Monday: 1/4 mile swim
Went to PT in the morning for my shoulder range of motion issue, and was advised that overall my joint condition appears to be worsening, and that I'm limping with hip issues, and I should get in to see a rheumatologist. Called my PCP to discuss, only to get an answering machine announcement that his office was closed for the week. Ugh. Found and called a local rheumatologist for an appointment, only to be told that's not how it works, and I need to get a referral from my PCP, then after they receive the paperwork, they'll call me to schedule, but their scheduling is really backed up. Ugh. I'm in pain, and having a lot of trouble getting in and out of my car today.
Evening swim at Watchaug Pond. Since I can't get my arms over my shoulders, the doc said no swimming (crawl), and I did what I could to breakstroke while Matthew swam a full 1/2 mile.
Tuesday: 0
Definitely the worst day of my medical issue thus far. While trying to keep the blog positive, the reality is walking is painful, getting dressed and standing up difficult, and reaching into shelves in the refrigerator or cupboards impossible. Is this what my life is reduced to? 54 years old, crippled, and chronic pain.
Went to South County Hospital Urgent Care to seek some relief. The doctor I eventually saw was kind and compassionate. She recommended I see a rheumatologist (this is the 2nd professional in as many days to tell me this) and follow up next week with my PCP to get the needed referral. In the meantime, she gave me a 6-day prescription for Prednisone to hopefully gain some temporary relief from inflammation.
Wednesday: 3
Woke up feeling like a new man. Still pain in both shoulders, but walking is normal and I'm able to bend over and also reach my arms into the air. Hallelujah! Sounds ridiculous, but just don't take mobility for granted.
Felt even better by the evening, and decided to run in the weekly club summer fun run. Far from 100%, but ran moderately easy at about 6:50 pace and felt good!
Thursday: 20 ride
Happy 4th of July! Rode with Matthew out to watch the Quonnie 4 on the Fourth race. Unlike last year, not many WTAC runners this year.
Friday: 6 run, 0.6 swim
AM solo beach run, before the mob of tourists take over the beach again. The tide was coming in, but it was close enough to low tide that the sand near the water's edge was hard-packed and I didn't have to run in soft sand. Felt great!
PM swim with Matthew. Slow as molasses, but I did it. Out to the buoy (1/4 mile) and back. Goggles have had it as water was leaking in, but otherwise a good swim.
Saturday: 0
Calves sore from yesterday's 6-mile beach run. Also, shoulder pain has returned. Is that because I'm weaning off the Prednisone, or painful from yesterday's swim exertion?
I hemmed and hawed on whether to run Loon Mountain tomorrow. At the beginning of the week, I had crossed it off in my mind, realizing that also means I won't be able to complete the mountain series, but feeling much better now and having much of my mobility restored, I'm going to go for it! Last minute decision, which means it will be an early morning tomorrow driving up.
Sunday: 8
Loon Mountain Race. Short, but separate, write-up to follow.
Weekly mileage: 17 run, 20 ride, 3/4 swim
Weekly synopsis: All over the place in terms of mobility and pain this week. Happy that the prednisone gave me a temporary improvement of quality of life, but need to get to the bottom of this.
Weekly highpoint: It should be Loon, but just getting out and running the Fun Run temporarily pain-free was an amazing turnaround from just the day before.
Weekly lowpoint: Tuesday was bad. I was just about in tears from the pain, and embarrassed to have to ask others to do really simple tasks for me, like taking a bottle of juice out of the refrigerator when I just couldn't extend my arm to get it myself.
Books read: Stealing a page here from BLS' blog. I don't normally read books, but I picked up this assigned school book of Matthew's and found it interesting:
It's the story of a runaway slave from the Presidential Mansion in Philadelphia. Back when the capital of our country was in Philadelphia, the slaves that George and Martha Washington brought up from Virginia got a taste for freedom when the vast majority of African-Americans in the state of PA were free. As the approaching end of Washington's 2nd term meant a return to Virginia, a slave state, one of Martha's slaves, Ona Judge, escaped with help from the local free black community and traveled to Portsmouth, NH. Overall this was a good read that kept me interested. The downside to me was too much speculation on what people did or thought in the book (as opposed to what they actually did), but that might have been necessary on the author's part due to very little written information from slaves themselves. For example, "Ona may have believed ..." or "we can only imagine ...".
One professional review on the back cover of the book states "No one who reads this book will think quite the same way about George and Martha Washington again.". I do take exception with that statement. Look, we all knew from a young age that the Washingtons kept slaves, right? As did all of the early presidents that were from the south. Playing Monday morning quarter-back, should they have kept slaves? No, of course not; slavery is a terrible stain on this country. But let's also not forget that George Washington did emancipate his slaves in his will, and let's not judge George Washington's 18th century life through 21st century lenses.
Went to PT in the morning for my shoulder range of motion issue, and was advised that overall my joint condition appears to be worsening, and that I'm limping with hip issues, and I should get in to see a rheumatologist. Called my PCP to discuss, only to get an answering machine announcement that his office was closed for the week. Ugh. Found and called a local rheumatologist for an appointment, only to be told that's not how it works, and I need to get a referral from my PCP, then after they receive the paperwork, they'll call me to schedule, but their scheduling is really backed up. Ugh. I'm in pain, and having a lot of trouble getting in and out of my car today.
