Rabbit Killers, Runners and Me

Two menopausal women walk into a big box baby crap emporium. Yup, sounds like the beginning of a shaggy dog story to me too.

Jen and I were toodling around today, her last recovery day off before returning to work. We had breakfast at our favorite place, Stars in Hingham, and then went to Nantasket Beach for a long walk. Afterwards we stopped for book shopping (picked up the most recent Jasper Fforde Thursday Next novel. LOVE this series!) and happened on the infant paraphernalia establishment.

Why go in? Was it the total need to see walls and walls of tiny pink dresses (apparently color coding your kids is still big business), 2 full walls of crib bedding and a fleet of arm chairs specifically designed to rock your bairn to sleep in? Ah, that’d be no, nein and nae. We went in to find a security blanket -- for me. Hey, some folks smoke or eat chips while they read in bed at night, some folks chew their nails -- me, I like the feel of soft fabric and satin between my fingers.

In any case, it brought to mind the blog posts I’ve seen here and there by fellow Nf2 types. The writers were young women considering whether to get pregnant or not. I was stunned to read that some of their docs had, when asked if it was safe or not, only advised them to keep in contact, come in to be monitored. Miscarriages and stillbirths are ultra common for Nf2ers on top of all the other fun crapola (high risk for vascular complications, including hypertension and renal artery rupture on top of what all the hormones do to the lovely schwanommas in our heads). Still, even when armed with knowledge (maybe that oughta be “brained with knowledge”) a lot of women choose to  kill the rabbit.

We all have to make our own choices on the kiddle issue but, why hasten your ill health? Honestly, I just don’t get it. Adopt, borrow, become a positive presence in an extant child’s life. I think I’m experiencing empathy fail on this. If you have what I have and chose to ride the baby train, please tell me why you chose to brave the risks -- I’m sincerely interested in understanding.

And while I’m at it -- I’m totally loving this blog I found: The Fabulous Running Mommy. Lately I’ve been having dreams about running and they’ve actually been blissful dreams too. I’ve always hated running and quit trying to get into it eons ago so these dreams came as a bit of a surprise.

While Jen and I were at Nantasket I went for a run -- I wasn’t even sure I could do it, klutz that I am. I didn’t run far but, still, this feels like the beginning of something new.

Any advice for a new runner?