A Year From Now...

May 2013 - Honolulu Triathlon

Due to the generosity of friends from Japan and the support of my family, I was able to join a team for the Honolulu Triathlon last month.  日本人の友人の寛大さと家族の支援があるので、先月ホノルルトライアスロンのためにチームに参加することができました。

Swimming practice at Ala Moana Park was great preparation for race day. アラモアナ公園で水泳の練習は、レース当日のために偉大な準備だった。

The event began before the Waikiki sunrise – 5:45 AM start!  イベントはワイキキ日の出の前を始めた - 5:45のスタート！

Due to an excellent course and ideal conditions, I was able to enjoy a good pace and finish in 2:43.  Very nice!  優れたコースと理想的な天気のために、2時43分には良いペースと仕上がりを楽しむことができました。非常に素晴らしい！

Gaining support and advice from experienced teammates was a unique and rewarding experience.  I am very grateful to everyone for their kind support!  I am looking forward to the next event!  経験豊富なチームメイトからのサポートやアドバイスを得ることは、ユニークでやりがいのある経験だった。皆さん、心から、深く感謝いたします！次のイベントを楽しみにしています！

Survive, Languish and Rally, Emerge ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Jinqiao

Last Saturday, November 3rd, was the second anniversary of my catastrophic skating injury.  I had planned to mention it here that day, but it seems there was some kind of mental hurdle to overcome first.  It requires a thoughtful exploration. This is rather dense and serious, so I'm breaking it up with some photos of the Family Painting Wall in Jinqiao.  前の土曜日、１１月三日は私の大災のスケートの事故の二年間記念日でした。ここに買いたかったが、長い時間考えた後に、そして下に全部の説明を書きます。あれは密集なまじめな書き事から、近所の家族の塗料ことの壁写真も載せます。でも、日本語の翻訳をできません。

SURVIVE is my word for the first year after the injury.  Nov 3rd, 2010, while on an easy 40 km skate with my friends in rural Japan, I fell down and broke my leg.  It is now clear that a piece of debris had lodged in the frame of the skate just so, and when I went over a slight rise, it shifted, tripping me up, twisting the leg and breaking it in two places.  Even now, it's hard for me to think too much about that moment.  But it was such a freaky thing, I can only believe it was somehow meant to happen.  Crucial to my destiny, all that.  

Getting through the initial trauma and treatment, the language and culture induced communication deficit, the lack of pain control, the isolation, fear, and despair- it was almost too much to bear.  Japan has socialized medicine, so I had to wait my turn for surgery, laying in skeletal traction in a crowded six-bed-ward for TEN DAYS.  As a skilled critical care nurse, I knew that wasn't right, and tried hard to get the nurses to follow basic immobilization precautions, with little success.  Nursing practice is the most backward part of that otherwise progressive society that I have unfortunately had to experience.

 Finally discharged after the surgery, I started out in high spirits, trying to recover my strength and mobility - always moving, always striving, but unfortunately, within a few days, on Dec. 8th, I was back in the ER in the middle of the night with nearly fatal complications.  Surviving the intensive treatment, anti-coagulation, an array of further medical issues, it was a dark December for my family and me.

The new year dawned and went on with me trying to regain my mobility, and trying to manage the pain and other issues.  I often took myself to the hospital by taxi and crutches for outpatient rehabilitation, which is where I was when the earthquake struck in March.  Oh, what a tough time that was.  I hesitate to lament, as so many people lost their lives in the disaster, but the aftermath of the tsunami and nuclear disaster was quite stressful.  

Then, the big move out of Japan, sending our stuff and our lives to both China and Michigan, after living in the same place for ten years.  Those weeks of preparation were fraught with uncertainty and discouragement, not to mention physical exhaustion and pain, but that summer in Ann Arbor was a welcome respite.  Then, taking my daughter to college and leaving for China, and all that that would entail...  What a terrible year, but survival was the name of the game, and I did survive, thanks to much support from family and friends.

LANGUISH and RALLY characterizes the second year, which has just now come to a close.  A series of small advances alternating with discouraging weakness and lack of progress.  Hope and despair.  Small steps forward and frequent disappointments.  A year is a long time, so it is helpful to remember where I was just twelve months ago.  We lived in a two story apartment then, and going downstairs was difficult and painful; going up was exhausting and made me short of breath.  I couldn't move at all in the mornings.  My leg was a mess, there was still a lot of pain, and I had a severe limp which was causing hip problems.  More, it was the non-medical results of my injury that were causing just as much misery- changed body image, mental exhaustion, crushed spirit.  

