And the Award Goes To...

Let me start with the fact all my organs are intact and still inside my body. However, you are welcome to make guesses at what was wrong with me as you read.

I need to back up to yesterday morning because it was Oscars Sunday, and for the first time in roughly 20 years I actually planned to watch the whole thing. I've watched bits and pieces over the years, but I pictured myself camped out on the couch under blankets snacking on popcorn and enjoying the show. I was excited for all the nominations and couldn't wait to see Ryan Gosling perform "I'm Just Ken."

Around 1:30 PM I hit the floor of my closet with an unrelenting pain right at the top of my rib cage running down to my stomach. Now, I suffer from stressed induced reflux, so I am very familiar with a flare up or when I have uncomfortably trapped gas. I even have experienced my fair share of stomach bugs with the cramping and aching. All of these I have methods for dealing with.  

I managed to get the pain to subside long enough to walk around a bit and even ran by Sam's for some items we needed. However, the moment I got home I had another attack and writhed around in my bed begging for it to go away. I still thought it was one of the usual suspects being particularly cruel since I had been able to run an errand. I even tried to vomit out a possible stomach virus to no avail. Nothing was working. Then it calmed a bit again.

At this point I was very hungry and very exhausted. It was hurting to breathe, and I couldn't really drink much water. With the Oscars minutes from air, I determinedly curled up on the couch and prayed the pain wouldn't come back. I made it to RDJs award acceptance when I hit the ground again in excruciating pain. Enough was enough. Chris took me to the ER.

Hunched over, I shuffled my way through Check In. The moment I sat down in triage, I started to cry and rock back and forth from the pain. The ER doctor came in and was fantastic. He ordered blood tests and wanted to get a look at my appendix, pancreas, and colon. An IV drip with some morphine and zofran did the trick, and while waiting for results I remembered the episode of the Golden Girls where Sophia has an attack of the gall bladder. She remarks that she has a "bubble" in exactly the same place I first felt my pain. Then she is in so much pain she believes she is dying. I was convinced my gall bladder would be a goner! (Hey, I was medicated okay?)

The verdict: Fatty Liver. It's a thing. What caused it is the big question. I am not a heavy drinker. While I may be overweight, I wouldn't say I'm obese. I am definitely not pregnant. In terms of lifestyle, we eat ground turkey instead of ground beef (rarely eat beef actually). We use chick pea pasta. We get whole wheat breads. I drink nonfat, lactose free milk. I use the Skinny Chai mix. I love me some Body Pump and started bicycling with my youngest boy. Basically, I had no idea what would cause a Fatty Liver issue. My best guess is that it is related to my hypertension, hormones, and reflux.    

All my other organs were fine, blood tests were good, and the EKG showed no heart attack. The "cure:" bland food for a few days and some medication for the stomach cramping. I was discharged, walked without pain to the car, and was home in bed by 11:00 PM. 

Not how I planned to start my Spring Break but incredibly grateful for an efficient ER experience, modern medicine, loving husband, and YouTube so I could go back and watch this:

It's Just Like Riding a Bike

I rode a bike today. First time in about 30ish years. For a brief moment while rolling the bike out of the back room and down to the alley, this scene flashed through my mind:

As much as I would love to have Jamie Tartt by my side as I got comfortable on a bike again, I sought support from a different place.

My sweet, funny, wonderful 11 year old rocked it as my moral support. He shared tips to keep my balance and reminded me when to lean in to turn. Additionally, he explained the best times to adjust my speed or use my handbrakes. That's right. The last time I rode a bike I applied the brakes by pedaling backwards. No handbrakes.

It wasn't terrible. I enjoyed the feel of the wind on my face. I sped up and coasted. I stood up on my feet to pedal a couple of times (felt pretty cool). I made a ridiculously wide turn the first time. I even earned my first ever exercise award for an outdoor cycle!

The biggest success was working through the initial anxiety of getting back on a bike after so long. Rather than worry that I would look foolish in front of my youngest son, I decided to ask for his help. It worked out so well. He rode along side me and was the best bike buddy. 

I only biked for 20 minutes at the end of my street. It was more than enough. My legs could feel it. I was sweating which isn't my favorite thing to do. (80 degree weather - what are you gonna do?) My 11 year old was ready for me to go up and down the absurd incline that is our street. While it felt great to be back on a bike, I think I will have to work up to that. Eventually, we'll hit some of the trails around our neighborhood; and perhaps someday I'll tackle White Rock Lake.

In the meantime, I am happy knowing I didn't forget how to ride a bike. Now to get some sparkly tassels...