A short, painful run...

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

I was driving home and thinking about a workout.  Jack had suggested we meet for a Survival Workout, something he hadn’t done in a long time.  He’s always looking to change up his routine, which is a good thing and had wanted to go before I left for work.  Clearly, he didn’t know what the world looked like at 5 a.m.

“Jack…maybe after work?  It would be pitch black if we tried to go to the park before I work.  You do know about sunrise and it happening long before you wake up…right?”  I said.  He agreed that after work was better.

I knew I’d be driving past Headwaters Park on drive home and decided I’d get in a short run in addition to the Survival Workout.  I haven’t been doing much weight bearing exercise lately and with all the hiking I could be doing over the next several days, thought it would be a good idea.  I arrived just as a thunderstorm was concluding and found the parking lot empty.  I changed right there and started a slow jog down the bridle trail that ran along the reservoir.

The first part of the trail winds through a camping area, which is in the midst of a stand of conifers.  With a lean-to in place mingled with the smells of the pines and the lake nearby, it reminds me so much of places I’ve camped in the Adirondacks.  There was someone using the lean-to and a kayak on the shoreline.  This truly is an ideal site for someone testing the waters for back country camping.

I’d only run about a mile when my right foot began to give me pain with each step.  I tried running through it, but it persisted to the point that I stopped to walk it off.  It continued for several minutes before finally dissipating so that I was able to complete about 15 minutes of running.  I was hoping for 20, but saw no sense in pushing it with the pain I was experiencing and the fact that I hadn’t run a step in four weeks.

Once home, I knew I was done for the evening.  I had packing to do for the trip and my foot and ankle remained sore.  I convinced Jack to go with Savannah and the dogs and do the Survival Workout between playing with them.  He tried to guilt me into going, but I’m too old for that trick.

I finished the beef stew and drank about 30 ounces of water through the evening.  I’ve been filling my 20-ounce sipping cup I took from the Clinic at least twice a day, which is 40 ounces more than I ever drank before.  I’m trying to be particularly sensitive to my fluid consumption with the trip I’m planning.  I really don’t want to end another one with a trip to the ER.

Run Workout: 15 minutes

Training Heart Rate:  140 bpm.

Calories burned:  250

Aborted kayak run...

Monday, August 11, 2014
Since I knew I was heading for the Adirondacks Wednesday, I contacted my good friend and Adirondack climbing partner, John, to see if he wanted to join me.
“Things are kind of crazy with the new house, the job and stuff like that,” he said.
“I completely understand.  And if something happens to me in the back country…you know, another kidney stone or something…I don’t want you feeling guilty that you didn’t come along to keep an eye on me,” I said. 
I also mentioned I’d put our conversation in the blog so everyone would know and he could feel complete guilt. 
Actually, I’ve never felt better.  I’m drinking lots of water and am pain free.  I plan to camp in areas close to civilization so I don’t have far to go if something should go wrong and I plan to climb some well-traveled trails instead of the unmarked ones where I could easily go all day and not see another person.  This is more a trip to have peace and serenity.  I’ll take a book and a journal so I can read and write.  It may rain, so I could be stuck in a tent with black flies hovering outside the bug net barrier just wishing they could take a shot at me.  My cousin Donnie will try to join me on Friday on Cranberry Lake where we will once again try to explore the lake without incident.  We’re 0 for 2 on that score, but hopeful.
Marie Lorentz stopped for a visit.  I’d coached her incredible high school running career, which ended with a 6^th place finish at the state meet three years earlier.  We were hoping to catch up while paddling kayaks on the Upper Cuyahoga River, but the weather conspired to keep us from it.  Instead, I made her a killer smoothie and we discussed health, careers, and the value of family and good friends.  It is such a pleasure for me to have had enough of an impact on young runners that they seek me out when home from college for a visit.  She is a special one.

I had some leftover beef stew after she left, so heavy on the calories and no workout.  I’m hoping for a short run and a Survival Workout tomorrow.  I’d thought about some hiking with a backpack before the trip, but at this point it matters little.

An early morning ride...

