CRPS, or Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (Type 1), is a change in the nervous system that's usually triggered by a very painful episode. The bad kinds affect the brain, nerves, muscles, skin, metabolism, circulation, and fight-or-flight response. Lucky me; that's what I've got. ... But life is still inherently good (or I don't know when to quit; either way) and, good or not, life still goes on.

Saturday, March 30, 2013

Letter to my PT - how about a marathon?

Dear [PT],
Something crystalized in my mind, after reading the preface to a friend's book. (On Kindle here.)


I  do well with having rather demanding overarching goals. (Trauma nurse at DC General, software geek at Borland? yeah :)...) I have some good mental and creative goals (books on mythology and CRPS neuro-endocrine-immunology, 501c3 called "CRPS: Art and Spirit", etc.), but my physical goals are reactive rather than proactive


Right now, it's all about beating back the assaults on my function; there's none of that necessary "F.U.!"-sized stuff on my horizon that can help me bring enough focus and determination to vault over such paltry issues as washing my damn hair. (One side of my face laughs wryly as I say that.)


There's the shorter CRPS walk/roll/run in December, Quench the Fire!, and that's a good, reasonable goal.


I need a slightly unreasonable goal, or I can't really focus. Normal goals really do bore me. Sad, possibly warped, but true. 

And this reactive mindset is doing me no good at all -- look at my last stallout. Awful. 


It's just awful to be reactive in my goals, and especially in the goals for my horribly challenged physical self -- my only vehicle of life. 


I have to do better. 


I need something more -- something a bit larger than life to strive for. (Just ask my mother. I've been like this since I was at least 2.)
So... I'm considering running next year's marathon.
Positives:

+ I have a year to pull myself together. If you could help hook me up with some kind of structure for training, so much the better.
+ Keck staffs the medical tents, which I find automatically reassuring.
+ It's slightly crazy, but not completely insane. Perfect.
Negatives:

- Mostly pavement. A real problem. (I don't have to train on pavement, though.)
- Potentially difficult, risky and expensive. ...Just like life.
- Ummm...


I think the Ayes have it. What do you think? And, if I'm in town, I'd be delighted to do the 5/10k at the end of this year. Not as a goal, but as a coincidental benefit.
It's all about pacing.
I realize we've only just met, and this might strike you as brash or ill-considered. I'm not saying it isn't, but it's very much in character and, with a little bit of faith from those backing me, could be just the mental kick to help with quite a few intermediate hurdles.


And, of course, I might finish.


(With a little publicity, this could be pretty cool all around. Fat, brittle, middle-aged, chronic CRPSer turns marathoner. -- Huh, that gets MY attention! And how cool if I was not the only one....)
I used to be a middle-distance runner, going 4 miles up and down a canyon or 6-10 over surface streets, 2-5 days a week. I kept getting back to it, pre-injury; I enjoyed it, and looked for places to live where it was safe to run.


Marathoning is a different mindset, but I think it's learnable. And learning to do a marathon in a paced, calm, controlled, ANS-managed, non-frantic manner... well, that's one hell of an F.U. to CRPS!



I look forward to hearing what you think about this... I think :) I really do want your advice and would love to be able to check in with you as I go, so please mull it over. I'm seeing my whole team next week, so I'll get to do plenty of hashing-out. I'll blog it and talk it over with some of my old guard this weekend, too, so I'll be better prepared for our conversations.


Many thanks,
Isabel

--
Writing on science, adaptation, surviving, and running...
* Health and Life with CRPS-1: http://livinganyway.blogspot.com/
* Cauterizing the Bleeding Edge of medicine and science: http://biowizardry.blogspot.com

4 comments:

  1. Heh! I'm not surprised, you and I both seem to work better with big/ridiculous goals ;-)
    Even if we don't get to the big goal that's okay because we accomplish so much and learn even more along the way. There are many goals to achieve and celebrate en route to a big goal. :-)
    I hope the talk goes well with your team. And I'm so glad that you have a good and supportive team to work with, and Siddhi to cuddle you between physio's.
    We seem to do best when we spin several plates too many, whatever you and your team end up deciding you know I'll always be cheering you on fabulous, xox

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, the thought of you deciding to compete in Paralympic Tai Chi -- which doesn't exist yet -- did cross my mind...

      We are imps of the possible. Bugger the impossible. It's all imp-possible.

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    2. Darn right! Seeing as the paralympics aren't available I'm off to the Tai Chi Nationals instead ;-) Imp-possible is the way to goooo! xx

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    3. Darn right! Seeing as the paralympics aren't available I'm off to the Tai Chi Nationals instead ;-) Imp-possible is the way to goooo! xx

      Delete

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