I thought I’d share how lucky I am this week...for that matter, how lucky any of us are, that are participating in endurance sports for fun. Two separate stories bring that closer to home this week.
The first is about a parent of 3 adopted children that I’ve cared for. Laura finished her first triathlon this year. She got the bug to run a local NC running race and followed that up with her first triathlon. The race director forwarded me a link to a video she made following the race. This video reminds me why I started doing triathlons: to get in to shape and have fun with my brother. It is also a humble reminder that at the end of my work day, I’m lucky to go home and put in a few hours of training. Laura’s kids require care and attention around the clock; a true 24 hour/day job. And she always does it with a smile. Triathlon truly is a privilege.
The second is more personal. After 4 ½ months of jaw pain necessitating multiple dental/endodontist/PCP/neurologist/ENT/oral surgeon appt’s, 5 sets of normal panaromic dental xrays, head & neck CT scan and MRI, months of multiple medications too many to list, repeated blood work, a scheduled biopsy of my mandible next week, all culminated with a trip to the ER on Thurs night/Fri am. After a couple of rounds of dilaudid not relieving the pain, a nerve block finally did the trick. Despite no classical signs of “irreversible pulpitis” (the reason we have root canals) I had one Friday morning as a last ditch effort. Pain gone…enough so, that we decided to go ahead with our plans to check out Silverman this weekend. Ever the optimist, I had sent my back down last week to be built up by the LBS. I still plan to recon the course; we will see how that goes given I’m having a bit of issue as we speak as a result of a weeks worth of Clindamycin wreaking havoc on my normal intestinal flora. Regardless, the absence of the discomfort that I’ve been experiencing since this past June is priceless. It is amazing how much we take for granted and how quickly it can all go away. What am I’m even more amazed is that I’m a physician…I can’t even imagine what a poor soul who had a less insight than I has to go through with a less than clear medical problem.
It seems a trivial to report the last time point on the MBT, but ever the academician…this was the only session this week; it is crazy what we do when we have a sense of obligation.
Here you go:
MBT Results:
Date Watts Duration Avg. HR
9/28 180 60 min 147
10/6 180 60 min 135
10/13 180 60 min 131
10/20 180 60 min 130
10/27 180 60 min 140
11/3 180 60 min 137
Enjoy the day,
J
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3 comments:
Bummer about all the suffering. Perspective is key to all things. I think all of us in medicine should spend a little time on the otherside. I know that I learned more about post op n/v and pain control when I had my shoulder surgery than in all of my 15 years as a Pharmacist. Eventhough I work with those everyday.
The challenges we face as athletes push us to explore our boundries and help us find some of the things that define us. Others, live lives so full of challenges of a more basic survival nature as to make our self inflicked suffering seem trivial.
Hang in there Jeff. I completely understand your perspective.
You are so right, Bryan. It is experiences like these that make me more empathetic to my patients and families who are having difficulty dealing with tough issues.
KP, as always, thanks for the thoughts.
J
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