Sunday, August 10, 2014
I was awake by 7 a.m. and thinking I had ample time before church to get in some exercise.  My first thought was to head for the park with the dogs and do a Survival Workout, but then considered that in four days, I could be back in the Adirondacks hiking some rigorous trail.  I needed more conditioning without a doubt.  I changed into my cycling gear and headed for Waite Hill.
Riding early mornings on the weekend is so pleasurable.  The air still has the taste and smell of morning dew.  The roads are mostly clear; no one driving much before the churching hour.  I managed to ride the first seven miles with hardly a car passing me.  I could actually feel the air on my arms as I sped down a hill, it was so heavy with moisture.
I rode with vigor, pushing up hills wherever the opportunity presented itself.  Riding is not hiking, but the cardio requirements and the extra work on the thighs and calves serves a hiker well.  I had a plan to do a 15-mile hike on Thursday, which would include a 3,000 foot elevation change.  From what I’d read, the trail was challenging and offered little opportunity to get water.  I would have to be carrying several liters, particularly since dehydration did some pretty nasty things to me.
I finished the ride feeling strong once again.  Savannah was headed to the park to take the dogs for a hike, so I joined them.  Once back home, I had some meal preparation for Sunday family dinner.  My father-in-law was bringing over city chicken, but had asked me to prepare some potatoes.  I decided on home fries, Grandma Paula style, which meant very fatty.  I fried eight strips of bacon and then dumped the cubed potatoes into the pan.  I spread some butter over the top of them and crumbled in the bacon I’d cooked.  When Jack sat down and too his first fork full, a smile crossed his face.
“Dad…these are REALLY good,” he said.  He’s trying to eat healthier…between cartons of ice cream…so I didn’t tell him how I’d made them. 
I think I’ve discovered that to be a reasonably good cook, simply add bacon and butter.
Bike Workout: One hour and 50 minutes. 
Training Heart Rate: 120 bpm biking.

Calories Burned: 1540.

A full day...

Friday, August 8, 2014
I was feeling like a million bucks since having the stent removed.  What a difference such a small change can make.  It left me continuing to wonder how people manage to do with permanent discomfort.  I guess there much tougher than I’ll ever be.
I had some work to do.  I’d been looking for the right conditions to stain Joan’s deck and they were finally presenting themselves.  I drove to her place for the job, which I figured would take me the better part of the day. 
It was hot and I was in the sun.  I needed to take each spindle off the rail, there were over 75, set them aside to be brushed out, and do the area from which they’d been mounted before returning them.  It was tedious and boring and the sun was beating down on the back of my neck.  I knew I was getting too much sun, but was without sunblock and feeling like I just had to work through it. 
I worked all morning and by four in the afternoon, realized I’d be pushing up against the dark with what I still had to do once the deck was stained.  I’d arranged to drive the Toyota to Dan’s for some brake work.  I had the bike stored in the back seat for the ride home from his place – about 18 miles.  I arrived there exhausted and began pulling the bike from the car.
“You look pretty tired.  How about I give you a ride home?” Dan asked.  It was quite tempting.
“It’s time to toughen up some,” I said.  “I’m planning on a trip back to the Adirondacks next week before I start the new job and I’ve got to get back some of my conditioning.”
He promised to have the car ready for that trip and I pedaled out his drive wondering how my body would respond to the ride.
It went quite well.  Chardon is the highest point in Northeast Ohio, so riding from there means essentially downhill.  The only problem with that theory is that between my house and his is the Chagrin River Valley.  I enjoyed reaching the river, but had to climb out of the valley for the final miles of the ride.  It proved to be no problem at all and I was quite pleased when I rolled into the driveway in one piece and feeling like I could have gone lots farther.
Bike Workout: 60 minutes. 
Training Heart Rate: 120 bpm biking.

Calories Burned: 840.

Stent removal...

