Saturday, November 5, 2011

Silence is Definitely *Not* Golden (A race preamble)

2010 was the year of firsts. I ran my first half marathon and finished my first triathlon.  TriGuy also did his first tri the same day I did my half. We loved the atmosphere of that race weekend so we signed up and booked our room for this year's races as soon as we could. I had been training like a fiend and had even convinced Ann Marie to do the race with me.

The kids still talk like that, right?

Everything was super-peachy. We went on a final training ride the Sunday before our race. At the end of it Ann Marie mentioned I was sounding a bit congested. I was convinced it was due to the bug that had flown up my nose 3 miles in.


I was certain it was still up there despite having blown my nose a good 50-1,000 times.  That night I couldn't sleep because my throat hurt. It was one of those things where you try and try not to swallow because when you do your tonsils feel like ninja throwing stars were just lodged into them. (You can call them Shuriken if you're feeling fancy...or geeky.)


I went to bed but just as I would start getting sleepy, darned if that stupid swallow reflex didn't keep kicking in. I drank water. I sprayed that numbing spray that TriGuy swears by but for some reason just does not work for me.


I called in sick the next day but I really couldn't stay home the day after, since I was teaching a class all morning with a co-worker. I loaded up on Tylenol Cold and skipped off to work. I asked for my co-worker's forgiveness before we started the class.


After a morning of talking my voice was getting a little weak. I went to work again the next day, now on a steady dose of daytime and nighttime cold medicine. By the afternoon I was pretty much just down to squeaking. I had also started coughing and since I work at a hospital that meant I had to wear a mask.

My clients were perplexed.


Thursday morning I was completely voiceless; squeakless, if you will.  Even my coughing was silent.


I texted our scheduler at work asking her to please cancel my families, since clearly I could not call them.  I emailed my boss.  I drove to my doctor's office (again, couldn't call) where the on-call doctor said I had a virus.  He told me to enjoy my race and return if my sinuses or ears started hurting. I went home and started packing.

Smash cut to Thursday night:


I asked the wise world of Facebook for earache advice.  I googled earache remedies.  I stuffed a bunch of rice in a sock, threw it in the microwave and slept with it against my ear.

The next morning my hearing was MESSED UP.  I was hearing double and distorted.


It was freaky. Soon after, I really couldn't hear anything out of my left ear.

I truly could neither hear,


nor speak.


Regardless, we headed out to our fabulous race weekend. On Saturday I watched TriGuy PB on his tri!


We sat out on the balcony and waited eagerly (though quietly) for Ann Marie to arrive and prep for the next day's race!

NEXT POST:  SWIM RECAP


42 comments:

  1. So can you hear and speak now?!?!?!? the suspense is killing me! "I gots to know" lol :D hope you feel better congrats to tri-guy!!!!

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  2. OH my gosh. This sounds like pure hell. Although I did love the shot to the eye with the numbing spray picture. Congrats to triguy and I REALLY hope you're feeling better!

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  3. As usual your pictures and story are hilarious...thanks for the laugh...oh yeah I really felt bad that you got so sick.

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  4. Ali: Hehe, yes I am. You're sweet for asking! I'll tell TriGuy :)

    Vapid Vixen: Yeah, it really sucked but I am feeling better, thank you :) I'll pass on your congrats to TriGuy.

    not athletic: Thanks! I'm better now :)

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  5. Another hilarious post!
    I'm glad you worked out the TV-drawing-dilemma... It looks very tv-esque :)

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  6. I have the same bug right now. I finally broke down and got anitbiotics because I can't hear at all and my sinuses ache. This is the worst! I'm glad you still made it to the race and you are feeling better!

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  7. That's terrible! Just terrible! Made me laugh my butt off, though. Glad you still made it to race weekend.

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  8. I found my way here through Dats So Cute and I haven't been so excited about finding a new blog in a while! I love your style of writing and your illustrations are such a unique (and hilarious) twist to your blogs. Im also loving that you're a runner as I just started running and am training for my first 5 (I know, not far but im also on a weight loss journey to lose 100 lbs so baby steps!). Consider yourself followed.. for 205th time aha. :)
    xo.
    bail

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  9. Oh my gosh, so how are you now!? Your pictures are absolutely hilarious and unique--I've never seen another blog like yours!! I really enjoyed your post :)

    Glad I came by from Comment Love Day!

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  10. The pictures were great even if you weren't feeling all that great. I will now think of tiny ninjas whenever I have a sore throat.
    I love how entertaining you can make things, even an illness.

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  11. Kristin: Yes, it worked out ok, didn't it? That there was a first world problem :)

    runningonwords: Yes, I remember you writing about it at least a month ago. Tenacious son-of-a-gun. It does get better but takes forever (3 rounds of meds plus prednisone for me!)

    Lora: Yes, I was stubborn...let's say 'determined' to do the race.

    bailey j: Glad you're here and thanks for following! I just visited your blog and was so impressed with your health journey!

    Becky: Better now, thanks for asking! So glad you came by :) I've been to your site a couple of times off FTLOB :D

    Pickleope: I can say that at the time I was not thinking about how entertaining it was, but I'm glad I've got you thinking about ninjas. Everyone needs to think about ninjas more often.

