Backed Up to the Future

 

 

It’s been hard to pick a good moment to write a blog. I like writing when things are going well. It’ll make it easier for the Hollywood script writer to dramatise my life for a Netflix's mini series. Considering there’s a 24 hour knitting channel in Norway, I think there’s room for a little me on Netflix?

My problem has been that things have been both going, with an intensity that I’m not used to, and things haven't been going that well. As a result there’s a lot of information to share which means there’s a backlog.

So first the backlog:

Skip this bit if you can’t stand middle aged men banging on about their health conditions!

You've been warned!...

 

Medical stuff 

I pretty much had to stop running since last summer. When I ran I had a mild burning sensation in my oesophagus and tingling in my fingers. In my mind that screamed HEART ATTACK! I called my GP who fast tracked me onto several waiting lists! First we got all angina-ery with the corresponding under the tongue drops to carry around everywhere. The bottle wasn’t big but if all you’re ever going to need is a couple of drops and someone to call 999 then a bottle bigger than my thumb seemed proportionately large when it could have been a vile around my neck with a medical aware dog tag. Just saying!

I had a really quick appointment for the MRI in a swanky private testing facility in London Bridge. Result: Lateral ware and tear to three vertebrae in my neck. This is the probable cause of my tingling.

Then I see a cardiologist, two in fact, and the first one recommends the second. What is required is a stress test of my heart. I turn up in full Lycra garb, discreetly covered by regular clothes. I’m directed to sit on a bicycle while I’m wired up to various sensors. Meanwhile I bite down on the air tube that measures my oxygen levels, the cardiologist gunks up his echocardiogram and away we go. Well not exactly. “There’s not enough contrast” says he, so I have to be injected with egg-white. Medical grade egg-white at that! [there’s an egg pun that I can’t quite get to here, along the lines of too much ouf-ert, ] Three attempts later to find my vain! Did you get that? Three stabs at my arteries! It was egg-scrutiating! [got there] ‘Third time lucky’ says I to the embarrassed doctor.

I start to peddle with the mission to keep the pace within the required range. Every minute they up the effort required and minute after minute goes by. Eventually they up the range to “really get me going”. At the time I was already half gone! All I had to rely on was the distant memory of Bionic Man. I have no idea if there was a bicycle scene in the Bionic Man but if there was Lee Majors would have made it look effortless. I did not make it look effortless. Large rolls of blue paper towel were used to mop me up from the machine and the floor.

So Doctor? Well there’s nothing wrong with my heart! Fully tested, in fact I maxed out the machine!!!! Result! Obviously I got the lecture about alcohol and weight loss, but it wouldn’t be the NHS without them :)

Back on track

So I started running again, after six months and many many appointments including the glorious UCLH which I transferred to regarding my M.B.L. which has now progressed to Lymphoma. UCLH is awesome.! I received a welcome pack (sadly no cocktails though) including a proper bound book on my Lymphoma. By the way, I’ve no idea who Lynn is or what she’s FOMO about? My case nurse popped her head in while I was with the Doc, just to introduce herself to me as she’ll handle all the various communications. The Doc spent all the time I needed explaining things to me which I really appreciated. Then reception got me hooked up to their app and within 24 hours my blood test results were loaded up! Each result shows the normal range and where I’m at. Apparently I have an unusually high reading of egg-white! All in all an impressive set up and having visited five hospitals across three trusts in six months I award them five stars!

 

Quit? 

So last week I got back up to two ten mile runs after slowly building up. Unfortunately the second was a bit too much and I’ve got Plantar Fasciitis which sounds like a banana only fasting diet but is actually Latin for f&£ked up heel!

I’m now exactly one month and three days away from the Brighton Marathon on April 10th!!

Will I be fit enough? We’ve set a go/no-go deadline to un-book the hotel and bale out of the marathon dream. If that happens I’m OK with it. I did the distance two years ago off my own bat, up and down hills etc. I’ve stuck at the dream and raised a few quid for the Nightingale.

As Fliss put it so well: I need my feet to dance and not to run!

 

Other stuff! 

More news: I’ve nearly qualified as a counsellor. Four years of therapy training is nearly over and by the end of March I’ll be there. Last week was like champagne fizzing over in anticipation of being poured. On the Sunday before I submitted my last essay, the big one! On Wednesday, I clocked up 300 client hours (eighty more than required). Last Thursday I made my presentation to the group. It was chatty, untimed and full of my ex-vulnerabilities. I even made a point about integration that was well received by my tutor. The same point is in my essay so fingers crossed! I’ve even had two enquiries from clients!

 

Salsa 

Streetbeat is in its usual chaotic state and I’m looking forward to giving my little dance business the tender loving care it needs.

Fliss and I are going to two weddings this year. Both are ladies who were my former assistants at the Salsa Rapido Courses. Rahila and Grace, we wish you the very best :) They’re not marrying each other, although it would save us a lot on presents if they did!

Mambalsa’s on a sort of hold at the moment but it will benefit from the Streetbeat website makeover. I’ve been working with an excellent coach called Sandra, and we've been constructing a realistic timeline for the Mambalsa project.


So now it’s off home to work. Tomorrow I’ll try another test jog. Today’s 100 yards was the right decision that allows my foot to rest. Tomorrow should be fine, but if it isn’t there’s another tomorrow and one after that :)