Thursday, August 7, 2014
“Just take your trousers and shorts down and cover yourself with that cloth.  Then I’ll numb you up for the procedure,” the nurse explained.
I had a pretty good idea what ‘numbing’ me up meant.  I’d finally figured out that the stent removal was happening through my penis.  There was no getting around this realization and so that meant she’d likely be sticking a needle in it for the numbing.  I couldn’t help but wonder if the cure would be worse than the ailment.  I asked her to go over what was going to happen and why I’d been having so much discomfort for the past two weeks.
“Well…it’s pretty normal.  The stent is two feet long and stretches from your kidney to the tip of your penis,” she said.
“So that’s why I’ve felt like I needed to go to the bathroom with every step I’ve taken since you put it in?”
“Sure,” she said.  “Didn’t they tell you that when you had it put in?”
“I really don’t know what they told me when they put it in.  I think they put me under and then explained the procedure so it wouldn’t freak me out but could still get credit for having told me,” I said.
She brought the needle closer and I began to squirm and tense.  “This will give you some mild discomfort,” she said as she reached beneath the sheet I had covering my privates.  You think?
And she was right.  Five minutes later, the doctor entered the room and we discussed what was about to happen.
“I’m going to look around with my camera and see if I see the stone.  You can watch on the screen,” he said while indicating the monitor over his left shoulder and angled so that I could catch glimpses of the inside of my bladder and other parts.
“My lucky day,” I said.
He plunged in and I flinched.  No amount of numbing was going to make this procedure pain-free.  I watched on the screen as he excitedly explained that he could see particles of the stone.  He gave some kind of a tug and for about 5 seconds, I wanted to grab his head between my hands and squish it like a rotten pumpkin.
“There it is!” he said triumphantly while holding up a long, thin, green plastic tube.
The relief I felt was almost immediate and so I quashed the desire to physically hurt him.  We had a discussion about what I could do (anything – he said) and how I should drink copious amounts of water.  “You’ll need to come back in two weeks for some extensive testing so we can try to nail down what kind of stones you’re forming and why.  Don’t change your diet until we do,” he said.
I left the hospital and headed for the park.  I asked myself that age-old question ‘what would Lance do?’ and decided he’d work out.  I arrived and changed into my workout clothes and began the Survival Workout with 95 push-ups.  The rest of the workout went smoothly, though I didn’t do too much lower body work.  I managed 17 sets and felt great the whole time.  I’m guessing I won’t be missing that stent for even a moment.
Survival Workout: 60 minutes. 
Training Heart Rate: 100-150 bpm.
Calories Burned: 600.

Exploring nature with a puppy...

Wednesday, August 6, 2014
I called the doctor’s office to confirm my appointment and determine whether I’d need a driver.
“They’ll be doing the procedure to remove the stent with a local, so you should be okay to drive yourself,” the woman answering the phone informed me.
I’m not exactly sure how this whole removal thing works, but I’m pretty sure they’ll be going through the opening in my body that leads to the uterus tract…and that spells ‘unpleasant’.  I’m basing this on the fact that I could find no entry or exit wounds to the original surgery that installed the stent, something that was done while I was knocked out with some wonderful drug.  They did install a catheter at that time and since I’m going to be awake for the removal, I can make sure they won’t be doing THAT again.  What a baby I am.
I met Savannah and the puppies in the park for a short hike.  I’d decided against a Survival Workout because of how uncomfortable I’d been all day.  With less than 24 hours to getting rid of the stent and hopefully the pain, I figured it could wait one more day.  I am wondering whether I’ll feel like doing anything tomorrow night though.
Anyway, we walked a mile or so.  I took us on a trail Savannah had never seen since she likes variety and was up front with the Dakota and Copper when a flash of sunlight bouncing off an animal’s fur caught my eye.  I stopped, stared into the underbrush from which it had come and finally detected the movement that had created it.
“Dakota, Copper – come on back here!” I said as I turned and began retracing my steps towards Savannah.
Dakota obeyed instantly and began following me.  Copper, that curious little puppy, headed in the direction of the movement before deciding she too should do what I’d said and began following Dakota.
“What’s up?” Savannah asked as I approached.
“Skunk.  Surprised to see it in daylight and I’m pretty sure Copper shouldn’t be saying ‘hello’,” I said.
We continued along a different trail with Copper lagging slightly, as puppies will do with their stubby, little legs and limited endurance.  I turned to find her carrying something, thinking it was a stick.  It wasn’t.  She proudly trotted my way with a dead robin carcass in her mouth.
“Um…nice find Copper, but I think we should throw that away,” I said when she dropped it for me.  She was learning quickly why Dakota and I liked the woods so much. 

I was happy the walk was a short one.  Once back in the car, the pressure on my bladder diminished.  I drove home, made some dinner and spent another evening sitting, trying to find a comfortable position.  My last night of whining, I hope.

Pain is getting worse...

Tuesday, August 5, 2014
My urine had been getting darker throughout the day despite my drinking copious amounts of water.  If I wasn’t scheduled to have the stent removed on Thursday, I’d have likely called the urologist and asked some questions.  I couldn’t walk at all without discomfort in the urinary tract either, which made hiking in the park with the puppies unattractive.  I did have some grass to cut though, and it wasn’t getting any shorter.
I managed the hand mower quite well, but was anxious about the riding mower.  When I’d used it to cut Joan’s yard a week ago, I’d felt each bump in the yard in my bladder…and not in a good way.  For some reason, it did not bother me and I merrily rode for an hour getting my work done.

