Kitrin - Even if it's a slow jog, your legs are working different muscles compared to walking. I'm glad you made the right choices and got outside and moved instead of eating and crying. Made ya feel a whole lot better, huh? 30 min stationary bike (boooorrrring!) and 1 hr core/strength. I need a TV in my workout room. Something I'll have to work on with the Hub . . . .

What? Moved or deleted?

I give up. Yeah! I had to use the html format and not use the mountain picture above, just copy and paste. Anyway, this is my family and me in the woods yesterday.

Tough life you got there.

Damn!! Sorry to hear that. What's wrong? What are your symptoms? Are you sure? Second opinions?

Damn!! Sorry to hear that. What's wrong? What are your symptoms? Are you sure? Second opinions?

I've had "stomach issues" for years. Had a peptic ulcer when I was a kid. The ulcer has been long gone, but I keep having problems. Even had that thing where they go down your throat and look into your stomach (nice drugs!!). Symptoms range anywhere from just nausea to pain - kinda like a knife in your gut - to pain and nausea at the same time. My doctors have always chalked it up to acid reflux and I've taken enough Pepcid AC, etc., to float a boat. Anyway, I was talking to my buddy, Karen (who's worked in medical offices for years), about it 'cause week before last I had a real bad incident. She says, "It sounds like your gall bladder to me." I looked up gall bladder symptoms on the Internet and Bingo! Pain, nausea, gas, bloating, burping, indigestion, constipation, headaches behind the eyes. I had never connected all these symptoms before, but they almost always come together, and have been fairly pronounced for the past two weeks. I called my nurse practitioner and asked if the gall bladder had ever been checked. She says, "Leslie, I'm embarrassed to say no, we've never check your gall bladder." So last Tuesday I went for an abdominal ultrasound (long story in and of itself) which didn't show gall stones but did show a "slight prominence in the hepatic duct," which goes from the liver to the gall bladder. Now I have to go for a CT scan to see what's up with that. It's my understanding that it could be "sludge" from the gall bladder backing up into the liver, but none of this can be confirmed without all these tests, and I can't get an appointment with the internist 'til they're completed because he would just turn around and order them himself. And if you're not careful, it could evolve into pancreatitis. Ick! So I have to watch what I eat and am trying to eliminate as much fat as possible. The thing that kicked this all into action was a fantabulous bowl of clam chowder and a few drinks a week and a half ago before a concert. The next day - ugh! I was thisclose to going to the ER. And all that was probably WAY more than you wanted to know!

waves of cramping when it would hit, usually after eating too much fat.

I find that Vicodin works miracles, as well. Thanks, Greg. Picked up the cra, um, stuff I'm suppose to drink Sunday night and Monday right before the scan. Yum! Looks tasty!

Whoa! So much can happen in a couple days! Leslie, I am so sorry about your health problems. Here's hoping that you get it all out of the way right now (whatever is necessary) and have a fabulous 2009. Gall bladder trouble can be very painful and frustrating, so you have all my greatest sympathies. There is never a good time to struggle with your health, but at least it is during a relative "down time" for the sport of running. Knowing your determination, I expect you will be in fine form in time for whatever races you want to run in the coming year. Greg, persistence always wins out, so I knew you would win the image posting battle. That is a great picture and you have a beautiful family. Blessings to all of you in 2009. Kelly, enjoy the good times. Many people would envy what you have. I don't ski, but even I am a little jealous. Dan, great to hear from you! If your kids are in your 20s, that means that you will be getting smarter and smarter (in their eyes) with each year. I hope that makes you smile. Happy New Year! Chris, thanks for being here. I always enjoy what you write and LOVE your pictures. I look forward to learning more from you in the coming year. What is up with me? My husband and I rarely stay up for the New Year. However, I am "thinking" about a midnight run to "run in the New Year." I could stay up for that. Tomorrow is an admission free day at the Houston Zoo, so we will take advantage of that but we do not have other plans. I still plan to run the Cross Timbers half marathon in February, so I will need to get my running legs back in shape. I think I need to rebuild after my last two months of inconsistency. I better find my self-discipline again. I will be back, with many training questions for sure in 2009. Cheers! Kitrin