D Day Minus 170 (September 20, 2009): Distractions

“You know what you can do with your Dreya rolls.” I yelled at Tony Horton, sweat dripping down my face, seriously considering whether or not to flip him off.  I was doing Cardio X, Day 2 of the P90X Lean Challenge. Yesterday, I did Core Synergistics.  And the whole thing had kicked my butt – especially the prison cell pushups, banana and superman, and those damn Dreya Rolls. I was relieved today’s workout was only forty-three minutes and decided to get it over with while Dad finished mowing.  I was pissed when Tony resurrected the Dreya Roll in Cardio X. I thought I was through with them for at least a week, but they were back again like acid reflux-- at the tail end Cardio X.   Just so you know, a Dreya Roll is when you roll on your back and stand up as many times as you can for a minute.  I got stuck a couple times and just laid flat (more like collapsed) on my back.

There is a point to my P90X tale - DISTRACTION.  After I dropped you off in Sterling on Friday – just after we got back from Houston.  I had four and half hours to fill before I got to Bassett.  I knew all my worrying and obsessing about you, cancer, the trial, and travel arrangements only made things worse.  Distraction is the word that kept on popping in my mind – like a little invader. It was with me when I:

• drove on I-66, to I-81, and Route 220
• listened to audiobooks
• bought and guzzled Diet Mountain Dews
• phoned you, Dad, Morgan, and Aunt Janiene.  

Distraction was even there, when I picked up lottery tickets for Dad.  It wouldn't go away.  I didn't really know what it meant or what to do with it until I drove through Roanoke and waved to Morgan’s exit. That is when P90X and Morgan's journey with it popped in my head.   P90x would be the perfect distraction.  It wasn’t familiar. It had a lot of variety – Kempo, Weights, Yoga, Core, and Plyo. (Morgan gave me the low down, but I already knew it because I'd watched the infomercial at least ten times.) I had a built in support system with Morgan. Plus I already had it. I bought it last Summer to do with Morgan, but didn't because mine got lost in the mail.  Then we found out your cancer was back so I didn't feel like it.  I had to focus on you and cancer.  Now things were different.  I needed a distraction.  Who knows, I might even find my elusive killer calves or maybe even washboard abs like Gwen Stefani, when my ninety days were up on December 20^th.

The phone rang just when the cool down started.  I battled whether to finish my workout or stop the incessant ringing. I compromised and checked the phone and picked it up.  It was you.

“What do you want?” I barked but didn’t mean to. I was trying to stop the DVD and hit fast forward instead. 

“And how are you today?” You said, well actually you chastised. I apologized profusely and thought about asking you about recording I Didn’t Know I was Pregnant.  Just as a distraction.  But didn’t.  I could tell you had news to share. 

You told me Julie and Wegmans would be flexible. They would do anything they could to help. They just want you to be okay. You were doing a lot of training and prep for the store and some of the training could be one-on-one so you didn’t fall behind.  You didn’t have any new info on the trial schedule so I could make reservations, but you would check on Monday.  You and Katie were just going to hang out today.  Katie would like to go with you to Houston the first week in October.  You were excited to come to Bassett next weekend with Katie to see Brian Regan at the Roanoke Civic Center.  You were excited about the trial, grateful to Wegmans for their support, and happy to share time and new experiences with Katie. 

I listened to you and drank about 32 ounces of water. I smiled as I toweled off the sweat dripping down my body.  Not because I was sweating, but because your news was a nice distraction and ironic - since P90X was my distraction.