I drove to BJ’s to do the grocery shopping and that lifting and walking was uncomfortable so by the time I returned home for the evening, I was ready for a small dinner and couch time.  I passed more blood in my urine than I had since the second day after the operation and the pain was pretty intense.  After sitting for ten minutes, the pain subsided and for the rest of the evening, I was reasonably comfortable.

Better or worse? Hard to say...

Monday, August 4, 2014
I spent the day at the Y making constant trips to the bathroom.  The pain upon going seemed to be getting worse, though I had thought I was better when I’d gotten up that morning and had no pain for my first trip.  Walking around seemed to aggravate it.
I texted Savannah at the end of the day and encouraged her to meet me at the park with the dogs for a short hike.  My plan was to arrive there first and do the Survival Workout – as much as I could, at least.
I started well, managing 90 push-ups and having no trouble with my pull-ups and abdominal exercises.  I headed down the trail doing all the normal sets in my routine, including karaoke up the steep hill leading out of the horse trailer parking lot.  I’d reached Clear Creek and was about two-thirds through the workout when Savannah called to say she was on the way with the puppies.  I returned to the car to find them already playing in the field.  Copper was very interested in following Dakota wherever she went and doing whatever she did.  Still all good.  In fact, we tried to get her to mimic Dakota at road crossings when Dakota would obediently come to my side and not cross until I gave her the ‘all clear’.  Copper was clueless about why, but she did it none the less.
We walked a mile to the creek and allowed them time to play in the water before making the return hike.  I’d only managed 13 sets of my workout, but with the extra hiking, felt pretty good about the day.  I’m planning a trip to the Adirondacks before starting the new position, but have reservations about what I’ll be able to do.  With the stent coming out on Thursday, maybe the bladder urgency and uncomfortable feelings will dissipate.  If they don’t, it’s unlikely that I’d try to climb a peak, but wouldn’t mind a short hike to Round Pond and some time alone to camp, write, read, take short hikes, and think.  The serenity is complete there and with the wedding coming and starting a new job, it may be my last chance for this year.
Survival Workout: 60 minutes. 
Training Heart Rate: 100-150 bpm.

Calories Burned: 600.

Introducing Copper to North Chagrin Reservation...

Sunday, August 3, 2014

I’d had a miserable night with my bladder.  Up every hour or so and feeling pain each time I had to go was getting very old.  I headed to church, but couldn’t sit through the service without making a trip to the bathroom.  I returned home and laid down; the only thing that seemed to relieve the constant urge.  Copper needed constant attention and Savannah had been called into work.  I decided it was time to introduce her to the North Chagrin Reservation.
I put her in the back seat of the Toyota and Dakota assumed her normal perch in the front passenger seat.  Copper was having none of it and tried to climb into the front with Dakota, which surprisingly, she tolerated.  Finally, she ended up in my lap, which I allowed. 
We parked close to Clear Creek as I wanted to keep the walk to something a seven-week old puppy could handle.  I’d done the same with Dakota as a puppy, introducing her to the trails early and often with the hope that she’d love it as much as I.  It had worked with her, so why not Copper?  She followed directly on my heels, though managed to run ahead in an effort to follow Dakota.  She was clearly taking Q’s from Dakota, which is exactly what I wanted since she was so well trained and never strayed too far from me.  Copper struggled but climbed over logs that crossed the path, but when we reached the creek, I thought the water was running a little too high to let her try and cross.  She, on the other hand, was completely unintimidated and plunged forward.

After tumbling twice from the river bank the three feet to the water below, she became slightly more cautious, but remained unafraid.  She seemed to enjoy the water and the park, though was beginning to drag on the return trip to the car and completely collapsed once inside.  I hadn’t gotten much of a hike, but had begun the important process of indoctrinating the newest family member to the beauty of the park and being outside. 

Copper...

