Mono—and Recovery

Here is Part II
Here is Part III

Gentle Readers of This Blog, you must know that I’ve been back to work now since Monday. I was out July 26th through August 5th—recovering from Mononucleosis. A rather severe case I might add; I was quite miserable. But I am happy to report that I’m on the mend—I believe to be on the safe side, I’ll stay off the bike for the month of August to recover fully. This is because there’s a risk of not getting enough rest and then you stay weak and sick still. There is risk of rupturing your spleen. I could do that by riding too much, or if I had a spill or crash, I would need to be taken to hospital and have life-saving surgery. I will avoid life-saving surgery this time around I do believe, mes amis.

I think I was sick starting back in April, where generally I felt like shit most of the time. Probably stress from many different directions. I actually checked myself into Urgent Care a few days before Bev arrived from Afghanistan. I didn’t want to be sick on our vacation and during her time off. I thought I might be developing pneumonia again—but they said I was just a little under the weather (they didn’t do a blood test for mono however) and sent me home.

After the cruise down in Old Mexico, I wasn’t feeling that great while we were visiting Bev’s cousins in California before coming home to Tucson. But I sucked it up and went back to my routine.

I was probably fit enough to fight off the affects of mono for a few more weeks. The commutes on the bike were rough, and I attributed the lack of energy to headwinds, temps over 100 on my rides home, and sleepless nights—often I felt I had no rest after waking in the morning.

On the eve of a planned Marana-Scottsdale-Marana trip, I caved in and quickly developed chills and fever. For three days I stayed in bed to try and fight it off, but I wasn’t getting any better. My throat, gums, and tongue swelled up due to the infection, and finally I dragged myself to the Urgent Care to get checked out when I felt I could drive.

I’d had a temperature of 102 for several days, and what first the doc thought was strep throat, turned out to be mono after a blood test because the strep test was negative. Having mono meant there was nothing they could give to me to keep my fever down or give me any relief. I just had to go home and stay in bed—and rest.

As I’m mending, I can feel that the mono/heavy fatigue I had for months fading away. I’m getting stronger each day—and sleeping better. I still don’t have much of an appetite so I need to be sure and eat and not get weak and run down.

I won’t be able to ride in the 252 mile Cochise Classic this year. October is fast approaching and I don’t think I can realistically recover and get fit for the ride. When I did it in 2005 I was probably the most fit I’ve been in many years. Actually it was discouraging this summer to be training with Steve and John, Eric, Cathy and Larry—and not make any progress on the bike, or at the YMCA. Now I’ve set my goal to ride El Tour de Tucson in a respectable time—just be fit for it and have fun, and take the camera and relax.

The day in San Manuel was very relaxing and I’m glad I felt up for that adventure—it was exhausting and I slept most of Sunday to recover. Luckily that day it was cooler and I was able to kick back and look at airplanes.

Training for El Tour should be a good transition into the 2008 Brevet season.

Cheers!

Bruce