Yikes ... I can't believe it has been almost a week without updating my mileage ... sorry bloggers. Life is crazy right now. It was a year on Wednesday since I lost my Mom, work is horribly busy, and I had to run around getting a drug test for my job (I did not study at all, I hope I passed ;-) ). I did, however, run! I do have a confession to make, however. I am not doing "great" - I have not been able to start training the way I had hoped because I am having some issues due to my surgery and radiation. My chest wall and shoulder are really messed up (not uncommon) - I think I have what is called truncal lymphedema -- where the lymph system in your chest gets inflammed and causes pain and pressure. This is due to both the surgery to remove the cancer and then the subsequent trauma of the radiation. It "eventually" will hopefully go away, but it makes it extremely difficult for me to both move my arm (my shoulder hurts pretty much constantly and I can't put my arm up over my head because the muscles are so tight and painful) and, worse for running, I can't take a deep breath (also because of both pain and tightness/pressure). Sometimes (not all the time) it feels like I have asthma, because if I try to take a breath I can't actually expand my lungs enough to get any oxygen in. I can run -- and as long as I stay about 8:30-9 min pace (where I don't have to breath hard) I can run for a long time (although after about 2 hours in the 100F heat my side swells up) -- but, I can't really run 7 min pace or faster for a long time without pain. I am trying to stay positive, but I will admit it makes me sad. I am, finally, if I can find the time, going to go to a specialist in the oncology center to see if they can help me ... but, I fear it is just one of those things that I will have to "wait and see". This stupid stuff is just the "gift that keeps on giving". There you have it ... part of the reason I have not been blogging much. I am still grateful as I can be that I can run what I can ... so I try not to complain too much. I hope you are all doing well.
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