One Step at a Time

Colin Powell, a man I admire, wrote a book listing his 13 rules for life and leadership.  Great book.  The first rule is “It ain’t as bad as you think.  It will look better in the morning.”  I can tell you from my experience over the last two weeks, he’s right.    My situation was not as bad as I thought it was, it was much worse.

Two weeks ago, facing an early Sunday morning long training run I went to bed early feeling a little under the weather.   No problem, Colin Powell says I’ll feel better in the morning.   So I was a bit surprised in the morning when I woke and couldn’t get out of bed.  Literally.  I tried to sit up, that wasn’t happening.  Tried to push myself up with my arms but they were like over cooked spaghetti.   Realizing something was not even close to a normal situation I of course should have called for help.   Not a chance.  Have you ever noticed how one bad decision can often snowball into a series of irrational steps that when you look back begs the question “What were you possibly thinking?” 

In this case it started with the idea that if I could move my legs over the side of the bed I can sit up and then stand.   Fifteen minutes later after successfully slipping my legs off the side bed I found myself lying on the floor like a beached whale, unable to get up or roll over.   At this point my wife finds me and calls my son and they rationally decide to call an ambulance.  The ambulance ride was cool but not something I would recommend you put on your bucket list.  I did get them to put on the siren and lights for part of the trip.

Long story, but the short version is I ended up in the ICU for a few days with a raging kidney infection and sepsis, likely caused when they went in the week before to remove the wayward clip in my bladder.  Touch and go for a few days but I finally got home 5 days later with a walker to get around.  It’s a total mystery to me how I could literally overnight go from running 30 miles a week to unable to walk because of a kidney infection.   Now a week later I’m able to get around without the walker but I haven’t tried running yet.

Not sure where that leaves me relative to the marathon.  I have a little over two months to go but I’m unsure what level of training and endurance I’ve lost.  Right now I’m thankful just to be back on my feet.

The hospital stay did remind me how hard it can be facing each day of poking and prodding, endless tests, medications that make you nauseous and nights of constantly interrupted sleep.   It also reminded me that this is why we work to bring a bit of joy and distraction to children battling cancer, often in the hospital fighting not for days or weeks, but for months and years.   

Stay tuned, an update on the recovery progress shortly.