Heart Health & Panic

You know that moment when you wake up on your last day of vacation, and it’s almost too depressing to enjoy it?  I’m sure you do.  Knowing that work life and the realities of every day life are blindly tossed back in your face after days of rest and relaxation…  We all know how it feels.  Well, today is not that day!  Right now, this moment, is the beginning of a nice long ten days off in a row.  I haven’t taken this much time off at once in a few years, so this is extra special.  I plan on enjoying every moment.

These past two weeks have been filled with stress.  Mainly a trip to the doctors office for a routine physical, which turned into test after test, and utter messing with my head.  My blood pressure was high, my blood sugar was high, my EKG was abnormal.  My Vitamin D was practically non-existent.  So, more tests put me in a panic.  When a doctor asks if you’ve had chest pains, it really is eye opening.

I have already gone back for an echocardiogram, and more blood tests.  I am on a high dose Vitamin D regime for 8 weeks, and I am waiting on the results of my heart ultrasound.  I just had the echo yesterday morning, so I guess if it were anything real serious I would have gotten a call by now.  My fingers and toes have all been crossed that I am ok.

So, I really need this vacation.  To unwind, and relax.  I have to try not to think about potentially getting bad news while I’m gone, as you see, I get on an airplane tomorrow.  If I get test results on Monday, I will be on the other side of the country.  Let’s just hope all is good, because after my return from the west coast I have a marathon to run.  Quintiles Wrightsville Beach is a week from Sunday, two days after I fly home.  I have have one day to rest, then pack up and drive to the coast the following day for the expo.

Registration closes today on the race.  I’m cautiously optimistic that the doctor will say that it’s ok to run.  The whole thing has just been such an unwelcome surprise and has floored me.  I’m used to bring told that I am in perfect health, that my heart is strong and that I am in great shape for my age.  All of these things coming to light when you least expect it, just so surprising.  Isn’t running supposed to be good for your health?

I have to focus on the positives.

I am heading to the airport tomorrow, and going to enjoy this vacation.  It’s my time, and my time away.  My time to relax, have fun and not be stressed.

I have this race to look forward to when I return, and then after successful completion of the race, I have this to look forward to….

I will remain hopeful.