But I was beginning with a trainer, which would end up helping tremendously.  The doctor visits started up again in China, with a new cardiologist, orthopedic surgeon, hematologist, as well as my internist and other consults.  Eventually, we traveled to Hong Kong for surgery to have five pins removed, which was a turning point, as recovering the full range of motion of my ankle made a surprising difference overall.  

Finally getting to meet my new granddaughter was a sweet event among the challenges.  Eventually getting through the uncertainties of Martin's job, helping him move to Michigan, and moving Jonah and I closer to his school here in Jinqiao, and managing with the drastic change in company support has ended me up where I am now.

EMERGE will be my word for this next phase.  Now that the third year post injury has begun, I desperately want to make up for lost time, to wake up and seize this opportunity.  The leg is good, the other issues are either resolved or controlled, I'm losing weight and feeling more like myself.  I'm staying busy doing several worthy activities, and I have a very special project I am working on every day.  I will have a few months, here in Shanghai, without an excess of distractions or pressures, and I really want to make something positive out of those two years of experience.  

My novel, that elusive book which I had always assumed was somewhere in me, is beginning to trickle onto the page.  Via some tools like 750 words, Nanowrimo, and Scrivener, I'm starting to get the words down, beginning to put together a story that is not about "me" but uses my calamity as fodder.  Hopefully it will be a well-written, interesting, entertaining and uplifting story of healing and emergence.  Certainly there is a legitimate concern that I won't get it written, I do have a serious issue with procrastination, so perhaps thats why I'm writing about it here.

8, 9, 10 Laps ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Shanghai

Here's a couple of shots of the end of the Mid-Autumn Festival Lanterns.  They remind me of the giant pumpkins grown by my nephew Eric.  二つ秋の中の祭りのランプは下に来ます。甥は巨大パンプキンを栽培するらしいと思います。

While the other ex-pats were away on beach vacations last week, Jonah worked on his college applications and essays, and I tried to go to the pool as often as I could force myself.  This week, I am seeing some progress.  Monday I swam the 8 laps I'd been doing.  Takes me nearly 30 minutes as I have to rest on each end, each time.  I knew I could have done one more, but wanted to save room for growth.  Tuesday, I did 9 laps, and felt pretty good.  Today, I swam 10 laps, and my stroke is definitely improving.　　先週に、皆の他の外国人は浜の休みの旅行しながら、ジョナは大学の願書とかエッセーを努力して、書きました。私は時々プールに入れてので、習慣を作ってにくいです。今週だんだんよくなると思うので、月曜日に８つラップを泳いだ、火曜日に９ラップを泳いだ、今日１０ラップを泳ぎました。それから、進歩をしたと思います。もちろん、小さい成功だけど、満足します。

Night Ride to Hot Pot . . . . .Shanghai

So, the bike as a form of daily transportation is something I haven't experienced for awhile, but I am feeling stronger and more balanced, and have been riding my bike quite a bit.  Last night after dark, my friend and I rode our bikes to a restaurant that she knows.  As we went through the tunnels under the highway, and crossed unlit and typically chaotic intersections, I thought of my many night skates in Tokyo over the years.  It had been both exciting and terrifying to move so quickly at night, almost feeling your way along in some places, hurtling into the darkness on the path next to the river, trusting.  This was not quite so bad, we rode the bikes slowly.  (For my sake, I'm sure.)  The autumn festival lanterns above, hang in the entrance of our compound.  The rest of the twenty minute ride was much darker.  最近、よく元気になったので、もっと自転車に乗ります。昨日晩に暗がりで中国人の友達と自転車でレストランに行きました。乗りながら、昔の東京のナイトスケートを思い出しました。ちょっと危ないから、少しい怖かったです。でも、あのナイトスケートの追走は懐かしいので、面白いです。上の写真のたくさんランプは秋の祭りで近所の門にかけました。レストランは２０分でかいて、もっと暗いです。

Jessie and I had a great time eating Hot Pot, at a restaurant I would have never gone into by myself. She made sure that I understood the ordering process and even translated all of the pertinent items on a sheet, so next time I can take Jonah there, and we can enjoy Hot Pot again.  It's great to have a Chinese friend like Jessie.  中国人の友達と言うジェシー一緒にホットポットを 食べに行きました。あのレストランは一人で無理ので、ジェシーとやさしくて、美味しかったです。もう、ジェシーは注文をする方を説明をしたので、メンユーを訳しました。そうすると、次の時に、ジョナと一緒に行って、楽しむと思います。とてもやさしい友達です。

