Devil Hill...WHAT??!?!?

Okay so this week has been a bit crazy. Lots of things going on. Nana has to go into a nursing home and it has been suggested that she go to a dementia unit. We have family parties up the wazoo and Brian's friends coming next weekend with their three kids so we are going to attempt to make the place more user friendly this week. Anyhoo I was supposed to go up to NH with Heather and Kim this weekend and do the bike ride that we are doing in two weeks. Since the weather has sucked, I felt like crap, and felt way too stressed with the weekends festivities so I backed out. Anyhoo I heard from Heather, and she said she was moved to tears twice, Kim fell off her bike, and they had to clip out a few times because the hills were so steep. Sweet. I am officially worried.
I made it to practice this morning and oh wait a minute I must back track. We got our wet suits last weekend so I tried it on the other night. Well I had it on backwards, and felt like the guy in space balls when his ass was in his front. It was very awkward, but I must say that even when I put it on the correct way, it still felt awkward. I lathered on some body glide today before putting on the suit. Managed to pull it on, was told that "cameltoe" was a necessity, and that if you didn't have it you were not wearing it correctly. So I was definately wearing it correctly. Made it into the water, felt like I peed myself with the warm water rushing through the suit. Attempted to swim in it and could not even make it a lap. Since I have floating kneecaps, and long legs, where the bottom of the suit should be at your ankles, its just below my knees. So its super tight around the knees and forcing them in directions that is not natural. I felt alot of pain and could not swim with my legs. Obviously a problem that I need to fix in the next few weeks. I was told that I may need to cut holes in the knees or just cut it above the knee. Not sure what is going to happen since the water is still 50 degrees. Can you tell i'm stressing about all of this?!?! We have a open swim next Saturday at Walden Pond so that should be fun. I know this will all pan out, and that in the grand scheme of things it is not about the swim or the bike or the run, but about the feeling when I cross the finish, knowing that I have made a difference in something that has taken away so much from me. I will continue this battle as so many patients do each day. This battle with the suit is nothing. I will treck my sorry ass up "devil hill" and if I have to clip out of my pedals, so be it. I will finish, and I will be that much closer to my future goal of raising 100K for this cause.
I am looking forward to hearing if a few friends have signed up for the San Francisco marathon in October. They will be training with the TEAM, and if so, I am going to sign on to mentor and help out this summer. I think Belle would make a super cute water girl.
Much love to all and Happy Birthday to Heather and Dad!!!!!!