Post Marathon Week

I've been reluctant to share too much information about my past week. I know, for one, the overwhelming response will be a derivative of "well, yeah, dumbass". So, to avoid scrutiny from social media, friends,family, people with a small dose of common-sense, I've withdrawn from  my usual 'oversharing' tendencies.

I spent the better part of Tuesday in the emergency room.

You know, that old " please let me get through the race and next week I can be in the hospital..." came back and bit me in the ass. Hard.

When I woke up Tuesday I was in so much pain I couldn't sit up. I had to use the momentum of throwing my arms up to sit up from bed. My entire right side, rib cage to hip, was on fire.

I made it to my doctor's office, in tears. Again, I was told I was 'insane' from running a marathon on antibiotics and with an infection. Within 10 minutes the doctor told me there was nothing he could do for me that would relieve my pain quickly; I needed an IV with strong pain meds and antibiotics from the hospital. I begged him to not make me go. Please just give me a shot... a prescription... anything but the fucking hospital. No negotiations there.

 I also was told I shouldn't drive myself. Joel picked me up and took me to the healthplex hospital in Ashburn.

Turns out, I have a full blown kidney infection. More importantly, a group of physicians decided I may have a deformity in one of the tubes that runs from my kidney to my bladder. This wouldn't be a direct consequence of running a marathon; but the marathon probably was what brought me to the hospital. If I hadn't run Richmond I would have ended up in the same place eventually. I've suffered from UTIs since I was a teenager. Now it looks like I'm finally going to address the underlying problem/condition.

 I'm going back for more tests tomorrow... a renal scan, followed by an appointment with a urologist. While running was supposed to come to a complete halt, I did run a 5K yesterday. I know I'm breaking the rules again...but only by 3 miles. I realize it's becoming an unhealthy obsession/addiction at this point. I just hope they can figure out what is wrong with me so I don't have to dial it back for too long.

Sigh... cheers to antibiotics and percocet...

India