I wrote this post about the Art of the Setback on the road to my 140.6 at Beach 2 Battleship in the fall. It has always been “one thing after another” with me. If I’m not falling in my driveway and breaking my feet, then I’m breaking ribs in a bike crash, or falling down the stairs. Always some ridiculous injury or happenstance. After B2B, it was two rounds of the poop-disease diverticulitis that took me out.
For those of you who haven’t been with Swim Bike Mom long… here’s a medley of highlights with my major setbacks. Just to name a few. Seriously.
And now?
Well, I return home from the TrainCation to a lump on the side of my face and a skin eruption on my head—-ta da!
And what’s behind door number one, Frank? Oh yessssssssssss….You’ve got it!!
SHINGLES!
Awesome. Let me add that to my list. (The worst part? Is I am hearing anywhere from two to six weeks recovery on this? Uh— hello.)
So I have been off training since the 10 mile TrainCation run on Sunday, and I am slowly losing my mind. But I know that I must rest and keep the stress low. So I’m trying.
…But …then last night we took a quick little trip via ambulance to the ER… paramedics and all.
The Expert was having crazy symptoms of stroke or heart attack or something, so we had much drama… but he checked out okay, and here we are… another day, another way.
[And the folks at the ER didn’t know who the patient was… him or me, with my effed up shingles face.]
Trying to figure out how to balance and breathe and relax …while also managing all the things that we must.
(Yes, I took pictures. Ah-hem.)
While I know training and triathlon isn’t “everything” in the world… and that what is important is family and keeping everyone safe and sane and happy… I can’t help but feel completely knocked down this week.
There is a huge component of training to keeping me sane and well enough to handle life and its stressors…
…and when that goes out the window, it’s just—well, I don’t know. I want to pull the covers over my head. Stick my head in the sand. Run away. All three, somehow at the same time.
Right now, I feel that everything is quite a challenge. And really, that’s not an exaggeration.
Hugs, Meredith (and the Expert). And here I’ve been complaining this week that I have a nasty cold and cough that have kept me out of training.
Take it one day at a time. We can only do what we can do.
Meredith, I’m so sorry to hear this! I will be praying for you and the Expert!
Oh no! Sorry to hear this! Hope everyone feels better soon!
Wishing you both well
Hugs and prayers to all of you. Sometimes life just keeps crapping on you and it sounds like you’ve been getting explosive diarrhea. It sucks but as with everything, this too shall pass. I felt this way in January and February. It has passed and I’m on a better track. Take it easy, do what you can and soon you will find the strength to do more.
ugh! so sorry to hear this. I got stress-induce shingles in November. Fortunately, I just had the rash and a bit of itching, and not the horrific pain typically associated with shingles. I’m confident that next time it will officially kick my a$$. I hope you are well soon and that the Expert is on the mend too. Not fun AT all.
So sorry that your having another setback. All you can do is keep trudging forward. Good luck to you and the expert.
So sorry to hear about all of this…you will get through and come out stronger on the other side. I am confident of this.
maybe yoga abd meditation can be part of your training. I dunno. You are an inspiration to me. Keep in shining!
Here I thought that dealing with a case of raynaud’s flare-up on my toes to prevent me from walking/running/fitting into bike shoes was bad.
I hope you get over the shingles quickly and The Expert has a fast recovery.
What I have come to realize is setbacks are just part of the travel down my road of life. You got every single point perfectly in this article. You are an inspiration and thousands upon thousands look up to you because we all feel the same way at some point in time. You have the amazing talent to write about it and have it resonate with us all. Shingles is no joke. It takes time- a lot of it. Mindfulness apps may be of some help. You are a fitness guru, awesome momma and wife, career minded, a shining example to all. Take care of you and your loved ones.
There must be something in the water supply! I’m ready to throw my hands up and scream “Eff ALLLLL the things!” this week! Of course, this too shall pass. I keep reminding myself that everything happens for a reason (yeah, and perhaps that reason is because I . AM . STOOPID) and that we have to have the lows to appreciate the highs (totally have a finger up in the air on this one, and it ain’t my thumb). But seriously, sooo glad the Expert is okay and that you will be too. It’s okay to pull the covers over your head. <3
This makes me unhappy. Probably not as unhappy as it makes you, mind, but still…
Hope you heal extraordinarily fast Mere.
Wow, I am SO sorry to hear about your shingles. I hope everything is looking up for you. I’ve heard it’s just terrible. Feel better soon!
Big hug! I had shingles when Shark Boy was very young (brought on by stress of having a pregnant wife in the hospital due to a fall, and she was nursing at the time too). So I went from being a primary caregiver t a baby to not being able to touch him. Speedy recovery!
Oh my! Feel better soon and rest up!
Sending you healing vibes. I had shingles in 2008 and I will admit it was the worst pain I’ve ever felt in my life. It was worse than natural childbirth. So i hope you are not in too much pain and that you heal quickly. Hang in there!
Look back at that list of stuff that you have had go wrong.
Remember what you did every single time afterwards: YOU GOT BACK UP!
You are amazing and such an inspiration! Keep your head up and know that this too will heal and you will GET BACK UP!
Sorry to hear about all this. I completely agree about training. Obviously triathlon (or running or whatever the sport is) isn’t everything but it enables many of us to handle the other stuff better. I was incredibly stressed and unhappy when I broke my leg and couldn’t swim/bike/run for months – I need the outlet to be a better mom / wife / employee.
Hope you all recover quickly 🙂
Oh my, Im so sorry. My husband had shingles last month. It was terrible. Huge stess on the entire family and it killed me to see him in so much pain. He is finally back to feeling normal again and almost entirely recovered. They told him about six weeks but he only was down for about 2.5. With my urging (ok forcing down his throat) he took additional vitamin c, b12 and lysine. I would like to believe it helped him recover much faster than normal. Maybe with a shot?
You are a trooper! You will perservere and keep going forward.. That’s what you’re made of … it has to be as your are an inspiration to me!!!