Saturday, August 2, 2014

Jason had gone out of town and I’d committed to taking care of his two dogs and Theresa’s cat during their absence.  I arrived early enough to let them out, feed them, give them a little time to exercise and still get to Mimi’s by 8:30 a.m.
I arrived at Mimi’s to find that she had garage cleaning in mind.  This is one of my favorite activities at my own house and it proved almost equally as rewarding at hers.  I love getting rid of junk that never gets used and only serves to clutter.  I also like tackling insurmountable obstacles, like the spider webs and bug poop throughout her garage, and being able to stand back when all is done to admire an amazing difference, which after three hours is just what we did.
I was feeling a constant nagging discomfort in my bladder throughout the morning, which seemed to be getting worse with each passing day.  It was far from the pain that had put me in the hospital and hardly worth mentioning, but things weren’t right down there and I knew it.  I decided to cut my normal Saturday workload short and headed for home.
Copper, Savannah’s new puppy and named for her favorite stuffed animal which was supposed to resemble Copper from the Disney movie 'Fox and the Hound', was in puppy form and in need of constant attention.  She’d slept some of the previous evening, but her whimpering had kept Savannah, me, Dakota, and Jack from getting much sleep.  Dakota was chasing the tennis ball as I walked into the back yard with Copper trying to keep pace for about ten steps.
“I’m trying to wear her out so maybe she’ll sleep tonight,” Savannah said.
“Good luck with that.  I think we’ll be spending a few more sleepless nights before she completely settles in,” I said.

She would just have to let her whimper one night and not respond to it.  Puppies, like children, learn quickly what gets results and if it was whimpering incessantly, then she’d whimper.  I returned to Jason’s place to care for his animals and spent several hours there keeping them company before returning home to relieve Savannah so she could go for a run and get a shower.  Copper was actually doing quite well and would walk all around the neighborhood with Dakota and me without straying.  In fact, she would walk almost directly underfoot in an effort not to get left behind.  Dakota was a well-trained canine and it was our hope she would share all those wonderful characteristics with this new puppy.

Back to the boat...

Friday, August 1, 2014

Nathan had been working solo on the boat since he’d returned from his last stint.  I felt guilty about this, but there had been little I could do about it.  I had told him that I’d try to do some work on Friday though, and so he picked me up early and we headed for the Marina.
It was all about sanding the hull.  Dirty, time-consuming, tedious labor, but it simply had to be done if we were to put a fresh coat of paint on the hull and put it in the water before the end of the boating season. 
I grabbed my orbital, hand sander and went to work smoothing areas where Nathan had applied resin to fill holes and to smooth other areas where paint had chipped from the hull.  We stayed at if for about four hours and reached a point where, with the exception of spots he’d needed to reapply resin, we were ready to paint.  My back and arms were sore and I’d been going to the bathroom every 45 minutes, but I felt good about finally making another contribution to the boat restoration.  Though we had much to do above, Nathan was quite confident we could put it in the water at this point and it would float.  I’d decided that even if he was right, I’d watch that experiment from the shore.

The countdown to the arrival of Savannah’s puppy had been going on for over six weeks.  A friend from the Columbus area had posted puppy pictures when they’d discovered the dog they’d adopted from the Humane Society was ‘with puppies’.  The owner was driving the puppies to their new homes and would be arriving in Highland Heights with Savannah’s around 9 p.m.  She arrived on time and the family, including Dakota, began the adjustment.  I love puppies and have raised several in my years and was looking forward to helping Savannah with her first.  Dakota, on the other hand, was less than thrilled.

Nearly normal workout...

Thursday, July 31, 2014
I decided to stop pampering myself and give a full Survival Workout a shot.  My last effort had been cut short when anything I did with core muscles caused pain in the abdomen.  I had a feeling it would go better though, but only a few good crunches would tell the tale.
I managed 80 push-ups to start the workout, which was encouraging and when I dropped to the ground to do my first core set and passed ten reps, I knew it would be alright.  I stopped at fifty and moved to my pull-ups, which also went pain-free.
Though I skipped some lower body jumps, the workout went extremely well.  I was even able to climb the swing set, which uses plenty of core strength, without pain.  In all, I managed 19 sets and felt rather good about myself.  That’s not to say I didn’t have some pain in the abdomen and a need to pee three times during the workout, but so what?  It was a very good recovery day.
Survival Workout: 60 minutes. 
Training Heart Rate: 100-150 bpm.

Calories Burned: 600.

Still having unpleasant feelings...

Wednesday, July 30, 2014
I went to Joan’s place to cut her grass.  I’d missed last week while suffering through my kidney stone fiasco and I needed to get back on track with my side jobs.
Pushing the hand mower was not a problem, but when I climbed on the tractor for the bulk of the cutting, I felt each bump and jolt in my abdomen and urinary tract.  It was quite unpleasant, but I knew I needed to get through it…and I did.

I returned home and spent most of the remainder of the evening on the sofa.  It seems to be my only comfortable position, but I’m sick of it.  The stent is due to come out in a week and maybe then I’ll feel normal again.