Just Out of My Grasp - My Personal Journey with SLE
Ahoy Fellow Fathomers, I’ve decided to use my blog not only to writing, music, and other facets of entertainment, but, also to share my journey. I found out on June 19, 2013 the reason for many of my ongoing health problems is because I have systemic lupus, also known as SLE.
Thank you for listening, each week I will have a new installment chronicling my journey. Please, please feel free to comment, write, share. I hope to use this forum as a help to all of us, no matter what pain you are experiencing. You may also send stories to me via finlessbook at gmail dot com. I will respect your privacy and maintain your anonymity, if you so desire.
Hugs for today …
Was I ready?
The day approached, I drank more water than usual, I stepped up the carb intake, I slowed up my workouts for the last week. My nerves rattled my mind and all I could think about was crossing that finish line. I did not want to be last.
Armed with Clif bars, energy gels, and water, I prepped my bike in the transition area and left it Friday night- ready and waiting for me bright and early Saturday morning.
I just had to get down the Snake River first.
My strokes were not pretty, and it may have looked like I was drowning on occasion, but, I made it out of there and trotted toward my bike, only a little disoriented.
I biked the distance, and just as my butt began to protest in severe pangs of irritation, I crossed that finish line.
Finally, the run.
Let me tell you, the run intimated the crap out of me. The furthest I’ve ever ran was 5K and with my shin splints, it scared me that I would have a major skeletal/muscular malfunction. But, I started running. Mile one passed and my mood lifted, and I chugged on to about mile three.
Gotta tie my shoe. Ugh
I stopped, bent down, and quickly tied it. I slowly creaked back to an upright position, and my body almost locked—almost physically LOCKED down. Tentatively, I put one foot in front of the other until I coaxed an easy jog out of my road weary body. By this time, I was almost on hour 3 of virtually non-stop work and it was about all I could manage.
I cried when I crossed that finish line. I did it. I did it. I DID IT!
I even biked the 4 miles back to the house afterward.
Then, it hit.
A fever raged over my body and every muscle ached. My head felt like it was going to explode and all I could think was, “I bet I swallowed too much Snake River and who knows WHAT bacteria was in it?”
I thought I had some weird flu or intestinal bug brought on my exertion from a lowered immune system.
Within a few days, I felt good again and returned to a semi-strenuous workout. But something did not feel the same ever again.
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