Swimming Pointers ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Jinqiao

Last week, when Martin was in town, I asked him to watch me swim and give me some pointers.  After almost 25 years of marriage, he was able to give me advice without sounding bossy.  Well, he has been triathlon training for most of this year, and his form has really improved, so I'll take those pointers, I'll try anyway.  I'm happy that the pool is so close, and this pool is quite nice.  Swimming may work out for me afterall.      先週にマーティンは上海にいる時に、一緒に泳いで、マーティンは私の形について教えてくださいと言いました。殆ど２５年間に結婚したので、教えることの様式はよくなりました。笑。そして、最近トライアサロンをしてので、忠告は親切と思います。新しいマンションから、プールは早い歩いてできるので、きれいなプールです。プールによく入れたら、もっと元気なると思います。

That's Martin in the yellow cap.  I swim back and forth a few times, but he goes on for an hour.　　上の写真でマーティンは黄色のカップを使います。私は早い終わってので、マーティンはいつも一時間に泳ぎます。

To follow up on Martin's prior post showing the beautiful colors my family and friends are enjoying in Michigan, here's a view from my balcony.  No fall colors, but see that striped building near the top mid of the screen?  That's my gym, so you can see that its an easy walk to the pool.  What's to stop me from taking advantage of this opportunity?  昨日マーティンは取ったの写真を載せたので、ミシガン州の美しい秋木だので、私のバルコニーから見えます。違ういろですね。でも、よいことは、プールを見えるから、とても近いです。

Thanks Coach ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Shanghai

Last spring when Jonah participated in track, he had a great coach, Mrs. Bishop.  She really encouraged him as he tackled the sport of long distance running.  This summer, he often went running, wherever he happened to be, and continued to improve his skill while trying to prevent injury and deal with the inevitable issues like shin splints and managing nutrition while training.  When school started, Coach Bishop encouraged Jonah to join the Cross Country team, and, along with her assistant coach, Mr. Zielke, helped him improve his endurance and his times.  Jonah trains with a great group of kids from the high school, and it's really too bad that they can't all go to the Championships being held in Guam next month.  

What I think is really neat is that training for Cross Country has given Jonah a chance to practice and hone his leadership skills among his peers, as well as giving him practice at certain life skills that will be especially useful during his senior year and in college, such as planning, persistence, and follow through.  Congratulations, Jonah, on being chosen to go with your team to APAC.  Keep it up.  This is only the beginning.  

前の春に、ジョナは学校のトラックチームに参加しながら、いいコーチがありました。いつもがんばったので、ジョナは好きです。ジョナのイベントは３０００ミ-タ-を走りました。そして、夏に何回もどこでも走ることを練習しました。早くなってみて、忍耐もよくやてみます。怪我予防してみるといろい問題扱いします。８月から、新しい学校年は始まったから、コーチはまた激励くれて、ジョナはよくなりました。全部のチームはたくさん学生があるので、少しは来月にグアムの選手権に行くできます。ジョナは選ばれたが、全部のチームは良いと思います。  

特別いいことは、ジョナのために、走ることはチームの中に、リーダーになるので、一人で走ることはとてもいい考えているの時間です。今年や未来の大学校のために、計画を作って、根気を得て、達成も学べます。ジョナがんばって、今は始まったです。

One day... in Shanghai

This was yesterday.  Today was a crazy mess of sorting and packing and moving... but yesterday was almost normal.  Last week was so clear, but this week the polution is so bad, even Jonah has a cold.

これは昨日です。今日は複雑な何々が、選ぶことで、パッキングことで、引っ越すこともあらので、昨日は殆どの普通です。先週は晴天だけど、今週の空気はすごく汚染なので、ジョナも風が引きました。

Time for a little Toby time.  We will all miss Toby for the summer, but especially Jonah, who is watching sports on TV with his buddy.  トビはジョナの友達ので、夏に、トビは中国にいるので、ジョナhは旅行をします。ここに、トビとテレビで、スポーツを見ています。

Last training session with Malone.  Over many months, he has been an excellent trainer, and really helped me recover.  最後のマーロンとトレーニングをしました。たくさん月間でとてもいいトレーナをしたので、よくなることを手伝いました。

Here is the gym building seen at night while taking toby for a walk.  I will miss this place.

夜にトビと散歩をしながら、ジムを見ました。　この所を忘れない。