Happy December Ladies!
I had a different column in mind, but given recent events, I’ve opted to share my story with you all and leave you with a little teaser for next month… 😉
December 7th I had a hysterectomy due to Endometriosis. The pain I was suffering in the months before the surgery took away my normal, active life. I’ve had considerable pain for the last 10+ years, considerably worse over the last 3 years and life changing the last 4-6 months. The docs up in SLO just told me “sorry, some women just get ‘em that bad…” Thankfully I found a doc down here who, not only suffered through it, but actually took the time to give me an ultrasound, and discuss some of the hormonal treatments we would try for reducing the pain.
Turns out this phenomenon is incredibly common with women, and many don’t know they have it until they try to get preggers and cannot because this disease thins out the lining inside the uterus, and thus, the embryo has nothing to attach too.
Endometriosis is when the uterine lining grows outside of the uterus, and it’s a sticky tissue, that sort of attaches itself to the surrounding organs.
The doc said my surgery went incredibly smooth – three small incisions – and she noted that the tissue growth was quite extensive. There was considerable tissue growth in the space behind my uterus, and it had just started to attach itself to my left ovary and tube – surrounding it, and attaching it to the side of the uterus. There was a small cyst on that one ovary that she removed, and she said it had just started to attach itself to my intestine. I got really lucky that the scarring as a result of the tissue was considerably limited to behind my uterus, because if it had been on my other organs, the extensive scarring can result in having to remove sections of those organs – like the intestine. I got considerably lucky the damage to my surrounding organs was minimal.
I have yet to experience the same level of pain post-op as I was experiencing in the months before…even the morning after the operation.
I am so thrilled to have my life back!!! For years I have been unable to work out for an entire month. I would have to stop working out – even walking! – for 3-5 days, and sometimes two weeks if the month was bad!!! Imagine having to stop working out once a month for several days… every month.
I am so incredibly excited to see where my fitness levels will go now that I no longer have to stop my workouts!!!!! No longer will I have to have my friends take my bike for me while I crawl in the trailer, curl up in a ball, and do breathing exercises to make the pain go away after a session on track.
On this happy note, I’m writing this on day five post-op, and I’m focusing on a goal of making the WERA West opener at AutoClub Speedway January 8th! These first few weeks will be critical to my healing, and by Christmas I should know if I’ll be healthy enough to ride. I also hope to be able to get back on my pedal bike, and do some more intense workouts in the two weeks before the WERA opener.
I’m not expecting much in terms of on track performance, and I’ll likely just compete in Women’s Superstock. I will not be nearly as physically fit as I would like to be, but just to get out there, and have that goal to drive me to a fast, and healthy recovery is all that I want.
The next WERA West race is mid February, and for that, I intend to come out swingin’!
Graves Motorsports (www.gravesport.com) just did an incredible job on my bike. I got a 5 lap teaser of my new engine at Buttonwillow Thanksgiving weekend – effectively a whole new bike! And let me tell you… this bike has been taken to a whole other level… a level I will spend 2012 learning how to ride it, and this bike will help my skills develop to that level… I hope anyway!
To say my gorgeous Big Boy is amazing would be an understatement. I thought it had evolved into a legit race bike before it went into Graves, but now… oh… my… God… it is a machine like one I never dreamed I would ever own, let alone ride.
The guys – namely Ollie – did an incredible job of going through the entire chassis and giving him some serious love – like repacking the swing arm pivot bearings – and building a super duper Superstock engine. And let me tell you… I was always told there wasn’t much difference between a stock engine and a superstock build… but that is a load of shit. A superstock build may not have sbk power, but it sure as hell ain’t no stock engine!!!
The power delivery is so friggin smooth, the torque just pulls so hard and so smooth… and as the torque drops off, the horsepower takes over, and just launches like the Millennium Falcon in Star Wars.
Graves is one of my sponsors, and I am incredibly grateful for their support – invaluable!!!
2012 is going to see me with a whole new body, new health, new bike, and a strong, positive mental mindset!
I have a few goals in mind for 2012, the biggest of which is to earn (qualify) for my Pro license with Willow Springs Motorcycle Club (WSMC). WSMC has added an additional level to Expert club level race licensing, which is called Pro. This is not pro, like AMA licensing, this is the highest level of club racing licensing you can earn with WSMC. To earn a Pro license, you have to consistently meet a minimum lap time requirement. It periodically changes per WSMC discretion, and is currently set at running 1:28.99 or faster lap times around the big track at Willow Springs International Raceway. Pro license holders have their own practice group, and only Pro license holders are allowed to grid up for the Formula 1 race.
My goal to earn my Pro license is becoming closer. I ran a single 1:28.7 during my race in September, and gridding up on the F1 grid will likely make me the first woman to be on that grid (per WSMC officials).
I like this goal because it is a tangible, quantifiable goal that is attainable without the pressure of specific finishes. Plus, attaining this goal, will help me obtain stronger finishes too!
Next month… I’ll share the tales of how I almost didn’t race a liter bike, my very first race win… and how the WERA West Novice Open Superstock Championship was almost lost in the first turn…
Happy Holidays, party hard, love much, and get ready to ride even harder in 2012!!!!
Xoxo,
Psycho Kitty
