meaning.  Because of that, I ended up on some website which begins with www has erectgays in the middle and then is followed by dot com.  What in the world?! ?!?!?!? (I don’t really want to post the link and give them more traffic…I’m not really into supporting lewd sites, straight or gay).  Fortunately, after briefly glancing at the site I realized that it is just sort of a search engine and you’d have to search for my name to find it there (as opposed to it being widely visible on the homepage or something).  In any case, definitely an uncomfortable discovery.  So, be careful next time you google yourself…you never know where you’ll find your name! 

WHAT THE #$%^!!!

So, April 11th.  You’d think we should be seeing the first signs of spring…you know, the trees starting to bud, the temps climbing into the 50s, perhaps an occasional rain shower.  Oh no.  In Duluth, April 11th brings with it a blizzard and unfortunately, I don’t mean the ice cream treat from Dairy Queen.  We got DUMPED on last night/early this morning.  We have well over a foot on our deck and driveway and everywhere else.  Mom, dad and I have been outside for the past couple of hours trying to shovel some of the white stuff out of the way.  Here are some photos to document the occasion.  SHEESH!  For the record, may I just say once more that I am still supposed to be in Africa right now!!!