Happy birthday to me
People have been asking, so here is an update. Last Saturday (Sept. 15) I felt pain in my left shin during my long run. I should have stopped but I finished the run. I'm stupid. In fact, I hammered the last few miles. Really stupid. The pain was pretty excruciating, but I thought it was just shin splints even though it was in a weird place right above the ankle on the front of the shin.
The next few days I iced, I rested, I elevated, but the pain didn't go away, and in fact the leg felt worse and swelled up a bit. I tried to run once (even though it still hurt quite badly; double-dog stupid) and made it about 20 yards before I had to stop. I saw Pieter Thursday morning and his quick 6 a.m. in-the-dark diagnosis was a problem with my anterior tibial tendon. He didn't really specify what the problem was, but he said a few things, some of which were " .... those are slow healers, two to three months of no running, lots of aqua running, cycling and elliptical, rehab once or twice a week .... "
So most of last week I moped around on one leg and ate real fattening food, extra helpings and huge portions. Lots of chips and cookies and PBJs. Some brownies. I biked once and got a flat tire. I went swimming once and remembered why I don't do triathlons anymore. My leg still hurt. I gained five pounds. I nearly passed out walking down some stairs. I went through the five stages of grief.
Yesterday I went to the doctor, mainly to get a referral to the orthopedist in Pieter's group. Right away the doctor said "looks like a fracture to me," sent me to get x-rays and wrote me a prescription for crutches(!!!) and pain killers(???). Really, it's not that bad. I go back to the doctor tomorrow to find out about the x-rays. Both Pieter and the doctor said a fracture would be preferable, in terms of healing time and recovery. Who knows, maybe it's neither?
In the meantime, whatever the diagnosis, I started an aqua jogging plan I found online. It's actually not too bad, once I get over the shock of Barton Springs at 6 a.m. I try to bike in the afternoons as well. Am I stupid? There's some pain with both activities.
I turn 36 today. Life goes on. I'll run again. As stupid as ever.