I'm doing it again...

So I hinted around on my facebook page this morning that I was up to something. On a mission, so to speak.

I did accomplish my mission, and that was to go to the YMCA in Wichita to register for the Frosty 5K Run that is being held on New Years Day.

I am officially registered, I have my official bib and my official t-shirt and my official complimentary pen. Since I have been lazy for the past few weeks, I need to officially get off of my butt and get out and do some walking/jogging in the next week to get ready for this.

I'm not really worried about breaking any records. I just want to finish it. I went back and looked at the times that I had for the two other 5Ks that I've done - I did the first one on April 24, 2010 with a time of 53:15 (give me a break - I was pushing a stroller too) and the second one was on April 30, 2011 with a time of 41:43. I would like to think that I could do this one in under 40 minutes, but we'll see what happens. The Dude is going with me to keep Alex and Daniel entertained while I run walk/jog, and then we'll have lunch there (chili!) and head home.

I also found out that the date for the half-marathon is April 29, 2012 - and you'd better believe that I'm doing that one again - and I will improve my time over the last one on that! Maybe one of these days, I'll take my bionic hip and do a full marathon!

I've been sort of compiling a list of local races - not sure how many I want to do, but I know that I want to continue working to get healthier and to get into better shape. Right now, I weigh less than I have since 2002 - and I have to tell you that it feels pretty darned good! I still have a few pounds to go to get to my ideal weight, but at the same time I'm not letting my physical appearance define me. I am happy with myself, and I'm not going to let a few extra pounds discourage me.

Besides, my "normal" jeans that I put on today were too big - how can I be discouraged with that?

I can get through an airport, but....

.....I can't go and get a pound of ground turkey for supper.

Why?

Because of this.

Because 3 years ago, I had a total hip replacement.

I was told at that time that I would have to carry this card with me any time I had to go through metal detectors, because the prosthetic would be detected. I forgot to get the card right after my surgery, and a few months later I was planning to fly out of state to a friend's wedding. In a panic, I made phone calls and ran around all over the place to get the card so that I wouldn't be strip searched at the airport.

Turns out, even after all of that, I whizzed right through security without a beep.

In fact, since the surgery, I have *never* set off a metal detector at an airport. I actually questioned a TSA person about it one time, and she told me that in general, prosthetic hips don't set them off because of the uh, extra padding that is generally found in that area of the body. (She was really nice about it - I don't remember her wording now.) She said that prosthetic knees are more likely to be detected, simply because there is less fat and muscle around them.

OK, makes sense to me. Also makes getting through airport security easier, although I always have the card out and ready to hand over, just in case.

This summer, when we were in St. Louis, I set off the metal detector. I got questioned pretty closely but after I told them about the hip (I didn't have my card ready) they let me go through - like I was going to pull some sort of crazy stunt with all 5 kids in tow. But whatever, they were doing their job.

I've been noticing lately that I've been setting off alarm systems more often - at the library and at the grocery store, especially. The fun part is setting them off when I walk INTO the building - like I'm going to shoplift something and bring it back into the store!

Today - again - I set it off at the store. As soon as I walked into the store, it started beeping. I kept right on walking (semi-sprinting, I was in a hurry) and got my ground turkey, Diet Pepsi, and powdered milk. I went through the checkout and I told the cashier look, I set off the alarm coming in, so I'm going to set it off going out and I headed for the door. I even raised my arms up as I went through to show them that I wasn't hiding anything as the alarm started beeping. I got out into the area where the carts are kept and was trying to get my bags and Daniel organized so that we could get out to the van - because of course by this time it was 12:28 and we had exactly 2 minutes to get to school - and a store employee came flying at me. "Ma'am!" (not a good way to start a conversation with me, buddy....) "I need to see your receipt!" Dude look, I set off your metal detector walking into the store. You saw me do it. I saw you see me do it. Back off and let me get my kid to school.

Of course, the receipt was crumpled up in my wallet. Daniel was pitching a fit. "Mom! I have to go to school!!!" I dropped the bags, dug into my purse (I forgot how much I hate carrying those things), dug into my wallet, and pulled out the crumpled receipt. He looked at it, got some code off of it, apologized, and left.

*sigh*

I've been trying to figure out why I'm suddenly setting off alarms all over the place. I mean really, it's not like I reached into my body and changed the metallic makeup of the prosthetic.

It dawned on me today. I was thinking back to the conversation with the TSA lady.

Hips don't generally set off the alarms because of the extra layers of fat that tend to be in that area of the body.

I've lost 30ish pounds in the last year or so.

Huh. I lost fat around my butt (yay!) so now the metal prosthetic is closer to the surface of my body, and therefore easier to detect by security (boo!)......

I swear. I can't make this stuff up.