September approaches and that’s when I will be back on the bike. I have to tell you all that I am feeling good. Great in fact. I can sleep and that is a wonderful thing.
I had nightmares-- I’ve had these nightmares before. They contain a theme of exceptionally long-life but mechanically assisted.
The most vivid dream is that I’m trying to escape what seems to be the center of an old town. There’s a fountain with statues and water. The town has been long forgotten, and it is not my town or place of birth—I don’t even think it’s my county. A black car pulls up—it’s the car of a wealthy person. The person is a young woman dressed in black—and she is looking for me with some urgency. I know who she is—she is very much her mother’s daughter, or grand daughter or great grand daughter—or great great grand daughter—as there is a span of time so vast between her arrival and this moment. She has what appears to be body guards/goons. I am, or what ever I am, is desperately attempting to fade into the shadows. But I am mainly mechanical; lungs, arms, and legs—If I had a face it would show my fear. But it seems frozen in metal and plastic. My heart and mind have been tormented for a hundred years. It is me living inside, and I do move, but it is not with the speed I need to distance myself from her.
I am found this time—they have found me. I suddenly feel great shame and great heartache.
My clothes are of a ragged homeless man. But I am not decrepit or hunched over—and I do not feel old or ill. I am not a monster. My arms and legs are refined. They give me human form. They were made to be better than real. They don’t seem to operate too well at this moment. They were issued a very long time ago.
What she wants from me is something deep from my memory. I believe it could have been from a time when I was a young man and among her people. That was when I was without these scars. I have lived so very long—but I am not old and I am not dying.
Sometimes I feel like I have been captured and I’m being held and they’re watching. But they never asked me the question that the woman needs to know. Somehow I am able to elude her.
Freakin’ weird, mes amis!
Read Part I
Read Part II
Showing posts with label Mononucleosis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mononucleosis. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Monday, August 13, 2007
Mono—and Recovery Chapter 2
Here is Part I
Here is Part III
John called me up and said I should meet the gang at breakfast. So early Sunday morning when I awoke, I made it a point to turn on my cell as they were to call when they neared Dog Mtn.
Sure enough, John calls to say they are at Tangerine and Interstate 10, and they will call when they pass my place at Tangerine and Dog Mtn Blvd. I go back to sleep because I know they have a 6 mile climb to that point—and they say they are going to continue up Tangerine to Oracle Rd then head up to Claire’s Café. I’ll meet them there via chez voiture and we’ll have a laugh or two over coffee and chicken-fried steak.
I didn’t sleep very long—John calls and they are at the light. That was kinda fast, guys, I thought to myself. Well, I have some time to feed the dog, wake up a little, etc. It is not an easy climb all the way to Oracle via Tangerine, mes amis. Oh—Eric is also on the injured list. He starts the ride but pulls out heading home.
So I figure I can take my time—I’ve been trying to get to bed early and get some rest. I’m actually sleeping—for months I didn’t sleep well and what a difference. The world is no longer dull black and white but vivid with color again!
I’m driving and I expect to see the lads pushing up the road. I see many other riders out. I see two riders changing flat tires. Lots of rain so the roads have thorns and all kinds of other debris all over. Everyone is out riding; thin lanky young guys riding strong. Fat guys, fat girls—oh, and that woman I keep seeing ripping down Tangerine, and sometimes I see her on my commute route… She looks like my friend Stef if Stef was a woman—Stef with long blonde hair. He’s an ex rugby player and all around fit muscular hunk of triathlon-machine/eye candy. But I digress… It is just a beautiful morning and not to be wasted.
My cell rings while I’m driving up the road. John and Larry are already at Claire’s. I’m still about 10 minutes away. They say they’ll sip coffee and wait my arrival. Gosh, I feel like I just earned a JackAssPass—a phase coined by Dave Glasgow to bestow on us when we slack off, and he turns around and rides back to see where the hell we’re at on the road.
So the guys are already at Claire’s.
Our perky cute waitress happily takes our photo when food arrives.
Breakfast! John tries the chicken-fried steak.
