Blogable for All the Wrong Reasons

After another run around Saturday I felt pretty good, everything that needed getting done, was. A longish ride was in the back of my head when I jumped on a bike at the Farmer's Market to get back to the car and load it and 2 others for the trip back to Petrie's. I was thinking Lisbeth has never even been to Mission Marsh.

A few hours later Sal was off to work and I got ready, donning cycling shorts for maybe the third time this year. I thought about changing the pedals so I could put on cycling shoes for the first time this year but decided against it. I really didn't feel like falling over if I forgot I was anchored to the bike.

Filled up a water bottle, grabbed a peach and headed west for the nice calm area around highway 130 and River Road. As I pedaled easily at 20k per hour through the bike path out to Parkdale I felt really good. Wind in the face and the prospect of riding for an hour or so without stop signs or traffic lights was a great carrot. Commuting back and forth even 4 times a day gets pretty mundane. I mix up the routes as much as I can, even going down Memorial and making a left into the McIntyre Center for some variety. But it's not the kind of ride that is memorable or blogable.

About the 8-1/2 km mark while heading west on Arthur things got blogable. Leg cramps, high on the calf just under the back of my knees. I had taken off without stretching but stopped minutes after leaving and grabbed a tree trunk to stretch out. I thought I had been drinking enough and I wasn't even sweating.

I stopped and downed the peach and some water just past the old Jones place. Do I turn back or keep going? I kept going another 1 km and they started again. I stopped across from the West Arthur Community Center and limped across the road. Less than 10 km and I knew I was done. I stretched again and drank half of the water I had left. I gingerly headed for home, disappointed but glad I didn't have to call for a ride. I took my time, letting Lisbeth roll down any inclines without my help and felt a bit better once I absorbed more of the liquids. I stretched the return out and finished at about 21.5 km. I guess it was blogable since here we are but not really what I had in mind.

Autumn of Ouch

After a long summer of pain with the sciatica is it not time for a break? No it's time for a new source! How about a nice shiny new kidney stone to make you forget all about that other little nerve. Gee can I?

Bedtime Saturday I knew everything was not right. I've had at least one kidney stone before but I don't remember the pain being in the front as well as the lower back. An ultrasound showed gall stones but they had never bothered me. Still I was doubting that the pain I was having was a simple kidney stone. I visited mom and dad without any major pain but when I got to the rink for three hours of fun it started in a big way. I started to sweat and become nautious a few times but just stepped into the cool Delaney arena for some quick respite. After two and a half hours I was done what I had to get done and loaded up the car in the lovely 28 degree fall heat wave. I went home and told Sal I better go to emergency.

We got there at 6:30 and I was home by midnight. It took that time to get a sample, some blood, and a prescription. Way too many drug addicts tying up the staff. I get home and open my meds and they prescribed a whopping 4 percocets. Taken two at a time every four to six hours and I had enough to get through a bad night. Then what? Fortunately I didn't need any until late Monday. I called my family doctor Tuesday and luckily got a spot late in the day for a further supply. I had one heck of a spell at work before lunch Tuesday, rode home and felt fine. Another whopper Tuesday evening where I actually used up the last of the original pills. Since then I've had no major attacks so hopefully it's over. I always feel guilty whining with what mom has gone through.

I'm fighting with the city over the ice they have given me for this season, no where near enough unless people want to come out at 430 on weekdays or 8am on sundays. I have already refused to sign the contact but who knows how this will turn out. Thunder Bay minor has refused to play at the tournament centre so I'm guessing that had something to do with it.