Evening swim at Watchaug Pond. Since I can't get my arms over my shoulders, the doc said no swimming (crawl), and I did what I could to breakstroke while Matthew swam a full 1/2 mile.
Tuesday: 0
Definitely the worst day of my medical issue thus far. While trying to keep the blog positive, the reality is walking is painful, getting dressed and standing up difficult, and reaching into shelves in the refrigerator or cupboards impossible. Is this what my life is reduced to? 54 years old, crippled, and chronic pain.
 |
| Perhaps overly dramatic, but this is what I feel like. |
Went to South County Hospital Urgent Care to seek some relief. The doctor I eventually saw was kind and compassionate. She recommended I see a rheumatologist (this is the 2nd professional in as many days to tell me this) and follow up next week with my PCP to get the needed referral. In the meantime, she gave me a 6-day prescription for Prednisone to hopefully gain some temporary relief from inflammation.
Wednesday: 3
Woke up feeling like a new man. Still pain in both shoulders, but walking is normal and I'm able to bend over and also reach my arms into the air. Hallelujah! Sounds ridiculous, but just don't take mobility for granted.
Felt even better by the evening, and decided to run in the weekly club summer fun run. Far from 100%, but ran moderately easy at about 6:50 pace and felt good!
Thursday: 20 ride
Happy 4th of July! Rode with Matthew out to watch the Quonnie 4 on the Fourth race. Unlike last year, not many WTAC runners this year.
Friday: 6 run, 0.6 swim
AM solo beach run, before the mob of tourists take over the beach again. The tide was coming in, but it was close enough to low tide that the sand near the water's edge was hard-packed and I didn't have to run in soft sand. Felt great!
PM swim with Matthew. Slow as molasses, but I did it. Out to the buoy (1/4 mile) and back. Goggles have had it as water was leaking in, but otherwise a good swim.
Saturday: 0
Calves sore from yesterday's 6-mile beach run. Also, shoulder pain has returned. Is that because I'm weaning off the Prednisone, or painful from yesterday's swim exertion?
I hemmed and hawed on whether to run Loon Mountain tomorrow. At the beginning of the week, I had crossed it off in my mind, realizing that also means I won't be able to complete the mountain series, but feeling much better now and having much of my mobility restored, I'm going to go for it! Last minute decision, which means it will be an early morning tomorrow driving up.
Sunday: 8
Loon Mountain Race. Short, but separate, write-up to follow.
Weekly mileage: 17 run, 20 ride, 3/4 swim
Weekly synopsis: All over the place in terms of mobility and pain this week. Happy that the prednisone gave me a temporary improvement of quality of life, but need to get to the bottom of this.
Weekly highpoint: It should be Loon, but just getting out and running the Fun Run temporarily pain-free was an amazing turnaround from just the day before.
Weekly lowpoint: Tuesday was bad. I was just about in tears from the pain, and embarrassed to have to ask others to do really simple tasks for me, like taking a bottle of juice out of the refrigerator when I just couldn't extend my arm to get it myself.
Books read: Stealing a page here from BLS' blog. I don't normally read books, but I picked up this assigned school book of Matthew's and found it interesting:
It's the story of a runaway slave from the Presidential Mansion in Philadelphia. Back when the capital of our country was in Philadelphia, the slaves that George and Martha Washington brought up from Virginia got a taste for freedom when the vast majority of African-Americans in the state of PA were free. As the approaching end of Washington's 2nd term meant a return to Virginia, a slave state, one of Martha's slaves, Ona Judge, escaped with help from the local free black community and traveled to Portsmouth, NH. Overall this was a good read that kept me interested. The downside to me was too much speculation on what people did or thought in the book (as opposed to what they actually did), but that might have been necessary on the author's part due to very little written information from slaves themselves. For example, "Ona may have believed ..." or "we can only imagine ...".
One professional review on the back cover of the book states "No one who reads this book will think quite the same way about George and Martha Washington again.". I do take exception with that statement. Look, we all knew from a young age that the Washingtons kept slaves, right? As did all of the early presidents that were from the south. Playing Monday morning quarter-back, should they have kept slaves? No, of course not; slavery is a terrible stain on this country. But let's also not forget that George Washington did emancipate his slaves in his will, and let's not judge George Washington's 18th century life through 21st century lenses.
Oh man, Jeff. I'm sad to read that your pain has gotten worse, minus the few days of relief. As much as Prednisone can have terrible side effects, it can also be a miracle drug. But of course only helping the symptoms of whatever your ailment is. Have you sought out a doctor who specializes in Lyme disease?
ReplyDeleteOn a separate note, it was still good to cheer you on at Loon as you came by the water stop.
Thanks Leslie. My PCP is still looking down the Lyme disease possibility and I had a 3rd set of detailed lab tests this week.
DeleteYes, I only recognized you at the last moment at water stop! I meant to catch up with you post-race, but you were busy working the water stop and carry off an empty jug maybe.