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  12. I love your drawings! And I HATE when your hearing is messed up! I've been sick and my ears have been all out of whack. Hope you're hearing better now!

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  13. our home earache remedy is olive oil with garlic...swish it around, get the garlic good and in there, then dropper the oil mix into your ear..
    I know, sounds crazy...but it works

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  14. Hooray for TriGuy! :) (I still say Peanut Butter at first when you write 'PB'...)

    I'm glad to read that you're doing better!!! That sounded more miserable than running a triathlon! ;)

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  15. Kate: Thanks! Yeah, it reallllly sucks. You feel so disoriented! I am hearing better now, thanks!

    Not a Perfect Mom: I will totally try that if this becomes a recurrent thing (I really hope it doesn't). How many drops do you put in? Do you just leave the oil int here?Where does one get a dropper these days without being a scientist??

    KSK: Yup, he *did* get peanut butter at the end of the race :D And really, the triathlon was the highlight of the week, as tough as it was at times.

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  16. You have a virus, enjoy your race? What? That sounds like horrible Dr advice to me. Congrats to your hubby for getting his PB though that is awesome. And congrats to you for being such a trooper through such an awful illness. No fun!

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  17. i really wish you would have said, "it's da bomb" because that would have just been hilarious! That sounds awful and you were such a trooper. You definitely deserve a medal or chocolate or both

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  18. Thanks for following me! I'm very glad you did because I'm really glad I found your blog and I'm now following back! My husband just did the Austin half-Ironman and he's really into it. I've never been able to get on the band-wagon but maybe you'll inspire me! I'd really like to know how you do your pics!!

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  19. Lindsay: Yes, well, he is the same dr who later gave me the meds that caused tendon damage so i'm not a fan. I'll pass along your congrats to TriGuy though :D

    Meg: I toootally said "It's da bomb" ;) I will happily take chocolate...shall I send you my address??

    Mommy With Selective Memory: I love finding new fun blogs! Do you guys live in Austin? I used to live there and loved it! I draw on my iPad with my finger :) I have a free app that I use.

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  20. Oy! I don't know whether to laugh or cry! That's just TORTURE. (But I gotta love the drawings!)

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  21. OMG you poor thing! Bug up the nose... CLASSIC! I can't use that throat spray either. It totally catches my gag reflexes. Hubs swears by it though... that stuff and then gargling warm salt water. BOTH make me wanna puke! haha

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  22. Shannon: Yes, laughing seems like the best choice in this kind of situation!

    Skipping: Yeah, bug up the nose. No bueno. I'm working hard on the gargling, because really it works :P

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  23. I should send some w erika! U two better take a pic together to send me when u see each other in a few weeks.

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  24. MegO: Hehe, send lots ;) We will of course take pics! (if we meet up)

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  25. Argh, a cliff-hanger!! What happened next? I hope you're feeling better.

    Your ninja-star-throat is an awesome work of art - I love it! I wish I could draw like you do.

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  26. Wow! I hope you're feeling better.

    Thanks again for visiting.

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  27. Ixy: It's coming, I promise :) So much to write...and draw. Really the drawing is just a little practice!

    missrobin: I am better, thanks!

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  28. Hya!! Where is the new post?? I am waiting :P

    And yes, I speak spanish, well I am studying in spain,and this is my second year here :) English I learned in my school in my country!

    I think you are speaking good spanish, my english isn´t perfect also, but my blog helps me to practice :)

    Have a nice weekend, TriGirl :P

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  29. I love that you can find humour in situations like this and express it through your hilarious drawings! Good to hear that you're better now! I HATE the ninja blade when you swallow feeling. It is one of the WORST feelings in the world!

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  30. Iloshka: So cool you're in Spain! I'm sure my Spanish would be much better if I actually lived in a Spanish-speaking country :) Oh, and I'm working on the new post :P

    Christina: Thanks! Yes it really is a horrible feeling so I'm glad it only lasted a couple of days :)

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  31. I felt so bad giggling through this post - it seems like you were so sick. But the throwing star thing... that's probably the best description of a sore throat I've ever read. I hope you're feeling all better now!

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  32. Carly: My aim is to make people laugh, or at least smile, so don't feel bad :) It took a long time but yes, I'm feeling better now!

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  33. This probably sounds awful, but you woulda had SUCH a good picture to draw, if you had gone blind. You know, just temporarily.

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  34. Gia: I know, right? Though I suppose if He keep spraying that throat stuff in my eye it could be done :)

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  35. OMG chica! I CANNOT believe I have been missing your posts. Pretty please tell me how I can be one of the first to know when a new one goes up?!

    It's so funny how you have these CRAZY real-life experiences...it's wild that all this stuff happens to you. And it really does. I was there. Ha. Thanks for making me a cute stick drawing :) Love it. Can't wait to show Tim when he's awake.

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  36. Ann Marie: Well, 'announce' it on Twitter, fb, Blog Lovin', and it shows up on the Blogger blog roll...but, I suppose I could just tell you ;)

    Hope Mr. Timothy likes the stick figure version of you :D

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  37. Oh, and Google+. I keep forgetting about that one.

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