Our beautiful growing girls...........

Alex's 15th Birthday Party.........

The Vodeniks' - Gracie, RJ, Alex, Sarah & Lucie

June 16, 2012  (Alex's 15th birthday party)

Mayo Clinic.......

We made our trip to Mayo Clinic on Tuesday night May 29th.  We decided to stop in and catch a game at Target Field and cheer on the Minnesota Twins!  We froze our butts off.  The temperature got down to 45 degrees and we were both wearing tshirts and shorts (being that it was 85 degrees when we left home).  We left in the 8th inning (Twins were losing 2-0) just to have the Twins hit a three run homerun in the 9th to win!! Oh well, it was fun while we were there and we scored great seats for $15 apiece from a lady that got them from her work! 
For the tests they were doing the next morning (starting at 6:30 am) RJ had to be sleep deprived and could get no more than 4 hours of sleep that night, no caffeine, nothing to eat past 7 (and the food had to be very minimal and not fatty, oily, no red meats, no pasta) and then nothing to drink past midnight.  Needless to say he was very tired.  It killed him not to eat at the ball game too!
We started our morning Tuesday with getting his blood drawn at 6:30, then hiking to his next appointment at 8:15 for his MRI.  I waited a lot in the waiting rooms, I brought along RJ's phone and a word search to keep me busy).  Next up was his E.K.G at 11:00, and then his E.E.G at 1:30.  All of these appointments were in different buildings so we walked / ran a lot.  Once his E.E.G was done around 3, we headed back to the hotel (which was connected through a skywalk and subway) where RJ was completely worn out and went to sleep until around 8 that night. 
I got in a workout in the Exercise room at the hotel while he slept! 
Thursday was a little less hectic.  We had his tilt table test at 9am and when that was finished at 11, we went out for lunch and then met up with some friends that we were also there with their little girl getting tests done on her.
Next was our appointment with the neurologist to get the results.  All of the tests came back negative and good.  They are sure he has some sort of Epilepsy but until they can catch a seizure on the monitor to pin point which type they can't treat it.  We head back up to St. Mary's (right across the street from Mayo) on July 9th for the week.  They are doing an extended E.E.G to try and provoke a seizure.  Wish us luck......

Bootcamp Babes......

This is my bootcamp class minus one girl Tina!  Last night we finished our 3rd session of bootcamp that last's 5 weeks, 3 times a week for an hour.  Our group has become very close and dependant on one another.  Personally I know I couldn't do it without them.  Our trainer is amazing she is the girl in the back row in the middle with the black shirt on.  Michelle Ramsgate is her name and she is great.  She pushes me harder and harder to be the best I can be.  Next bootcamp starts July 9th and I am soo pumped up.  Our group is going to get together a couple times a week to workout between now and then.  I am addicted ;)

Bootcamp

As of yesterday I am officially down 21 pounds from the start of my very first bootcamp.  I am now in my 2nd week of my 3rd bootcamp and loving every second of it.  I never ever thought I would say that.  I feel fantastic about myself right now!!

Heading to Mayo Clinic........

We are heading to Mayo Clinic this coming Friday May 25th.  This appointment is our 1-2 hour consultation to review all of RJ's medical history and to set up all of his testing.  At this point his Neurologist in Ames believes that he has developed Epilepsy on top of the P.O.T.S (Postural Orthostatic Techycardia Syndrome).  So we will be up there testing for Epilepsy.  We will come back Friday night and then head back up to Mayo on Monday (or Sunday night) and will be there 5-7 days for testing.

This is such a relief to us.  We need answers to what is going on with RJ and he needs to be able to get back to enjoying life and working!!  I will post more once we find out information.

The dreaded mile........

I am on my second round of bootcamp (which will end on Friday:(  ) and every Friday we start our class by running the mile and being timed on it as well.  I started the first Friday with a time of 11:41, thinking I was going to die.  The second Friday I beat my time by 1 minute and 1 second giving me a time of 10:40.  I was happy!  The third Friday my time was 10:25.  I was dead set that last Friday night I was going for 10 minutes.  It was going to be hard, but I was determined.  My knees were killing me and so was my right foot.  We headed out of class to run and they all cheered my on knowing I wanted that 10 minutes.  We set out all together and as usual I fell behind EVERYONE else.  I kept on running (jogging) through my heavy breathing, thank god for my earphones and my mp3 player blasting Brokenhearted by Karmin.  As I was rounding the last 2 blocks I could hear my class shouting at me to run, run, run, I was going to beat my time.  I am pretty sure I looked like a school kid learning how to run with my arms flailing back and forth and my legs on fire, but sure enough I crossed that finish line.......my time............  9:45!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I did it and I am so proud of myself!!!!!!!  I have this Friday left and I am hoping that I can make 9 minutes, it's unrealistic I know, but it's a new goal!!!!!!!!!
P.S.   I STILL HATE RUNNING...........