a diagnosis

After being continually prodded, stuck for blood, probed from within & zapped by ultrasound & x-rays, the latest diagnosis (or educated guess) is: an abdominal wall strain (slight hernia). Despite all the tenderness in my entire right side -- everything, including the liver, kidney, adrenal, stomach, colon & pancreas were deemed normal by the Drs. after looking at all the tests (that's good to know!).

At first, the most pain was generally where my gall bladder would be, but since that & my appendix were removed many years ago, it made it all that more perplexing. Secondly, it was thought it was my kidney since I have a horseshoe kidney; have had a history of stones & the 2 cysts in the right kidney that, according to the radiologist's report, had grown in size since my last scan 5 years ago. However the urologist said that my kidney did not appear to be the source of pain & that the cysts I have are very common & did not concern him (good!).


a late race report:

Initially the pain a couple weeks ago felt like a "side stitch" that would come & go, so I did make an attempt to run Another Dam 50k last Saturday. A couple miles after the start though, the pain came back, so I immediately slowed down (no choice really) & stopped after the 1st lap.

Of what I completed of the race, I liked the new course (with no sun). Several years ago when I ran this, the flood waters came up DURING the race & the course was altered "midstream" -- including some trail blazing for some on one lap. This new course was changed more this time -- more trail, but still a very, very fast course. The sun was intense back when on the old course, but not last Saturday. Instead, it was cloudy and the dew point was 70+ degrees -- extremely humid in my book. After a few miles, I was so soaked it looked liked I had just got out of a swimming pool! The temperature was already 77 at the start, 10 degrees warmer than forecast, but despite the humidity, I didn't feel hot like I usually do under the conditions -- I think my mind was pre-occupied with the pain. I don't believe it got into the 80's the rest of the day. Sure wish I could have found out if I would have handled the conditions the entire distance.

next:

I thought I really needed to finish Another Dam 50k to have enough heat training for the Mohican 100. And, of course, I did not foresee this side pain (which I still have). Also, since I will have not run whatsoever for 2 full weeks come race day next Saturday, Mohican is looking doubtful at the moment. If I don't run Mohican, the disappointment will almost rival missing the inaugural Oil Creek 100 race last Fall (because of the swine flu)!


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