Training Log Archive: jtorranc

Cycling to work, to and from my doctor's office and home again. She has ordered an echocardiogram, an exercise tolerance test and a chest X-ray in order to hopefully rule out the nastier possible scenarios that would explain my chest and back pains plus some blood chemistry analysis on general principle since I haven't had any since 2005 and to help with the ruling out. No order to abandon exercise entirely but not going all out has been prescribed and also avoiding orienteering since the idea of more falls onto my chest seems to alarm her. I guess, since I've paid the unrefundable entry fee and assuming my musculo-skeletal system feels up to it, I'll do the triathlon on Saturday as a tour rather than a race.

I guess I''d better be very careful to at least fall on my butt if I have to fall skiing and skating this weekend - most of the bad things my doctor wants to rule out seem to be possible consequences of shock to various of my internal organs due to falling onto my torso.

Hmmm.... not sure why she didn't ask anything identifiably about my gall bladder. Maybe the blood work will detect some effect of whatever it might be doing or failing to do wrong. Maybe it was ruled out when I didn't scream when she pressed anywhere. I guess it makes sense that since I'm not in much of a position to tell her what my internal organs are up to unless they're sending me pain signals, there's little point asking me anything.

C • Tri 1

Event: QOC: Lake Fairfax, VA
 

Reasoning that I ought at least to burn some calories lest I balloon, I walked to the AFI Silver to see a film rather than take the Metro. Also to the office from there and back between that first film and a second film. Decided to test my ability to cycle comfortably when I got home in the evening to see whether I could return to commuting by bike now that the ice and snow are all but gone.

Nothing to report but continued rest.

This morning, as far as I can tell without extensive testing, the right half of my back feels normal. Interested readers can draw the obvious conclusion about the left half of my back. Some progress, at least.

Back did not feel good on waking this morning - no idea whether to conclude swimming is bad for it, despite feeling fine at the time, or lying in bed is bad or something else. Fortunately, my doctor, now that her office is open, can fit me in on Monday. Seems to think ruling out some sort of gall bladder problem is the first order of business (after asking questions about whether pain radiated to limbs that I presume were intended to screen for this being an acute cardiac problem). Can't say I lend much credence to the idea of this being anything other than musculo-skeletal but I don't plan on telling my doctor how she ought to proceed.

I don't seem to be feeling better after Sunday's effort as quickly as I did after last Tuesday's (in fact, the Obama era is a big disappointment so far - lucky for him he didn't make any specific campaign promises about curing muscular aches and pains. Also, the problem clearly originated during the last few hours of the Bush administration). Felt bad enough this morning that I tried to make an appointment with my doctor early in the afternoon. Her office, it turns out, is closed on account of the weather. My discomfort not yet being anywhere near the point at which I'd consider going to an ER, I guess that's that until tomorrow.

Update: I had a better afternoon physically than morning.

Good news - apparently, I can still tolerate swimming and deep water running.

Tried to cycle in to work despite the beginning of the first snowstorm of the season and got a flat somewhat over a mile from the office. Walked my bike the rest of the way.