Larry sticks to pancakes.
Larry told us this great story about Eric ordering a huge breakfast one time on a ride. The waitress brought everyone’s food, and Eric’s order had like five plates—he had ordered two breakfasts. Then later he got real sick and puked it all up!
John has a bunch of bikes, and sometimes he messes with them and switches out wheels and cranks other componets to see what happens. I guess he wondered what it would be like riding a girl's saddle--see the pretty butterfly? Aw, that is like--so cute!
Okay. Well, John and Larry say I'm looking like my old self. For a few months I struggled with the mono and and its affects on me--but they said I'm actually looking healthier. And I am feeling better quickly. Maybe I can get on the bike early and start gearing up for Fall and cooler weather.
Having breakfast cheered me up and I'm glad I was invited to go up to Claire's.
I'm still a little weak as after I got home I tried to do some work around the house, and soon found myself taking an early afternoon nap for several hours.
Cheers,
Bruce
Here is Part III
John called me up and said I should meet the gang at breakfast. So early Sunday morning when I awoke, I made it a point to turn on my cell as they were to call when they neared Dog Mtn.
Sure enough, John calls to say they are at Tangerine and Interstate 10, and they will call when they pass my place at Tangerine and Dog Mtn Blvd. I go back to sleep because I know they have a 6 mile climb to that point—and they say they are going to continue up Tangerine to Oracle Rd then head up to Claire’s Café. I’ll meet them there via chez voiture and we’ll have a laugh or two over coffee and chicken-fried steak.
I didn’t sleep very long—John calls and they are at the light. That was kinda fast, guys, I thought to myself. Well, I have some time to feed the dog, wake up a little, etc. It is not an easy climb all the way to Oracle via Tangerine, mes amis. Oh—Eric is also on the injured list. He starts the ride but pulls out heading home.
So I figure I can take my time—I’ve been trying to get to bed early and get some rest. I’m actually sleeping—for months I didn’t sleep well and what a difference. The world is no longer dull black and white but vivid with color again!
I’m driving and I expect to see the lads pushing up the road. I see many other riders out. I see two riders changing flat tires. Lots of rain so the roads have thorns and all kinds of other debris all over. Everyone is out riding; thin lanky young guys riding strong. Fat guys, fat girls—oh, and that woman I keep seeing ripping down Tangerine, and sometimes I see her on my commute route… She looks like my friend Stef if Stef was a woman—Stef with long blonde hair. He’s an ex rugby player and all around fit muscular hunk of triathlon-machine/eye candy. But I digress… It is just a beautiful morning and not to be wasted.
My cell rings while I’m driving up the road. John and Larry are already at Claire’s. I’m still about 10 minutes away. They say they’ll sip coffee and wait my arrival. Gosh, I feel like I just earned a JackAssPass—a phase coined by Dave Glasgow to bestow on us when we slack off, and he turns around and rides back to see where the hell we’re at on the road.
So the guys are already at Claire’s.
Our perky cute waitress happily takes our photo when food arrives.
Breakfast! John tries the chicken-fried steak.
Larry sticks to pancakes.
Larry told us this great story about Eric ordering a huge breakfast one time on a ride. The waitress brought everyone’s food, and Eric’s order had like five plates—he had ordered two breakfasts. Then later he got real sick and puked it all up!
John has a bunch of bikes, and sometimes he messes with them and switches out wheels and cranks other componets to see what happens. I guess he wondered what it would be like riding a girl's saddle--see the pretty butterfly? Aw, that is like--so cute!
Okay. Well, John and Larry say I'm looking like my old self. For a few months I struggled with the mono and and its affects on me--but they said I'm actually looking healthier. And I am feeling better quickly. Maybe I can get on the bike early and start gearing up for Fall and cooler weather.
Having breakfast cheered me up and I'm glad I was invited to go up to Claire's.
I'm still a little weak as after I got home I tried to do some work around the house, and soon found myself taking an early afternoon nap for several hours.
Cheers,
Bruce
Thursday, August 09, 2007
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
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
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