Honoring Veterans

Thanks to all the men and women who are serving or have served our country so that we may have the freedom to live our lives without fear. This artwork is from the students at my school in honor of all our veterans.  Thank you!

A house divided...Purdue or IU

Last weekend Purdue, this weekend IU

Last weekend was my fall break so we headed to Indiana University to visit Brooke for a few days.  Just the weekend before we were at Purdue running the Boilermaker Half Marathon.  Being a Purdue grad, it was fun being able to run through campus.  However, I have come to love the campus of IU equally as much.  Instead of brick buildings found on Purdue's campus, IU boasts magnificent structures created with limestone from Indiana. 

IU Football stadium

The Sample Gates

A beautiful campus

Brooke's biochemistry classroom

IU sightings around campus

Art Museum surrounded with colorful autumn foliage

Brooke and I pose in front of the Showalter Fountain

Beautiful trees abound on campus

IU's Assembly Hall...Home of the HOOSIERS!

Brooke and Herman Wells relaxing on a Saturday afternoon

Brooke's favorite building on campus

Brooke's two favorite places to eat

It's always hard to say goodbye.

Until next time...

Arthritis...A painful way of life

For the past decade I have been dealing with a painful foot which I was told was a bunion.  This was the diagnosis from one of the best orthopedic foot doctors in our area. However, after years of using bunion pads, toe spacers, and a bunion splint worn at night, I have had no relief. 

My bunion paraphernalia

This led me to research bunion surgery options.  After searching the web and watching several you-Tube videos I knew this was NOT the route I wanted to take.  So I decided to make another appointment with the orthopedic surgeon for an update on my bunion dilemma. Since I wasn't able to see the one I saw years ago, I made an appointment with the other foot surgeon. An early morning appointment yesterday offered some answers to my pain. After several X-rays, he confirmed what I suspected for the last few months, Hallux rigidus or severe big toe arthritis. Along with arthritis I also have bone spurs on the top of the bone of my big toe. OUCH! No wonder it feels like I have been walking on glass shards.  If I were younger, he would recommend a clean- up of the affected joints. At my age, the options are joint replacement, bone fusion, or custom carbon orthotics.  Since I dislike needles I am going with the orthotics.  Hopefully they will offer some relief.  Although my foot is painful, nothing compares with the constant pain from the arthritis of my hands.  Unfortunately there is nothing that will offer relief from this pain.  

Right hand with crooked pinkie

Left hand with bulbous fingers and crooked pinkie

My joints are already dreading the cold weather. Thankfully only 6 months until Spring!

Running through time...The Purdue Half Marathon

After graduating from Purdue University in 1979, I would have never thought that someday I would be running a half marathon through the campus.  And as an added bonus, I was able to run it with Kevin, Kym, and Tim.  The course started and finished between Ross-Ade Stadium and the new athletic center.  We ran around the outskirts of campus, down into the quaint town of Lafayette, and back up through the heart of Purdue.  

Purdue University founded in 1869

The Course

Trash bag rain-wear

Freezing and wet before the race

Purdue Pete and Kevin

The course runs on the outskirts of Purdue athletic fields

One done...12.1 more to go

Almost half done

New science buildings

 

Running through downtown Lafayette

Meredith Hall...my dorm for my first year at Purdue

Civil Engineering Building...Kevin's second home while a student at Purdue

Only a 5K left!

The Bell Tower

The Engineering Wall sculpture

The Mall

Campus buildings

Fall beauty

The finish is just a few feet away!

DONE! Walked the last 3 miles but finished in 3:02

 

What a character!

     

The long sleeve technical shirt and medal

Lunch was at Indiana's 2nd oldest brewery

Turkey sandwich and a Diet Coke for recovery

Chocolate for dessert...of course

No visit is complete without a trip to the bookstore.  University Bookstore is where we bought all our books and engineering/drafting supplies.  Very nostalgic.

Kevin's house where he lived

The house we own now just a few blocks from campus

Slight job-site detour on the way home. Large apartment complex in Lafayette being built by Kevin's company.  Quite impressive!

So glad we had the opportunity to run this race even though it was cold (38 degrees) and rainy.  The course wove through campus bringing back memorable moments spent decades ago at Purdue.  A must do race!