I’ve seen and heard a lot of commentary on the new Peloton commercial. I’m sure, by now, you know the one: A thin, attractive woman receives a Peloton bike from her husband. She documents her use of it. After one year, she shows her husband her documentation and says she “didn’t know how much it would change her.”
Let America’s freak out ensue!
But wait. Before you freak out, hear me out about this.
I remember glancing at the pre-op paperwork as I shuffled away from the registration desk. With my purse on one shoulder, hugging my marathon jacket to my chest, I read it more than once.
Diagnosis: CARCINOMA IN SITU.
I hadn’t heard anyone call my condition “carcinoma” before, and I knew what the word “carcinoma” meant. It means early stage cancer, or — as it is sometimes referred to, “stage 0 cancer.”
Let me be clear: My condition was and is NOT cancer, but it was about to become cancer. I want to be certain that everyone knows I didn’t have cancer, do not define myself as a cancer survivor, and will not undergo any type of invasive and miserable treatment to get rid of any type of cancer. Stage 0 is the stage just before it’s stage 1 cancer. I was close. I was towing the line. I missed the call from cervical cancer.
And as a result of carcinoma in situ, I had part of my cervix burned off to make sure these severely pre-cancerous abnormalities didn’t spread (and if they did, the result would be a total hysterectomy, which I do not want ate age 32 when we are still considering another child).
I gotta tell ya — seeing “carcinoma” anywhere near your name will weigh on your mind and make you think very hard.
This is my story. Read more
Today I am sporting my 2016 Akron Half Marathon finisher shirt (one of my favorite shirts and one of my favorite races). This is a race that, by my own standards, I completed bombed. I set the unrealistic goal of a sub-2 hour half, and when I went out of the date alongside the 2:00 pacer, I was dead within the first mile.
Disappointing to say the least, but of course, I learned a few lessons.
Recently, I decided that I wanted to start being a little more adventurous and doing things that seem like a “hassle” to me. In other words, I want to start traveling a little bit more. Those who know me understand that traveling is not my thing at all. I’ve been a handful of places and if taking a trip means schedule alterations, I’d rather skip it (no joke).
That really isn’t a way to live, though – especially according to my husband who would live out of a suitcase if I agreed to it.
I’m starting small. This weekend, I went to Detroit (about 3.5 hour drive) overnight with my husband, four year old, and seven week old. It seemed daunting, so I figured that was a good reason to do it!
Agreeing to travel more doesn’t mean I am suddenly a plane-hopper who has no worries and effortlessly baby-wears all over the damn world.
It means I find ways to manage traveling with kids. I know I’m not the only one who feels overwhelmed at the thought of shlepping kids around, even if it’s just to Target (what about feeding time? what about nap time? what about the temp outside – what do I put on them? It’s going to be 54 degrees when we go to Target that’s five minutes away, but 62 when we leave in the hour time limit I am imposing on us – what’s best? ANSWER ME we are losing time on the hour I set aside for this!).
Here are some tips based on what I learned about car trips with kids when you are determined to have everything go as planned.
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